Friday, May 11, 2012

Naive Avengersthon - 77. What The Butler Saw

Not a very good episode, about a school for butlers supplying staff to military men with the intent of bugging secret discussions. The school scenes provide yet another opportunity for 'people being drilled in doing things in unison' komedy, and there's a bizarre top-secret conference inside a giant plastic bag.

Best bits: Steed assuming the guise of naval, army and RAF officers in succession when he visits the bugging targets, including a stylish arrival by motor launch. Steed again as a buttling student.

Mrs Peel has her moments too - principally being sent in as bait for a philanderer, and finding that he's fed up with keeping up his reputation and just wants to have a cup of tea and play ludo with her. (Perhaps in view of her recent ordeals I should explain that they use a standard ludo board, he doesn't want her as a human ludo counter or something) She also has a fight with the buttling school mastermind inside a rack of doors used for door-answering drill.

Previously seen: John le Mesurier as the chief butler, returning from Mandrake. Norman Scace from Lobster Quadrille, Peter Hughes from The Medicine Men.

Also seen: Kynaston Reeves, who's the government visitor inspecting the experiment in Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling.