The rapid decline of The New Avengers continues with this messy combination of a somewhat implausible form of biological warfare (“Yes Mr Gambit, they died of everything”) and an Auric Goldfinger character (played, very distractingly, by Henry from Drop the Dead Donkey who doesn’t look any younger, despite it being almost 15 years before that show would air).  “Gold is important to me….” He’s the man, the man with the midas touch… They’re not doing much to hide the debt. Perhaps they feel they’re owed, having given Goldfinger Honor Blackman.

Steed has been visiting “The Cock Pit” Restaurant. Worse still, in response to a blessing of fertility from a pretty Hong Kong woman, Steed replies that because he is unmarried “Many sons might prove an embarrassment. Of course, if you were prepared to become personally involved…” Oh, ugh.

The indubitable highlight of the episode is the casual discussion between Purdey and Gambit about the Treasures of the Sierra Madre during a white knuckle car chase. The relationship between these two continues to entertain. Better still, the cars actually drive into CARDBOARD BOXES!

The target of the plague is a very, er, funky party. This has dated in a way that very little of the original Avengers has. There’s a (constumed) duck drinking punch. That is an INSANE party.

The photography is a lot more interesting, though, with some beautiful sets, and derelict factory locations. This highlights how much poorer the DVDs for The New Avengers are compared with the beautifully restored Avengers set – though that’s not fault of the series itself. Let’s hope that, now blurays are in the works for the filmed series, that The New Avengers will follow.