The Avengers (TV Series) Room Without a View (1966) User Reviews

Don't stay in room 621

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 23 January 2015]

When Dr John Wadkin attacks his wife one would have thought it was a job for the police rather than Steed and Mrs Peel; but he was one of a number of scientists who had gone missing over the last year or two. They can't get much out of him although it would appear he was held captive in China and he repeats the number 621; before they can learn more Wadkin is kidnapped. Steed goes to the Chessman Hotel in London with another scientist and he too disappears; what is more he was in room 621! It turns out the other missing scientists stayed there as well. Steed explains his presence to the hotel management by claiming to be famous food writer Mr Gourmet and he gets Mrs Peel in by arranging for her to become a receptionist. It isn't long before she learns the secret of Room 621; it is just a pity she ends up locked in what appears to be a Chinese prison cell. Steed will have to uncover the secret of the Chessman Hotel if he is to save her.

This episode started well; the missing scientists provided a nice mystery and the way they were caught and later held captive was rather good. On the other hand the villain was a bit too eccentric; especially how he had others sample fine food for him because his doctor had put him on an extremely strict diet and how he'd put so many chess boards all over the hotel. His motivation wasn't the best either but at least it wasn't too wacky. There were fun moments of course; I particularly liked Mrs Peel's reaction to the suggestion she should go undercover as a receptionist. Overall I found this to be a weaker episode but still not without its charms.

Room Without a View

[guswhovian · 7/10 · 27 July 2020]

When several scientists disappear, Steed and Mrs Peel trace them to a hotel.

Room Without a View is entertaining enough. Diana Rigg is once again underused. The best part of the episodes is the wonderful guest performances from Paul Whitsun-Jones, Peter Jeffrey and Philip Latham. The plot twist if fairly easy to guess, but there's some fun scenes with Steed pretending to be a gourmet.

A Glimpse of Something Serious

[keysam-02610 · 8/10 · 6 February 2024]

Every so often something serious pops up in The Avengers.

In this case, it's when Steed starts to describe conditions in the prison camp Wadkin is thought to have been held in, Ni San. It's a horrible place but Steed knows all about it, about the routine, the sounds and about what it feels like to be held there. It's almost as if he has direct experience....

Given Steed's age and his career, he might well have exactly that. If he did, it might well explain his insouciant approach to life now. It is hard to imagine being able to take anything much seriously after surviving such a horrendous experience. He wouldn't be the only war veteran I have encountered (even if he is fictional) who felt, having survived the very worst things, that nothing could ever really be all that bad afterwards.

It's a classic.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 7 July 2022]

A missing scientist turns up unexpectedly, and tries to strangle his wife at a dinner party. His disappearance is linked to a luxury, chess themed hotel.

Cracking episode, absolutely loved this one, some wonderful, chilling ideas, fantastic characters, this really does offer up the fear factor. A wonderfully imaginative plot.

There were definite shades of The Icpress File here I thought, a similar concept is used there.

I loved the character of Mr Chessman, he is wonderfully entertaining, definitely larger than life. Paul Whitsun-Jones plays the part so well, I just loved the fact that he was dieting.

Best of all, Philip Latham, the character of Carter was an absolute joy, sarcastic, funny, I can't help but think of him as Borusa, from The Five Doctors, he's wonderful here.

I love the idea of a chess themed hotel, that's the kind of kitsch idea I could imagine being put into practice now.

9/10.

Check in is easy, just try to check out

[kevinolzak · 9/10 · 26 February 2011]

"Room Without a View" begins with the sudden reappearance of physicist Dr. John Wadkin (Peter Madden, "One for the Mortuary," "Pandora"), surprising his wife Anna (an unbilled Jeanne Roland, from Hammer's "The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb") in her own home, but barely a shadow of his former self. He's just one of seven scientists that have gone missing over the previous two years, with the one common thread linking them all being that each checked in and out of the Chessman Hotel, and were never seen again. Peter Jeffrey, later seen in both "The Joker" and "Game," plays Varnals, who deduces by Wadkin's negative reaction to his wife's Chinese heritage that he was held captive in a Manchurian prison camp. Paul Whitsun-Jones, previously seen in "Man with Two Shadows" and "The Wringer" (and later appearing in "Fog"), plays the dieting hotel owner, Max Chessman, whose thin blood requires him to live in higher temperatures, and Vernon Dobtcheff, later seen in "The Living Dead" and "Thingumajig," plays a Russian spy. Acting honors go to two veteran villains from episodes past, Philip Latham (from "The White Dwarf") as the sinister hotel manager, led to believe that Steed is an accomplished gourmet, and Peter Arne (from "Death on the Slipway," "Warlock," and "The Golden Eggs"), whose suspicions about a certain hotel room are well founded. A captive Mrs. Peel is interrogated by a Manchurian guard (an unbilled Anthony Chinn) who laments that no woman has ever been held prisoner, outlining the contours of her body with lascivious intent. The best moment comes when Steed assures Varnals that he's already checked Emma for "deadly weapons!"

The Disappearing Scientists Caper

[profh-1 · 6/10 · 19 September 2023]

A physicist who vanished 7 years earlier turns up at his wife's home, his memory gone, and psychological study suggests he's been held prisoner in Manchuria. He keeps repeating "621", before he's kidnapped again by some Chinese laundry men. A colleague of his, who believes he's a traitor, is scheduled to check into the same hotel the first man did, so Steed hangs out there, begins posing as a famous food critic, and fixes it so a very-reluctant Mrs. Peel gets a job there as a receptionist. But her investigations lead to HER disappearing, and winding up in what looks like a Chinese POW camp. How is that possible?

Something I love about many of the best AVENGERS episodes is how they present a baffling mystery and only reveal the truth slowly, a bit at a time, and it's usually 3/4ths of the way through before you learn what's really going on. Along they way, they often feature eccentric characters, ideas and situations. This episodes has both of those! It's also got one of the best casts I've ever seen in one of these.

Peter Jeffrey is "Varnals", a by-the-book Ministry type who almost reluctantly helps Steed, while chafing at Steed's unorthodox methods, and his "unofficial" assistant, Mrs. Peel. Apart from 4 different AVENGERS eps, I'll always remember him as "Count Grendel" in the Tom Baker-Mary Tamm DOCTOR WHO story, "The Androids Of Tara"-- not to mention both DR. PHIBES movies.

Peter Madden is "Dr. Wadkin", the physicist who was kidnapped twice and terribly brainwashed. Apart from THE PRISONER, he was also "Inspector Lestrade" in the Douglas Wilmer SHERLOCK HOLMES series.

Jeanne Roland is "Anna Wadkin", the baffled wife. I've seen her in a number of things, including THE SAINT with Roger Moore.

Peter Arne is "Pasold", a chemical company rep who signed a deal with another scientist just before the man disappeared-- and suspects Steed of being responsible! When he refuses to give up, he becomes another victim of the baddies' scheme. Apart from several AVENGERS episodes, I most remember him as the crooked accountant in THE OBLONG BOX.

Philip Latham is "Carter", the excessively-fastidious hotel manager. Genre fans will recognize him from DRACULA PRINCE OF DARKNESS and FORCE 10 FROM NAVARONE.

Paul Whitsun-Jones is "Chessman", owner of a growing chain of high-class hotels, who turns out to have a horribly-nefarious side. He once played Steed's boss in an earlier episode, and also had a notable cameo in Corman's THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH.

Vernon Dobtcheff is "Pushkin", a Russian agent sent to bargain for whatever it is Chessman is selling. I've seen him in countless things, including THE SPY WHO LOVED ME and an outstanding role in THE ASSASSINATION BUREAU.

Anthony Chinn is the "Interrogator". He's been in countless things, including 13 episodes of THE PROTECTORS with Robert Vaughn.

Two things stand out for me re-watching this today. One is, this was the first time the stunt doubles were painfully-obvious in the climactic fight scene. I was reminded that when the show was shot on videotape, Patrick Macnee and Honor Blackman had to do ALL their own fights! The other is... watching these in production order, I'd swear that somehow, Diana Rigg looked prettier in this one than in any of the previous stories.

I continue to be blown away by the picture quality of the 2015 Studio Canal Region 2 Blu-Rays. I wish they would put EVERY SEASON of this show out on Blu-Rays. I've come to love seasons 2 & 3 so much (not to mention THE NEW AVENGERS), I'd upgrade my copies in a flash. (And Blu-Rays play at the CORRECT speed in every country.)

A GOOD TITLE FOR A GOOD EPISODE

[duncanbrown-76733 · 10/10 · 6 November 2021]

This episode has a very good storyline to it. You book into a five star hotel in London, go to bed and wake up in a dirty prison cell in Manchuria.

It puts you off staying at an expensive hotel in London.

The plot in this excellent episode of The Avengers, is a clever and ingenious idea, used brilliantly for a good television series.

The interplay between the actors is excellent, and the direction is superb.

Peter Jeffrey and Jeannie Roland dominate this excellent episode. They backed by a good cast of British television actors, such as Paul Whitsun Jones, Phillip Latham, Richard Bebb and Peter Arne.

The actor who has the best lines in this story is Peter Arne. One of the best lines he says to Steed is, "You herd of the brain drain. Well meet one of the drains." It shows just how good a television writer Roger Marshal was, when he was writing for The Avengers at the time.

A Good Puzzle Episode

[aramis-112-804880 · 7/10 · 17 October 2021]

Sometimes "The Avengers" tip their hands too early. Here, on the other hand, is a genuine puzzle. Scientists are disappearing in a hotel room. Well, not so much "disappearing" as checking in as one person and checking out as someone else, who then discards that identity.

At first it seems they're prisoners of the Red Chinese. But an escapee, who apparently underwent tortures (Peter Madden, a face familiar to "Danger Man" fans), made his way home to England when he can't even remember his name or his wife! Did he trek that far on his own? How did a man in his condition escape insular China, or cross the Gobi Desert or even the English Channel?

The puzzle's solution is presented in bits and bobs throughout the episode until, toward the end, it's all clear. What's not clear is the character played by the always dependable Peter Arne. He seems to have been added to the cast as a the typical "The Avengers" sacrificial lamb.

Peter Jeffrey (who would go on to "The Joker") is fine as Steed's baffled companion. Vernon Dobtcheff (who would go on to "The Living Dead") turns in one of his amusing performances (is he ever anything but funny or villainous?). Philip Latham overacts as usual (I love his extended miniseries "The Pallisers" and often wondered why he was chosen as the star; then I remembered his character was supposed to be a bore, which Latham is).

Sometimes "The Avengers" presents a cast that would be fine in a full-length movie. This is one of them. But with these people, all of whom are as expert in comedy as drama, would work together only in a spy spoof. This, however, is not one of the funnier episodes of "The Avengers" though it's chock full of quirky characters ("The Avengers" during the Mrs. Peel years does nothing better than present us a depth of kooks) and Steed has some lovely moments portraying a man famous for grading hotel cuisines.

Excellent topic that reminds me another one...

[searchanddestroy-1 · 9/10 · 13 February 2019]

This scheme where spies try to brainwash thru a fake room or prison camp stuff reminds me strongly the MISSION IMPOSSIBLE Tv show line. Remember in this series from the US, you often found this kind of topics too. So I find interesting these paths between series: WILD WILD WEST, as I have already told, AVENGERS, OUTER LIMITS, and also great movie industry topics too, which most of those schemes are inspired from, most of the time.

Room without a View

[coltras35 · 6/10 · 10 December 2023]

A missing scientist suddenly turn up at his home and attacks his Chinese wife. He seems to have been in a North Korean prison camp and is barely able to remember anything except the number 621. He is abducted again by a Chinese Laundry before he can be questioned further.

His old colleague Dr Cullen says Wadkin is a traitor but then he also vanishes in the night from his hotel, so Mrs Peel gets a job as a receptionist and Steed poses as M. Gourmet to infiltrate the hotel, run by the crass Max Chessman - who is obsessed with chess).

A more familiar kind of Avengers story, with an eccentric villain with bizarre plans. A prison camp in a hotel can't be anymore bizarre - loved the idea of an illusion of a normal room which isn't normal. Steed poses as a gourmet expert and Mrs Peel, much to her dismay, is a receptionist in the hotel. Intriguing enough but not too standout. Still diverting enough.

A DISTURBING IDEA BUT WITH A SLOW DEVELOPMENT

[asalerno10 · 7/10 · 17 August 2022]

Several scientists mysteriously disappear upon arrival in London, Steed and Emma agree that they were all staying at the Chessman Hotel before disappearing, so they begin to investigate the place. The story is extremely intriguing and claustrophobic, it hurts that the development is a bit slow and without much action. Another detail is that the Japanese soldiers are obviously western people with quite noticeable makeup to make them look like they have slanted eyes.

Not the best, but...

[g-hbe · 5/10 · 3 December 2022]

Not the best 'Avengers' by a long way, but even the bad ones are good, with generally intriguing plots and good production values. Two things always puzzle me about this episode - is Jeanne Roland (the actress who plays Dr Wadden's wife) dubbed? Every time I see this episode I get the impression there's something a bit odd about the way she speaks her lines, and the sound seems a bit too 'close' as if it was done separately. Secondly, watch the fight scene in the cell block. There's a Philips reel-to-reel tape recorder on the table, but when the fight breaks out it has been replaced by a very crude mock-up. Where the Philips is all curves and grilles, the fake one is a plain white box. Did they not want it damaged or were they wary of it causing injury or what?