Dashing Captain Virgin, assisted by trusty confederates Mrs Cortez and Doublett, are constantly on their mettle to foil the indefatigable efforts of the evil von Brauner to do down the British Empire. The tone is established early in the first episode when a British officer tells an underling "you never know when these blasted natives are telling the truth". A tone which suggests the BBC is unlikely to be giving Capt. Virgin an outing any time soon.
My favourite episodes are The Amazons and The Rajah and the Suffragette. In the former, someone (you don't need three guesses) is encouraging Indian workers to down tools and turn against the British Empire. Virgin is initially baffled, exclaiming "they positively enjoy working the rubber plantation. I could understand it if they were working for foreigners, but it's a British company". The Rajah is notable for a rum performance from Rodney Bewes as a dissolute Indian prince, sounding exactly the same as in The Likely Lads, except for the odd contemporary phrase, by jingo.
Von Brauner is clearly the star of the show, with his catchphrases "I have a plan of the utmost simplicity", and "I like it, I like it". Possibly the most manic, over the top villain to rival Burgess Meredith in Batman. The last couple of episodes did sag, especially The Professor goes West, where von Brauner is rather upstaged by some unfriendly cowboys. But all in all, absolutely top-hole fun.
My favourite episodes are The Amazons and The Rajah and the Suffragette. In the former, someone (you don't need three guesses) is encouraging Indian workers to down tools and turn against the British Empire. Virgin is initially baffled, exclaiming "they positively enjoy working the rubber plantation. I could understand it if they were working for foreigners, but it's a British company". The Rajah is notable for a rum performance from Rodney Bewes as a dissolute Indian prince, sounding exactly the same as in The Likely Lads, except for the odd contemporary phrase, by jingo.
Von Brauner is clearly the star of the show, with his catchphrases "I have a plan of the utmost simplicity", and "I like it, I like it". Possibly the most manic, over the top villain to rival Burgess Meredith in Batman. The last couple of episodes did sag, especially The Professor goes West, where von Brauner is rather upstaged by some unfriendly cowboys. But all in all, absolutely top-hole fun.