One of just two episodes of The New Avengers I’ve never seen, this is a disappointment. The plot hasn’t been thought through – but seems, at the very least, to be suggested that birds are both sufficiently intelligent to communicate with humans, and can be influenced and controlled as a flock. Inevitably, the production budget is not up to representing this, and it shows. During one bird attack, we get a montage (a little like the one towards the end of Don’t Look Behind You, but it’s clearly for budgetary rather than stylistic reasons).
Rather than heading for Steed’s mansion, and agent radios in this time. Of course, he radios Steed, who has a radio with a recorder set up on his coffee table, where he appears to be waiting for the call. Does the organisation have no premises or administration? Is Steed running an entire spy network from his home office?
This is the first of the series that is not written by Brian Clemens. It’s by Dennis Spooner (writer of the decent Girl on the Trapeze and Please Don’t Feed The Animals as well as the execrable Look, Stop Me…) a good friend of Clemens and it’s the first of several scripts for the new show. But it’s not a promising start.
Best moment: when Steed and Gambit make the same joke at the same time – the look on their faces. But it’s about the only enjoyable thing in the episode.