The Avengers (TV Series) Noon Doomsday (1968) User Reviews

High Noon for Steed

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 3 April 2015]

In the opening scene we see two men on horseback arriving at an abandoned station; here there talk about how, at twelve o'clock, Steed will die! It turns out Steed has broken a leg and is recuperating at a top secret, highly secure location… to visit him Tara must cross defences which include a minefield and an electric fence. At first they have no idea of the impending danger but when the communications systems are destroyed and the man with the key to the defence system is killed it becomes obvious that something is going on. A clue leads them to realise the man responsible is Gerald Kafka; the head of Murder Inc. who was captured by Steed seven years previously. Knowing of the danger Tara tries to rally the other people there to protect Steed but with the exception of a bed-ridden man they all make excuses as to why they must not get involved. Back at Steed's apartment Mother is working his way through Steed's drink cabinet when he learns of Kafka's escape and that he has a way of bypassing the security system which is meant to be defending Steed and the others at the secure location.

From the start this episode has a western feel; villains on horseback at a disused station followed by a killing at noon. It soon becomes apparent that there will be more references to 'High Noon'; most notably the difficulty in getting any help to protect Steed. It was interesting that the main villain remained hidden for some time while we are introduced to his henchmen. Unusually these were made to seem far more human than most bad guys; we observe them talking, mostly about what one of them should get his niece for her ninth birthday. Ray Brooks and T. P. McKenna are good in these roles. As the attack approaches the tension rises nicely, especially as each of the others makes their excuses, the single location from which our heroes can't leave gives a claustrophobic atmosphere. Humour is provided by Mother's drinking Steed's booze and the large number of phones the unspeaking Rhonda holds out for him. The conclusion provides some good tense action and a surprise when we learn Steed was better armed than we assumed. Overall a solid episode which nicely referenced a classic film.

Steed must face the man who hates him

[ShadeGrenade · 8/10 · 17 August 2011]

Terry Nation's 'Noon-Doomsday' is a cheeky reworking of Fred Zinnermann's classic Western 'High Noon' ( 1952 ). Steed has broken a leg on an assignment, and is recuperating in a private country hospital ( which actually resembles a farm more than a hospital ) protected by minefields and electrified fences. But there is a traitor within. After a number of strange deaths, the defences are deactivated, and a helicopter touches down. Aboard is 'Gerald Kafka' ( Peter Bromilow ), former head of Murder International, who wants revenge on Steed for helping put him behind bars for seven years. With him are 'Kyle-Farrington' ( Ray Brooks ), a knife thrower in sunglasses, and sharpshooter 'Norman Grant' ( the late T.P. McKenna ). Tara tries to enlist the help of other incapacitated agents, but they refuse. She must protect her friend all alone...

About the only thing missing here is Frankie Laine singing 'Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling'. A nice little episode, and director Peter Sykes manages some impressive visual touches ( such as the spent cartridges from Grant's gun flying about in slow motion ). The finale is in typical Western style, with people being shot and falling off roofs and so on. Who says the British are no good at Westerns?

'The Avengers' had a penchant for mocking other similar shows from the same period. Here Mother makes several references to 'Department S', headed by 'Colonel Berman' ( the producer of the I.T.C. series of that name was Monty Berman! ).

Peter Halliday ( 'Jules Perrier' ) was 'Packer' in the 'Dr.Who' classic 'The Invasion', and Anthony Ainley ( 'Edward Sunley' ) later replaced Roger Delgado in the series as 'The Master'.

Nation's next episode - 'Legacy Of Death' - also plundered a movie classic - John Huston's 'The Maltese Falcon'!

The Avengers, Western style.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 7 September 2022]

Steed has broken his leg, and is recovering in a convalescent home, the trouble is, old adversary knows his whereabouts, and wants revenge.

So it may not be the shootout at The Oak Corral, but it's not far off, it's not perhaps the most memorable, or intriguing episode of all, but it's good fun, and the characters themselves are interesting.

Kafka is a little underdeveloped, but his henchmen were really good, Brooks and McKenna are good fun.

Mother is hilarious here, I love the idea of him being at Steed's place, rifling through the cupboards, drinking his stash.

The music is subtle, but there are undertones of A Western theme, it's nicely done.

Good fun,

7/10.

High-noon avengers style

[coltras35 · 7/10 · 30 April 2022]

The high noon ( western style) is nigh for Steed who is resting due to an injury at a well-defended nursing home. Someone wants him dead and all the protecting agents are dead or out of action,phone lines are cut and no one is willing to help Tara fight against the killers. Only one person is willing to help. This person though is severely plastered up in bed. He says he will help by warning when they come. That was absolutely hilarious, especially with Tara's deadpan face expression in view. This is is a good episode, starts out slow, laidback and gets better especially when Tara is on scene. Matter of fact, this is Tara's show and she does well. There's a lengthy and thrilling action sequence at the end.

Do not forsake me o' my Tara

[kevinolzak · 9/10 · 28 April 2011]

"Noon Doomsday" follows the pattern set by the 1952 Western classic "High Noon," right down to having the two hit men arrive at their destination on horseback. Convalescing with a broken leg at a top secret hideaway (shot at the actual farm belonging to producer Brian Clemens), Steed learns that Gerald Kafka (Peter Bromilow), an enemy he had captured at noon 7 years before to the day, has escaped and has him targeted for death, with assistance from both Kyle-Farrington (Ray Brooks), a knife expert, and Norman Grant (T. P. McKenna, "Trojan Horse" and "Death at Bargain Prices"), a sharpshooter. Like its namesake, anticipation is slowly built up as the hour approaches, the two killers awaiting Kafka's arrival (by helicopter!) at a nearby train station, now abandoned. The tight security measures are carefully sabotaged, not to help the enemy gain entrance, but to keep everyone from getting out! Mother and Rhonda take up temporary residence in Steed's quarters, and set up Tara's visit at precisely 10:30 AM (again, like its namesake, the audience experiences the story in real time, more or less). Once threatened, Tara fails to secure aid for Steed from his fellow wounded agents, apart from Edward Sunley (Anthony Ainley), despite his confinement to bed (he keeps watch, and successfully warns her on one occasion). The climactic showdown is well worth waiting for, as Tara singlehandedly takes on all three foes, until the ailing Steed finally confronts his nemesis face to face (this is the episode where Tara's feelings for Steed are more pronounced than ever before, a nice touch). Also featuring Lyndon Brook ("The Hidden Tiger"), John Glyn-Jones ("A Sense of History"), and David Glover ("The See-Through Man"). Second script from Terry Nation, while Peter Sykes returned to direct one other classic, "Love All." For the next episode, we go from "High Noon" to "The Maltese Falcon."

Not Quite High Noon...but fairly close...

[mcelhaney · 6/10 · 17 March 2013]

A decent set-up, good location photography and some interesting villains make "Noon Doomsday" entertaining, but ultimately not so memorable. While some of the dialog, particularly from the knife-wielding henchman about what gift to buy his niece is really good, the episode suffers from what appears to be a too-tight shooting schedule that didn't allow for many of the Western clichés to be properly executed.

However, the worst offense is how the episode is ultimately resolved as the way Steed finally dispatches the bad guy is really a cop-out. With no set-up, the resolution is very unsatisfying.

Tara (Linda Thorson) does get to run around a LOT and carries most of the action while Steed is mostly in a wheelchair. Mother however has a great deal of fun occupying Steed's apartment and drinking from all of his liquors. We also get the only indication in the series that Rhonda is actually capable of talking as she starts to answer Mother, only to be cut off because he enjoys her silence. If anything, it's really the only episode where Rhonda (Rhonda Parker) actually gets not one, but two close ups.