Don't Look Behind You

I thought this was a wonderful job of Honor Blackman. I'm so pleased that she (instinctively) went against the directors idea and played it in the way she, as Mrs. Gale, would react.

Pity, that so many people have seen the Mrs. Peel remake so many times before seeing this original. I confess that I, too, have seen the remake several times....while only just now have viewed the original for the first time.

Both are wonderful. I'd say that Gale and Peel are tied. Or maybe...just maybe Honor Blackman's is just a touch more human?

"Don't Look Behind You," along with "Death of a Great Dane" and "The Charmers," was later remade as a color episode with Diana Rigg for the benefit of the American market, in each case better than the original (although Patrick Macnee reportedly named this as one of his favorite episodes). Cathy gets driven by Steed to a desolate country estate of an elderly expert on medieval armor to spend the weekend. They arrive to find only a young girl (Janine Gray), who tells them that the host won't be back before nightfall, and after breakfasting, Steed takes his leave. The girl serves up dinner, then leaves to attend a sick friend, never to be seen again. Finally, a young man (Kenneth Colley) drops in to use the phone, discovering the phone lines have been cut, his behavior most irritating. The endless meandering finally leads to a climax worth waiting for, as the madman behind Cathy's isolated ordeal (Maurice Good) turns out to be someone that had betrayed her, who she may have had feelings for. This entry does compare unfavorably due to its primitive technical look, but that was unavoidable, it's simply that the annoying characters fail to provide the kind of intrigue that was clearly intended, making it understandable as to why it was remade. Not only that, but while Mrs. Gale is expectedly angered by Steed's presence, Mrs. Peel is truly grateful to see him (especially since a clever script change renders him injured in the remake, unharmed in the original). The underrated Maurice Good previously appeared in "Hunt the Man Down," and went on to do fine work in "Split!"

Cathy receives an invitation to spend some time at the home of Cavalier Rasagne, a specialist in historical costume. When Steed drops her off, the pair discover a strange girl waiting for them, Rasagne is decidedly absent. Cathy's time at the house becomes decidedly uncomfortable.

I adore this episode, it is an out and out classic, Don't look behind you serves as a blueprint for future episodes, this isn't a heist, a whodunnit or any sort of run of the mill crime caper, it's like no previous episode, I love it.

It's creepy, it's eerie, I could watch this one over and over, it is a remarkable piece of 60's TV. Brian Clemens at his very best.

Blackman dazzles in this episode, at times she seems genuinely terrified, she's so uncomfortable, from the look on her face, to the perspiration on her face, the first time we've ever seen her look decidedly distressed.

I can't not mention the later remake, The Joker, again one of my personal favourites, so surreal and dark, not sure I can put a pin between this one and that, they shine for different reasons, although this one deserves the plaudits for originality.

10/10.