James Bond Jr Online - Episode Guide

Synopsis: At a Monte Carlo casino, one of the richest punters, millionaire Antonio Ammano, is about to strike it very unlucky. Using a special roulette wheel with a built-in electro-hypnosis device, Dr Derange brainwashes Ammano into stealing his fellow gamblers' expensive belongings, before dashing to the car park to make a quick getaway. Meanwhile, who should be heading to Monaco but James Bond Jr and his Warfield gang, who are holidaying on Trevor's father's luxury yacht there. Trevor Senior is part-owner of one of the large casinos in Monte Carlo, which has given his son some ideas about gambling - although as Coach Mitchell reminds him, he's not yet old enough to participate.

While Trevor fusses over the gang on Daddy's yacht to keep it clean, Dr Derange and his two bungling henchmen collect their loot from Mr Ammano. Derange plans to secretly install his evil roulette wheels across all the casinos in Monte Carlo and the French riviera - then hypnotise rich gamblers into signing over all their wealth to S.C.U.M. Later, Trevor takes James and the others for a night of food and entertainment at an exclusive club, where they enjoy an impressive performance by Damona, a local nightclub singer. When Tracy suggests a romantic evening cruise to James, she doesn't have Damona in mind - but James invites the singer along and disappears with her, alone! Meanwhile, Dr Derange strikes again on a wealthy industrialist, Baron von Hoffman, who is hypnotised into signing his company over to S.C.U.M. - as well as his own luxury yacht.

Derange and von Hoffman retreat to the yacht to sign the papers, and are spotted by James and Damona, who rush to investigate. A fight ensues, during which the police are alerted to trouble. Derange and his henchmen escape, but not before Derange orders von Hoffman to drive his yacht straight into the police patrol boat. The patrol boat swerves out of the way just in time, but the hypnotised von Hoffman is now heading towards some jagged rocks instead. James manages to blast his way onto the bridge using one of I.Q.'s inventions, and manages to restrain von Hoffman before steering the boat around. But the hull is punctured on the rocks, and they're forced to dive overboard with life preservers, and swim to shore as the yacht sinks behind them.

As Tracy, I.Q., Gordo and Phoebe are filled in on Derange's plan by James at the marina, Trevor sneaks off to his father's casino to engage in some illegal gambling - gaining entry through his uncanny likeness to his father. But his scheme backfires when he loses at nearly all the casino games. Then, at the roulette wheel, Dr Derange also mistakes him for his father, whom he's seen in the society pages of the local newspaper while looking for potential marks. As a part owner of the casino, Trevor's father would be able to lead Derange straight to the vaults where all the money is stored - so Derange decides to target who he thinks is Noseworthy Senior. Meanwhile, as Tracy looks after Baron von Hoffman at the marina, James, Damona and the others are going round the casinos in search of Derange, to stop him hypnotising further victims.

James, I.Q. and Damona end up at Trevor's father's casino just in time to see a zombified Trevor leading Derange and his goons into the vaults, where they stage a robbery at gunpoint. James uses the acetylene torch in his watch to break into the vault himself, but Derange hands Trevor a laser and orders him to destroy James! After a brief fight in which a seemingly stronger Trevor throws James around, James locks him in the vault with the torch again and runs after Derange. But Trevor quickly uses the laser gun to blast through the door and escape. He throws his father's driver out of the limousine and chases James and the gang, who have acquisitioned a taxi themselves. As James attempts to ram Derange off the road, Trevor appears behind and shoots the taxi's tyres out, causing it to plunge off the cliff into the ocean.

James uses I.Q.'s Swiss army ring to allow them, Damona and the taxi driver to escape from the vehicle - but Derange has escaped with Trevor, having offered him the chance to become a full S.C.U.M. agent. At another casino, where Gordo and Phoebe have been keeping guard, Derange's assistants are busy providing paperwork for all the hypnotised millionaires to hand over their fortunes. But James and the others arrive, and I.Q. heads under the roulette table to programme the hypnotic wheel to work in reverse. Meanwhile, Derange sets the millionaires on James and his friends with lasers! Just as Trevor has James cornered and is about to shoot him with the laser, I.Q. succeeds in scrambling the wheel, and the effects of the hypnosis wear off. James manages to apprehend Derange's two stooges, but the crook himself gets away by calling for 'Code Red' helicopter backup. Trevor is confused, and can't remember a thing - so decides to resume gambling in the hope that his fortunes will reverse. As the slots hit 007, he hits the jackpot!

Review: An above-average outing for Dr Derange in an enjoyably novel setting, Deadly Recall is particularly noteworthy for its excellent and unexpected use of Trevor Noseworthy as a dangerous new antagonist. Most of us never thought we'd see Trevor beating up James in any context, let alone under the orders of S.C.U.M. So his involvement here adds a new level of danger to proceedings - tellingly, one that is never dampened by pleas with Trevor to remember who he is and do the right thing. It's only when I.Q. manages to disable the roulette machine that Trevor returns to normal, and before that he almost succeeds on killing (or 'destroying') James on several occasions. Other elements of the plot aren't quite as effective - it's certainly easier to care about Trevor's plight than it is about the numerous 2D millionaires Derange brainwashes, and the hypnotic roulette wheel seems to have little grounding in science - but nonetheless this is an overall success. Guest girl Damona plays her part in that too, offering an unusually bold and fearless take on the role. And of course Derange himself plays his, combining the usual comedy capers with a uniquely sinister take on brainwashing as he personally commands his army of zombie fat-cats.

Highs: This is the only episode of the series to feature music with vocals outside of the theme tune (unless you count Pelvis Paisley in There But For Ms. Fortune, which we don't), with Damona's introductory song bringing a uniquely Bond-esque atmosphere to proceedings. The lyrics are original and appear to have been written specifically with this episode in mind, which we think is a lovely nod to the films: #You hypnotise me, delight and surprise me when I look at you (look at you); still, if I dare to take a chance, spin the wheel and go to dance, I know you'll come through.#

Lows: Derange's latest pair of bungling henchmen, Ace and Deuce, genuinely plumb a new low in the series. They are such an inseparable duo, indeed, that they regularly walk into one another for no apparent reason, and their only other discernible characteristic appears to be finishing one another's sentences.

Lines to Remember: Gordo, on a somewhat OCD Trevor: 'Sounds like Trevor isn't exactly enjoying his weekend.' Trevor: 'Well maybe if you chaps would keep the boat clean, I'd have more fun.' Phoebe: 'Maybe if you jumped overboard, we'd all have more fun.'

Damona, having just survived a taxi plunge into the ocean, shortly after surviving a sinking yacht: 'You promised me an evening cruise, James. But all we ever do is go swimming!'

Gadgets & Gizmos: I.Q.'s 'Swiss army ring' would probably be banned under today's regulations, but contains a slew of features including a knife, scissors, wrench, glass-cutter, mini telescope, short-wave radio antenna, corkscrew, roller skate key and cheese grater! Sadly, there was no room for a compass attachment. But to make up for it, he's also invented special sticking plasters which explode five seconds after peeling off the backing. All of which makes Dr Derange's electro-hypnotic roulette wheel seem positively benign.

S.C.U.M. on the Surface: Dr Derange states that his plan is to hypnotise rich casino players into signing their wealth and power over to S.C.U.M. He also hypnotises Trevor into thinking that he's an 'expert S.C.U.M. agent', and travels around in a van whose design (like the helicopters we often see, although not the one in this episode) is based around the organisation's skull insignia.

Transatlantic Translation: Trevor says that he's four years too young to gamble. But in Monaco, France and the UK, the age limit for gambling is 18, which would make Trevor, at 17, just one year too young. Presumably the writer of this episode comes from one of the numerous US states where the age limit is 21 - or is simply writing for an American audience.

Blunders & Bloopers: The artwork for Dr Derange goes somewhat awry several times in this episode. At its worst points, he is depicted with a black hole in place of one of his eyes.

Notes: Mr Milbanks seems to be mellowing somewhat in his old age. I.Q. blows up his and James's dorm room right in front of the headmaster's nose, and he barely bats an eyelid.

Unsurprisingly, we learn in this episode that our Trevor's father is Trevor Noseworthy III, and see from his picture that he's pretty much identical in appearance to his son.