Television: 'The Man From UNCLE: The Gazebo In The Maze Affair' (1965) (Aired 1x27, Produced 1x28)

It has been a while since the last UNCLE post, but maybe it was a good thing, and now we can get to the last two episodes in a far less jaded manner. It has been a long season, and if I managed to get a bit tired from watching, then we can only imagine how tired they all got from making the show!

On this occasion, we have 'The Gazebo In The Maze Affair', henceforth to be referred to as 'Gazebo', with the inimitable George Sanders. Good old George, the most urbane of stock villains. Actually, he was recently seen here at the House Of Quirk in the movie 'Foreign Correspondent', which was made decades earlier, and he was the first (and best) of the iterations of the infamous Mister Freeze in the 'Batman' television series. Oh, and there's also John Orchard, who was Ugly John in the first year of 'M*A*S*H', as well as Jeanette Nolan, who always seems to be someone I should recognise. Hmmm. This is a pretty good one, based on style alone.

In 'Gazebo', the former South American dictator Emery Partridge abducts Ilya (the victim again!), in a bit to get his old enemy Napoleon's attention and ultimately exact revenge on him as well as UNCLE in general. There is a small pear tree involved in the message. Napoleon dashes over to Britain in pursuit, discovers a mostly innocent Innocent in Partridge's employ, a daffy and somewhat depraved Mrs Partridge, one of the cuddliest 'wolves' ever guarding the prison gazebo, gets captured, escapes, waves a sword around, and ultimately saves the day. Well done, Napoleon. Good show. Pip pip. Nice shot with that dart too, by the way, of expressive one.

There are some nice touches. The aforementioned dartboard scene is cool, as is Mrs Partridge's fascination for torture and flirting with the men from UNCLE, and Ilya's revenge on Solo at the end is cute. You devious Russian, Kuryakin! Extreme measures are required sometimes, to get the girl when Solo is around.

A solid, middle of the road UNCLE episode, and one of the two I watched on a VHS retail copy over and over, many years ago. Only one episode remains! It's definitely one to look forward to.

O.