Episode 121: Emma Peel Era
Page 122 of 192

 

  Tag

Emma awakens Steed, asleep on his sofa, from an erotic dream to tell him of her dream about seeing an opera—for which he has already purchased the tickets.

  Stats ?

  A.K.A.

 La porte de la mort

 Der wahrgewordene Alptraum

 La porta della morte

 A Las Puertas De La Muerte

 De deur des doods

  Other Viewpoints

• Guest Essay
• Visitor reviews
• Rodney's Reviews

DEATH'S DOOR

TAF TOP TEN

Steed Relives a Nightmare
Emma Sees Daylight

Production completed: 7 June 1967
UK Premiere (London, Season 6): 5 October 1967
US Premiere (New York, Season 3): 31 January 1968

When a delegation arrives at a hall for a crucial conference, the key attendant inexplicably turns tail and runs at the last minute. Worse, after he is killed in an automobile accident that he foresaw, his successor begins to exhibit similar behavioral anomalies.

 IMHO

I'm not quite sure why this one so often receives poor reviews among fans—I find very little about which to complain. To me, it is a very clever story, with some great twists and a nice little nail-biter in the middle. If I was forced to make gripe, it would be the lack of a real diabolical mastermind; but the especially effective nightmare-perspective scenes, populated by spooky "faceless dream men," more than make up for that.

 Trivia

Beginning with this episode, we say farewell to the "We're Needed" teasers, as well as the famous two-liners appearing on-screen.

Recognize Sir Andrew's newspaper? Mark H. Stevens reports that Emma was reading the exact same paper right before her fight with the bride in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Station." Caroline notes that the stone lions appeared once before in "The House That Jack Built." And do you recognize the big "Thursday the 12th" desk calendar? Steed crawls across it in "Mission... Highly Improbable." (thanks, Alanna)

So, what does a real TV script look like, anyway? Here are the cover and first page of this episode's script.

 On Location

The conference center is actually The Royal Masonic Senior School (which later became Bushey International University), which also appeared as Saint Bodes in "A Sense of History." On Location provides a modern view.

 Best Scene

Who could forget Steed trapped behind the shooting target? But then, there's also that affectionate little hair-straightening Emma gives Steed at the end...

 Best Line

Emma: "You know my wavelength." Steed: "I do indeed."

 Essential Reading

DEATH'S DOOR

Teleplay by
Directed by

Philip Levene
Sidney Hayers

Full production credits

CAST

John Steed
Emma Peel
Sir Andrew Boyd
Stapley
Lord Melford
Becker
Dr. Evans
Pavret
Saunders
Dalby
Haynes
Jepson

Patrick Macnee 007
Diana Rigg 007
Clifford Evans #
William Lucas #
Allan Cuthbertson #
Marne Maitland 007
Paul Dawkins #
Michael Faure
Peter Thomas
William Lyon Brown #
Terry Yorke
Terry Maidment

# DOPPELGANGERS

William Lyon Brown

Fog

Allan Cuthbertson

Death at Bargain Prices
The Deadly Air
Super Secret Cypher Snatch

Paul Dawkins

Death à la Carte
Death on the Slipway

Cliff Evans

Dial a Deadly Number
Whoever Shot Poor George...

William Lucas

Invasion of the Earthmen

Peter Thomas

Small Game for Big Hunters
All Done with Mirrors
 

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Page last modified: 5 May 2017.

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