Following a tip-off Steed and Miss King are present when a member of the Acme Precision Combine is stabbed, seemingly by a sleep-walker who has no recollection of the murder. This leads the Avengers to a clinic run by Dr. A. Jaeger who may or may not be programming deadly sleep-walkers. "My Wildest Dream" suffers from the same problem that the early Tara King entries shared, a serviceable story but totally lacking in humor, which marked the debut of designer Robert Fuest in the director's chair. Peter Vaughan (1971's "Straw Dogs") plays Dr. Jaeger, a psychiatrist who encourages certain patients to act out their homicidal fantasies against their enemies, then sends them out to finish the job. The doctor's nurse (Susan Travers) continually phones Steed so that each murder takes place with at least one witness nearby, but eventually, they decide that Lord Teddy Chilcott (Edward Fox), a rival for Tara's affections, is the perfect choice to eliminate Steed. Tara again wears multiple wigs, including (for the second and last time) the long haired brunette one that recalls Emma Peel, but her fights have greatly improved and are well staged. Fuest shows a fine visual sense, working wonders with the lackluster script, the last of 19 from the prolific pen of Philip Levene, author of "The Cybernauts" (and its sequel), "The Hidden Tiger," "Never, Never Say Die," "Death's Door," "You Have Just Been Murdered," and "Who's Who???" Making his fifth and final appearance on the series is Philip Madoc, veteran of "The Decapod," "Six Hands Across a Table," "Death of a Batman," and "The Correct Way to Kill," whose mesmerized assassin, Slater, tries to take two lives, with Murray Hayne ("Tunnel of Fear") playing the first subject, Paul Gibbons. Robert Fuest went on to helm "Game," "They Keep Killing Steed," "The Rotters," "Take Me to Your Leader," "Pandora," and "Take-Over." At one time or another, haven't we all hated someone so much we've felt like killing them? It could be your boss, your G.P., your bank manager, your spouse, anyone. The villain in this Philip Levene-penned ( one of the last he was to write ) 'Avengers' story is 'Dr.A.Jaeger' ( Peter Vaughan' ), an 'aggresso-therapist' who encourages clients to live out their dreams of committing murder, usually involving repeatedly stabbing a dummy made up to look like their intended victims.<br/><br/>Frank Tobias ( Derek Godfrey ) is one such client, who longs to savage to death his boss, Aloysius Peregrine ( Hugh Moxey ) of the 'Acme Precision Combine'. Steed receives a call from 'Nurse Janet Owen' ( Susan Travers, later to play 'Arlette' in the first two seasons of I.T.V.'s 'Van Der Valk'; ) tipping him off about Peregrine's impending demise. When he and Tara show up at the wealthy man's flat, they find Tobias in the act of killing him. Jaeger's treatment has programmed the hapless Tobias into becoming an instrument of destruction. Panicking, Tobias runs - and falls out of the window. Steed is lined up for future treatment - he has a rival for Tara in the shape of 'Lord Teddy Chilcott' ( Edward Fox )…<br/><br/>Robert Fuest's stylish direction is matched perfectly by Robert Jones' sets, which must rank among the very best he did for the series. There is a room which has the word 'Observation' written in big letters across one wall, and Jaeger's surgery is awesome. The fight scene with Tara early on is eye popping. Also in the cast are Philip Madoc ( 'Slater' ) and John Savident ( 'Henry Winthrop ).<br/><br/>Due to the number of on screen stabbings, this was given a later time slot. It really is a tour de force, and makes one all the sadder that Levene died before he could contribute to 'The New Avengers'.
Laurigold replied
295 weeks ago