By Owen Quinn Photos copyright to owner
Ten years after the end of the original 1960s series, it was decided to being back the Avengers for a new series. This time, John Steed would return without Emma Peel or any of his other glampourous sidekicks. This time, he would have two sidekicks, the gorgeous Purdey played by the legend, Jonna Lumley and Gareth Hunt as the hardy Mike Gambit.
They were a strong trio with Steed now the elder statesman, given his age, but Patrick Macnee was as active as ever and the very picture of the quintessential Englishman. He was one of the main reasons that the original series such a success and Steed was a hardened spy with a playful twinkle in his eye. While Gambit was forever trying to get Purdey to fall for his charms, she was one tough lady whose dance classes may have been a bit more extreme than normal.
The Avengers was known for its outrageous stories and super spies which were fantastic. Even the robotic cybernauts returned to battle Gambit, Purdey and Steed. The show ran for two years and I clearly remember how excited I was as a kid when I heard Laurie Johnson’s rousing theme music. Those titles were awesome and I fell in love with Joanna Lumley and became a lifelong fan of hers. And yes, I have all three autographs in my collection.
In the first season, they would come up against a foe so bizarre that it could have gone badly for them. As the title suggests, this episode is a parody of Jaws. But this time instead of a shark, the Avengers are facing a giant rat. The only other giant rat I remember from that time was the one in Doctor Who’s Talons of Weng Chiang. The memory of Leela being dragged down a sewer tunnel by the leg by the giant rat is burned into my memory because I am not a fan of rats and if you think I’m going down into a sewer for any reason, you’ve another think coming. I had visions of Purdey suffering the same fate as Leela. I love these types of sewers in a show where people can run up and down these old Victorian style tunnels.
Baddies of the week, Thornton and Carter have discovered a growth formula that will end famine. They test it on a tomato plant. When some of it is accidentally spilled down a drain, it enters the sewers. Months pass and there are strange goings on in the sewers. Russian agents are also exploring down there as one of their agents is missing. There are reports of soemthing that sounds like a train rushing, a giant snake, the jaws of a shark. While this is a B movie episode, there is great effort to provide a scary atmosphere. Giant shadows pass behind our heroes, noises from the dark and monster point of view shots all make the final reveal that more creepy. Rats are horrible at the best of times so to have one the size of a car running about…… Indeed the shot of Carter being dragged screaming into a black tunnel is terrifying, bringing a scare factor to what is sometimes looked at as a lesser episode.
The rat has eaten all the other rats in the sewers so when a mechanic is dragged from under his car, reports spread as the rat extends its hunting ground. Two tramps are attacked in a great POV camera movement leading Steed further into the mystery of what is hunting people. Thornton goes to kill it at the same time as Purdey, who has no idea what she is facing. Gambit and Steed have a solution in bags that will attract the rat so they can kill it but Thronton is devoured while Steed and Purdey are trapped by the rat. Gambit kills it with a rocket launcher and all is right with the world again.
We should note Purdey and Steed’s reactions really sell being trapped by the rat. They are never afraid but this time, this threat will tear them apart. It is a wise thing to leave the rat reveal until the very end because these were the days of no CGI and a practical effect may not be convincing enough. Keeping the rat in close up with the squealing sound effect works with the cuts to our heroes cowering helplessly.
I love a monster movie with a giant ‘something’. So if it’s not a giant spider then a giant rat is the most terrifying alternative. The movie Food of the Gods comes to mind but this episode falls within the mad world of the New Avengers with mad scientists who want to do good but become corrupt.
The banter between the three Avengers just sings off the screen elevating Gnaws from a parody episode to one that works much better than you may think.
The Time Warriors and Beyond 