The story....
Brad and Suzy Hunter are on holiday in London. Soon after they arrive Brad starts to behave strangely include some disturbing outbursts that greatly worry his wife. Reading The Times newspaper seems to trigger these events and at these points he also seems to believe he is an English "gentleman" called Charles Merrow who is married to someone called Theresa but he has no idea who these people are. The pair call in unconventional - but certainly talented - private detective Matthew Earp to try to find answers - it seems events from decades earlier on another continent offer the key but the danger to Brad and Suzy is very much in the present...
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| Brad (Paul Burke) confronted by Sagar (Larry Taylor) |
Review
This had the honour of opening Thriller in the USA (indeed its first broadcast anywhere) on 15th January 1973. This was certainly not a random choice as it is one of the most transatlantic stories with plenty of nods to American and more generally international viewers. It is the only episode with two American guest stars with Paul Burke and Polly Bergen having joint-top billing but it also makes great use of central London locations most likely to be familiar to those outside the UK. The references to "the English gentleman" would also be very familiar to non-UK viewers as well as broader references to English and American "character" that were to recur throughout the series.
This was the second-ever episode I saw courtesy of it being on the first Thriller VHS tape I bought back in 1994. The first I saw was Someone at the Top of the Stairs and it's fair to say this outing always seemed an anti-climax compared to the great drama and boldness of that outing. That has largely been shared by other viewers with An Echo of Theresa striking most as an undoubtedly well-produced and cleverly-written story but one that doesn't really grip them. I will say though that watching it again for the first time in many years I was highly impressed and while it is best-remembered for introducing the memorable character of Matthew Earp it has plenty of other virtues and rather more to offer than initially seems and no worse for its emphasis on mystery and intrigue rather than high drama.
The first series is sometimes criticised as being rather slow and this episode certainly has faced that accusation. The story creates intrigue through Brad's peculiar and troubling - and in one case dangerous - behaviour and this takes up most of the first half. This can be heavy going, especially for the casual viewer, but not unlike other "slower" stories the relative lack of pace allows time to build the mystery.
The second half sees the arrival of Matthew Earp and and there is a universal sense that the exceptional quality of that character makes a great impact. Earp is the only character to reappear in Thriller (in The Next Scream You Hear at the end of Series 3) and one can see why he deserved that honour. The character is superbly drawn but the performance by Dinsdale Landen is excellent. Earp is brilliantly witty but has a razor-sharp mind and physical prowess that ensures he must always be taken seriously. The private detective duo of the Buckleys in K Is for Killing also have immense wit and style but are played far more obviously for laughs, to the frustration of many viewers (although not myself). However there is no question that Earp, thanks to Landen's skill, stays on the right side of the dramatic fence.
The episode does become more gripping as it progresses, not just through Earp's arrival but also the emergence of the villains. As in the other two Thriller espionage stories ordinary people are unfortunate enough to be targeted by international agents. Their exact motives and missions are never truly explained and it is useful to have this enigma.
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| Brad Hunter finds himself under interrogation by Charles Merrow (Basil Henson) and Bannerhein (Vernon Dobtcheff) |
The climax sees more questions being answered. It offers a dramatic ending to a generally low-key outing and the final line is one of the best in the show's history. It is always good to end on a high note and while the episode is unlikely ever to come a major fan favourite it does deserve further appreciation.
Notes
This was one of the favourite stories of Brian Clemens and he chose it for the first video release. The ITC movie version of this episode had the curious title of "Anatomy of Terror". Intriguing and unnerving perhaps but "terror" seems to be overstating events in a tale far more about mystery; it is probably the only film or TV title containing the word "anatomy"!
A clear winner in a recent poll of the three 'espionage' episodes on the Brian Clemens' Thriller Facebook group, I share many of the reservations as to the deliberate pace, rather trying initial reactions by the Paul Burke character and a rather overall lack of dramatic incident. However, given patience (also needed for later stories like 'Won't Write Home Mom I'm Dead') the spot on contribution of Earp/Landen and the colourful villains - a downbeat moggie cat on show here rather than Blofeld's white Persian - and a satisfying conclusion, there is also good work from director Peter Jefferies to enjoy (especially a creative mirror shot with Burke held at gunpoint in the bathroom). I personally regret the loss of a rather enigmatic and moody title in 'An Echo of Theresa' in the reformatted 'movie' edit. Trivia point - despite being the US premiere, this was the only THRILLER not to get a network repeat on America's ABC network in either the 1974 reformat to 'Wide World Mystery' nor in the 'Mystery of the Week' slot created in 1976.
ReplyDeleteInteresting points. It's certainly a well-made episode and I would agree the villains are good value as well as Matthew Earp and really lift events on screen. Maybe it's an episode of two halves with the first hard-going and the second much more compelling. This was the second full episode I saw - it was on the first ITC Thriller VHS release - and after watching and being hooked by "Someone at the Top of the Stairs" this came as an anti-climax for me. "Echo" is probably a better-made episode but doesn't have the disturbing quality of "Someone". Of course there will be viewers who prefer to watch "Echo" but I think most find "Someone" more likely to catch the imagination.
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