President Obono (Thomas Baptiste) is the universally loathed leader of a minor African nation. His visit to Britain has generated death threats and Simon is on hand to prevent one such attempted assassination. Although the Saint receives Obono’s thanks he makes it quite clear that he was simply in the right place at the right time and has no desire to associate with him any further.
But when Obono’s son Joey (Paul Medford) is kidnapped, the President turns to Simon for help. The Saint is initially reluctant, but eventually teams up with the President’s right hand man Colonel Dyson (Jack Hedley) to track the kidnappers down …..
President Obono is a pretty thinly-drawn caricature of Idi Amin, who at the time was the President of Uganda. His fondness for outlandish military uniform (with plenty of medals) and an appalling record of human rights are just two similarities. No attempt is made to present Obono as a likable or reasonable character and early on we see him berate his double (the man designed to draw the assassins bullet). He tells Simon that “men like Jopo enjoy brutalisation. They know no other way of life.”
Simon’s distaste for the man is made plain from their initial meeting and his loathing also extends to Colonel Dyson. Dyson is as much of a cliche as Obono is – a former British soldier who’s accepted blood money to train Obono’s army (we’re told that the army is the one of the main reasons why the country is broke). Hedley, a veteran character actor probably best known for playing Colonel Preston in Colditz, is suitably solid and is easily one of the best things about the episode.
Thomas Baptiste’s performance is a little odd at times – it’s somewhat non-naturalistic. I’m assuming this was intentional, an attempt to give Obono a larger-than-life persona. Baptiste is rather better towards the end, once it’s known that the President is dying of natural causes.
Although there’s some decent actors cast at the kidnappers (including Derek Newark and Robert Gillespie) they act in a rather inept way, which means that there’s no particular threat from them. Although Rose (Marie Lawrence) who we see looking after Joey does have an interesting backstory. She was one of Obono’s former mistresses and still mourns the death of her child (presumably killed on Obono’s orders).
The first of two scripts by Michael Pertwee (The Diplomat’s Daughter was the other) there’s nothing subtle about The Obono Affair but it’s agreeable enough. It has to be said though that the closing scene, where Simon persuades Obono to pardon all political prisoners in his country, feels uncomfortably pat. One of the reasons why series like ROTS had trouble dealing with complex, real world issues was because there’s no easy solutions to difficult problems – and this scene demonstrates it. Will everybody live happily ever after? Probably not and it would have been better to acknowledge that.
Three and a half halos out of five for this one.
Archive Television Musings 
As always a marvellous plot, superb directing and simply fabulous acting from all who are involved here – especially Paul Medford.
Indeed even before you see The Stick Man in that iconic and classic Graphimation title sequence you know this is going to be good. Interestingly all fans of The Return Of The Saint will be very interested to learn that Graphimation was founded back in 1973 but, just like Simon’s favourite clothes shop Francesco of Jermyn Street whose doors opened in 1975 but closed in 1992, it appears Graphimation also fell victim to the deep recession of the 1990’s and shut in 1991. What a shame!
Worth watching this to see Simon doing more hilarious karate – just like in episode The Imprudent Professor. Is the karate supposed to be serious or is it being added for comedy value? Debate. Karate is a martial art which for an inexplicable reason became extremely popular in the late 1970s thanks to Bruce Lee – there was even a hit in the charts ‘Kung Fu Fighting’ and a TV cartoon show ‘Hong Kong Phooey’! As Ian Ogilvy said recently he doubts they would make Return Of The Saint today. He believes women today are different. He believes they would not ask Simon for help but instead would punch villains themselves. This is assuming, of course, that they would not miss.
Watch Simon as he walks backwards down hospital corridor at the end of this episode. I have done that many times. Along with the confident stride he always does across his living room. Also note at how he offers to teach young Joey a bit of karate – Joey clearly doesn’t realise yet Simon’s karate is pure comedy gold. Now just look behind them both at the glass panelled wall of the hospital corridor. Is it the same panelled wall that features as Special Branch HQ in episode Armageddon Alternative? Oh dear, is this another mistake? “Naughty, naughty,” said The Saint.
In total I’ve counted around ten errors in The Return Of The Saint. There are the two which I reveal on the Yesterdays Hero episode. We’ve that rather surprising appearance by a runaway cart in Village That Sold Its Soul, and also that decision to blow up Simon Templar’s house at 36 Eaton Mews North (Belgravia, London) in Episode Ten. Miraculously the house is immaculately restored for future shows!
Add to this “the mystery of the boat” in The Imprudent Professor in which Templar leaps aboard a boat from a helicopter. Notice how the boat is moving fast in one sequence, static the next, moving again, static, and then it is moving again. LOL. Pure comedy gold!
Add to these six errors – the exact same blue car which appears to be used in The Imprudent Professor and also Collision Course: The Brave Goose, the reflection of cameras off car doors in two of the episodes, and also the way the footage of Simon’s Jaguar in London is used more than just once. When you watch episode The Arrangement just look carefully for the big red bus which appears and turns to your left as you look at your TV screen. It is followed by Simon’s Jaguar car which in turn is being followed by a large delivery van which both turn to your right as you look at your TV screen. I think you’ll find footage is used more than just once in Return Of The Saint. Happy Error Hunting Saint Fans!
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Error Number Eleven. Stunt man’s Templar wig is visible as he scales a wall to avoid being hit by the car in show One Black September. Spot The Stuntman too in Tower Bridge episode when Simon swings on the wrecking ball. According to Ian Ogilvy the stunt man in Return Of The Saint is the same man who covered for Roger Moore in all his James Bond movies.
Error Number Twelve. In episode The Armageddon Alternative there is a shot of the clock which is on the Royal Courts of Justice. The time of the clock is just past 11.00am. Same footage is used again. In Signal Stop.
Error Number Thirteen. See all footage of Simon driving when filmed in studio. We’ll agree. Pure comedy gold!!!
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There were just 24 episodes of The Return Of The Saint but there are 15 errors.
Error Number Fourteen. Watch the car chase in The Debt Collectors show very carefully. During sequence at an abandoned industrial estate you will see Simon’s car pursuing the red car of the villain. Look to the right of red car as you’re looking at it on your TV screen – it is hard to believe but they’ve actually filmed a car chase sequence with TV camera attached to red car. LOL.
Error Number Fifteen. Watch as Templar gets into helicopter at end of Murder Cartel to get Britt Ekland. He wears his lovely shoes. As always. Yet when he is in the air flying the helicopter he is wearing 1970’s open toe sandals. Not so lovely. All these errors certainly put the ROTS into show. What can I say? “Naughty, naughty,” said The Saint.
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