THE LOCUST EATERS (BRITISH TELEVISION)

One of those shows that doesn't work the way it's supposed to, but is still pretty good in a laidback, kind of neo noirish, hangout fashion... The overall plot is that Wanda Ventham is a sleeper agent married to born loser Ian Hendry, which is, as revealed in the pilot episode, an arranged marriage by her agency so that... well... that's the problem: What should be Wanda's series has almost nothing to do with her, or her former/present occupation... Meanwhile Ian Hendry, a fantastic character actor perhaps best remembered as Michael Caine's arch rival in GET CARTER, is treated here like's... Michael Caine, ironically.. with every woman throwing themselves at him when he's a balding midlife crisis...

What THE LOTUS EATERS really is is a kind of proto version of THE LOVE BOAT combined with FANTASY ISLAND... the first because each episode has visitors in which the bar-owning couple try helping out; the latter since it's filmed in the fantastical land of Greece... A nice balmy location providing a CASABLANCA vibe, had Rick and Isla stayed together only to be tempted away by every and any half decent arrival... For Wanda it's the same British spy who provided her all the expository dialogue for the audience to know her espionage alter ego (loaded with B&W flashbacks seeming out of a kitchen sink thriller)... their relationship is liken to a daytime soap... while his May/September trysts are more like nighttime male fantasy melodramas... The nicest pleasure is seeing gorgeous future ANGELS nurse Karan David (pictured) as a young precious barmaid... the best to look at despite revolving guest beauties like Anouska Hempel and Suzan Farmer... But isn't that what any British TV series is about... the birds? Years: 1972-1973 Rating: ***1/2