The
lowdown: 'The Avengers' is one of the most fondly remembered
British TV shows of the 1960s, combining action,
adventure and humour over
seven seasons from 1961 to 1969 on ITV1. The star of the show was British
Intelligence agent
John Steed (Patrick Macnee),
who was accompanied by a succession of beautiful, resourceful and independent
women.
Indeed, the characterisation
of women in 'The Avengers' was far ahead of other TV shows of the era,
and Diana Rigg's
portrayal of Emma Peel contributed
to the show's popularity. In fact, the show lasted only one season after
Rigg's departure.
Sadly, many of the early
B&W episodes of 'The Avengers' have been lost, although all of the
episodes from the Emma Peel
era - when it became most
popular - have survived and are now available on DVD. I have always been
a big fan of the
show, having been introduced
to it at a young age, although I have only ever seen the Emma Peel episodes.
These episodes
of 'The Avengers' have aged
well, perhaps because they were shot on film rather than videotape. The
humour and fantasy/
science fiction elements
of these episodes are also still enjoyable, but for me the chemistry between
Patrick Macnee and
Diana Rigg is definitely
what makes makes this era of the show most memorable. Watching these shows,
you always got
the feeling that they were
really enjoying themselves.
'From Venus With Love' was
the first episode of the fifth season, and one of the first to be made
in colour. It was broadcast
in the UK on 13 January
1967, and features Jon Pertwee as Brigadier Whitehead in a brief but entertaining
cameo as a retired
military man who is recording
his memoirs and becomes a casualty of a new top-secret weapon.
Quotes:
'Look, I can't manage
duty watch tonight. Battle of Palermo.
Nearly bought it
there. Had the luck of the devil.' |
Video Clips:
Recording
memoirs (5.1mb)
Whitehead
dies (4.1mb) |
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