The eighth episode shot during the second season, "The Decapod" was the debut for Julie Stevens as nightclub singer Venus Smith, who was actually cast in her role before Honor Blackman earned the part of Cathy Gale, whose first four episodes followed Jon Rollason's brief three episode run as Dr. Martin King. Venus would alternate with Cathy for the remainder of the season, appearing in a total of six entries, of which this debut was easily the weakest. Paul Stassino ("Thunderball") headlines as Balkan president Yakob Borb, whose ambassador, Stepan (Philip Madoc), hires two bodyguards who wind up getting murdered by someone disguised as a masked wrestler known as The Decapod. We actually begin with Steed investigating the death of Yakob Borb's personal secretary, ambushed out of the shower by The Decapod, which provides the reason for bringing Venus Smith into the story, as Steed convinces her that by using her charms to get close to the Balkan president, currently negotiating a loan from Britain, he might be willing to finance a singing tour for her. We are treated to not one but two songs sung by Venus, as well as two wrestling matches, none of which are all that interesting. A welcome presence on the show, Philip Madoc later appeared in "Six Hands Across a Table," "Death of a Batman," "The Correct Way to Kill," and "My Wildest Dream." Wolfe Morris also appeared in "The Yellow Needle" and "Two's a Crowd," Raymond Adamson later did "The Grandeur That Was Rome" and "Take Me to Your Leader," Harvey Ashby did "Death at Bargain Prices" and "Requiem," Douglas Robinson did "Death on the Rocks," "Man with Two Shadows," and "Esprit De Corps," and Valentino Musetti did "Death A La Carte," "The Secrets Broker," "The Outside-In-Man," and "Lobster Quadrille." The Venus Smith episodes would improve from this lacklustre start, but would not be retained for the third season. Her second episode would be "The Removal Men."