It takes more than Pat's sophistication and swagger to carry this show, as for the life of me I couldn't find the hook establishing this story. It makes sense on paper, but plays out as sheer nonsense.
McGoohan protests right at the outset to his superior, not wanting the mission at all, but goes along with it on the prospect of receiving 10,000 pounds commission. He's sent to some mythical Middle Eastern country (I thought it was Cyprus or Greece but "piastres" is name-dropped as currency, sounding like Egypt), on a stupid mission to grab Moira Lister plus her British passport to be brought back accused of treason as a spy.
Donald Pleasence plays the local functionary working in a typewriter repair store but an agent for England, in a goofy role - befuddled and milquetoast one minute, and a callous killer (for the good guys) the next.
The spy versus spy skullduggery makes little sense and is of zero importance, with nothing hanging in the balance -no balance of power, high stakes in the realm of international relations. Just a stupid story of a mysterious woman who we are never privy to any information about her history or character. As usual, Pat can do no wrong, always able to outwit any straw villain or bystander in his way.
For the entire half hour, my reaction remained constant: Who cares?
McGoohan protests right at the outset to his superior, not wanting the mission at all, but goes along with it on the prospect of receiving 10,000 pounds commission. He's sent to some mythical Middle Eastern country (I thought it was Cyprus or Greece but "piastres" is name-dropped as currency, sounding like Egypt), on a stupid mission to grab Moira Lister plus her British passport to be brought back accused of treason as a spy.
Donald Pleasence plays the local functionary working in a typewriter repair store but an agent for England, in a goofy role - befuddled and milquetoast one minute, and a callous killer (for the good guys) the next.
The spy versus spy skullduggery makes little sense and is of zero importance, with nothing hanging in the balance -no balance of power, high stakes in the realm of international relations. Just a stupid story of a mysterious woman who we are never privy to any information about her history or character. As usual, Pat can do no wrong, always able to outwit any straw villain or bystander in his way.
For the entire half hour, my reaction remained constant: Who cares?