AllMovie

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. went "full color" for its second season, which began on Friday, September 17, 1965, with the first episode of the two-part adventure "The Alexander the Greater Affair." Rip Torn is delightfully over the top as megalomaniac industrialist Alexander, who not only wants to emulate his namesake by taking over the world, but also intends to spectacularly break every one of the Ten Commandments. UNCLE agents Solo and Illya are brought into the scene when Alexander and his aides Dr. Kavon (David Opatoshu) and Parvix (David Sheiner) steal a new gas that destroys willpower. Also dogging Alexander's trail is his ex-wife Tracey David Sheiner, who is determined to collect her back alimony. Part one ends with Solo, Illya, and Tracey facing certain death by way of a bottomless pit and a Poe-inspired descending scimitar. The scene in which the UNCLE agents rescue Alexander's mother and father (Madge Blake and Charles Lane) from a chain gang was removed from the theatrical-feature version of the episode, One Spy Too Many, which included a sprinkling of new sequences featuring Yvonne Craig as the daughter of UNCLE chieftain Waverly. "The Alexander the Greater Affair, Part One" was written by Dean Hargrove.