06.30 It Takes A Thief
07.30 The Avengers
08.30 The Mary Tyler Moore Show
It Takes A Thief. Episode 8. "A Spot of Trouble" Posing as a millionaire, Al pals around with a group of beautiful models as a means towards getting close to their photographer (a suspected courier).
Nice break from formula (where Al always seems to be breaking into some large mansion somewhere) as he gets to lounge around the pool and have fun with the girls. Robert Wagner is very funny in this one, and he gets great support from Katherine Crawford, making her second appearence on the show as Al's disapproving back-up. It's a fun relationship. He keeps making passes at her and she expresses constant disgust at his behaviour, convinced that it will lead them nowhere.
Of course, Al is on the right track. But it takes a huge leap of faith from the viewer to accept the twist ending (the microdot they are searching for is hidden as a freckle on one of the models! Seriously.)
While this is a fun episode, the show manages a great feeling of danger. When he is attacked and in danger of having his cover blown, we are reminded that Al is no superspy. He really is just a thief and these bad guys will kill him if they catch him. Adds a great subtext to the fun.
The Avengers. Episode 137. "Whoever Shot Poor George Oblique Stroke XR40" There are no funny scenes, really, but this is a very funny episode about what happens when some bad guys set out to destroy a computer.
The whole episode hangs on the idea that mending computers is just like surgery on humans. And once they came up with that goofy idea, they just ran with it. All the way, baby, all the way. Surgical masks, anesthesia, a pulse, etc. etc. It's mad. And everyone carrys it off as if it were deadly serious.
In the meantime, Tara goes undercover at a stately home (what else?) when Steed suspects the resident of being caught up in the plot. Steed's right, of course, but he is very, very wrong when he tells Tara who to trust and it makes for a great twist ending.
If, like me, you have a huge crush on Linda Thorson, then this is the episode to check out. I also happen to like ladies in, ahem, costume and Linda spends much of this episode clad as a catwoman or a nurse. Not a classic 'sexy nurse' but, still... it's Linda Thorson so it works fine for me.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Episode 19. "We Closed in Minneapolis" Murray writes a play, Ted stars in it (with Mary) and everyone hates it.
So-so episode. The first half is build-up to the play that Murray wrote, the second half is the aftermath (where everyone gathers in Mary's appartment to read the review) and we never get to see any of the play.
For once, Ted comes across as a bit of one-note character and there's not much else going on to make you laugh.
Highlight? The Avengers (Tara as catwoman)
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A Briefing With Michael: One Year Ago
Fri, Jan 9, 09 - It Takes A Thief, The Avengers, The Mary Tyler Moore Show
