This might have made an excellent one part episode but trying to expand it into two episodes smells of a show that was having budget troubles. There's a lot of extra padding, and unnecessary scenes (the interrogation scene at Scotland Yard could easily have been cut) that go nowhere that kills the pace and the comedy. They also made a really bad decision to have actors play the wax dummies instead of using actual wax dummies and then using the actors when the dummies turn to life. Count how many times the actor (or I suspect Adams stunt man) blinks when he's supposed to be a wax figure and Max and 99 are looking directly at him. The other actors playing W.C. Fields and Laurel and Hardy can't seem to stand still without moving. The lighting might have helped them appear more wax like, but good lighting is expensive and again this decision to turn this into two parts smells like a budget move.
It's really too bad because they create a pretty good London foggy atmosphere and Adams gets a pretty good supporting cast. Hedley Mattingsley is a good fill in for the Chief as Chief Inspector Sparrow and the evil genius wax master is also very good. There are some nice moments here and there (such as Max's initial meeting with Sparrow) but the episode ultimately fails.
It's really too bad because they create a pretty good London foggy atmosphere and Adams gets a pretty good supporting cast. Hedley Mattingsley is a good fill in for the Chief as Chief Inspector Sparrow and the evil genius wax master is also very good. There are some nice moments here and there (such as Max's initial meeting with Sparrow) but the episode ultimately fails.
