HawkMan
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SERIES 4
The show got a soft reboot, increased budget, after production moved to another company, more way out stories and of course the introduction of Emma Peel played by Diana Rigg.
1. THE TOWN OF NO RETURN.
Steed and Emma visit a mysterious coastal town where several agents have vanished, and where the locals are not all they seem.
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THE GRANDEUR THAT WAS ROME.
When a spate of strange diseases breaks out on a global scale, the Avengers find out that grain being distributed by the United Food and Dressing Limited, has been deliberately tampered with and infected with ergot.Whilst investigating the firm's headquarters Mrs. Gale is caught and whisked off to a reconstruction of Ancient Rome, ruled by a mad, would-be Caesar called Bruno. His aim is to unleash bubonic plague upon the world and intends to test its effects on Mrs. Gale.
LOBSTER QUADRILLE.
In investigating the death of a colleague who has died in a fire Steed and Mrs. Gale find an ornately-carved chess piece in the dead man's possession. This leads them to an importation business. On the face of it the commodity is lobsters but it is the front for a gang trying to smuggle heroin into the country.
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THE MEDICINE MEN.
Steed discovers that somebody is flooding the market with cheap imitations of medical products being manufactured by the Willis-Sopwith Pharmaceutical Company. Furthermore, there is a plan to distribute poisoned medicines in an oil-rich Middle Eastern country to start a revolution and drive out the British companies there.
DRESSED TO KILL
All of the country's early warning systems bar one go off, mistakenly suggesting a nuclear attack. When land is about to be sold, adjacent to the one that was not sounded, interested buyers are invited to a fancy dress party on board a train. Steed, dressed as a gambler, and Mrs. Gale, a monk - and later a highwaywoman - join the party, where they meet the likes of Robin Hood and Napoleon Bonaparte and have to decide which one is a killer and why?
Remade in colour for series 5, titled The Superlative Seven.
THE CHARMERS
Enemy agents are being picked off in rapid succession, and Steed is implicated. Convincing the other side that a third party is responsible, Steed calls a truce and teams up with them, invoking an impromptu agent exchange program so as to keep an eye on one another. While Cathy's partner is knocked off at the dentist's, Steed and his partner scrounge for clues at a hat and tie shop, which lead them to a gentlemen's training organization.
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THE WHITE ELEPHANT
Snowy, an albino elephant, is stolen from Noah's Ark, a specialist zoo run by Noah Marshall, specializing in distributing rare animals. Mrs. Gale's experience of living in Africa enables her to investigate when she puts herself forward as an ex-big game hunter applying for a position at the zoo. She uncovers an illegal ivory trade but ends up in the big cat's cage.
DEATH A LA CARTE
A Middle eastern emir, Abdulla Akaba, comes to London as he does every year for his health check up by specialist doctor Spender. Steed believes that the emir will be killed by poisoning and poses as a chef at the hotel where he is staying.Poisoned mushrooms are detected but the emir actually dies of what appear to be natural causes. Has Dr. Spender engineered this ? Or a member of the emir's staff? And why? The Avengers investigate.
MAN WITH TWO SHADOWS
Courtesy of a tip-off from an almost hopelessly brainwashed agent, it is learned that doubles are being trained to replace certain key people, such as a nuclear physicist and a super-spy—Steed! After Steed's double shows up at a resort to make the switch, Cathy must decide if Steed is still Steed—if not, she is under orders to kill him.
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BUILD A BETTER MOUSETRAP.
Angered by a noisy motor bike gang who ride on their land, elderly sisters Cynthia and Ermyntrude Peck, who claim to be witches, cast a spell which causes all the motor-bikes to stall. Not only that but almost every electronic and mechanical object in the area also tends to malfunction. Mrs. Gale in her leathers joins the gang to ask permission from the sisters to ride on their property and in the process discovers that these two sweet old dears may actually be in possession of a sophisticated long range jamming device. They may have built a better mouse-trap but it will cause some unsavoury types to beat a path to their door.
DON'T LOOK BEHIND YOU.
Cathy is invited to the home of an expert on mediæval attire. She arrives to find the man had left unexpectedly, and his "ward," an extremely strange young woman, looks after her. Then the girl is called away, but it soon becomes clear that Cathy is being watched, and after a series of harrowing experiences, a tortured criminal confronts her for having broken his heart. This story was remade in colour for series 5 as the episode The Joker.
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SERIES 3. ( selected eps)
THE GOLDEN FLEECE.
Leaving a Chinese restaurant Steed picks up the wrong coat and finds a cheque to the value of £5,000 drawn to a bank in Hong Kong. It becomes evident that the restaurant is the front for an international gold smuggling operation, run by big wig Mr. Lo. However, the Avengers are surprised to encounter Major Ruse, a modern Robin Hood, and his band of ex-servicemen who are exploiting the racket for a worthy cause.
THE OUTSIDE -IN MAN.
Five years earlier the British Secret Service ordered Mark Charter to assassinate Sharp, a renegade British agent who defected to the enemy state of Abarain. But now the two countries are at peace and it is Sharp who has come to broker an important arms deal in Britain on behalf of his government. Charter, supposedly dead but actually in jail, is now free and is coming after Sharp, giving Steed the unusual task of protecting an erstwhile traitor
THE WRINGER
When five of six agents all working in the same area are lost in short order, Steed is called in to find out how. He tracks down the sixth, who promptly turns Steed in as the killer of the other five. Steed is found guilty and sent for interrogation. But Cathy has more faith in Steed than his superiors, and she discovers that they are guilty of gross negligence in the management of their own interrogation facility
THE GILDED CAGE
Steed and Cathy plan to steal £3 million in gold from an obscure vault. Whilst Steed taps the resources of one J.P. Spagge to pull it off, Cathy is inexplicably arrested, tried and convicted for the renowned criminal's murder. After learning that her ordeal was a hoax arranged by Spagge's minions as a test, Cathy arranges the perfect heist—perhaps a little too perfect.
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Originally series 2 was going to see Steed have two female partners, alternating between episodes. Venus Smith played by Julie Stevens was the other one, as it transpired Cathy Gale proved much more popular and her character more dynamic and Venus appeared in 6 episodes only.
A CHORUS OF FROGS
While on holiday in Greece, Steed is asked to investigate the mysterious death of a Greek deep-sea diver and part-time smuggler. He was a member of an elite group of divers called the Frogs, who are currently aboard a ship in the Mediterranean. Steed stows away to find Venus Smith there to provide the entertainment, as well as a queer scientist and his laboratory, a whip-cracking woman from China, and the hot-headed girlfriend of the dead diver.
THE MAN IN THE MIRROR
A cipher expert inexplicably commits suicide at an amusement park, of all places. Only trouble is, Venus Smith has accidentally taken a photograph of the man, still very much alive, after his reported death.
Also in three episodes Jon Rollason played Dr Martin King who partnered Steed, a sort of brief replacement for Ian Hendry's character from series 1.MISSON TO MONTREALA microfilm of North American early warning plans has been stolen and is believed to be somewhere in the luggage of a fading film star. Steed and Dr. King are assigned to retrieve it during a trip across the Atlantic on an ocean liner.
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WARLOCK.
Steed is asked to guard a revolutionary new formula for fuel when its inventor is discovered in a coma. When he learns that the scientist was a member of a black magic cult, he and Cathy investigate.
THE WHITE DWARF.
A famous astronomer predicts that the entry into the solar system of a small star will result in the destruction of the Earth. Steed and Cathy try to discover the connection, if any, between the astronomer's dire prediction and the threats on his life
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47 minutes ago, N2022 said:
It does grate, in a way that rugby and cricket salaries don't, because it just seems immoral that someone can earn in a week what a nurse might earn in a decade.
Money for nurses or firemen etc comes from government funds, except the government doesn't have its own money. It's ours, the taxpayers, unless the government borrows. So if nurses were paid say 1 million a year our taxes would sky rocket to pay for it.
Footballers or other top sports people are paid by private money from subscriptions to TV companies leading to advertising revenue for Sky et al, or attendees at games. So it's the public that makes football or F1 popular leading to high revenues sloshing about.
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TRAITOR IN ZEBRA
An experimental satellite tracking system is jammed every time it is tested, despite its being a top secret project, and the man accused of being the traitor insists he is innocent. Steed is sent in as a military psychiatrist, and Cathy as a research chemist, to track down the real traitor.
INTERCRIME.
Two small-time robbers are shot in the midst of a heist. Thing is, their killer left the bag of jewels behind. When one of the robbers recovers, he is "holed up" in Steed's apartment, where he is pumped for information about an international crime syndicate. Posing as Hilda Stern, a member of the German branch of Intercrime, Cathy infiltrates their head office. Only trouble is, the real Hilda also shows up...
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SERIES 2.
Patrick Macnee and Honor Blackman as John Steed and Cathy Gale. A selection of episodes. The early years of the show were very much studio recorded, very little outside filming. It wasn't the all out action series it later became. The images reflect that.
PROPELLANT 23.
Steed and Cathy travel to Marseilles to pick up a flask of a secret new rocket fuel. When they arrive at the airport, they find the bottle gone and their contact dead. The pair battle foreign agents to regain the propellant.
BULLSEYE.
An old established British arms manufacturer falls under suspicion when their weapons begin showing up illegally in Africa. Then, when several bids to take over the company fail, the majority shareholders start turning up dead. So naturally Steed helps Cathy acquire a majority stockholding...
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THE AVENGERS
Sadly only three episodes of series 1 survive of this 60s spyfi classic. Ian Hendry starred in the first series as Dr David Keel, John Steed a secondary character, who obviously would take over when Hendry left.
SERIES 1
THE GIRL ON THE TRAPEZE.
Dr. Keel rescues a girl who tries to commit suicide by jumping into the Thames River. He discovers that the young lady is a trapeze artist with a visiting circus and foreign agents seek to capture her in order to force her father, a defecting scientist, to return to his country behind the Iron Curtain
TUNNEL OF FEAR.
Top-secret documents are disappearing and Steed trails them to a tawdry fairgrounds in Southend. He's captured, hypnotized and left bound in a train tunnel to await his fate.
THE FRIGHTENERS
Sir Thomas Waller disapproves of his daughter's choice in boyfriends and hires a criminal to scare off an unwanted suitor. Keel and Steed rescue the lad from the criminal's henchman and discover a clue to an extortion plot.
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18 minutes ago, JohnM said:
For reference, Declan Rice - Arsenal- is on about £12.5 million a year.
Are you sure about that? That's 240,000 a week, I can believe that of Mbappe or Saudi League players, but For Rice it seems excessive.
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Michael J Bird wrote Who Pays The Ferryman, he created four other series for the BBC. I'll briefly cover the others.
THE LOTUS EATERS
This is a tremendous series that I first watched two years ago and since three more times.
Starring Ian Hendry and Wanda Ventham as Erik and Anne Sheppard who run a bar in Crete.
But all is not as it appears, as we learn in episode 1 that Anne is really Judith Huxley a sleeper spy planted by British Intelligence. She was forced into marriage with Erik a habitual drunk and womanizer. The idea being he would lead her a dog's life, so when she became activated by MI 6 her ending the hell that was her marriage wouldn't arouse suspicion.
The first series of nine episodes the espionage stuff is in the background but is there nevertheless as in episode 1 Don Culley arrives on Crete to tell her she will be activated within a month or so and she should prepare herself. But in the intervening ten years she has grown sort of fond of Erik and her life on Crete, and realises her departure will drive Erik back to drink, and probably death.
There is a whole assortment of Brits in Crete frequenting Erik and Anne's bar, played by some top notch performers of the time, and the first series deals with their mishaps or otherwise, each one is running away from something or someone.
But Don Culley's presence reminds Anne that the day is drawing near when she must leave. In a climactic end to series one Culley realises that Anne isn't going to give up her life on Crete without persuasion, his tactics to force her to leave include murder, and threatening to tell Erik of her past, which as he is an inadequate drunk, the realisation that his marriage is a sham arranged by MI6 will probably push him over the edge.
Series two, the espionage comes the main thrust as the horrific series one ending has traumatized Anne, who suffers from amnesia as a result of Culley's actions. She now has no memory beyond her spy training, she is Judith Huxley, never heard of Erik and has no recollection of the last ten years.
Various espionage agents arrive on Crete representing the major powers, all drawn to Anne, all reacting to Culley's inhumane actions that lead to the terrific series one climax.
Police chief Michael Krasakis, a friend of Erik, and kept out of the loop by his superiors who arrive from Athens together with British embassy officials i.e. spies, starts investigating himself and sees no way of avoiding telling Erik who Anne really is.
So we have 9 episodes of drama in series 1 focusing on the ex pats living on Crete with their troubles with Anne and her espionage hanging over the plotlines, then a six episode spy drama in series two of immense quality.1st series YouTube
2nd series DVD
THE APHRODITE INHERITANCE ( 8 episodes)
Following on from the success of Michael J Bird's Who Pays The Ferryman , his next eight part serial was this Cypriot themed drama. With Peter McEnery and the delectable Alexandra Bastedo and Brian Blessed.
Bastedo was great in The Champions and twelve years later she still looks gorgeous in this.
McEnery plays David Collier who flies out to Cyprus on hearing that his brother Barry has died in a car crash. The police are convinced it was an accident but Helanie ( Bastedo) claims it was murder. As the story unfolds David realises his brother was deeply in something dodgy , centred on a construction site and a uncovered ancient burial chamber.
The ending is very very unexpected and brave of the writer, propelling this into science fantasy territory.Just finished watching this again, and why not ? Brian Blessed, the delectable Alexandra Bastedo and a darn good mystery to boot, what's not to like? Possibly could have been 2 episodes shorter, in fact should have been, but nevertheless enjoyable with a twist ending so totally out of left field that it was incredibly brave of the writer to go with it, but it worked.
All eps on youtube
THE DARK SIDE OF THE SUN ( 6 eps)
This is the fourth series in Michael J Bird's quartet of series set in the Mediterranean.
After Lotus Eaters, Who Pays The Ferryman and Aphrodite Inheritance, comes this six parter set in Rhodes.
Patrick Mower plays Don Tierney , a journalist who stumbles on clandestine meetings on Rhodes involving a right wing group who follow the medieval Knights Templar , the order set up to fight the crusades. This almost masonic group in Rhodes has a definite tinge of Nazism about it, and is led by Raoul Lavalliere, a strange character played by Peter Egan.
Mower's character Tierney dies in episode 1 after escaping from the clutches of this right wing group, but we see Mower in subsequent episodes, possibly as a ghost. I say possibly because this is a mindboggling confusing story, as Lavalliere is capable of hypnosis and when Anne Tierney ( Emily Richard) investigates her husband's death she sees her dead husband in various places, back from the dead, or is it Lavalliere hypnotising her to seeing this image. A lot of detail is revealed about the original Knights Templar Order and the possibility arises that Lavalliere is the from the original Knights, having lived 700 years!
Lavalliere also tantalizingly seems capable of teleportation.
This as you can see is a bizarre series, I've watched it twice and am not totally sure what it's about.
Appearance also by Michael Sheard, Lawrence Scarman in Dr Who as Colonel Von Reitz, a Nazi sympathising second in command to Lavallier.
MAELSTROMA six part thriller series from the BBC, in many ways a homage to Hitchcock.
Unexpectedly for Michael J Bird set in Norway and about a Catherine Durrell who unexpectedly is left a property in Norway by someone she has never met or even heard of, the property belonged to a powerful business tycoon, and his relatives are as puzzled as Catherine as to why she has been left it.
On visiting Norway she encounters hidden tensions, dark motives and murder. It's so like Hitchcock it's obviously deliberate, nevertheless a great story and terrific ending.Both Dark Side of The Sun and Maelstrom on youtube. -
Annika is upstairs in her mother's bedroom. Katerina paralyzed in bed.
Annika opens her handbag and takes out the letters ,crunches them into a ball and hurls them at Katerina. She rips into her mother, shouting and SCREAMING
Annika " I should love you but I can't. I should pity you but I can't. PEOPLE HAVE DIED BECAUSE OF YOU, INCLUDING YOUR OWN GRANDDAUGHTER AND GREAT GRANDSON , YOU'RE A MURDERESS. Okay your hand was not the one that took their lives, BUT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE.
You kept those letters from Malina, not out of love for her, but out of hatred for the Englishman she loved. YOU DID HER A GREAT HARM. LEANDROS DIDN'T DISHONOUR HER. YOU DID!!
And why? WHY ANY OF IT? BECAUSE OF YOUR BIGOTRY AND HATRED OF ALL THINGS FOREIGN. You caused so much unhappiness, AND YOU KNEW THAT!
It was your guilty secret that you bore for thirty years. YOU ROBBED MALINA OF THE HAPPINESS SHE WANTED. YOU EVIL TWISTED WOMAN ! When Leandros returned to Crete and you saw I loved him as Malina had done, this you could not bear. You knew if you told me the truth I would turn against you and rightly so. So you twisted your guilt into a cloak to place on Leandros shoulders, HIS PUNISHMENT TO BE YOUR ABSOLUTION. You also did Elena a great wrong. She longed for a father. YOU KNEW THAT AND SAID NOTHING. Well mother how do you enjoy your handiwork now, what is your burden of guilt like?"
Annika has had a framed photo in her hand during this tirade which she got from the drawing room. A photo of Alexis, Nikos and Elena smiling in pose.
A" you have lost the love of your son mother, and now me, you will never see me again. AND I TAKE FROM THIS HOUSE MY INHERITANCE...HATRED..( SCREAMING) HATRED OF YOU!!
AND I KNOW HOW TO USE IT, FOR AM I NOT YOUR DAUGHTER? LOOK AT THESE SMILING FACES ELENA NIKOS ALEXIS. And you must look at them mother, for you cannot move. LOOK AT THEM EVERY DAY AND PRAY YOU DIE SOON! AND THEN YOU WILL BE NOTHING MORE THAN A STENCH IN THE NOSTRILS OF GOD!! REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU STAND BEFORE HIM."
Annika in an act of cruelty puts the picture on the cupboard opposite the bed in such a way as to be in Katerina's line of sight, she then leaves the room. A minute or so later she returns with the nurse.
A " this picture, leave it here always, in this precise position, so my mother can see it. It brings her such comfort!!"
At the hospital Leandros is recovering, Annika at the bedside holding his hand.
A " it's okay Leandros I know everything. But that is the past, the future is about us, our happiness, together for always"
The two of them visit the grave of Malina to pay their respects, then out at sea on Leandros's boat, ready to begin their new life.
THE END
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Major Krasakis is with Babis in his office.
K " Mr Spiridakis I have just spoken to my people on the phone. Leandros car has been examined, and the brakes were crudely but effectively sabotaged. I have a firm belief that Matheos Noukskis is involved and tried to kill Leandros. He has disappeared from his house and has been spotted with his brother Yannis heading to the mountains, armed. Also I found this, a letter signed by Katerina Matakis, a pact between them to kill Leandros"
B " Katerina has had a stroke, she is gravely ill. The doctor doesn't know if she'll survive"
K " then maybe when she faces God she will find mercy"
The two of them go to Leandros house to tell him.
Haldane" but why Major?"
K " he is jealous of you. But the real reason for all this lies with Katerina Matakis and the past , of that I'm sure. It is often the case that in life we sow the seeds of tragedy. That plant may take many years to grow and more years to blossom its bitter fruit "
Katerina is in bed, staring straight ahead, eyes blinking, but no other movement. The doctor says to Annika,
D " she can see and hear, but that is all, total paralysis. She will remain like that until she dies"
A " how long doctor?"
D " I cant say. Days, weeks, months, a year at most. I'm sorry".
Annika goes down stairs to the drawing room. Putting away some sheets of writing paper left on the bureau, she notices a small strong box hidden in the drawer..a key is located in another drawer. Puzzled she opens the box and takes out three envelopes, letters sent from England from Leandros in 1944 to her sister Malina.
Annika shows them to Babis in his office in town.
A " you knew about them?"
B " yes, when Leandros came back to Crete he told me he wrote them, but I could not tell him why Malina never received them. Now I know. Your mother intercepted them"
A " did Malina love Leandros?"
B " yes, and he loved her. Now you know why Elena meant so much to him. But Annika there's other things you must know, about your mother"
Almost dark and Babis meets Leandros at the bottom of the mountains. He hands him a rifle.
H " thanks Babis. I'm going alone this is my vendetta"
B " remember Matheos has his brother with him, he is a wild one. Take care."
Up in the mountains a shot is heard. Matheos and his brother stand over a man they've just shot in cold blood.
Later Babis is with the villagers, all are armed at the foot of the mountains. The legendary wartime Andartes are together again with a job to do.
Babis" news has come through that our comrade Yorges Kalaris has been murdered by the Noukakis brothers. It is now our vendetta too. We will go into the mountains to help Leandros"
Police vehicles turn up,out steps Major Krasakis.
K " I can't let you take the law into your own hands. Don't force me to go against you Babis. You of all people must know if I allow mob rule then anarchy will surely follow"
B " the Noukakis brothers are near Hellion"
K " yes I know, you are not the only ones with eyes and ears all over Crete, how do you think I knew of this gathering. Thank you for telling me anyway"
B " can we go with you Major?"
K " okay, but under my command is that clear?"
All head off into the mountains.
More shots are heard. Matheos has spotted Leandros and is taking shots. Leandros dives for cover and fires back.
Another shot, Leandros is hit and falls. Matheos and his brother stand over him ready to finish him off. A shot rings out, Matheos falls, Major krasakis to the rescue.
Later both Leandros and Matheos are carried down on stretchers , Yannis arrested.
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FINAL EPISODE
8. The Daughters Of Themis
Nikos is driving Leandros car, Elena and Alexis are in the back. The car has no brakes, the result of sabotage by Matheos Noukakis. The car plunges off the road and down a ravine.
Later....police and ambulance are on the scene. Major Krasakis arrives bringing Annika, Leandros and Babis. The bodies of Nikos and Alexis are on stretchers. Leandros runs to the upturned car screaming ,
H " ELENA! ELENA! "
He desperately tries to reach her, her body still in the car. He is holding onto her hand crying, screaming with grief. Krasakis gently pulls him away.
Kr " it's no good Leandros. Can you not see that? They are all dead"
In Katerina Matakis villa, Matheos is confident Leandros is dead, or soon will be.
M " he will not return to Alunda alive. Now, our bargain, your son's inheritance and the job at your brickworks is mine"
K " when I have confirmation of what you say"
The doorbell rings.
M" here maybe is your confirmation. Remember I'm here to discuss a job with you, nothing more"
Matheos leaves to answer the door. Katerina stares at a carving over the door of her drawing room leading into the hallway. The carving is in plaster mould and depicts a female goddess.
K " oh Themis, goddess of justice. It is done, I Katerina Matakis am the instigator of your will"
Babis and Annika enter, Matheos stays by the door.
A " I bring bad news mother. An accident happened near my home"
K " accident?"
A " Leandros's car left the road and fell 100 feet"
K " and the Englishman is dead, that is what you tell me?"
Annika collapses in tears, Babis says,
B " no Katerina, Nikos was driving, his car wouldn't start, he borrowed Leandros car. Elena and Alexis were in the car. All three are dead"
K." No! Elena , Alexis Nikos HOW?! ( to the carving) Themis what trick is this? ( to Matheos) What have you done? Noukakis,...Matheos Noukakis I curse you..I ...I. .."
Katerina collapses in her chair.
Babis " I'll get a doctor"
Matheos unsurprisingly scarpers pronto. -
While Babis is laying out all the documents for the signing in Annika's house, and Annika prepares the food for afterwards, Leandros is outside kicking a football around with Alexis, Elena's son, his secret grandson.
Elena is there,
E " you know Leandros I never knew my father, he died when I was five but I have been thinking of him for some reason lately , I hope he would have approved of our partnership. You Leandros are about the same age as he would have been"
H " a few years younger"
E " of course you knew him, you fought with him in the Andartes. Anyway I feel Leandros a special place in my heart for you, like a father"
Annika " come on in Elena Leandros ,Alexis all is ready"
The signing takes place, then food ,champagne and joy.
Outside creeping toward Leandros car is Matheos. As carefully and quietly as possible he lifts the hood and takes out some cutters and gets to work.
Later Nikos,Elena and Alexis leave, Leandros walks them to their car.
H " Nikos we need a good architect to carry out the structural changes to the taverna we envisage needing"
N " I have someone in mind Leandros"
Elena " goodbye Leandros thanks for everything..I hope you don't mind but we've decided to rename the taverna after my mother, The Taverna Malina"
H " er.. no it's perfect"
Nikos tries to start his car, but it won't start.
Inside the house Annika is clearing away the dinner table.
Babis " well Leandros you have a family"
H " by adoption yes"
B " will that satisfy you?"
H " it'll have to Babis. The truth can't come out"
Annika comes back in,
A " it's been a perfect day, just perfect"
H " not quite, Nikos car wouldn't start. He's going to send a mechanic here tomorrow to fetch it"
A " how are they getting home?"
H " I've lent them mine"
Nikos is driving Leandros car down the treacherous winding steep road, Elena and Alexis in the back. There's no brakes!!
Nikos is struggling to control the speeding car, when it swerves off the road, and plunges 100 feet down a ravine, landing on its roof, all three of them still inside.
Mairi Solaki and Nikos Verlekis are Elena and Nikos.
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7. A River To Cross
In Katerina Matakis villa,
Matheos " I have done all I can to drive Leandros out of Crete"
K " and failed"
M " now what you ask is too much of a risk. To kill him"
K." Are you not seething with resentment? He has ended any chance you had of marrying my daughter. Do you not hate him?"
M " not as much as you Katerina , for a reason you will not tell me"
K " I have promised you my son's inheritance. Is that not enough?"
M " to take such a risk, I'd want more. Such as the brickworks you own, I believe I could do a good job as your manager. Better than your current one, make it more profitable for you"
K." Okay, I can arrange that"
M." Also I want some insurance. In case you change your mind"
K " what insurance?"
M." A letter, signed by both of us, a pact between us, outlining our intentions"
K " which you will keep I suppose, so you can use against me any time you wish"
M " there will be no need surely, we both want Leandros dead"
K " very well"
Katerina goes to her writing bureau and takes out paper.
While this conspiracy to murder is fermenting it's all good news for Leandros, Annika, Elena and Nikos. A spate of happy events.
Leandros boat is rebuilt, so he throws a party for all those men of Alunda who helped.
Nikos finally and formally agrees to go into business partnership with Leandros. He and Elena are at the office of Babis Spiridakis , who will draw up documents to be signed by all parties. Babis phones Annika with the news, she tells Leandros.
A" I have a very busy few days at the refinery Leandros, meetings to attend, I won't be able to see you until Sunday. Why not have the signing take place then at my house. Then afterwards we can all eat drink and enjoy each other's company"
Haldane" okay Sunday it is"
A" I sense this partnership makes you very happy. Elena means a lot to you doesn't she?"
H " and Nikos, also I'm hoping for profits from this venture"
A " there's something else isn't there? One day I hope you'll tell me"
Haldane knows it's not possible to tell Annika that he is Elena's father.
H " nothing to tell. I never had children, so this is the next best thing for me"
Babis Spiridakis visits Katerina on business, he is buying property on her behalf as her lawyer.
K " you know my daughter doesn't visit me anymore?"
B " I had heard, if there's anything I can do I will"
K " I hear also that Nikos has accepted the Englishman's offer of partnership"
B " yes, on Sunday at Annika's the papers will be signed"
K " I have decided to make Matheos Noukakis my manager at the brickworks"
B " I'm sure he'll do well. When does he start?"
K " soon, after he has done a job for me, very soon I hope"
Katerina expects Matheos to kill Leandros soon!The next day Leandros opening his mail, comes across a worrying letter, it says just two words ' for Charon', and two coins in the envelope as well. He goes into nearby Araklion to the office of Major Michael Krasakis.
H " got this in the post this morning"
Kr " for Charon, you know who Charon is?"
H " he was the ferryman wasn't he?"
Kr " and still is for some. The ferryman who carries the souls of the dead across the river Styx and into the Underworld. For that he must be paid, two coins are placed on the eyes of the deceased when buried. Someone has given you a warning Leandros, someone wants you dead." -
17 minutes ago, unapologetic pedant said:
Who Pays The Ferryman is muddled up in my mind with a late 70s BBC series set on Cyprus called The Aphrodite Inheritance. Not the most convincing production. Major redeeming feature in the alluring form of Alexandra Bastedo.
I notice your views have shot up since I stopped chipping in. Perhaps it's best to let you get on with it unhindered.
Alternative speculative explanation for the rise -
It's clear from other message boards that a lot of people are interested in classic cult TV. Do you think non-RL fans have been visiting these threads?
BTW, I'm up to episode 8 of Star Cops.
Michael J.Bird created five series for the BBC, all worthy, all but one set in Greece or Greek related territory.
The Lotus Eaters set on Crete, Ferryman also on Crete, Aphrodite Inheritance on Cyprus, Dark Side of The Sun on Rhodes finally set in Norway Maelstrom, " Hitchcock" homage. I'll very briefly go over the others after this.
Blake's 7 is very popular and The Sandbaggers very well thought of, that's probably why the views have gone up.
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@unapologetic pedantfeel free to chip in.
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In Maligala Leandros has driven back to warn Neave or Kingsley as he is really.
N " Sam! Sam! "
S " what's happening?"
N " the police are on there way to arrest me.( to Haldane ) she knows the whole truth"
S " you did this Haldane"
N " no no, an off duty police officer saw me, and contacted the gendarmes"
H " I can get you out of here,hide you, some friends can smuggle you to Egypt "
S " well come on what are we waiting for?"
N " no, you're not going Sam, and neither am I. It's time to stop running"
The police arrive, Krasakis and his men get out. Samantha disappears for a short time.
Cooper is with the police.Alan Mitchell is Cooper
C " Bernard Kingsley I have a warrant for your arrest"
Samantha is covering them with a rifle,
S " nobody move or I'll blow your heads off. Duncan, Haldane get in the jeep, we can still get out"
N " drop the gun Sammy. You would be a fugitive with me, I can't allow that. Drop it...now"
Kingsley is led away, Samantha in tears.
Next day Haldane returns to Maligala,
H " you didn't see him off at the airport?"
S " no , one tearful farewell was enough"
H " Cooper says, if he pleads guilty to manslaughter he could get a suspended sentence, at most he'll do three years"
S " he'll be back then, I'll wait"
H " it could be three years Sammy"
S" I know"
Sammy sees the villagers lounging about ,
S " come on , drill drill, you owe him that much. He's coming back, now come on , if you want water drill!"
Haldane gets in his car where Annika is waiting,
H " she's going to wait for him"
A " of course, that is true love" -
Sally Knyvette and Patrick McGee are Samantha and Neave.
Later alone with a Samantha,
S " did you tell him"
H " no, but he guessed"
S " you think I'm using him?"
H " aren't you?"
S " let me tell you how we met.
He found me in Turkey, literally found me by the roadside. I was a mess, a junkie, needles the lot, he brought me here and helped me kick the habit. It was tough, I screamed and shouted at him, wished him dead , spat at him, he even had to tie me down to stop me ripping myself to shreds with my own nails. He would sit up with me, sometimes all night holding my hand when the cravings became unbearable. Then one day I was free of it, I know I'll never be completely cured, but I've kicked the habit. He saved my life. He then gave me money,a plane ticket and drove me to the airport and told me to get on with my life. But as I sat there waiting I knew I couldn't leave him I owe him so much, so I came back here , I love him.
Still think i'm using him ? He is a good man , and good in bed too. The thing with Christos is my problem, but I love Duncan. And now he's saving Maligala. When the water ran out, many of the young ones drifted away, not fancying the three mile trek to the river for water, but Duncan knows there's water here somewhere, he has worked to the bone finding it. He drives the villagers on to do the drilling, sometimes even bullies them, does everything he can to get money for the equipment, even steal, all for the people, Duncan is a very special man".
H " I'm sorry for doubting you. Do you think there's water here?"
S " Duncan believes it, if there isn't it's the end of Maligala. Communities like this only exist up in the mountains where there's water"
The next day Leandros is back home having breakfast with Annika when the doorbell rings. It is Major Krasakis with Terry Cooper.
Kr " Leandros, Mrs Zeferis, sorry to disturb you, this is Mr Cooper from England , a police officer. You were seen in the company of this man"
Krasakis shows him a police photo shot of Neave, but labeled Bernard Kingsley.
Haldane" yes, but the name is Duncan Neave"
Cooper " his real name is Bernard Kingsley. Wanted for murder. Been on the run for eight years"
H " who did he murder ?"
C " his wife, I was with the Leicester constabulary, rumours were he had another woman, but that turned out to be gossip. His wife had incurable cancer, so Kingsley gave her an overdose"
H " a mercy killing?"
C " as you know Mr Haldane there's no such provision in English law for that. I have to take him back for trial"
H " don't you think he's suffered enough?"
C " I'm sure he has, more than you realise. He is a Roman Catholic, as was his wife....and so am I."
Kr " where is he Leandros?"
H " Are you sure you have the right man"
C " certain, I got his fingerprints from the taverna, his wine glass"
Kr " where is he?"
H " and if I don't tell you?"
Kr " then I'd have no choice but to arrest you for obstructing the law, and don't think I wouldn't"
Annika tells, " he's in Maligala" -
6. The Well
Driving along a mountain road Annika and Leandros come across an upturned jeep, with a man trapped underneath it.
They rush to his assistance and pull him out. His name is Duncan Neave, a fifty something Englishman, and not a particularly polite one.
Haldane " we'll get you to a doctors"
Neave " don't bother, I'm okay, I must get back home"
H "don't be daft man, you've probably broken your collar bone, and your vehicle is kaput"
N " well get me to a bloody garage then"
H " look, Neave, I'm taking you to a doctor's"
Later...... coming out of the doctors' Neave has his arm in a sling.
N " what now, I've got to get back to Maligala, in the mountains, my people will worry about me"
H " we'll phone them from my place"
Annika" I doubt there's a phone there Leandros or electricity"
N " that's right, no phone, no electricity no water nothing"
H " come back to my place and I can phone for a garage, I can put you up for the night, you can probably be back in Maligala tomorrow"
That evening Haldane treats Neave to a meal at Elena and Nikos taverna. Across the room at another table are holiday couple from England, Mary and Terry Cooper, he is staring over at them.
Mary " what is it dear, look like you've seen a ghost?"
Terry " I think I have"
After Haldane and Neave leave, Terry Cooper wanders over to the table and picks up a wine glass and pockets it much to his wife's bemusement.
Meantime Annika is at her mother's villa.
Katerina " one last time, I ask you not to see the Englishman ever again"
A " I need a reason mother, other than he's a foreigner"
K." I ask you,that is all"
A " you may as well know I will probably marry him"
K " he has asked you?"
A " not yet, but he will. I'm sorry we will not have your blessing mother"
Annika leaves, Matheos enters.
K " did you hear?"
M." Yes , I was at the door"
K." she must not marry Haldane, you know what you must do"
The next day Neave is in less pain, and more polite.
N " thanks Haldane, the garage phoned while you were bathing, the jeeps' repaired but they want 2000 drachmas"H " seems reasonable"
N " yeh, but I have only 800"
H " okay I'll lend you the rest"
N " no, I couldn't pay you back, but I'm not too proud to accept charity"
H " okay"
N " consider it your contribution to saving Maligala"
After collecting the jeep for Neave Haldane goes back to collect him , and off they go to Maligala. Leandros notices a small motor in the back seat.
N " that's for a project I'm doing in Maligala...drilling"
After a treacherous mountain drive they arrive in Maligala, a very poor isolated village with no amenities at all. Greeting them is a young woman in her twenties.
Samantha" where the hell have you been"
N." Had an accident, Mr Haldane here was a good help"
S " did you get the motor?"
N " yes, look Haldane over there"
H " a drill head?"
N " yes, for water. We've gone down eighty feet, no luck so far"
Inside Neave's crude accommodation he explains.
N " I came here eight years ago, there was two springs, good water too, but they dried up, now I know there's more "
H " that's your field of expertise then, engineering?"
N " yes. The water dried up three years ago, we've dug five bores since then, but nothing"
H " five in three years, is that all?"
N " it's slow work Haldane, the motors keep breaking down, money is tight , but we'll persevere. Look I'll get Christos to drive you back down the mountain, but not now, it's getting dark, you can stay here the night"
H " no problem"
The next morning Neave is up early tending his drill, Leandros is washing when he hears moaning from Samantha's bedroom.
H " are you okay Sam?"
He enters, and finds her in bed with Christos, and quickly leaves.
Outside he walks up to Neave.
N " Sammys' in bed with one of the villagers isn't she?"
H " you know?"
N " I guessed it was going on"
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2. THE GRAVEDIGGERS
Steed and Mrs Peel must find out why an early warning radar is failing. Emma joins the staff of The Sir Horace Winslip Hospital for Ailing Railwaymen - while Steed has lunch with Sir Horace himself aboard his private, indoor train.