The Avengers
 

I guess that there are quite a few fans on the forum of this classic tv series but which is your favourite incarnation of it? As I was born in the mid 1960's,I was too young to remember the Emma Peel years first hand.My first encounter of watching The Avengers was in the early 1970's with the Tara King character.We didn't have colour tv broadcast in our tv region then so all tv series where shown in black and white which is strange now seeing them in colour.I watched The New Avengers with the beautiful Joanna Lumley when it was 1st broadcast but at the time I wasn't really a fan.As it's being currently re shown on BBC4 I've actually grown/matured into liking it quite a lot.During the last 30 years or so I caught the odd episode of the Diana Rigg era of the Avengers but at the time I couldn't get worked up about her and often wondered why she seemed to be regarded as the ultimate Avenger girl.It's only recently that I've had the opportunity to see the entire episodes that she starred in that I realise how great that she was in the series, making me place her as the number 1 Avenger babe.I still haven't seen the Honor Blackman episodes so I can't comment on them.Who is your favourite and what is your favourite episode?Currently my favourite episode is "The hour that never was" . http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XWeGANmsIFk Tara King era opening to the Avengers which I believe is the best intro. http://img45.imagevenue.com/loc1125/...122_1125lo.jpgbtw the bridge that Tara can be seen running on in the opening clip is
Tyke's Water Lake, Elstree and makes an appearance in quite a few episodes:cool:

You are young! What about Honor Blackman playing Mrs.Gale?

sorry I never had the chance to see her era and have only caught 1 or 2 episodes on repeats

Always Mrs Peel for me, though I must admit to a definate stirring of the loins when Linda Thorsen appeared as Steed's colleague.
As a matter of interest, there are obviously a number of useful web-sites for fans of the show, including:

http://avengerland.theavengers.tv/
This lists many of the locations, mostly in a wide arc from Slough to Hertford, used in the show. Many still recognisable, even nearly 40 years later.

http://theavengers.tv/forever/
Episode details.

Agree. Mrs.Peel for me, even tho' only just old enough to remember the later ones, but loving the very weird (very Avengers?) b&w Rigg era re-runs on BBC4. I take it the opening flourish which said "The Avengers- In Colour!" was meant for the US market (English spelling notwithstanding).

I dont think it was particularly for the US market. In those days you could make a TV show in UK without looking over your shoulder at US sales too much. The 'In Colour' appelation was to say to a British audience 'aren't we modern' as colour TV was relatively new.

Quintessential Avengers for me were Diana Rigg, B&W, and had lots of very wierd plots and camera angles.

Yeah, Diana Rigg was great and hot in the Avengers. Granada attempted to make a rival series called The Corridor People which only lasted a few episodes, mainly because their leading lady, Elizabeth Shepherd, was a cold austere and frankly unattractive Austrian type and shared none of Rigg's ahem talents.

The switch to colour was primarily because the Avengers had been sold in the US. At the time the first colour series' were made colour TV didn't even exist in the UK for the general public. Lew Grade was keenly aware of how much money could be made on overseas sales, hence many mid 60s ITV (mainly ATV) series were made in colour (e.g. Avengers, Thunderbirds, Champions, Prisoner) while their BBC contemporaries (Adam Adamant, Forsyte Saga) were still being made in B&W.

Wow, that's a shocker, because Elizabeth Shepherd (unless there's more than one actress with that name) was originally picked to play Mrs. Peel, and at least one episode was shot with her in the role, but they decided she wasn't working out, and called in Diana Rigg (who had previously done a screen test for the part), and reshot the scenes with her as Mrs. Peel.

Definitely Diana Rigg. THe House That Jack Built is a classic episode.

It was Tara King for me ... although I had a slight preference for Emma Peel's '64 white Elan S2 over Tara's '68 red Elan +2S!

Diana was the first real crush and lust of my life,that smile and above all that bottom in numerous jumpsuits/catsuits had me hooked,a very special memory,and to this day still my fav episode was "Murdersville",anybody who loves the show will know what i'm on about,that one (amung many) had everything the show was about...the afore mentioned wierd plots and camera angles....and indeed Miss Rigg's bottom

Fantastic television

Oh and Tara King/Linda Thorson was gorgeous!! But "The Forget-Me-Knot" - show where they swapped places was heart breakingly sad

Just finished reading "The Avengers and Me" by Patrick McNee very good book covers all the series from its first incarnation as "Police Surgeon" right through to "The New Avengers"
Incidently the first british tv programme made in colour was Stingray !

Didn't Tara drive a Europa?

In the 2 seasons that Tara King was in she used both an Elan +2 and a Europa also an AC 428 and a Mini Moke. So you are both right.

Emma Peel for me. Those are the first ones we got in the states and they made quite an impression. I also remember seeing the "New Avengers" on the CBS late movie as a teenager. I didn't see any Honor Blackman episodes until the show came out on video but by then the dye had been cast. Mrs. Peel rules!

Emma Peel = Diana Rigg...no others.

What came afterwards was still fun but it wasn't the Avengers anymore. Patrick Macnee has always been perfect but it's like U2 without Bono...still great, but not U2 anymore.

Has to be the diana rigg era, she was the best. And I always admired patrick macnee as the perfect and very english gentleman. I saw an episode in b/w and I think it was called, 'the Hellfire Club.' And diana was encased in some fetish gear I think, which included a spiked dog collar. Very raunchy for that time. Also starred peter wyngarde.

Actually, the title of the b&w episode with the Hellfire Club was "A Touch of Brimstone." That's one of the great ones, all right. I think it was a bit too much for US TV in 1966, and wasn't seen over here until the show went into syndication.

Is this a re-release? All the Honor Blackman episodes came out on DVD from A&E several years ago, as did the lacklustre Linda Thorsen ones.

I wonder if you're resurrecting memories of watching the show on b&w TV. As I recall, Mrs. Peel's Lotus Elan was powder blue, though it looked white on b&w TV (which was the way I watched the show back in 1967 and 1968, sigh!

Emma's Elan S2 was definitely white. It was her Elan S3 which was powder blue! ;)

Only one favorite? Tough call. Here's my favorite three (all Rigg episodes, of course), and that's as fine as I can slice it:

The House That Jack Built (b&w)
Epic (color)
A Touch of Brimstone (b&w)

Ow, that hurt . . .

Of course, Steed is barely in the first two. I really ought to redress that imbalance by adding a fourth fave:

The Winged Avenger (color)

A terrific Batman parody, which showed in the US the year after the Adam West Batman TV show appeared on the tube, so I'm sure the ribbing was deliberate.

EEEEE-URRRPPPP! (spelling approximate)

And I like the color Rigg episodes opening better than the b&w Rigg episodes opening (have you ever seen the checkerboard part, which was shot for US release?), and I like that better than either of the Tara King openings. (There were two; the one you link to is the second.)

I stand corrected. Muchos granola, or however the phrase goes.

I liked Emma Peel but preferred Tara King. Emma was a bit too smug for my liking :p

Smug? Well, naturally!
 

She had a lot to be smug about. Please remember, you're talking about the woman I have loved above all others for more than 40 years! when she brushed the hair out of her face with that worried look of hers, yowza, I wanted to leap into the scene and save the day! Still carry a picture of her in my wallet. Will be buried with it. Have to say, the wife doesn't seem amused.

yes, Emma was kinda perfect... but she got bored with the show
and the fact that the cameramen were getting more money
than she was... the "star " of the show.

wonder if Emmas cat suits were lycra ?
maybe that show was the first appearance of lycra...
lycra was to become the big thing in the 70s with disco
hot gossip and all the dance clubs that were springing up everywhere
....the Pineapple Dance Studio for eg

The first twelve Avengers calendars
 

The official Avengers calendar for 2009 was the twelfth in the series and it reproduced the covers for those twelve. I've scanned them and here they are. The original pics are about 2 x 2 inches, so the blowups here will be a bit fuzzy.


http://img210.imagevenue.com/loc77/t...r_122_77lo.jpghttp://img198.imagevenue.com/loc877/..._122_877lo.jpghttp://img31.imagevenue.com/loc559/t..._122_559lo.jpghttp://img11.imagevenue.com/loc81/th...r_122_81lo.jpg
http://img201.imagevenue.com/loc46/t...r_122_46lo.jpghttp://img24.imagevenue.com/loc63/th...r_122_63lo.jpghttp://img213.imagevenue.com/loc999/..._122_999lo.jpghttp://img34.imagevenue.com/loc379/t..._122_379lo.jpg
http://img152.imagevenue.com/loc1029...122_1029lo.jpghttp://img166.imagevenue.com/loc1095...122_1095lo.jpghttp://img138.imagevenue.com/loc197/..._122_197lo.jpghttp://img131.imagevenue.com/loc586/..._122_586lo.jpg


The calendar for 2010 is out (of course), filled with big and teeny pics from all the various incarnations of the show (but not The New Avengers), and is highly recommended.

The unforgettable Avengers.........
 

God, we loved the black and white episodes so much, it was almost a disappointment when the color episodes were released here.

Back in the day, we had one TV in the house. It was Dad's, which meant we all watched what he watched after dinner. Fortunately there were alot of high quality British TV shows to watch such as The Avengers, Secret Agent (Danger Man), and The Saint (with Roger Moore). Need I mention Planet Patrol, Supercar, Stingray, The Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, UFO, and Space: 1999 ? I thank the good Lord I grew up at such a time !

I have to admit I had a big crush on Diana Rigg and her leather suit. But Linda Thorson was so, ehh, well rounded. If I woke up and found her next to me I surely wouldn't throw her out of my bed !

My favorite Avengers episode of course was Return of the Cybernauts (1967). The only episode to star the legendary Peter Cushing, God rest his soul...............................

"I'm gettin' old, I got no sex life. I get tired just holding up the magazine." - Rodney Dangerfield

The New Avengers
 

While this series certainly wasn't nearly as good as the original...man - did I love this theme song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrsRJh9DhNM

Joanna Lumley was easy on the eyes, as well :D

The old episodes, with Honor Blackman, play on Arte moday to friday 18:00 MEZ

Most of the Avengers at the University of Chichester . . .
 

. . . last weekend. Alas, Dame Diana Rigg wasn't interested in participating. (Maybe she's tired of hearing about Mrs. Peel.)

http://blogs.chi.ac.uk/theavengers/p...-avenger-girls

I've never been able to figure out the *Rules* about which links are verboten, but since this link to the University of Chichester isn't selling anything, maybe the moderators will leave it alone.

It's odd that, at least to my eyes, Linda Thorson now looks older than Honor Blackman, though Blackman is the older of the two by a couple of decades.

http://img292.imagevenue.com/loc555/..._123_555lo.jpg

The Avengers calendar for 2012 . . .
 

. . . is out, after we Avengerphiles had to suffer through a lean year with no calendar for 2011. Here's the front:

http://img215.imagevenue.com/loc516/..._123_516lo.jpg

I've read somewhere online that Slow Dazzle's option on doing the calendar (and also the calendar for The Prisoner) ran out, and it wasn't renewed. This calendar is done by Studio Canal, and they didn't dig very deep for the photos for each month this time, since i've seen a lot of these before in various venues, including the VEF Diana Rigg thread. Here are the months, as seen on the back of the calendar:

http://img192.imagevenue.com/loc471/..._123_471lo.jpg

There is also a big pic of Diana Rigg, taking up two pages at the center of the calendar. She's wearing the outfit with black pants and white cuffs, plus boots with a stripe down the center of their tops, as seen here in the center top pic in Mr. Bond's post:

http://vintage-erotica-forum.com/sho...&postcount=166

(Many thanks, Mr. Bond!) However, the photo in the calendar's center pages is in color and has her in a different pose than in Mr. Bond's pic. And, while the photos decorating the months to come show a lack of imagination in selection and also in arrangement (they have clusters of Honor Blackman, Diana Rigg, and Linda Thorson where Slow Dazzle did a mix, for better variety), for me the big pic of the Rigg in the center is alone worth the price of admission. However, I don't see the point of including a photo of Elizabeth Shepherd, who AFAIK never appeared in the show. (She was originally going to play Emma Peel, but didn't work out and was hastily, and superbly, replaced with Diana Rigg.)

This calendar has been Americanized, putting Sunday at the beginning of the week, instead of Monday, as was the case with the Slow Dazzle calendars. This bit of Americanizing is fine with me!

I'm not sure if the rules permit me to say how much the calendar costs, or where it's for sale online, but a bit of Googling should turn it up, hey presto! (as Steed once said).

P.S. I've just noticed that the cover of the 2012 Avengers calendar uses the same photo of Rigg and Macnee that was used on the cover of the first (1998) calendar in the Slow Dazzle series, though it's not as tightly cropped. The 1998 cover is the first pic in the first row here:

http://vintage-erotica-forum.com/sho...7&postcount=30

I saw all The Avengers episodes with Diana Rigg, and Linda Thorson, and Patrick Macnee. Diana Rigg was my favorite of the female stars.:D:thumbsup:

Linda wasn't without her wide eyed sweet faced firm thighed merits.

http://thumbnails115.imagebam.com/47...e477840680.jpg

Diana pips her to the sexy smart sultry post though, agreed.

http://thumbnails116.imagebam.com/47...4477840682.jpg

One of my favourite classic series.

It must have been her spell in Emmerdale that aged Linda! Not surprising, having to do that crap.

Great series with some very surreal plots and one of the best opening sequences/themes in history. Very British.

May be teaching granny to suck eggs, but the name Emma Peel came about because of shorthand. The casting director had said "must have man appeal" which was abbreviated to "m" appeal in the notes.

Linda Thorson always complained because people accused her of being a bit too well-rounded! In fact it was her body double who was a little heavy and whose generous backside we often see. ;)

True Entertainment, a Freeview channel in the UK, currently has Series 4-6 on a repeating loop five nights a week; starts with B&W Diana Rigg and runs through to Linda Thorson.. then starts again. Yes, time has been unkind to Thorson. Very unkind.

I like both the Emma Peel episodes and the later New Avengers with Purdey. I don't think I've ever seen the Honor Blackman epsisodes and I only ever saw the Linda Thorsen episodes when they were televised at the time making me about eight or nine years old.