Box of Tricks

Another episode with nightclub singer Venus Smith and they tend to be the weakest ones. This one is more crime orientated.

The episode starts with a magician making his female assistant disappear in his box of tricks only for her to appear dead. The same thing happens again with the replacement assistant. You would think the magician would had given up by now.

Venus appears as a singer at the nightclub and is roped in by Steed to help out the magician. However she hears some kind of voices, maybe this led to the deaths of the two other assistants.

Steed also investigates the leaking of military secrets. It seems the magician is in cahoots with a therapist of a sick wheelchair bound military general. The general's daughter is used to place device in her father's wheelchair thinking the alternative therapy would help him but it is being used for more nefarious purposes.

Not a good or credible episode, the story is thin, so it has been stretched out. You know this as Venus sings two songs.

Steed is on the hunt for missing papers, papers that are classified and of significant importance, he traces them to a night club, it just so happens that Venus is performing at.

Very watchable, but one of the more forgettable episodes.

I can't say I've loved the episodes that Julie Stevens has appeared in as Venus, no issues at all with the character, or her acting, I just don't think she's been particularly well served, this although not a classic by any stretch, was one of the better ones.

It's a little bit muddled in all honesty, I liked that business about the disappearing assistant, but the rest was just a little bit standard and rather forgettable.

Stevens delighted as Venus, although the music is horrendous, I quite liked Maurice Hedley as The General, he was good fun, sadly his story got a little lost.

Decent, sadly there's just nothing particular remarkable or standout about this episode.

6/10.

Third of the six episodes featuring nightclub singer Venus Smith (Julie Stevens), again an improvement on its predecessor. In demonstrating his magic box, a shady magician (Ian Curry) makes his female assistant disappear, then reappear, murdered by a fatal gunshot. Curiously, when her replacement (April Olrich) meets the same fate, the magician escapes suspicion! Steed brings Venus Smith into the picture, performing at the same nightclub where the murders occurred (two songs this time), and she's more helpful this time around, hearing voices from inside the magic box, and visiting an old friend (Jane Barratt) whose wheelchair-bound father, General Sutherland (Maurice Hedley), holds the key to the solution (NATO security leaks). Steed goes undercover in two disguises, one a masseur for the ailing General, wisely ducking out when Venus shows up (she blew his cover in "The Removal Men"), and later as a hypochondriac millionaire visiting Dr. Gallam (Edgar Wreford), the General's less than inspiring physician. Steed and Venus finally work well as a team, but had only three more together; next up for Venus would be "School for Traitors."