"The Avengers" My Wildest Dream (TV Episode 1968) Poster

(TV Series)

(1968)

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8/10
The dangers of 'aggresso-therapy'
Tweekums24 March 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Dr A. Jaeger has an unusual method of treating his patients; he believes the best way of dealing with anger towards ones colleagues… he has them repeatedly 'kill' the target of their anger; or at least a dummy version of that person. His secretary secretly calls Steed to alert him that a man is in great danger; Steed and Tara rush off, upsetting Lord Teddy Chilcott who was hoping to spend the evening with Tara, but get there just too late. The man is dead and his killer, who is acting like he is in a dream, jumps from the window and dies. The Killer was the man undergoing treatment with Jaeger and the victim the man whose dummy he killed. The two were part of the five man board of Acme Precision Combine and it isn't long before Jaeger is treating another member of the board. Once again Steed gets a warning and this time they get there on time… however the likely victim is unconcerned and sends them away… only to be killed moments later. The killer doesn't die this time and while being treated he mentions Jaeger. Steed pays a visit to Jaeger and soon finds himself the next target after Jaeger treats Chilcott… the man he blames for his failure to get anywhere with Tara.

This is an impressive episode which plays things fairly straight without totally abandoning the series trademark humour. Peter Vaughan is suitably sinister as Jaeger; an unqualified doctor whose 'aggresso-therapy' is clearly not working as advertised! Edward Fox is also good as Chilcott; one can't help feeling a little sorry for the character as he clearly has no chance of a relationship with Tara when she has Steed in her life… even if her relationship with Steed is purely professional. The murders are more brutal than usual; with victims being stabbed to death… although as with most TV of the era there is not a drop of blood to be seen which of course means this isn't unsuitable for younger viewers. The story is interesting with a nice twist involving the motives of the woman who kept contacting Steed; at first it looks as if her motives are good but it later emerges that she just wanted an unimpeachable witness to the murders. There is plenty of action; Linda Thorson is shaping up nicely as Tara and handles the action scenes particularly well. These action scenes include some of the episodes more amusing moments as she accidentally throws Chilcott when she mistakes him for an attacker. After a succession of episodes which ended with Tara being rescued it made a nice change to have her rushing to Steed's aid at the end.
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7/10
A solid episode.
Sleepin_Dragon15 September 2022
Steed and Tara are called to an apartment, where they witness a murder, the first in a sequence of killings, where the killer claimed to be in a dream state.

Pretty good, I don't think anyone could make the case that this was the strongest episode from this final series, but on the whole it's a good one. As a story, maybe it feels as though the end of the show is approaching.

It's definitely not without imagination, it's a plot device we've seen used before on the show, admittedly to greater effect, but mind control is always a chilling concept.

Nice to see Tara having something of a love interest, and it was enjoyable to see Edward Fox cast as the hapless wannabe suitor, generally the villain of the piece, it's about the first time I've seen him play a somewhat wet character.

I really did like the visuals, it had something of a different feel about it, it's sharp, it's very nicely produced, it's an episode that definitely feels well paced, there are no long scenes, or dull moments, it doesn't, to coin a phrase, hang about.

Peter Vaughan was excellent, I also really enjoyed Philip Madoc's presence.

It's not the most memorable, nor the most exciting, but overall, pretty good, 7/10.
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7/10
Not my favourite, but...
searchanddestroy-131 March 2019
No, definitely no, that's not the best episode of the season. I hardly remind it, unlike some other episodes of the show. But now I am more mature than several years ago, I can say that the most interesting here is the first directin experiment of Robert Fuest, the future film maker of DR PHIBES double features. masterpieces of course. Robert Fuest who was so inventive with bizarre angles and camera shots, as Sidney J Furie was. Fuest who will later in the series give the most exciting episodes of the show, at least this very season.
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6/10
Robert Fuest debuts in the director's chair
kevinolzak19 April 2011
"My Wildest Dream" suffers from the same problem that the early Tara King entries shared, a serviceable story but totally lacking in humor, which marked the debut of designer Robert Fuest in the director's chair. Peter Vaughan (1971's "Straw Dogs") plays Dr. Jaeger, a psychiatrist who encourages certain patients to act out their homicidal fantasies against their enemies, then sends them out to finish the job. The doctor's nurse (Susan Travers) continually phones Steed so that each murder takes place with at least one witness nearby, but eventually, they decide that Lord Teddy Chilcott (Edward Fox), a rival for Tara's affections, is the perfect choice to eliminate Steed. Tara again wears multiple wigs, including (for the second and last time) the long haired brunette one that recalls Emma Peel, but her fights have greatly improved and are well staged. Fuest shows a fine visual sense, working wonders with the lackluster script, the last of 19 from the prolific pen of Philip Levene, author of "The Cybernauts" (and its sequel), "The Hidden Tiger," "Never, Never Say Die," "Death's Door," "You Have Just Been Murdered," and "Who's Who???" Making his fifth and final appearance on the series is Philip Madoc, veteran of "The Decapod," "Six Hands Across a Table," "Death of a Batman," and "The Correct Way to Kill," whose mesmerized assassin, Slater, tries to take two lives, with Murray Hayne ("Tunnel of Fear") playing the first subject, Paul Gibbons. Robert Fuest went on to helm "Game," "They Keep Killing Steed," "The Rotters," "Take Me to Your Leader," "Pandora," and "Take-Over."
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6/10
My wildest dream
coltras353 May 2022
Following a tip-off Steed and Miss King are present when a member of the Acme Precision Combine is stabbed, seemingly by a sleep-walker who has no recollection of the murder. This leads the Avengers to a clinic run by Dr. A. Jaeger who may or may not be programming deadly sleep-walkers

Fairly good Avengers episode, though it's better in the first half than the second. Second half isn't as exciting than the first half. Using sleepwalking to get the person to kill a particular person is a good idea, and is a typical avengers subject. Linda Thorson, who by this time has grown into the role of Tara King quite well, fights really well. The fights are well-staged.
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10/10
Shock treatment!
ShadeGrenade16 August 2011
Warning: Spoilers
At one time or another, haven't we all hated someone so much we've felt like killing them? It could be your boss, your G.P., your bank manager, your spouse, anyone. The villain in this Philip Levene-penned ( one of the last he was to write ) 'Avengers' story is 'Dr.A.Jaeger' ( Peter Vaughan' ), an 'aggresso-therapist' who encourages clients to live out their dreams of committing murder, usually involving repeatedly stabbing a dummy made up to look like their intended victims.

Frank Tobias ( Derek Godfrey ) is one such client, who longs to savage to death his boss, Aloysius Peregrine ( Hugh Moxey ) of the 'Acme Precision Combine'. Steed receives a call from 'Nurse Janet Owen' ( Susan Travers, later to play 'Arlette' in the first two seasons of I.T.V.'s 'Van Der Valk'; ) tipping him off about Peregrine's impending demise. When he and Tara show up at the wealthy man's flat, they find Tobias in the act of killing him. Jaeger's treatment has programmed the hapless Tobias into becoming an instrument of destruction. Panicking, Tobias runs - and falls out of the window. Steed is lined up for future treatment - he has a rival for Tara in the shape of 'Lord Teddy Chilcott' ( Edward Fox )...

Robert Fuest's stylish direction is matched perfectly by Robert Jones' sets, which must rank among the very best he did for the series. There is a room which has the word 'Observation' written in big letters across one wall, and Jaeger's surgery is awesome. The fight scene with Tara early on is eye popping. Also in the cast are Philip Madoc ( 'Slater' ) and John Savident ( 'Henry Winthrop ).

Due to the number of on screen stabbings, this was given a later time slot. It really is a tour de force, and makes one all the sadder that Levene died before he could contribute to 'The New Avengers'.
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