Another indication of the
strangeness that became standard in the Peel era, "The Charmers" is quite a good
episode. We have Steed's eccentric opposite number, Keller, and his bizarre idea of a
security camera—inside a dummy. A charm school run by the psychotic Mr Edgar, played
superbly by Brian Oulton. And weirdest of all, a woman in a bald-headed mask who drops
handkerchiefs for the charm school trainees. Also, in the scene where Steed is talking to
Cathy about "Working cheek by jowl with Martin," in reply to Cathy's abrupt
"My cheek is going to be nowhere near his jowl" Steed calls her "Mrs
Jowl" before quickly changing it to Mrs Gale—I am not sure if this is a genuine
mistake, as nobody seems to have mentioned this before.
Fenella Fielding is also very good in this episode as is
the actor playing Horace Cleeves, who reminds me of my grandfather, "Fencing and
Tottering!?? Tottering??!" The best line in my view has to be what Steed says to
Martin near the beginning of the episode. "So, you didn't kill Vinkel?"
"No, I haven't killed anyone all week!" I feel Keller lets the episode down a
bit as he is as annoying as Brodny, but it is good when Steed easily beats him near the
end. Anyway, I would give this one 7/10. It's good, but not as good as "Man With Two Shadows," in my view anyway.
The Charmers
by Alanna
My second-ever Cathy Gale episode,
"The Charmers," was fantastic. I hate to say that it was nearly
superior to its '67 remake. (Actually, I don't hate to say it, but
Emma will always rule. Though I like Cathy lots.) Why? Well, this may not
make sense, but the plot was superior. The radios in the bowler hats
somehow outdid the Steed-style umbrellas for me (why doesn't Steed's
bowler do that, anyway?). This may seem a trivial dispute with "The Correct Way to Kill,"
but every little bit counts.
What else? I absolutely adored the
scene where Steed tries to inform Mrs. Gale that he has, in a manner of
speaking, "sold her to the enemy." Cathy Gale really came to
life in that scene, I think (rather like "The Murder Market"
scene with the tiff between Emma and Steed) and expressed very human
sentiments!
I especially liked the twist with Kim, and
the scene where they hunted for "clues" (put almost
word-for-word in "The Girl from Auntie").
Though I must say I prefer Olga and "the subtle approach"
this scene alone was worth watching the episode.
Watch "The Charmers" and
"Correct Way To Kill" in a row, and see what you think. I should
have watched them both at the same time, but didn't have access to "CWTK"
just then.
Anyway, a 4 1/2 star (or bowler) episode, a
few points taken off for the rather weak scene where someone "breaks
in" to Steed's apartment.
The Charmers
by Sami Mansoor
I think this is a brilliant episode, full of great lines. For me Clemens' writing works best
in the Honor Blackman episodes ("Dressed to Kill" is another of my favourites). I like
Fenella Fielding, as opposed to the slightly too eccentric Olga in "The Correct Way to Kill",
and I think this episode really has a lot more humour, with the mutual misunderstanding between Steed and Kim
Lawrence. The scenes in the tie shop and the charm school are just brilliant. There's more characterisation than in
"The Correct Way to Kill" (and what does the 'O' in SNOB stand for anyway?), with the edgy
dentist and the increased development of Keller. Highlights include Steed's phone conversation with Gale (and, of
course, Keller!), as Steed says that he hasn't heard "one word -– not one word" from Martin, and Fenella Fielding's
wonderful reaction to Cathy's renunciation of the name of Mrs. Steed: "Oh. I see." She clearly doesn't! Oh, and for
some reason, the line about the spy laughing on his way down the lift shaft just makes me laugh out loud every time.
The Charmers
by Monte Wilson
This episode is one of my favorites from the Kathy Gale era, primarily
for the appearance of the delightful Fenella Fielding as 'Kim Lawrence'. I've heard that she was
up for the role of Steed's partner and was trumped by Honor Blackman. Her character's purring
byplay with Steed is charming, and gave us a peek at what-might-have-been. The Peel remake has
its own charm (love the chiropodist's and the amusing two-girl fight-scene choreography at the
end), but the scenes in the tie-shop are better in this version, and the Gale episodes are just
more creepy than those which followed. When someone dies, it isn't as funny, and I was genuinely
concerned for poor Kim! Bully work, troops.
