The Avengers - Mr. Teddy Bear

Throwback Thursday takes us back to the adventures of British spy John Steed (Patrick Macnee) and his various partners. The first episode of the show's Second Season introduces anthropologist turned spy Cathy Gale (Honor Blackman) in the first of several appearances as Steed's most common partner over the next two seasons. There's a playful banter between the pair from the start, but you can also see Steed's glee in riling up his partner on occassion.

"Mr. Teddy Bear" involves an attempt by the British Government to capture a renown assassin known only as Mr. Teddy Bear (Bernard Goldman). To do so, Steed puts himself up as bait by having Cathy arrange the hit on her partner with the reclusive assassin who refuses to show his face. And it's not too long before Mr. Teddy Bear nearly succeeds.

Using the opening scene in which the assassin kills a man live on air by use of a time-delayed pill capsule, and the sequence in which the cautious killer meets and accepts the job from Cathy, which highlights his odd sense of humor and use of gadgets and technology, The Avengers sets up the cautious and dangerous adversary which Steed has purposefully put himself in Mr. Teddy Bear's sites. Not to worry, Britain's top agents are on the case.

• Title: The Avengers - Mr. Teddy Bear
• IMDb: link