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Pani and I watched Stopover last night and it was the most exciting episode of TV - lots of running and shooting, casual but profound bravery from our boys and thrilling expertise with guns and cars.  :D

Great banter too and what was obviously a twisty and intriguing plot (ie I couldn't make head nor tail of it.)  But with B and D looking as good as they did and all that shooting, diving and feats of athleticism going on - who cared? ;)
Well I enjoyed it. In my case for the guns, the cars and so on :)

About time we watched another one, Merry
We've had Runner since then  :)

Saturday night is Purging of CI5.  Or Servant of Two Masters.  I'll check.
Do you know about the Great Pros Watch on Sunday evenings, on Livejournal?

http://community.livejournal.com/the_safehouse/
:D I probably shouldn't reply to "Stopover", lest you get the impression I dislike "The Professionals", when in fact I find the show extremely entertaining. However, I'm contributing my two cents anyway [tsk and tut, heh.]

Well, for starters, I like the way Cowley says "It's not a subject I think about a great deal," with reference to his own death. Very bold and likeable, and just what we'd imagine about George.

And I adore Bodie and Doyle dashing throughout the episode. They look and sound great, and the action shots are just a ton of fun.

As usual, I have a lot of problems with the medical details of the story. I practically fall out of my comfy chair when the doctor says "he looks as if he spent a year in a concentration camp," and Cowley agrees, replying "Two years, in fact."

Oh puh-lease! Meredith really doesn't look at all like the victim of privation, not even a little bit. His flesh is oily and hairy and has an obvious layer of adipose. And just look at that thick head of hair! Okay, so the director didn't expect the actor to starve himself to look the part of an escaped prisoner. But the make-up artist has done nothing to help with the illusion. I mean, the actor's hair is coiffed, for crying out loud. In a real case of starvation, the hair loses color, becomes brittle and sparse. And of course, most war camps shave the detainees' heads, to protect personnel from louse-borne disease. And then again, the actor is so perky, bounding around town instead of showing signs and symptoms of beri-beri.

The doctor wouldn't have been fooled for a second, and neither would Cowley. Not to mention, twenty four hours sedation is silly, it wouldn't do a concentration camp victim much good. He'd need to be hospitalized and placed on a careful, gradual re-feeding diet.

Which brings me to my chief complaint about the script. It throws out red herrings and doesn't resolve them. The actual plot is simple. Cowley knows a high placed double agent, Iron Sphinx, has died, and the bad guys don't realize it yet. He tells us he believed Meredith's story until the guy lied about receiving info from Iron Sphinx. Straightforward story line, scarcely enough for an hour's thriller, and makes Cowley look unforgivably gullible.

There's all that bit about Meredith wanting a drink, all through the script. There's so much emphasis on it, I was lead to assume the writer was giving the audience a clue that the character is lying. If he was in a concentration camp for two years, he would not have had access to alcohol, so wouldn't be in withdrawal two days after escaping. But right up to the end, nothing is said about the alcohol clues at all. Not only that, but we are never told whether Meredith actually defected two years before, or whether he was in the hands of the Khmer Rouge and bought his freedom in exchange for baiting Cowley. It's the whole point of the story, and it is never resolved.

It's just like the little divertissement with Bodie and Doyle at the pub. The script has Bodie tricking Doyle into downing a double vodka. And then they continue with the regularly scheduled plot. But there's no punchline to the scene. Other than taking up time, and showing the charming lads at their adorable best, what was the point?

On the other hand, for visually attractive derring-do, Bodie and Doyle score mega in "Stopover", and I don't mind just looking at them, repeatedly at that. ;)

Enticing sideline note:

MEREDITH: When I got out of Phnom Penh, I really thought I was going back to freedom.

BODIE: In the circumstances, I wouldn't complain.

MEREDITH: Oh, what the hell would you know about it?

BODIE: I know everything about it, Meredith. We all do. Only some of us don't keep talking about it, right?

This seems to imply, not only has Bodie been in prison [Angola, right?], but Doyle has too. Has anyone ever premised where in canon Doyle's life he might have been imprisoned? Fascinating question, hmm?
Lovely post, Asy!

Other than taking up time, and showing the charming lads at their adorable best, what was the point?


There should be more to a scene?  :rofl

Yes, interesting little teaser from Bodie there.  It reminded me of that story whose name wot I have forgot, very powerful story 'but promises are as easily broken as silver chains, and Ray Doyle died in the ambulance'...  kept me up at nights for weeks, that story did.  Chilling, but entirely brilliant.
Thanks for the link, Hags.  I see Spy Probe has recently been 'done' - one of the first episodes I saw, and thus dear to my heart.  Remember the plastic dummies?  and Miss Walsh, who roguishly twinkles at Our George once or twice...
When I watch TV I often groan at poorly thought out plots and terrible cliches. in fact I often rant about it after (ask merry :D)

I'm more forgiving with something that comes in short episodes and probably on a low budget, but I agree there were some bits that seemed to have been written in a hurry. I did notice the scene with Doyle downing the double vodka. I thought it was leading up to something. Perhaps him making a mistake or missing a shot. It felt like they had cut a bit out.

I thoroughly enjoyed it anyway, but then I watch Arnold Schwarzenegger films so there is little hope for me :)

I'm watching one now as it happens. 'Raw Deal' was probably one of the worst, but I get to vicariously beat the **** out of a few people and at the end of a long day nothing is more relaxing :)
Merry: "There should be more to a scene?"

:D Hmmm. On second thought, no. I must have written that complaint before I'd had my morning coffee. I hereby officially withdraw it. ;)

Will you think me a total wimp if I confess, I NEVER read stories in which the main characters die? I'm too much of a softie I guess. Probably miss a lot of good writing that way, but I just can't bear to have my heroes die. le sigh  :rolleyes

Panikos: Aggression Displacement; a very useful coping strategy; I do a lot of that, especially since I gave up rants for my New Years' resolution.
I gave up rants for my New Years' resolution.

If you don't want them, can I have yours?
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