The Avengers (TV Series) Castle De'ath (1965) User Reviews

Beware the phantom piper!

[ShadeGrenade · 9/10 · 13 October 2010]

The late John Lucarotti was another writer left over from the video-taped shows; like Malcolm Hulke, he only made a single contribution to the Peel Era. 'Castle De'ath' marks a rare excursion for Steed and Mrs.Peel to Scotland. It is set in a creepy castle. As bagpipes wail a ghostly lament ( the place is reputedly haunted by the spectre of 'Black Jamie' ), we see a man in a dungeon tortured on the rack. Some time later, his elongated corpse is found in a loch. Suspicion falls on 'Ian' ( Gordon Jackson ) and 'Angus' ( Robert Urquart ) of the clan De'ath. Emma goes there posing as a historian. Also present is Steed - posing as 'Jock McSteed' - ostensibly collating the brothers' library. He notices a tendency for objects to shake from time to time. Prowling around the dungeon, Emma is examining an 'Iron Maiden' when she is attacked. So what is going on here?

This marvellously atmospheric episode was directed by James Hill, fresh from 'Born Free'. He achieves a convincing Scottish atmosphere even though the whole thing was filmed on location in Kent. It is given a boost by the casting of Jackson and Urquart as brothers out to wreck the British fishing industry by using submarines - hidden in a pen under the castle - to scare the fish into deeper waters with the means of ultrasonics. In true 'Scooby Doo' fashion, the legend of 'Black Jamie' is just there to scare nosey parkers away.

Every cliché you might expect in a story like this is present. Steed at one point even attempts a Highland fling! Some might complain about the stereotyping of the Scottish people but that was all part of the Avengers' charm. If they had done a story set in Wales, they doubtless would have had women in national costume playing harps and singing, blackened coal miners.

It all ends with a rousing climax in which Steed, brandishing a claymore, leaps onto a dining table to do battle with Ian. Great stuff.

Atmospheric if a little plot hole filled

[larry-485-161583 · 7/10 · 12 January 2015]

I love re-watching these old black and white episodes from my very early youth. This one, though stylish and haunting in parts, is riddled with plot holes.

1. Why on earth would an organisation plotting against its enemies invite not one but two total strangers into their midst? 2. Why, after the laird ordered the cellar door locked was it kept open? 3. Why was Mrs Peel allowed to carry on wandering around the castle after she was attacked by the bad guys? 4. Why did Angus appear to be briefly on the same side as Steed before suddenly trying to attack him? Despite all this I remember as a child wishing that I could fish in that wonderful looking moat, I still do.

No cliché left unused but still fun

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 29 April 2015]

When an agent is killed during a 'diving accident' in the moat of a Scottish castle Mrs Peel heads north posing as somebody who can help the owners make money from the castle. It is clearly a suspicious death… most people don't grow by several inches when they die! When Mrs Peel gets there we see Steed is already there; posing as historian 'Jock McSteed' and wearing a kilt! The castle belongs to Clan De'ath and apparently it is haunted by the pipe-playing ghost of the infamous thirteenth laird who was bricked up in the castle walls after betraying the clan. Once settled in Steed goes fishing; in order to investigate the moat, while Mrs Peel investigates the dungeons where she discovers a variety of medieval torture devices. It soon becomes apparent that something is going on but it isn't obvious who is involved; the laird, Ian De'ath, who doesn't want anybody in his castle; his cousin Angus, who is very keen to make more money; or members of the staff who run the estate when the cousins are away.

While this episode was filmed in Kent the creators used just about every Scottish stereotype short of a guest appearance by Nessie to make us believe we are in the highlands; all the main male characters wear kilts and it isn't long before we hear the skirl of the pipes. This would be laughable in most series but it seems to suit the somewhat surreal world of 'The Avengers'… it is almost worth watching just to see Steed in a kilt… and Mrs Peel in a tight-fitting tartan costume! The plot is enjoyably far-fetched as is the secret route to the villains' lair though an iron maiden in the basement… a route that leads to the demise of the chief villain. The story was well told with a nice degree of threat and an air of mystery… we know something is happening but exactly what the villains are doing isn't obvious until quite late in the story. Overall this is a fun story if not a classic.

SCOTLAND ADVENTURE

[asalerno10 · 9/10 · 6 June 2022]

This must be the only time in the entire series that Emma and Steed leave London. On this occasion they move to Scotland, Steed calls himself MacSteed and pretends to be a Scotsman who is after finding out his family tree, and Emma for her part arrives as an envoy who is conducting a survey of historic houses and castles. Actually both are investigating the strange disappearance of fish in that area. A very entertaining and very Scottish episode, the castle by the lake, the secret passageways, the large halls with endless tables, stone stairs, etc. A very good action scene at the end, something rare in this season where the stuntmen and combat choreography were not yet fully adjusted.

It's very Scottish, very.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 6/10 · 3 July 2022]

An officer is found floating in a Scottish moat, with foul play suspected, Steed and Peel investigate.

What can you say about this one, it's Scottish, it's definitely Scottish, kilts and bagpipes galore, I don't think there's a single Scottish thing that isn't added here for your McPleasure. All we needed was a tossing the caber competition, they certainly had enough salted oats for it.

It's still an interesting enough mystery, maybe the ending was a little muddled, but still fun and engaging. I loved the contrasts, there's something almost medieval about the torture scenes in the basement, such a contrast to the sinister, futuristic plot.

Once again, looks like it was shot on film, it looks absolutely beautiful, the camera work was so good, so creative.

I have noticed that the fight scenes have definitely improved, they seem to be a bit more natural, a bit more connected.

My leat favourite so far, but still enjoyable, 6/10.

One of the weaker Peels

[kevinolzak · 6/10 · 16 February 2011]

"Castle De'ath" is one of the weaker entries with Mrs. Peel, with an atmospheric setting in a Scottish castle, but uninteresting characters. One cousin is played by Robert Urquhart, later seen in "Wish You Were Here," but best remembered as Peter Cushing's reluctant assistant in Hammer's "The Curse of Frankenstein" (1957). The other is played by Gordon Jackson, also a Hammer veteran (1955's "The Quatermass Xperiment"). We do get to catch Jock McSteed displaying the Macnee family crest, and the delectable sight of Diana Rigg walking around in a see-through nightgown, plus a buttoned outfit with all but the top button unbuttoned, revealing her navel and brassiere (how could Steed have missed it?) Were it not for the location shooting, it would have been acceptable as a left over Cathy Gale script, which would have been worse. Balding Russell Waters made one returning appearance, in "Thingumajig."

Below average

[slabihoud · 6/10 · 17 February 2009]

The Avengers in Scotland! The action takes place in an old Scottish castle complete with torture room and ghost. Considering all this the ideas are a bit below expectations. John and Emma don't have enough dialogue together and a lot of time is wasted with unnecessary long scenes. For example the intro before the episodes title is a plain waste of time with an unconvincing twist in the end. As is the dance routine of Steed without reason for the plot. Not that this would be a reason to complain, it just is not enough fun. It looks as if it had been shot at a real castle. If so it had not been taken enough advantage of. The whole MacGuffin (how fitting that this invention by Alfred Hitchcock has a Scottish name) is maybe the weakest in the monochrome season with Diana Rigg. And that means something since some of them border on the ridiculous. But for such nonsense there is not enough happening and too much talk.

Castle De'ath

[guswhovian · 6/10 · 10 July 2020]

When a frogman is found drowned, Steed and Mrs Peel go and stay at a supposedly Scottish haunted castle.

Castle De'ath is easily my least favorite episode so far. It's a rather mundane plot, and even the performances of Macnee and Rigg can't salvage it. However, there's good guest performances from Gordon Jackson and Robert Urquhart as feuding cousins.

There's a couple of good fight scenes (there's some terrible stunt-doubling though), and the set design is rather nice. It's a pretty bloodthirsty episode; all of the credited guest characters end up dead by the episodes conclusion.

"Lean on me, Mistress Peel, as much as you like"

[bensonmum2 · 5/10 · 21 December 2020]

Steed and Mrs Peel go undercover to investigate some unusual goings on in a Scottish castle. It seems a colleague was found dead nearby, but the dead body was taller than when the man was alive.

It's not that Castle De'ath is a bad episode or anything (I don't remember any truly bad Mrs Peel episodes - we shall see), but it is definitely one of the weaker. The problem is that it's just not very interesting. Steed and Mrs Peel spend too much time apart so there's no time for their usual witty banter. The case's solution is fairly obvious, down to the reason for the mysterious nightly bagpipes. And I thought spotting the chief baddie was way too easy. Overall, Castle De'ath is an average 5/10 episode at best.

A few other notes before I finish this:

1. My favorite bit had to be when Steed went "fishing". It was classic Steed.

2. I always enjoy seeing Gordon Jackson. I probably know him best from Upstairs Downstairs.

3. The doubles used for Mrs Peel were absolutely lousy. Are they always this bad? I haven't noticed. There's one scene where Mrs Peel is running in the dark. Not only does the double have the wrong hair length, it's the wrong color. Too funny.

5/10

Castle Death

[coltras35 · 7/10 · 8 December 2023]

Steed and Emma are put on the case when the body of an agent -- four inches taller than he was in life -- is discovered. Their investigation leads to Castle De'ath, a formidable (and, reportedly, haunted) Scottish castle. While Emma poses as a woman determined to transform the castle into a tourist attraction, Steed explores the dank and musty cellars of the fortress and stumbles upon a secret submarine base.

The Avengers frequently shows the old land families and tradition in contrast to the modernity as exuded by Mrs Peel - plenty of great castle atmosphere, interesting characters and strange going on. A bit talky but the plot moves briskly and warrants that something is happening. A young Gordon Jackson puts in a fine performance as an uptight clan chief who disapprove of the castle being used as a tourist attraction.