Episode 42: "The Ultimate Computer Affair"

- February 18, 2020

The Man From UNCLE
Episode 32
The Ultimate Computer Affair
Writer: Peter Allen Fields
Director: Joseph Sargent
Guests: Charles Ruggles (Governor Callaham), Roger C Carmel (Sgt Cervantes), Judy Carne (Saltu Oliver)
Filmed: 16-23 June 1965
Premiere: 01 October 1965
Place: Chacua (South America)

Acts titles:
1 - "Where Thrushbirds Gather"
2 - "Golf, Guv?"
3 - "How do you think I got to be the Captain?"
4 - "Tilt"

The affair: In Chacua, South America, Illya Kuryakin (disguised as a bandit) attacks a man and is arrested. The attacked is Feodore, UNCLE agent who opens the channel D to warn that Illya was arrested according to plan. At UNCLE Headquarters in New York, Napoleon Solo receives the Chacua dossier, with its maximum security prison. In Chacua, Sergeant Cervantes conspires with governor Callahan. Alexander Waverly send Napoleon to Chacua to sabotage the powerhouse of criminal colony and free Illya to destroy the computer. Solo should join Salty Oliver, who works as an assistant at the Penal Colony. Napoleon arrives in Chacua as the husband of Salty, and golf player. Sergeant Cervantes betrays governor Callaham and works for Napoleon. Illya escapes the guards, and explodes the super computer. Governor reveals Solo Kuryakin that destroyed the wrong computer, and Cervantes change sides again. Governor have a meeting with THRUSH big shots. Callahan and Cervantes explodes together.

FYI - This espisode provides a bit of slapstick tone that would prevail in the third season. Illya Kuryakin opens dressed as a Mexican bandit singing the well-known Jewish music “Hava Naguilla”. The Napoleon Solo character as a golfer dandy is also embarrassing. Last soundtrack Lalo Schiffin for the series. The super computer have the information of “every library and museum in the world”. Four decades before the internet.

(From the "Open Channel D: The Man From UNCLE Affair" book)

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