'The Basardi Affair' is the first of two 'Adam Adamant' episodes penned by the late Ian Stuart Black. 'Prince Malmud' of the Middle Eastern province of El Basardi is about to sign an important oil concession to the British Government. But a mysterious phone-call causes him to change his mind. H.M.G. is both baffled and worried - a major petrol shortage could now be on the cards. The call came from a phone-box two miles from the Basardi Institute, so that is where Adam heads. While he is shown round by the lovely 'Sonia Fawsi' ( Kate O'Mara ), Georgie Jones makes a shocking discovery. Mahmud's secret lover - an English girl called 'Eileen Smith' ( Suzanne Mockler ) - is being held prisoner by Mahmud's scheming cousin - 'Sheikh Abdul' ( Zia Mohyeddin ) - and to keep her alive he must not sign the oil concession. Georgie informs Adam, but neither he nor H.M.G. have heard of her. Even the Prince himself denies her existence...
This, like most of Season 2, no longer exists in the archives. It is hardly original nor particularly thrilling, but gives Georgie a more prominent role for once. The casting of Kate O'Mara as an Arabian woman would certainly generate a few complaints now ( from the same people praising Johnny Depp's performance as 'Tonto' in 'The Lone Ranger' probably ), while Adam gets to make a few unflattering comments about the Basardi people which could be construed today as racist ( well, he is Edwardian, so what do you expect? ). Zia Mohyeddin played Arab Princes in both the 'Avengers' episode 'Honey For The Prince' and the 'Bulldog Drummond' caper 'Deadlier Than The Male ( 1966 ), so it makes a nice change to see him playing the villain for once. Roy Stewart - who plays a guard - was 'Quarrel Junior' in Roger Moore's first 007 movie: 'Live & Let Die' ( 1973 ). Coincidentally, Adam also confronts a poisonous snake in one scene.
This, like most of Season 2, no longer exists in the archives. It is hardly original nor particularly thrilling, but gives Georgie a more prominent role for once. The casting of Kate O'Mara as an Arabian woman would certainly generate a few complaints now ( from the same people praising Johnny Depp's performance as 'Tonto' in 'The Lone Ranger' probably ), while Adam gets to make a few unflattering comments about the Basardi people which could be construed today as racist ( well, he is Edwardian, so what do you expect? ). Zia Mohyeddin played Arab Princes in both the 'Avengers' episode 'Honey For The Prince' and the 'Bulldog Drummond' caper 'Deadlier Than The Male ( 1966 ), so it makes a nice change to see him playing the villain for once. Roy Stewart - who plays a guard - was 'Quarrel Junior' in Roger Moore's first 007 movie: 'Live & Let Die' ( 1973 ). Coincidentally, Adam also confronts a poisonous snake in one scene.
