Now this is much more like it. Divided into two distinct parts: the first part invites us (and Steed and Mrs Peel) to consider how a cabinet minister came to be shot during a secrets-related burglary, and to lose his memory of the event. Fun with Mrs Peel assuming the role of nurse, though she doesn't have the job for long as the patient is offed by psychiatrist Dr Campbell (Ian M[a]cnaughton of Python direction fame), who appears to be under some kind of hypnotic influence.
The dead man and Campbell are, it seems, both members of high-IQ group RANSACK, whose director Desmond Leeming (Bernard 'Marcus Scarman' Archard) is conveniently on the scene to lead our heroes into part two, which centres around the RANSACK summer school. Patricia Haines returns from The Nutshell, she's extraordinary fruity during the archery practice scene here.
The familiar trope of sleep hypnosis (and one protagonist escaping its influence while the other succumbs) quickly appears, and as soon as it's clear that RANSACK members are being used to carry out the sort of raid seen in the teaser, everything is resolved with a big, stylish fight. I found the combination of foreground fisticuffs and background military film oddly reminiscent of Fall Out; it was also fun to have this scene, with fighting taking place in front of, behind and indeed through the projection screen, immediately followed by some very obvious back projection for the final gag.
The 'elitist society' theme reminded me rather of Robot, and the 'work under hypnosis' idea of The War Machines. I found Robert Banks Stewart at the typewriter rather than Terrance Dicks or Ian Stuart Black, though.
Archard is excellent as Desmond Leeming. I warmed to Mrs Peel a bit more in this one, there wasn't so much of the irritating coyness seen in the last two episodes. The more she's like Cathy Gale, the more I'll be pleased.
Also seen: Martin 'Watchmaker/Kublai Khan' Miller as Prof Spencer, who has nothing to do with the story as far as I can work out. And John 'Sir Charles in Do Not Forsake Me' Wentworth returns from Six Hands Across A Table as Sir Jeremy. Two Sir Charles and one Sir Jeremy, this man's at it knight after knight after knight.
