User Reviews

Don Adams and his sister Gloria Burton did a fine job on this script that allows Adams to let out his fine Ronald Coleman impression. The Chief and Smart are sent to the European Kingdom of Caronia where they are to help protect King Charles (Adams) from KAOS killers who are working with his brother Basil (Michael Forrest, who also appeared as Apollo in the "Star Trek" episode "Who Mourns for Adonis?"). When the King is wounded, Smart takes his place, guided by the King's loyal military aide, Colonel Von Klaus (John Doucette, who later took over the role of the boss in Adams next series, "The Partners"). Former Miss Pennsylvania Judith McConnell co-stars as Princess Marta. When Basil discovers the deception, he kidnaps 99 and threatens to kill her unless Max hands over the King. Of course the Chief and Von Klaus insist they can do nothing of the kind. But Max refuses to sacrifice 99 (despite his obvious interest in Princess Marta). Good comic performances and crisp writing abound in this episode. There is a great spit take when Basil discovers the King isn't dead, there's a homage to the old Danny Kaye "Vessel with the pestle" routine and a parody of the Maurice Chavlier classic song "I Remember it Well" from "Gigi". Adams also handles a sword quite nicely and there isn't any of the obvious stuntman substitutions that ruins a number of action scenes in other episodes. The only time the stunt man is obvious is when Smart rides off on a horse at the end of the show.

Well before the movie The King's Speech, we had this episode The King Lives? From Get Smart, and Maxwell Smart gets to play the King, and it kind of reminded of the song It's good to be the King that was featured in the 1981 movie History of the World Part 1 which of course was created by Mel Brooks, who of course created Get Smart. Anyway, Don Adams has a lot of fun playing the King with the European accent and all, and the method acting involved was very impressive and should have earned Adams an Emmy. It ain't easy playing double roles. I enjoyed watching Get Smart all those years ago init.