The Champions "The Night People" #1.23 (1969) (TV)

The Champions in Cornwall, 21 March 2017

On holiday, Sharon visits an old, large house in Cornwall because of her (apparently real) interest in architecture. She is sent away by the owner, but feels that something is amiss. She returns only to be taken prisoner by two hooded monks. Richard and Craig know something is up and head to Cornwall to investigate. Once there, they find tales of witchcraft and uranium mining. They also find an imposter Sharon.

I watched The Night People and enjoyed it quite a bit. The episode moves at a nice pace. The witchcraft angle gives the proceedings an interesting touch. And it's always nice to see the three Champions get just about equal screen time (even if Sharon is locked in a room for most of the episode). The supporting cast is strong, with Jerold Wells and Adrienne Corri in all too brief appearances. There is more humor in this episode than most. The banter between Richard and Craig is a welcome touch. But there are problems that keep this from being one of the better episodes. First, it just doesn't feel right. I said in the previous episode that it felt more like Mission Impossible than The Champions. Well, The Night People feels more like The Avengers than The Champions. The witchcraft storyline would have been perfect for Steed and Mrs Peel. Second, the ending is a real let down. Printing bogus government documents is hardly an exciting venture for the baddies to be involved in. And, The Champions never really get a chance to do much or use their powers. Finally, I don't understand why Sharon didn't just escape. Unless she was trying to gather information, she could have just about walked out - easy peasy.

I always get a kick from seeing what new powers The Champions will unveil in each episode. It might be something like super hearing or telepathy or night vision. In this episode, Craig demonstrates his abilities at pickpocketing and speed typing while Richard shows of his skill at cracking walnuts.


7/10