The Avengers (TV Series) The Hour That Never Was (1965) User Reviews

What happened in the missing hour?

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 15 January 2015]

As this episode opens we see a dog running across a road; it causes Steed to crash his car. A little shaken but unhurt he and Mrs Peel get out and walk to their nearby destination; am RAF base that is due to close the next day. They were going to the closing party but strangely nobody seems to be around. They start searching then they see a milkman running away; suddenly things turn from strange to sinister as a shot rings out killing the man. Steed and Mrs Peel split up and Steed meets a man who had been looking through the bins for a free drink; he tells Steed about the dog which caused the crash. Suddenly there is an ear-piercing noise that disorientates them. Steed is knocked on his head and wakes up back in his car. He returns to the airbase and discovers the party in full swing and is told Mrs Peel as called to apologise for not attending… did he imagine it all while unconscious after the crash or is something far more sinister afoot?

I hadn't watched 'The Avengers' for many years and when I heard it was being aired on an obscure channel this was the first episode I caught. It didn't take long to get be gripped; the empty aerodrome had a nicely sinister feel and the feeling that there may be danger was introduced gentle with shots of the dead goldfish then amplified with the death of the milkman. Then Steed's return to his car introduced the element of paranoia; both he and the viewer had to question whether what we had previously seen was real or imagined. The conclusion doesn't quite live up to the build-up but it does feature an enjoyable fight even if the leaking laughing gas made it a bit silly. Overall a pretty solid episode.

"Filthy habit, collecting stamps. All that saliva."

[bensonmum2 · 8/10 · 30 July 2021]

Steed and Mrs Peel are invited to an RAF base to celebrate / commemorate it's closing. But when they arrive, there's no one to be found. The base appears to be completely empty. The only clues our heroes can find are a dead milkman and an unconscious rabbit. How do 30 servicemen disappear?

I've always enjoyed The Hour That Never Was. Watching Steed and Mrs Peel search the empty airbase is so much fun - and creepy. Every time I watch this episode, I'm reminded of the abandoned pavilion in the film Carnival of Souls. You know this episode won't be quite as scary as that, but the spooky vibe is definitely prominent.

I also enjoy the acting in this episode. Given the limited action and dialogue, Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg get a chance to show their true abilities. The fact that there's really not much going on for a huge portion of the runtime, yet I never once got bored, demonstrates how engaging the pair were. Also, I got a kick out of Roy Kinnear's small part. He stole the show from Macnee in their scenes together.

The only thing that bothers me about The Hour That Never Was is the explanation behind all the mystery. Sure, some of it I understand, but not the part about the clocks. Why do all of the clocks, even those not on the base, stop? It makes no sense.

8/10.

Stolen time

[ShadeGrenade · 9/10 · 3 October 2010]

One type of plot 'The Avengers' mined to considerable success was the 'where has everyone gone to?' premise. We saw it in 'The Town Of No Return' and it was reused here, though executed differently. Steed and Emma are on their way to a party at R.A.F. Hamelin, due for closure the next day and the staff to be posted abroad. En route Steed's car crashes. When he and Mrs.Peel recover, they see the clock on the dashboard says it is just after 11.00. They arrive at the base to find it strangely empty. The preparations for the party are in place, but there are no revellers. Goldfish float lifelessly in their bowl. Then a man running across the airfield is shot dead. The sound of a milk float can be heard. Eventually Mrs.Peel vanishes and Steed is knocked unconscious. He awakens to find himself alone in his car - the clock still says just after 11.00! An hour of his life has disappeared. What is going on?

This Roger Marshall-penned episode is incomprehensible for most of the time ( when I first saw it, I thought Steed might be having a dream and would wake up any second, but no that was not the answer ), but makes sense in the closing moments. Programmes such as this ( and 'The Prisoner' ) clearly influenced later shows such as 'Life On Mars' and 'Ashes To Ashes'.

The guest stars include Gerald Harper ( a few months away from donning cape and eyebrows in 'Adam Adamant Lives!' ) as 'Geoffrey Ridsdale' and Dudley Foster as 'Philip Leas'. Roy Kinnear has a small role as vagrant 'Hickey'. Some good location shooting. Gerry O'Hara achieves a wonderfully spooky atmosphere ( hard to believe the same bloke later directed 'The Bitch'! ).

Unusually gloomy

[slabihoud · 10/10 · 17 February 2009]

It is interesting to notice the different amount of seriousness (or nonsense if you prefer to look at it from this angle) that went into each episode. Some do contain many ridiculous moments and unrealistic characters.. Some are more funny than scary and others like this one follow a much darker path.

At the beginning our team has no case to investigate, only a small dog running over meadows and causing Steed's car to have an accident. Steed and Mrs. Peel are unhurt and have their usual kind of witty dialog but as the story unfolds we see more and more strange and gloomy images. If this would not be The Avengers you would think this is some clever made thriller playing with paranoia and amnesia.

The story line reminds one of Town of no Return but the execution is more serious and for an unusual long time we get no clue what this is all about. I was very impressed how late the plot is revealed. It is one of a few episodes where you really don't know what is going on and which generates a good amount of suspense. The idea might not have been new but the way it is developed is absolutely entertaining.

THE HOUR THAT BELONGS TO STEED

[duncanbrown-76733 · 9/10 · 10 November 2021]

This episode belongs to Steed. It also gives insight into his past, as well has his wartime experience.

It is set on a RAF base where everyone has disappeared, only to be brainwashed for one mans greed.

This episode has got good guest stars in it, like Gerald Harper, Dudley Foster and the legendary Roy Kinnear.

I like this episode very much, it has a good twist to the plot of the story. The techniques of brainwashing is used to a powerful effect in this episode.

Yet again Roger Marshall has excel himself by writing a another excellent episode for this series.

The only disappointment is the silly ending where Steed and Emma ride off in a milk float. It is one of the worst ever scenes used in The Avengers.

Unconscious Rabbits.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 5 July 2022]

Steed and Mrs Peel arrive at an air base for a closing down party, but when they get there nobody is to be seen.

It's a very similar vibe to the series opener 'Town of no return,' I was also put in mind of The Tommyknockers from Stephen King, writer Roger Marshall really does mess you about with this one, it's creepy, it's surreal, it's wonderfully mysterious, and you are made to wait til the very end to learn what's going on.

I loved the way they kept the mystery going throughout, the music really does have a part to play.

The best moment has to be when Steed wakes up back in the car, it's a great twist. You start questioning what's happening, it's so good.

Fantastic visuals once again, it is visually flawless, this series was amazingly well produced.

Roy Kinnear is delightful as Hickey, he plays the part so well.

9/10.

The Hour That Never Was

[guswhovian · 8/10 · 15 July 2020]

Traveling to the closing down party at the airbase where Steed was stationed in the war, Steed and Mrs Peel find the airbase deserted, but everything is not what it seems.

Often regarded as one of the best episodes of the series, The Hour That Never Was is probably my favorite episode thus far. The first half of the episode is a wonderful two-handed between Macnee and Rigg. The second half is slightly worse, but there's a good guest performance from Roy Kinnear. The unusual amount of location filming is a bonus, and Gerald Harper (Adam Adamant himself!) appears briefly.

Roy Kinnear makes his second appearance

[kevinolzak · 8/10 · 20 February 2011]

"The Hour That Never Was" is quite engrossing for most of its length, but the rather conventional climax is a slight letdown (especially the laughing gas). Steed and Mrs. Peel arrive at an RAF air base for a reunion bash, only to find the place entirely deserted (almost). Eventually, they spy a milkman running away, shot dead by an unseen assailant. Once Mrs. Peel abruptly disappears, an almost frantic Steed discovers another person lying around, Benedict Napoleon Hickey (Roy Kinnear), a derelict living out of dustbins, who claims to have seen no one since 11 AM, the time that all clocks have stopped. He also mentions a strange noise that left him feeling drunk, and we learn about the adorable Boston terrier that involved Steed in the affair. Daniel Moynihan had previously done "Man with Two Shadows," the scene stealing Roy Kinnear, previously seen in "Esprit De Corps," would return for both "The See-Through Man" and "Bizarre," and Gerald Harper, first seen in "Death Dispatch," would return for "Homicide and Old Lace." Debuting on the show were Roger Booth, who would return for "Escape in Time," and Dudley Foster, back in both "Something Nasty in the Nursery" and "Wish You Were Here."

MYSTERY THAT IS NOT SOLVED UNTIL THE END

[asalerno10 · 9/10 · 6 June 2022]

Steed and Emma are on their way to celebrate the anniversary of a Military Air Base, a small accident shortly before they arrive forces them to leave the car and continue on foot. When they arrive they find Base absolutely desolate, they go through it looking for someone to explain to them what is happening and they end up being witnesses to a crime, from there both are numb and Steed wakes up alone again in his car, he does the same thing again. Traveled and upon reaching the Base finds the celebration in progress as if none of the previous strange events had happened. The whole mystery is solved as always with a logical answer at the end. A good story full of mystery and bewilderment.

The hour that never was

[coltras35 · 8/10 · 14 December 2023]

Steed takes Emma to a farewell party at RAF Hamelin, where he was stationed in the War. The camp is closing down and the officers being posted all over the world. Steed swerves to miss a dog on the road and crashes the car. They proceed on foot but when they get there the airfield is deserted, like the Marie Celeste. After seeing a milkman shot on a runway, a loud noise drives them to seek shelter and they are both knocked out.

Steed wakes, back in his Bentley. Has he dreamt it all? It certainly seems that way when he reaches the airfield to find the party in full swing and no time seems to have passed. If only he could find Mrs Peel... he finds her watch, which leads him to rescue her from the dentist's chair.

A little improbable considering the number of unconscious people the two villains have to move around in the deserted airfield, while avoiding the unexpected interlopers ( Steed and Mrs Peel), but a solid episode with a great shot of the deserted airfield, the mystery kept unraveled till the last few minutes and a milk cart ( how I miss them!). Roy Kinnear plays a tramp named Benedict Napoleon Hickey - the big fight was quite energetic with Steed laughing maniacally due to laughing gas.

The hour you won't get back

[simonrosenbaum · 4/10 · 24 January 2022]

The early episodes had terrible production values but quite good stories. When it returned you got immaculate production values but the stories were not that great this episode being one of the worst. Nothing really happens for 40 minutes then there's a rather mundane forgettable ending. A real waste of time.