Jonny Quest (TV Series) Calcutta Adventure (1964) User Reviews

Hadji's story and Jesse White

[bensonmum2 · 7/10 · 8 December 2008]

Through a flashback, "Calcutta Adventure" tells the story of how Hadji came to live with the Quest family. In this episode, Dr. Quest is in India lecturing at a local university. However, he has another, more dangerous purpose for being in India. He's looking for a secret nerve gas factory. When a young Indian named Hadji saves Dr. Quest's life, the Quests ask Hadji if he'll be their guide. The group heads for the mountains as the attempts on Dr. Quest's life continue. He's eventually taken prisoner in the secret nerve gas factory and, in exciting fashion, must be rescued by Race – with some help from an enterprising man named Pasha Peddler.

Overall, this is a solid episode. But then again, any episode that includes Hadji's back-story and how he came to live with the Quests is going to be worth watching. "Calcutta Adventure" features a lot of good action and creepy bad guys. The underground lair is also a nice touch. As for Pasha Peddler, he's easily one of the best ancillary characters in the first seven episodes. He's kind of like the Mr. Haney of India. It doesn't hurt that he was voiced by legendary character actor Jesse White. That voice is unmistakable – regardless of how un-Indian it might sound.

One of the most emblematic episodes of the series

[julianmarku · 9/10 · 5 July 2021]

This episodes presents the introduction of Hadji and one of the biggest mysteries of the show that never had time to be solved in the original series.

I had a problem with the series in that Doctor Quest was asked to hold a lecture/demonstration at Calcutta University and then suddenly solve a mystery about 3 sick sheppards . How? Why? It happened so fast you almost miss it.

But this episode is really the most James Bond episode of all. But it's so short and it has so much to say that you almost miss the convenient things like: how did the family find the lab? Just looking out the window of a helicopter and if that's all it took then why didn't anyone else in the police or the government find it?

Very strange indeed.

Also this episode does almost the opposite of what fake gold episode did. You almost KNOW that this lab belongs to doctor Zin, but the producers were smart enough to know that if he appeared, it would have been too soon. (Remember they wanted this episode to be pilot, but scheduling forced it to be turned into a flashback). It was smart not to show him, I just wish we heard a peep like a phone call or a letter being sent to the man leading the lab. It would have been perfect hint to Zin as a teaser.

Lastly I love the Pasha Peddler, you can almost smell that there is a mystery about him, by all accounts he is probably that American marine that taught Hadji and took care of him. His American accent gives a very strong hint. Unfortunately, this season will not solve the mystery. But you have seen all the JQ shows, you know that it eventually gets solved in a very interesting way. If you ask me if 'that' was the intention, honestly this episodes certainly hints at it.

Fun and interesting

[VetteRanger · 8/10 · 17 March 2023]

Although Hadji didn't appear in the first episode aired, he was a vital and part of the team after that, and often his contribution was key to the survival of himself, Jonny, Dr. Quest, Race, and Bandit.

But it wasn't until week seven of the series that we got to see WHY, and how, Hadji got to be part of the family. And we also get introduced to his common magic phrase .... Seem Seem Salabeem! ;-)

Here again the Quest team is asked to look into some mysterious disappearances, and in the process, they hire Pasha Peddler, who seems to have a broad selection of goods AND a cargo helicopter!

On their flight, they spot a mysterious doorway which turns out to be the entrance to a diabolical factory. And there, plenty of action starts. A fun show, as are they all. :-)