10 reviews
Steed catches the train
- ShadeGrenade
- Oct 11, 2010
- Permalink
Dead men do spy
Their secret of success in a nutshell
Watching the "Gravediggers" one can well see the way that "The Avengers" have come since their start. Done a season or two before the whole story might have been treated totally different. There is a serious approach to the plot at the beginning but as soon as the gravedigger take off with the corpse we know where we are. Many great scenes take place in a hospital, but the greatest attraction is the house and grounds of a train-crazy old fellow and his butler. This episode has everything that made "The Avengers" since Diana Rigg's appearance world famous. I'm not telling you more in case you have not seen it. But go see it!
Outlandish good fun.
An early warning radar system has malfunctioned, Steed and Peel are called in as it's a matter of national security.
I'm not sure what's more outrageous, the plot, or the performance of Ronald Fraser, both are outlandish, but super fun.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, it's a wild plot, but it's loaded with intrigue, suspense, humour, maybe even a little horror vibe too.
You're made to wonder exactly what's going on with those coffins, it all feels very cloak and dagger, the plot goes from the macabre to the surreal, but it's thoroughly enjoyable.
A sublime cast appear here, look out for Steven Berkoff, Wanda Ventham, and of course the glorious Caroline Blakiston. Ronald Fraser is so gloriously over the top as Sir Horace Winslip, the scenes at his 'Station' are so insane.
Really enjoyed that, 8/10.
I'm not sure what's more outrageous, the plot, or the performance of Ronald Fraser, both are outlandish, but super fun.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, it's a wild plot, but it's loaded with intrigue, suspense, humour, maybe even a little horror vibe too.
You're made to wonder exactly what's going on with those coffins, it all feels very cloak and dagger, the plot goes from the macabre to the surreal, but it's thoroughly enjoyable.
A sublime cast appear here, look out for Steven Berkoff, Wanda Ventham, and of course the glorious Caroline Blakiston. Ronald Fraser is so gloriously over the top as Sir Horace Winslip, the scenes at his 'Station' are so insane.
Really enjoyed that, 8/10.
- Sleepin_Dragon
- Jul 1, 2022
- Permalink
Mrs Peel as the damsel in distress
After an early warning radar system malfunctions, Steed and Mrs Peel are called in to investigate. Their only real clue is a dead man and something called the Sir Horace Winslip Hospital for Ailing Railwaymen.
The Gravediggers is another good one featuring more than a handful of iconic images that any fan won't soon forget - including an antenna rising out of a grave, Steed's fight scene on a tiny train, and Mrs Peel literally tied to a railroad track. The eccentric and very British Sir Horace Winslip (Ronald Fraser) is one of the series more memorable characters. Steed and Sir Horace's luncheon scene on the "train" is frequently very funny. And I get a kick out of the way the baddie's dress in full morning clothes to tote a casket back and forth. Good stuff. Finally, The Gravediggers benefits from some outstanding supporting actors. In addition to Fraser, Paul Massie, Wanda Ventham, Caroline Blakiston, and the immediately recognizable, but very young looking, Steven Birkoff all add to the fun.
8/10
The Gravediggers is another good one featuring more than a handful of iconic images that any fan won't soon forget - including an antenna rising out of a grave, Steed's fight scene on a tiny train, and Mrs Peel literally tied to a railroad track. The eccentric and very British Sir Horace Winslip (Ronald Fraser) is one of the series more memorable characters. Steed and Sir Horace's luncheon scene on the "train" is frequently very funny. And I get a kick out of the way the baddie's dress in full morning clothes to tote a casket back and forth. Good stuff. Finally, The Gravediggers benefits from some outstanding supporting actors. In addition to Fraser, Paul Massie, Wanda Ventham, Caroline Blakiston, and the immediately recognizable, but very young looking, Steven Birkoff all add to the fun.
8/10
- bensonmum2
- Aug 8, 2020
- Permalink
Paul Massie and Ronald Fraser
- kevinolzak
- Feb 13, 2011
- Permalink
SIR HORACE WINSLIP
A terrorist organization develops a sophisticated plan to neutralize all the security radars that protect England and thus leave the country defenseless against an enemy attack, its members hide and operate from the traditional Sir Horace Winslip Hospital without him knowing. Emma goes undercover as a nurse to find them out. The episode is quite entertaining but the highlight is, in my opinion, the visit that Steed makes to the eccentric Sir Horace, who is a fan of trains and has an old wagon in his living room that he uses when he wants to drink tea, we can see his butler perform all kinds of hilarious tasks to create the effect that the train is in motion, from changing the decoration plates to simulate day and night, continuously moving the car and even blowing smoke that simulates the night fog, a scene brilliant, creative and hilarious. The ending is also very good, with Emma tied to the tracks of a mini-train and Steed fighting the bad guys on the moving vehicle in the best style of old silent serials with matching music and everything.
- asalerno10
- Jun 8, 2022
- Permalink
The Grave-Diggers
When a government radar station starts to experience unexplained blackouts, Stedd and Mrs Peel investigate death of a prominent scientist who may not really be dead.
The Grave-Diggers is an enjoyable episode. Scripted by Malcolm Hulke, it's very entertaining and well written. Ronald Fraser is wonderful as Sir Horace Winslip, a train enthusiast who is duped by the villains. The climatic fight scene is well done, with Emma Peel ending up tied to railway tracks.
Paul Massie, who has earlier starred in Hammer's horrible film The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll, plays the main villain, while Steven Berkoff and Wanda Ventham appeared in an uncountable number of TV series.
Overall, good fun.
The Grave-Diggers is an enjoyable episode. Scripted by Malcolm Hulke, it's very entertaining and well written. Ronald Fraser is wonderful as Sir Horace Winslip, a train enthusiast who is duped by the villains. The climatic fight scene is well done, with Emma Peel ending up tied to railway tracks.
Paul Massie, who has earlier starred in Hammer's horrible film The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll, plays the main villain, while Steven Berkoff and Wanda Ventham appeared in an uncountable number of TV series.
Overall, good fun.
- guswhovian
- Jul 5, 2020
- Permalink
Radars and Railroads
The Gravediggers
One of Britain's early-warning radar stations has suffered a technically impossible glitch, and the Avengers are sent to investigate. They discover the enginner for the system was buried a week before in the village the problem seems to be coming from, and then Steed sees the dead man walking around a private hospital!
Emma infiltrates and is captured, destined to be run down by a minature train owned by a man who thinks he's helping the saboteurs eliminate motor cars. The dashing Steed arrive in time to save her?
Ok episode, the plot is a little incoherent and middling but picks up midway leading to a delightful scene of Emma tied to the railway tracks - delightful because it's a neat cliffhanger. Steed fights on top of the train- a highlight. Really well-staged. There's a great eccentric who has his own private railway and wants to wipe out motor cars . Ronald Fraser had played a similar barmy character in a previous episode - a colonel who thinks he's in Malayan jungle!
Emma infiltrates and is captured, destined to be run down by a minature train owned by a man who thinks he's helping the saboteurs eliminate motor cars. The dashing Steed arrive in time to save her?
Ok episode, the plot is a little incoherent and middling but picks up midway leading to a delightful scene of Emma tied to the railway tracks - delightful because it's a neat cliffhanger. Steed fights on top of the train- a highlight. Really well-staged. There's a great eccentric who has his own private railway and wants to wipe out motor cars . Ronald Fraser had played a similar barmy character in a previous episode - a colonel who thinks he's in Malayan jungle!