Sat 4 Jan 2020
A Private Eye TV Review: THE PROTECTORS “2,000 Ft to Die” (1972).
Posted by Steve under Reviews , TV mysteries[4] Comments
THE PROTECTORS. “2,000 Ft to Die.” Incorporated Television Company (ITC), UK. 29 September 1972 (Episode 1, Season 1). 30min. Robert Vaughn (Harry Rule), Nyree Dawn Porter (Contessa Caroline di Contini), Tony Anholt (Paul Buchet). Guest Cast: Harvey Hall. Co-prodcuers: Gerry Anderson & Reg Hill. Screenplay: Terence Feeley. Director: John Hough .
The Protectors were a somewhat informal group of European jet set private eyes who often got together to solve cases too tough to handle on their own, each having their individual specialties. They were Harry Rule (London), Contessa Caroline di Contini (Italy), and Paul Buchet (Paris).
The year 1972 was rather late in the history of television for action adventure shows such as this one to have only 30 minutes of running time. The first episode, “2,000 Ft to Die,” would maybe make sense if it were twice the length, but it didn’t, and it doesn’t.
It has something to do with a scientist who is the last of five working on a project to create srtifical gold who is still alive, and he calls in The Protectors for help. It doesn’t stop him from doing a stunt for some moviemakers consisting of jumping out of an airplane with a supposedly faulty parachute. Whoever it is who wants him dead makes sure that it really is faulty.
You can’t make a coherent TV show consisting only of good-looking people, glamorous party scenes, and colorful camera shots and lots of action. That’s all I saw in this one, I’m sorry to say. The show did last for 52 episodes running over two season, so maybe I’m wrong. I don’t think it caught on in this country.
January 4th, 2020 at 11:23 pm
This and THE ADVENTURER with Gene Barry were the result of a change in Broadcast rules that meant local stations had a half hour between the news and Prime Time to fill.
The half hour was meant to promote local programming, but at most it inspired a few stations to do an hour of news. Like most bright ideas designed to make things better it was a lateral move at best creating an opening for more tiresome game shows.
Shows like these popped up to fill that half hour of time before Entertainment Tonight, Wheel of Fortune, and countless reruns.
I have always enjoyed this one for what it was, an attractive fast half hour with attractive stars, great scenery, and one of the best theme songs since Secret Agent Man. Expecting much more than a cursory plot is asking too much.
January 4th, 2020 at 11:58 pm
Both seasons are available for viewing on Amazon Prime. Knowing now what to expect — and what not to expect — I am going to go on to episode two. I can’t lose more than 25 minutes, can I?
January 5th, 2020 at 11:10 am
In the avenues and alley ways
Where the soul of man is easy to buy
Everybody’s wheeling, everybody’s dealing
All the low are living high
Every city’s got them
Can we ever dtop them
Some of us are gonna try.
January 7th, 2020 at 12:38 am
THE PROTECTORS suffered from some unavoidable flaws. David wrote about the FCC taking a half hour from the networks and giving it to the local stations. Since original fictional series cost more than game shows and made local stations less money the series had a mark against itself from the beginning.
Another problem was this series was among the last to attempt the 60s ITV style of series such as THE AVENGER, THE SAINT, THE BARON, THE CHAMPIONS, etc. Audiences were losing interest as Roger Moore and Tony Curtis discovered in THE PERSUADERS which was an hour long.
When I watch THE PROTECTORS it reminds me more of Gerry Anderson’s series such as THUNDERBIRDS, STINGRAY, JOE 90 and even the hour live action shows of UFO and SPACE 1999.
TV was changing in the early 70s with British becoming more gritty and violent and Americans falling for the gimmick PIs and cops. There was little room for the fantasy action crime series.