Episode 112: Emma Peel Era
Page 113 of 192

 

  We're Needed

Whilst redecorating her flat, Emma removes a strip of old wallpaper to reveal written beneath, "Mrs. Peel." Steed enters and removes another strip of wallpaper to reveal, "We're Needed!"

  Tag

Whilst redecorating Emma's flat, Steed paints some revealing graffiti on the wall (see the image).

  Stats ?

  A.K.A.

 Letigre caché

 Vorsicht, Raubatzen

 La tigre nascosta

 El Tigre Silencioso

 Voor de poes

  Other Viewpoints

• Visitor reviews
• The GLG Report
• Rodney's Reviews

THE HIDDEN TIGER

TAF TOP TEN

Steed Hunts a Big Cat
Emma is Badly Scratched

Produced: January 1967
UK Premiere (London, Season 5): 3 March 1967
US Premiere (New York, Season 2): 17 March 1967

Is an escaped lion or tiger on the loose, mauling businessmen and prize bulls to death? Steed goes on safari to track down the "big cat," but his hunting partner is murdered—whilst locked inside a protective cage! Eventually the tenuous clues lead them to P.U.R.R.R., the Philanthropic Union for the Rescue, Relief and Recuperation of Cats.

 IMHO

Finally! A bona-fide four-bowler color episode, and a serious treat it is—particularly for cat-lovers such as myself (I had a cat named Emma, BTW, and she was reddish-brown). Worthwhile for the copious double-entendres and inside jokes alone. Mr. Cheshire is a classic goofball, particularly when he's "on the bottle." The fact that his involvement in the scheme was never clarified is not enough to threaten the episode's top-ten status—as one fan put it, plot was always secondary on The Avengers. Wonderful little giggle from Emma at the very end when we learn of Steed's true feelings toward her—as if we didn't already know.

 Trivia

Mr. Cheshire refers to cats as our "fulsome" feline friends—but "fulsome" is not a positive quality. It actually means "offensive, disgusting," especially because [one is] insincere or excessive—e.g. "fulsome praise." (Submitted by fellow Avengernaut and former English teacher Margaret Warren)

Gabrielle Drake (Angora) was one of several actresses screen-tested to replace Diana Rigg.

Acronym Alert: PURRR is the Philanthropic Union for the Rescue, Relief and Recuperation of Cats.

 On Location

North Mymms Park, Welham Green, was the setting of P.U.R.R.R.

 Best Scene

Quite a few of them in this episode. The best include first Steed and then Emma describing their respective "pets" to Mr. Cheshire. Steed's lines are detailed above; Emma refers to Little John as being "very bad tempered first thing in the morning... until he's had his first glass of champagne." Followed by a close third, the Jones phone book sequence. "He's the heavyweight champion of where?" And don't forget the tag!

 Best Line

There's a bevy of them! A sample: After taking the particulars for Steed's cat, Emma, Mr. Cheshire remarks, "And what a joy for you it must be when she's curled up in your lap."

 Essential Reading

THE HIDDEN TIGER

Teleplay by
Directed by

Philip Levene
Sidney Hayers

Full production credits

CAST

John Steed
Emma Peel
Cheshire
Dr. Manx
Angora
Nesbit
Peters
Erskine
Sir David Harper
Dawson
Samuel Jones
Williams
Bellamy

Patrick Macnee 007
Diana Rigg 007
Ronnie Barker
Lyndon Brook #
Gabrielle Drake #
John Phillips
Michael Forrest #
Stanley Meadows
Jack Gwillim
Frederick Treves
Brian Haines
John Moore #
Reg Prichard #

UNBILLED/STUNTS

Pallbearer

Peter J. Elliot

# DOPPELGANGERS

Lyndon Brook

House of Cards
Noon Doomsday

Gabrielle Drake

Dead Men Are Dangerous

Michael Forrest

Death Dispatch

John Moore

Thingumajig

Reg Pritchard

Honey for the Prince
 

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Page last modified: 5 May 2017.

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