Steed is curious about a break-in at the lab of virus researcher Dr Ashe, in which the doctor claims nothing was stolen. Cathy has to pretend to be a journalist again and go and question him; meanwhile the burglar is feeling distinctly peaky. His employer - Peter Arne returning as brilliantly sinister music-box enthusiast/crime boss Redfern - thoughtfully deals with his illness by having him burnt to death. Arne has now played two villains with upsetting facial hair within the space of three episodes in production order; and if I've read the broadcast order right, Warlock was actually shown the week before this episode.
Ashe eventually concedes that something was stolen from his lab after all: a refrigerated case which Cathy eventually locates, fighting off Redfern's henchman who's also on its trail. There's a very suspenseful moment where Steed cautiously opens the case, it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. And from here it's a short run to a slightly disappointing confrontation with Redfern; Cathy uses an ingenious bluff, but I expected something cleverer from Redfern than just trying to shoot her.
I had a strange sort of Planet of Giants feeling about this one - Donald 'Krasis/Pollio' Eccles as Dr Ashe kept reminding me of the First Doctor, and Pauline Delaney as his assistant had many elusive hints of Barbara Wright (it's the hair).
One thing I didn't get was why the eponymous eggs were painted gold: to stop them being mistaken for ordinary eggs I suppose, but there ought to have been some exposition to this effect.
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