Of course the episode is loaded with American perceptions of Brit stereotypes, but then again every episode of "The Avengers" (Honor Blackman's first claim to fame) practically presents them as well (especially Diana Rigg's episodes) and that's what makes that show so irresistibly fun too.

I would rather watch "Dagger Of The Mind" a hundred times before I'd ever subject myself to "Any Old Port In A Storm" again.

Eric, I couldn't agree with you more!

By the way, speaking of "Macbeth" as a cursed play, it just dawned on me that this episode of Columbo, "Dagger Of The Mind" is in fact a cursed episode. Everyone featured it has either ALREADY DIED or will WITHIN THE NEXT 30 YEARS!

I'm afraid I find nothing endearing about the Brit stereotypes in this episode. They drive me absolutely bonkers, especially as we see the same cliches appearing in programmes and films again and again and again.

Three Men and a Little Lady and King Ralph are particularly gruesome examples.

Just this year us Brits had to grit our teeth and endure the same hackneyed view of the UK in Garfield: A tale of two kitties.

American TV is also littered with them. For instance those ghastly Friends episodes which were set in the UK and the one that annoys me the most - Lord John Marbury in The West Wing. When, in the whole of history, did Britain ever have a drunken toff as ambassador to the US.

When!!!!

I am going off to calm down by watching the delightfully accurate portrayal of Texan law enforcers by Clifton James in Live and Let Die.

OH headache!

jilted, i agree with your point about the british stereotypes, in this episode and also in different movies and tv shows, it always goes over the top.
but...the same can be said about any nationality or race. movies and tv have done more harm than good in keeping peolple in the dark about other races and ethnicities.
and as passionate as you are about the brits being stereotyped, i am doubly so when it comes to the portrayal of italians. don't even get me started!
yes, i am sick of all the politcal correctness nowadays, but sometimes these sterotypes go waaaaaay too far.

Although I have not seen a lot of British films
and TV series, I am a big fan of "Yes (Prime) Minister" and "I, Claudius" . In those films I have
seen, Americans are frequently presented as uncultured
hicks, Jews are presented as hypocrites, Africans
as cannibals, the French as arrogant and shifty, the Germans as robotic militarists, the Irish as drunken troublemakers, etc. The Brits are
no strangers to stereotyping.

Two British versions of Americans came to my mind. One is certainly a nasty portrayal, and the other, while characteristically brave, is still a stereotype.

The "brave" American is in an episode of "Doctor Who" titled, "The Claws Of Axos". A Brit actor portrays an American CIA agent. The accent is hysterical and the character is over-the-top "gung-ho".

The nasty portrayal is in an episode of "Fawlty Towers". The American in "Waldorf Salad" is just one great big crabby jerk. However, it's a wonderfully funny character. But again, the accent is awful. Almost as bad as Michael Palin's and Eric Idle's horrible American accented Vacationing characters in "Meaning Of Life". Not to mention John Cleese's horrible American accented waiter in the "Would you like to have a conversation?" section of the movie. Again, a very, VERY Funny scene!

I certainly acknowledge that many "British" characters in American productions are not based in any way on "reality". I myself feel that I make up for enjoying those productions by absolutely adoring programs such as "Doctor Who", "As Time Goes By", "Mr. Bean", "Fawlty Towers", "Brittas Empire", "Black Adder #1 - #4", "Red Dwarf", "Campion", "Are You Being Served", "To The Manor Born", "Monty Python" and many, many, many other Top Quality British shows and movies.

yay! for 'are you being served' i loved that show so much...i just wish it was still airing here.

Cassa, "You've all done very well!"

ahh yes headache...
my favourite was mr. humphries...i got such a kick out of him! 'menswear'...and he tried to use a real deep voice!

I totally agree with you. "Dagger of the Mind" is a terrible episode with a even mor terrible ending. Incredible!