The Avengers (Steed & Peel)

I have heard about this show for many years, but (other than the “Hellfire Club” episode) have never seen it. A while back I saw a DVD set of every episode featuring Emma Peel at a price too good to pass up. I began watching them in order a couple of weeks ago and I absolutely love it! [Tracy refuses to watch Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman with me, but she adores The Avengers.] Big Finish has recently started releasing “Avengers” audios, but I likely won’t be buying them until I get caught up to where I want to be with Doctor Who.

Anyone have any thoughts to share about the TV series?

You need to be a member of Captain Comics to add comments!

Join Captain Comics

Votes: 0
Email me when people reply –

Replies

  • I remember seeing bits and pieces of an episode or two when I was a kid, but I haven't seen any of it in forty years, at least.

  • I also picked up the Emma Peel set but haven't made the time to watch it yet.

    I always enjoyed the Steed/Peel episodes that I saw live. At the time there were no VCRs available for recording shows, so I'm not sure how many I've seen.

    I knew Honor Blackman (pre-Goldfinger) partnered with Steed but didn't know about earlier episodes that had Steed as a secondary character until I read this Wikipedia article.

  • I've only seen colour Diana Rigg episodes (and an episode of The New Avengers). The comic art for the episode "The Winged Avenger" was done by the great Frank Bellamy. Big Finish is planning to release a collection of the comic strip stories from Diana, and also audio adaptations of them.

  • I note that in the Wikipedia article it is said that some of the earliest episodes (pre-Blackman) were lost as the video tapes were REUSED and written over. Some of these are supposedly being recreated from scripts in audio form.

  • We watched “A Touch of Brimstone” last night. I appreciated it more within the context of the entire series, not that it’s not self-contained, but I have a better feel for the characters now. I’ve noticed a certain amount of crossover writers and actors with Doctor Who (as might be expected). In this episode it was Peter Wyngrade, who was in “Planet of Fire” but who I remember best as “Number Two” (one of them, anyway) from The Prisoner. (I spotted another future Number Two on The Avengers, too, come to think of it.) Also in that cast of “A Touch of Brimstone” was Carol Cleveland (of Monty Python fame).

  • Apparently tele-snaps (still picture records) have survived of the early episodes. More information here (link via Wikipedia's article "tele-snaps").

    You might also be interested in Adam Adamant Lives!, Jeff. I've not seen it.

  • As always, thanks, Luke!

    NOTE to Bob: (He's the one who asked me to keep my eye peeled for Doctor Who writers.) "Adam Adamant Lives! has been called by modern observers "what Doctor Who did next", because at least three Doctor Who alumni had key positions on the pilot." (Follow the link above to read more.)

  • You know, I thought the actor’s name was Peter Wyngarde, but I have a Doctor Who episode guide that spells it (twice) Wyngrade. I was going to comment on Chris Claremont swiping the actor’s name for his Hellfire Club member Jason Wyngarde (Mastermind) and confirmed the correct spelling. I was also going to point out the swipe of the name “Sebastian Shaw” from Dark Shadows when I came across this swipe file comparing The Avengers (Steed & Peel) and the X-Men.

  • Looking at both IMDB and Wikipedia, Wyngarde seems to be correct. Wyngrade has no listings.



  • Jeff of Earth-J said:

    ...I have a Doctor Who episode guide that spells it (twice) Wyngrade....

    You know what's scary? Sometimes I'll read some low-rent Doctor Who episode guide and I'll realize, "I know the show's history better than the joker that wrote this stuff."

This reply was deleted.