The Avengers (TV Series) The Living Dead (1967) User Reviews

Going underground

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 22 May 2015]

Steed and Mrs Peel are called in when the ghost of the 16th Duke of Benedict, who died in a mining accident a few years before, is seen rising from a grave by the local drunk. They aren't the only ones investigating; there is also Mandy McKay of FOG (Friends of Ghosts), who is determined to prove ghosts exist; and George Spencer of SMOG (Scientific Measurement of Ghosts), who wishes to disprove their existence. These two spend the night in the church where the ghost was last reported and soon Mandy is fleeing the scene in terror and George is dead… ghost or no ghost there is something dangerous going on. Steed goes to see the current duke and gets a less then friendly from the gamekeeper and an unpleasant character named Masgard seems a little too concerned when Steed tells the duke that he is impressed by his wine cellar… Steed is talking about the wine but Masgard's reaction suggests the cellar needs investigating. During another investigation Mrs Peel is captured by the 'ghost' so Steed and Mandy head into the mine and make a shocking discovery.

This was an enjoyable episode which combines the possibility of the supernatural with enemy activity. When we learn the truth behind the ghost it is inevitably far-fetched but within the world of The Avengers one can believe it! There is a decent amount of action including Mrs Peel rescuing Steed from a firing squad and several fights. Julian Glover is suitably menacing as Masgard but it is Pamela Ann Davy who provides the best guest performance as Mandy McKay; a character who isn't what she seems and provides the episodes best twist… one I didn't see coming. Overall a good episode even if it isn't one of the best.

Upstairs downstairs.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 18 July 2022]

Some years after a natural disaster, in which several people died, strange goings on are spotted in the graveyard, Steed and Mrs Peel investigate the ghostly goings on.

If the previous episode went for the comic book theme, then this one certainly was inspired by the popular Hammer and Amacus films ot the time. You have the subdued lighting, graveyard, creaky music, and plenty of cobwebs.

I enjoyed this, once again when you strip back some of the window dressing, you're left with a truly smart and imaginative mystery, there are some incredible ideas here, the imagination shown here is limitless.

I particularly loved the who groups, The FOG (Friends of Ghosts) and SMOG (Scientific Measurement of Ghosts) were terrific ideas. I thought Vernon Dobtcheff and Pamela Ann Davy were great, and contrasted well.

The standout for me was Julian Glover's villainous Masgard, sometimes the villains can seem a little over the top, this guy was a nasty piece of work.

Good fun, but loaded with great ideas, 7/10.

The Living Dead

[guswhovian · 7/10 · 27 August 2020]

When a drunk spots a ghost in a graveyard, Steed and Mrs Peel discover a diabolical plot to conquer England.

The Living Dead is an extremely entertaining episode with a great guest cast. There's some quite good ideas, some more well executed than others: the "FOG" and "SMOG" acronyms are ingenious, but the set for the underground city is poorly realized. Julian Glover is good as the main villain, while Pamela Ann Davy is a hoot as Mandy. The only problem is that Diana Rigg is absent for most of the episode.

There's also a surprising number of guest actors from Season 4 popping up in this episode: Julian Glover was in "Two's a Crowd", Jack Watson was in "Silent Dust", Howard Marion-Crawford was in "What the Butler Saw", Edward Underdown was in "The Murder Market", John Carter was in "Death at Bargain Prices" and Vernon Dobtcheff was in "Room without a View". Whew!

A good episode where something is needed to ne explained...

[searchanddestroy-1 · 8/10 · 5 March 2019]

First, I want to say that's the first and also maybe the only episode of the series where we see John Steed kissing Emma Peel - on the cheek, OF COURSE - and, when you are a fan of the series, that's very incredible to watch. And the second thing is that I have not quite understood the link between the ghost appearance and the rest of the topic, the underground army seekink for UK domination...But maybe after all I am dumb.

A REPEATED PREMISE WITH A DIFFERENT TOUCH

[asalerno10 · 8/10 · 1 June 2022]

The ghostly appearance of a duke who was presumed dead prompts the intervention of Emma and Steed. Once in the gloomy place they meet different people, Mrs. Peel disappears apparently kidnapped by the ghost of the duke, but the investigation ends up revealing an underground city inhabited by enemy agents who plan to blow up all of England. We had already seen this premise of the underground city in the first episode of the previous season The Town of no Return, but here with a smaller budget the events take place in the gloomy cemetery of a town in the English countryside.

Julian Glover in his second appearance

[kevinolzak · 6/10 · 27 March 2011]

"The Living Dead" begins as an investigation into the existence of ghosts, then changes course as the corpses pile up. Rupert Staplow (Edward Underdown, "The Murder Market") appears in the local cemetery, five years after supposedly dying in a mine cave-in, bringing on the attentions of both FOG (Friends of Ghosts) and SMOG (Scientific Measurement of Ghosts). SMOG's George Spencer (Vernon Dobtcheff, "Room Without a View" and "Thingumajig") is quickly found dead, while FOG's Mandy McKay (Pamela Ann Davy, "Mission to Montreal") insists that the ghosts have taken away Mrs. Peel. Making his second appearance on the show, Julian Glover's nasty Masgard takes shots at the unprotected Steed, and tries to bribe the local drunk into silence about the spectral happenings. Also present in the familiar cast are Howard Marion Crawford ("What the Butler Saw" and "Stay Tuned"), John Cater ("The Nutshell" and "Death at Bargain Prices"), Jack Watson ("Silent Dust"), and Alister Williamson, not seen since the first two episodes, "Hot Snow" and "Brought to Book." Previously seen in "Two's a Crowd," the busy Glover would return for "Split!" and "Pandora," but may perhaps be best known for his villainous turn in the 1981 James Bond thriller "For Your Eyes Only."

Emma Goes Underground.

[rmax304823 · 5/10 · 21 August 2008]

Like the other episodes, this one is completely unbelievable. It's fantastic, along the lines of some feature films that were appearing at the time -- "Our Man Flint", in which the "Telephone Company" plans to take over the world; "Funeral in Berlin," in which Harry Palmer fights a billionaire who plans to take over the world. Here, it's an underground city filled with a population organized into castes. The leaders plan to irradiate the world above, then when things quiet down, emerge and occupy an empty Britain.

As usual, what it lacks in believability, it makes up for in style. I mean, that's what it's GOT -- style! Neither the dialog nor the plots are particularly witty or thought provoking. But what clothes! What make up! What cars! What loony incidental music! What Emma Peel! Enjoyable and diverting piece of fluff.