Episode 137 - The Avengers: LIVE!

[JulyDiaz 2797]

Tom Scharpling of The Best Show joins Paul, June, and Jason to discuss the 1998 action spy film The Avengers. Recorded LIVE from the 2016 Vulture Festival in New York City, they discuss Sean Connery's "evil" plan, Uma Thurman's clone "2ma Thurman", and the bear costumes. Plus, we hear the very first 4th Opinion in the history of the show!

 

Don’t forget to check out Blake Harris’ Oral History of The Avengers over at www.slashfilm.com!

Get yourself a BB-8 “What Is Its Mission?” T-shirt or Tote Bag over at http://howdidthisgetmade.bigcartel.com/ Set your DVRs for Party Over Here, a new FOX sketch comedy show from The Lonely Island and Paul starring Nicole Byer, Jessica McKenna, and Alison Rich. It airs Saturdays at 11 pm. People of the internet: Watch Paul in Fresh off the Boat on ABC. Awhile ago, Paul and Rob Huebel did a comedy special on a 60 foot glass bus that traveled around LA. Now you’ll be able to see it. Go to https://itun.es/us/3M4J9 now to buy it! You can also see Jason in Transparent on Amazon! Also, check out June in Grace and Frankie available on Netflix, and in all the episodes of NTSF:SD:SUV:: on HULU for free, and Jason in The Dictator (he’s still in it!).

[Elektra Boogaloo 3371]

So excited. I have insomnia and haven't slept a wink tonight. Happened to check my iPad and there's a HDTGM episode at 4am! So now I can definitely beat Cameron H to this punch (suck it!):

 

Something no one mentioned (obviously you guys aren't English major nerds like me. Failures.)

 

When revealing his evil plan, Sean Connery says, "Now is the winter of your discontent" to threaten world leaders. "Winter of your discontent" is a pun on de Wynter's name but it is more notably a reference to the opening of Shakespeare's Richard the III, where the main character says, "now is the winter of our discontent / made glorious summer by this son of York."

 

Connery is supposed to be extorting money from these people. But that phrase actually means that the period of discontent is coming to an end. (The winter is now turning into summer thanks to my bro, Edward.) So as the prelude to an evil plan, this is a terrible reference to make. He's basically saying things are looking up for them!

 

Connery is clearly not a Shakespearean actor.

 

Also: Emma Peel's double is totally (like Whoopie in Theodore Rex) a ROBOT. I thought this through the whole movie and then I read the IMDb trivia and they said that was the original plan. Glad Paul brought this up.

 

Secret robots, new sign of a bad movie.

 

IMDb also said Diana Rigg was asked to make a cameo (I think as Alice?) and she said no. Lady Olenna is wise.

 

More thoughts when I'm not sleep deprived.

[Glen Toran 94]

Brilliant! Its early!

I wasn't expecting this to be up before Monday at the very least.

Now I have something to help me through the late shift at work tonight.

Friday nights on the shop floor of a plastics factory isnt my favourite part of the week, but at least I'll have a laugh now.

 

[klemjohansen 748]

Small correction: Patrick Macnee was the Invisible Voice, also the original Steed in the TV show, not Patrick McGoohan. It's an understandable mistake since their names sound similar and they both starred in spy-rleated 60's TV shows like Secret Agent Man and, my favorite, The Prisoner.

[klemjohansen 748]

I have a theory as to why there were virtually no extras in this film, and it ties in with the confusing time period of the film:

 

The Cuban Missile Crisis took place in 1962, early in the run of the original show. Imagine a world in which the events that October turned out differently and the U.S. and U.S.S.R engaged in nuclear war, using long-rumored neutron bombs which could kill millions but leave buildings in tact. So, the few who remain who aren't gravely ill with radiation poisoning begin to rebuild things precisely as they remember them. A generation later, the population is still very small (no extras). Now it's the mid 1990's but some things look (and some people dress) exactly as they did in 1962. They're imitating what they remember from surviving film & TV, a connection to a time before those horrible events. In fact, Peel & Steed are imitating the banter and sexual innuendo they saw on the original show, but it comes off cold and false because they're constantly reminded that everyone they once loved is now dead, and soon they will be as well.

 

Basically, this:

[FisterRoboto 7499]

One of the few times Paul has said the episode will be late...and it was actually on time (or early if you believed him)! This was a very pleasant surprise this morning.

 

Such a great episode. I'll have a lot more to say when I get home, but the opening of this episode was probably one of my favorite things from the show in a while. I love just listening to the three of them riffing, and June was in a much more energetic mood than usual. They could have never gotten to the movie, and it would have been okay.

[justinforabit 15]

live episodes

[justinforabit 15]

Suck

[Cameron H. 23786]

Fantastic episode!

 

I just wanted to say, I had a real problem with Steed and Peel's kiss at the end of the movie. When he first invites her to the Gentleman's Club at the start of the film, he addresses Peel with her appropriate title: doctor. But, in rare turnabout, the doctor character actually corrects him by saying, "Under the circumstances, you may call me Mrs. Peel." Clearly, by insisting on being called "Mrs." rather than "Doctor," she is pointedly telling this lecherous, naked, stranger who, for all she knows, just invited her to there to watch him take, what we can only assume must be, an extremely unhygenic steam bath, "Hey, bro--I'm not interested. I'm a married woman."

 

Now I can't remember if Steed was with Mother when he told the story of how her husband dies, but I think it's safe to assume that Steed possess this knowledge. So Steed's response to this woman who has requested that she be referred to by her married name and title-obviously signifying that she hasn't quite gotten over the loss of her husband-is to grab her and start inhaling her face? Dude, that's not cool!

 

Also, while I'm on the topic of Steed being a giant jackass, when Mother confronts Father and 2ma at the end of the movie, his wheelchair is kicked over and he is left helplessly in the snow. A little while later, Steed runs up to Mother's supine form--half buried in the snow at this point--and just leaves him there! I know time is of the essence and all, but maybe take a second to help your wheelchair-bound friend out of the snow so he doesn't freeze to death. Just sayin'

[FisterRoboto 7499]

when Mother confronts Father and 2ma at the end of the movie

2ma 2furious

[Chef C Rock 36]

Saw this in the theater when I was 14... It did not age well, folks

[Cameron H. 23786]

������ live episodes

Suck

 

Yeah...doesn't it suck when the Earwolf Police come by your house every time they do one, point a gun at your head, and force you to listen.

 

But thanks for sharing your opinion. You seem like a lovely person.

[HotSaucerman 2051]

Scientific molecules and stuff.

[taylor anne photo 11311]

OH MY GOD UMA THURMAN BEING A ROBOT WAS MY THEORY THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE MOVIE!

 

I was gonna write out this long ass theory that would actually make the movie make sense about Sean Connery building these Uma Thurman robots that looked like his dead wife (whom he has a comically large painting of in his house) and that's why Uma Thurman says everything in such a specific way and moves soooo stiffly! Because there is no logical way that a human being would move, emote, and talk like that!

 

But I didn't just think 2ma was the robot but Uma as well. Her acting was fucking awful and only makes sense to me if she's a robot.

 

ETA: Screw it I'm writing more of this out.

 

So for some reason Sean Connery has a painting of a blonde Uma Thurman above his piano in his home. Also side note, every iteration of Uma in this movie has the exact same haircut and style. I assume they all go to the same hairdresser. My theory is that Mrs. Peel is yet another robot that he did build in the likeness of his dead wife, Blondma, to actually infiltrate the Ministry to gain their trust. He can then have 2ma go and do all of the nefarious plans he has brilliantly thought up and still have the ministry on Mrs. Peel's side, which seemed rather easy considering they only arrested her well after they found out there was actually two of her.

 

It would have been a much better rather "Hydra" plan since he had already had Father involved. That way he can then work out how to infiltrate the government and then foreign governments and soon he has an entire world organization where he can basically do whatever he wants. But even when you see Father start to enact her own plan for Mrs. Peel and the Ministry she is straight up killed along with 2ma!

 

How does weather fit into all of this? It fucking doesn't. Because that plot line was the worst out of everything they introduced and it makes me angry.

[Cameron H. 23786]

While I get that this isn't Marvel's Avengers, Mrs. Peel certainly seems to possess some superpowers of her own. No less than three times in the movie, did she or her clone survive a jump from an insanely high altitude!

• Peel jumps from a hot air balloon into the paws of a STONE LION STATUE and all that happens is she groans for about ten seconds, hops up, and is ready to go fight Eddie Izzard in the Weather Dominator.
  
• At the end of the movie, she dives headfirst from a scaffolding into the weather machine's water tank. Granted, she's jumping into water, but it's still ludicrously high up, we don't really know how deep the water is, and I believe it was from roughly, if not exactly, the same height that had killed Eddie Izzard just moments before.
  
• After the Evil Teddy Bear board meeting, 2ma just jumps off a building. She doesn't look. She just runs to the ledge and jumps off of it. Of course, no one reacts or questions this at all.
  

She's like Base Jump Woman, or something. Granted, the third scenario would have made maybe a little bit of sense if 2ma was a robot as originally intended, but, since that idea was aborted in favor of a clone, there is no way she or Uma Prime, could have survived any of those jumps unscathed.

 

 

I guess what I'm saying is: had Samuel L. Jackson shown up post credits to recruit her for a new team of superheroes, I wouldn't have been the least bit surprised. However, I do feel like Steed would have been pretty crestfallen to find out that his incredible umbrella fighting skills wouldn't be enough for him to make the cut as well.

[taylor anne photo 11311]

• At the end of the movie, she dives headfirst from a scaffolding into the weather machine's water tank. Granted, she's jumping into water, but it's still ludicrously high up, we don't really know how deep the water is, and I believe it was from roughly, if not exactly, the same height that had killed Eddie Izzard just moments before.
  

Not to mention she dives into the water! Her neck would have instantly been broken if that was any shallower than 13 ft because of the height she jumped from.

 

I guess what I'm saying is: had Samuel L. Jackson shown up post credits to recruit her for a new team of superheroes, I wouldn't have been the least bit surprised. However, I do feel like Steed would have been pretty crestfallen to find out that his incredible umbrella fighting skills wouldn't be enough for him to make the cut as well.

I swear based on what we saw in this movie Steed is the worst fighter! He only (I think) really fights three times in this movie and every time it didn't boost my confidence in his skills. I wrote in my notes plenty of times that he was just the worst spy ever!

 

Most of the time Uma Thurman saves herself from harm! And then gives credit to him later! WHY!? 2ma ran off on her own, he didn't save you. You jumped out of a mirror/window on your own while you were drugged up, he did nothing but pick you up and take you home. You save yourself from Father and 2ma and kill them, he did NOTHING!

 

Why is he considered the best spy!?

[Max 37]

"what are they avenging?"

 

"Ray Fiennes' parents were killed by a good movie."

 

all hail Tom

[taylor anne photo 11311]

Okay another one of my questions...

 

Was Mrs. Peel in this movie supposed to resemble Marvel's Black Widow? Her character in the comic books was already well established even though there was no thought of having her in a movie yet, but did they think that would get comic book nerds to spend the money to see this piece of crap? Just cause they thought they would get a taste of Natasha Romanoff?

 

Cause shit Uma Thurman just looks like such a knock-off Black Widow and I can't stand it.

[Cameron H. 23786]

 

 

Not to mention she dives into the water! Her neck would have instantly been broken if that was any shallower than 13 ft because of the height she jumped from.

 

 

I swear based on what we saw in this movie Steed is the worst fighter! He only (I think) really fights three times in this movie and every time it didn't boost my confidence in his skills. I wrote in my notes plenty of times that he was just the worst spy ever!

 

Most of the time Uma Thurman saves herself from harm! And then gives credit to him later! WHY!? 2ma ran off on her own, he didn't save you. You jumped out of a mirror/window on your own while you were drugged up, he did nothing but pick you up and take you home. You save yourself from Father and 2ma and kill them, he did NOTHING!

 

Why is he considered the best spy!?

 

I forgot about the jumping through the window thing! She would have been cut to ribbons! I guess that just supports my "She's an actual Avenger" theory...

 

Also, in regards to the "worst spy ever," are you telling me that their big break is because someone in Izzard's Mod Thug Gang just happened to drop a perfectly folded Disney World-esque map on the ground that points directly to Connery's Evil Island lair? Tell me, if it hadn't been for that improbable stroke of luck, how would they have cracked the case on their own?

[taylor anne photo 11311]

Also, in regards to the "worst spy ever," are you telling me that their big break is because someone in Izzard's Mod Thug Gang just happened to drop a perfectly folded Disney World-esque map on the ground that points directly to Connery's Evil Island lair? Tell me, if it hadn't been for that improbable stroke of luck, how would they have cracked the case on their own?

I was thinking also along the lines of how Steed was not gonna do fucking anything to those goons until Eddie Izzard took his hat.

[FisterRoboto 7499]

Okay another one of my questions...

 

Was Mrs. Peel in this movie supposed to resemble Marvel's Black Widow? Her character in the comic books was already well established even though there was no thought of having her in a movie yet, but did they think that would get comic book nerds to spend the money to see this piece of crap? Just cause they thought they would get a taste of Natasha Romanoff?

 

Cause shit Uma Thurman just looks like such a knock-off Black Widow and I can't stand it.

They really just updated her look from the 60s show, where she generally wore a black leather costume.

 

[taylor anne photo 11311]

They really just updated her look from the 60s show, where she generally wore a black leather costume.

Okay that makes more sense. I still get the feeling that they looked at Uma Thurman in this and thought, "Oh the nerds are gonna looooove this shit!"

[FisterRoboto 7499]

Okay that makes more sense. I still get the feeling that they looked at Uma Thurman in this and thought, "Oh the nerds are gonna looooove this shit!"

Oh, they totally were. I'm not going to lie and say that my 17-year-old self wasn't influenced into seeing this by Uma Thurman in that costume.

[SaraK 1980]

When this movie came out in theaters, my dad and I went at my request. He still brings this movie up as a reason as why I'm not allowed to pick movies anymore. Well this, and Spiceworld. All I remembered prior to this rewatch was the giant teddy bear sequence. That is permanently burned into my memory.

[Bumpy 1674]

I really enjoyed the 'How Did This [Mattress] Get Made?' mini-ep up front.