How Did This Get Made?

The Avengers LIVE! w/ Tom Scharpling (HDTGM Matinee)

March 10, 2026

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The 1998 film *The Avengers* is extremely confusing, with the hosts noting they understood it less upon a second viewing, suggesting a lack of coherent plot progression. 
  • The movie's villain, Sean Connery's Sir August, plans to control the weather for financial gain, a plan revealed very late in the film, which is also marked by bizarre elements like security guards wearing giant, colorful bear costumes. 
  • A significant portion of the film's confusion stems from extensive cuts, reducing the runtime from 120 minutes to 85 minutes after poor test screenings, which reportedly removed plot points explaining Tuma Thurman's origin (originally a robot, later simplified to a clone) and the character's blindness. 

Segments

Introduction and Guest Welcome
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(00:02:44)
  • Key Takeaway: The live recording of How Did This Get Made? takes place at the Catsford Podcast Lounge in New York City.
  • Summary: The episode opens live from the Catsford Podcast Lounge in New York City, where Paul Scheer introduces co-hosts Jason Mantzoukas and June Diane Raphael. The hosts are seated on Casper day beds, which they joke are extremely comfortable. Guest Tom Scharpling, host of The Best Show, is then introduced to discuss the film.
Identifying the Movie
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(00:07:41)
  • Key Takeaway: The film being analyzed is the 1998 movie The Avengers, a remake of the British TV show of the same name.
  • Summary: The hosts clarify that the movie is the 1998 spy film The Avengers, not the Marvel property. Tom Scharpling notes the original TV show was part of a genre of British spy shows popular in the 1960s, similar to The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. The hosts immediately establish that the movie’s plot, story, and characters defy expectations.
Runtime and Plot Coherence
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(00:09:37)
  • Key Takeaway: The movie’s short runtime of under 90 minutes (originally 120 minutes) contributes to its massive plot holes and lack of understandable narrative.
  • Summary: A key sign of a bad movie, according to the hosts, is a runtime under 90 minutes, which this film clocks in at around 84 minutes. Listeners who felt they missed crucial information are reassured that no coherent explanation of events ever occurs. The film is described as a Jenga tower with missing structural pieces that somehow remains standing.
Villain’s Diabolical Plan
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(00:12:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Sean Connery’s character, Sir August, plans to control the weather to force governments to buy weather from him, essentially becoming the ‘Time Warner Cable of the weather.’
  • Summary: The villain’s plan is revealed late in the third act: he intends to paralyze and destroy the city unless the world buys weather from him by midnight. This reveal is accompanied by Connery wearing a giant kilt and announcing the plot with bagpipes. The scene features a bizarre visual effect where Connery hits a globe with his walking stick, causing it to fly off-screen.
Character Chemistry and Casting
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(00:16:20)
  • Key Takeaway: The sexual chemistry between Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman is described as almost negative, and the original casting included Mel Gibson and Nicole Kidman.
  • Summary: The hosts note that Sean Connery’s character seems the closest to the real actor, particularly in his aggressive behavior, such as grabbing a woman by the throat. The on-screen chemistry between the leads is described as actively repulsive. The original casting intended for Mel Gibson to play John Steed, with David Fincher directing, who wanted Charles Dance (Tywin Lannister) for the role.
The Cut Footage and Plot Holes
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(00:24:05)
  • Key Takeaway: The film was cut from 120 minutes down to 85 minutes after test screenings with Spanish-speaking audiences yielded poor ratings, resulting in massive plot holes.
  • Summary: The drastic editing removed significant plot points, leading to characters waking up on couches without explanation of how they arrived there. The hosts note that Uma Thurman’s character, Tuma Thurman, is revealed to be a clone (or possibly a robot in the original script) who is immediately murdered after being discovered. The Secret Service’s decision to recruit their primary suspect (Uma Thurman) instead of arresting her is cited as a major logical failure.
Bizarre Visuals and Lack of Extras
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(00:35:44)
  • Key Takeaway: The movie features an inexplicable scene where Sean Connery holds a meeting with his subordinates, all of whom are wearing bulky, brightly colored, Grateful Dead-style bear costumes.
  • Summary: The bear costume scene is highlighted as one of the most baffling visual choices, especially since the security personnel continue to function in the costumes afterward. Furthermore, the film is almost entirely devoid of background extras, making London look like a dystopian wasteland where only villains and heroes exist, a fact one producer praised for creating a ‘clean’ London.
Audience Questions and Final Details
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(00:53:55)
  • Key Takeaway: Audience members raised questions confirming that the character Invisible Jones was the original lead of the TV show, the film takes place in 2043, and Uma Thurman’s character may have been blind in the original script.
  • Summary: An audience member asked why Invisible Jones received fourth billing, which the hosts speculate is an insult to the original star, Patrick Macnee. Another question confirmed the film’s setting is 2043, despite its 1990s aesthetic. The hosts also address the excessive tea references in the film and the visual detail of lines of what appeared to be cocaine on the counter in Uma Thurman’s first scene.
Audience Question on Naked Sauna Scene
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(01:02:44)
  • Key Takeaway: The audience questioned if Ralph Fiennes’ character was intentionally naked in the sauna scene to provoke Uma Thurman’s character.
  • Summary: The audience member Corbett questioned the intent behind the character being naked while reading a newspaper in the steam room. The hosts agreed the intention was likely to challenge the female lead and make her uncomfortable. They also noted the impracticality of reading a soggy newspaper or risking a cherished hat in a moist environment.
Question on Villain’s Weapon Choice
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(01:04:57)
  • Key Takeaway: The use of giant, machine-gun-equipped insects by Sean Connery’s character contradicts his established ability to control the weather.
  • Summary: Megan asked why Sean Connery, possessing weather control powers including lightning, opted to use remote-controlled, weaponized insects for pursuit. The hosts pointed out that Connery also invented a functional robot clone of Uma Thurman, suggesting he had numerous high-tech capabilities rendering weather control less necessary for simple villainy.
Audience Member Height Inquiry
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(01:06:15)
  • Key Takeaway: An audience member named Peter provided unverified internet data suggesting both leads are 5'11", prompting debate over Ralph Fiennes’ actual height.
  • Summary: Peter, performing his question in a Sean Connery accent, informed June that both leads are listed online as 5'11". The hosts immediately doubted Ralph Fiennes’ height, suggesting he might be lying upwards or that Uma Thurman might be taller than listed.
Cat Suit Continuity Question
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(01:07:43)
  • Key Takeaway: The appearance of Uma Thurman wearing the Black Widow-style cat suit at the end raises questions about how she acquired it from the deceased Tuma.
  • Summary: Ulai questioned how Uma Thurman ended up wearing the black cat suit at the end of the film, as it was previously seen on Tuma, suggesting she either was Tuma or looted the body. The hosts noted Uma Thurman seems comfortable in cat suits, referencing her look in Kill Bill.
Live Marriage Proposal Event
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(01:09:06)
  • Key Takeaway: An audience member successfully proposed marriage to his girlfriend during the live show, referencing a previous episode where Adam Pally thought he would propose.
  • Summary: The proposer referenced a previous TMNT: Secret of the Ooze episode where Adam Pally anticipated a proposal that never happened. He used the moment to ask his girlfriend to accept the ‘mission’ of marriage in front of the hosts, to which she accepted.
Blake Harris Oral History Plug
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(01:11:24)
  • Key Takeaway: Author Blake Harris interviewed the director of The Avengers (1998) for an in-depth oral history available on SlashFilm.
  • Summary: Blake Harris, who spoke with the film’s director, has written an oral history detailing how the movie was made. The director reportedly offered to re-edit the movie for free, and the full article can be read on slashfilm.com.
Audience Question on Other Movies
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(01:13:00)
  • Key Takeaway: A listener posed a ‘Fuck, Marry, Kill’ question involving Dolph Lundgren (Masters of the Universe), Sean Connery (Zardoz), and Rowdy Roddy Piper (Hell Comes to Frogtown).
  • Summary: The hosts were hesitant to answer the ‘filth’ question in the ‘Casper mattress lounge’ segment, which was sponsored by Casper. The consensus reached was to ‘fuck’ Sean Connery, ‘kill’ Roddy Piper, and ‘marry’ Dolph Lundgren due to his perceived ’true heart.’
Review Segment: Smallest Reviewed Movie
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(01:14:59)
  • Key Takeaway: The Avengers (1998) is noted as the smallest reviewed movie discussed on the podcast, having only 25 total reviews compiled.
  • Summary: The review compilation revealed only 25 total reviews, leading to the smallest review pool the show had encountered. Many five-star reviews were mistakenly written by viewers confusing this film with Marvel’s The Avengers, evidenced by mentions of Shawarma.
Third Opinion and Library Donation
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(01:16:36)
  • Key Takeaway: A one-star review detailed quitting the film halfway through due to being misled by the cover and high reviews from mistaken Marvel fans, leading the reviewer to donate the Blu-ray to a library.
  • Summary: The negative review cited being drawn in by the cover, the premise of a cool British spy program, and artificially high ratings from Marvel’s Avengers fans. The reviewer stated the film was not worth the money and was immediately being donated to their local library.
Final Thoughts and Uncovered Topics
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(01:18:50)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts noted that Grace Jones performed a Bond-esque end-credits song titled “Strange Weather” that was worth seeking out.
  • Summary: The hosts mentioned that the film features an unnecessary amount of on-screen text identifying characters and locations, and that the protagonists made poor tactical decisions, such as splitting up in a hedge maze. The final escape attempt using a slow, highly visible hot air balloon was also highlighted as illogical.