The Bird Who Knew Too Much

While the entertainment quality of this AVENGERS chapter, number five from its fifth season, is not up to the elegant standard established by the series, there is yet a sufficiency here to bring fond remembrance for admirers of the matchless John Steed (Patrck MacNee) and Mrs. Peel (Diana Rigg). A weakness here is in the script that, albeit awash with incident, is somewhat unfocused as to narrative progression, additionally having a surfeit of rather fatuous acts of violence, while the most agreeable portion of any AVENGERS tale, that ineffable chemistry between the two leads, emphasised by their cultivated archness, is but infrequently upon display. As is their wont, Steed and Mrs. Peel remain jovial in spite of numerous attempts upon their lives, generally during this adventure at the hands of "counter counter counter espionage" agents, these knaves as well planning to steal a valuable parrot named Captain Crusoe that possesses keen mnemonic ability, especially upon the category of government secrets. This is, of course, a fantasy, the case with all installments of THE AVENGERS, and production designer Wilfred Shingleton, along with art director Fred Carter take every opportunity for the creation of resplendent pastel hued sets that visually match an outrageous plot. Continuity flaws are conspicuous, but when Rigg, ensconced within an Alun Hughes-designed jump suit, and MacNee, at the wheel of Steed's vintage Vauxhall roadster, focus their energies upon defeating the Forces of Evil, all is as it should be. The familiar score from Laurie Johnson is mixed smoothly, the opening credit sequence is a visceral joy as always, and when Steed's carte d'invitation to his partner:"Mrs. Peel, we're needed" appears here (delivered by arrow), we must simply sit back and enjoy what is coming. This episode is from the final season for Rigg as Mrs. Peel, as well as her first in colour, and she readily gathers in the acting laurels for this affair. As the foremost blackguard of the piece, Michael Coles is likewise very compelling.

Steed and Mrs Peel investigate when two agents are found dead, one with an aerial photography of a top-secret missile base. They discover someone named Captain Caruso is transporting the information to the other side, but they soon discover Caruso is a parrot with a photographic memory.

This is my favorite Avengers episode since A Touch of Brimstone. There's continuity issues and plot holes galore, but just sit back and enjoy the ride. The plot is quite ingenious, and Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg are charming as always. There's an especially good guest cast too: Ron Moody is delightful, while Kenneth Cope (Marty Hopkirk), Anthony Valentine (Toby Meres from Callan) and John Wood all appear

Emma and Steed investigate the leak of government secrets, several military bases are being observed in detail by enemy agents who use carrier pigeons with cameras to take aerial images without being discovered by the authorities. An episode that without being outstanding is interesting.

"The Bird Who Knew Too Much" is probably a lesser entry, which is usually the case when the two stars are split up. In this one, Steed spends an inordinate amount of time with a model (Ilona Rodgers, "Six Hands Across a Table"), even posing with her for a photographer (Kenneth Cope, "The Curious Case of the Countless Clues"), while Mrs. Peel does more of the footwork, as avian agents feather their nests with aerial information translated for the mysterious Captain Crusoe, a remarkable talking parrot. Ron Moody's appearance is just as brief as his preceding episode, "Honey for the Prince," while Anthony Valentine made one further appearance in "Killer." Playing silent roles as murdered agents are John Lee ("The Forget-Me-Knot"), and an unbilled Frank Maher ("November Five," "Dressed to Kill," "The Little Wonders," "You Have Just Been Murdered").

I have repeatedly watched The Avengers for over 50 years. This episode strikes me as the writers taking discarded writing and patching them together to make Emma and Steed incompatible, awkward, and stupid. This is probably not the fault of the writers.

Another consumer reviewer remarks about the idiocy of the innuendo between Steed and the model, made more idiotic because that character has absolutely no business in this script.

I don't know how this episode happened. One last: I find the 'Robin' character terrifying, as one should when a character is psychotically gleeful in killing. Terrifying character, and, more objectively - that's all he is. Not the actor's fault. so - who to blame for this catastrophe? The director?