The Avengers

[Si Hunt]

We'll watch that one if we haven't done it Si!

Meanwhile my good friend Andrew Hunter has recommended one called "13th Hole". Is he right?

Si.

[SiHart]

Oooh, there's a name from history! The Thirteenth Hole is OK, but a bit dull and golf-y.

[Simon R]

Any Hole's a goal...

[Si Hunt]

Quiet you.

Si.

[Nyder]

Might check if there's a spare ticket....

[Si Hunt]

Any suggestions for us for this weekend?

Si.

[Nyder]

You could try Dial A Deadly Number

Didn't get tickets for Friday Night.... but am listening to the radio instead. The BBC Concert Orchestra did a superb rendition of The Avengers / The New Avengers. And as Paul O'Grady pointed out, he enjoyed the "Tara's Theme" section on the trumpet. He's such a fan!

There was also a 20min documentary on 60s spy/adventure series featuring TV historian Dick Fiddy. I shared a taxi with him from the Chichester campus to the pub during The Avengers 50th anniversary celebrations.

A special night indeed as that's where I first met Brendan, Si & Steve :-)

[SiHart]

A special night indeed as that's where I first met Brendan, Si & Steve

A year ago next weekend!

Si, you should watch Dead Man's Treasure!

[Si Hunt]

I think we've done "Dead Man's Treasure" so instead we consulted the Cornell Book and did "The Hidden Tiger" instead. We enjoyed it, lots of fun and a very witty script.

I think we've had enough of Emma now, we need to do another Tara or *shudder* brave a Cathy. I have it in my mind that these will be like watching the Avengers done on the resources of "The Web Planet".

Si.

[Rob McCow]

It's a bit like that, although The Avengers tends to be a lot more competent than Doctor Who of the same period.

Some of the early ones to look out for are: Dead on Course (A cameo from Courtney), Mr Teddy Bear (like an Emma Peel episode), The Decapod (with Julie Stevens!), The Undertakers (with Sgt.Fraser from Dad's Army) and Dressed to Kill (Anneke!).

[Si Hunt]

I think in truth, if you strip away the beautiful look of the Avengers and the style, there's not an awful lot left! Most episodes have them wandering around for half an hour before a huge fight scene and then a very quick ending. That's not to knock it - the visuals and the style are what I tune in for. It's like massage for the eyes - I love the gorgeous film sequences and stunning locations and studio sets. By contrast, the early Doctor Who's have solid storylines most of the time which carries them through the cheapness.

Si.

[SiHart]

I thought I'd hate the early Avengers. I thought they'd be slow and dull, but for the most part they're not. They're ambitious with what they try and achieve in the recorded as live format, the chemistry between Macnee and Blackman is electric and the storytelling is more straightforward than the Rigg/ Thorsen stuff, but it works, because everyone is doing their best to make a show that's got its own style.

Do try one Si- I think, if you're in the right frame of mind, you might enjoy them. We have.

[Nyder]

I agree with Si Hart – it’s all a matter of how you approach the Cathy Gale episodes.

When I first saw them in the 90s, I considered them a bit of a disappointment after the gloss of the filmed era, and I was also in a rush to enjoy them, which I didn’t. Mind you, the picture quality of the episodes didn’t help either.

But in later years (since I bought the Optimum DVDs), I’ve learned to love them for what they are. The set designs in the Gale era are wonderful, the stories are inventive (considering that at this point in Avengers history, the plots were still grounded in some sort of reality) and the chemistry between Patrick & Honor simply sizzles off the screen. I can heartily recommend The Undertakers as that’s the most recent one I’ve seen! The character played by Lally Bowers is a sheer joy because she’s just so darned kooky! Patrick does sweat a lot in the videotaped era. It’s particularly apparent at the end of The Undertakers!

[Si Hunt]

We just watched "Look (Stop Me If You've Heard This One) But There Were These Two Fellas". Really liked this clown-themed episode, and welcome spots for John Woodvine, John Cleese, Tayfryn Thomas from the Who world.

Worst Tara moment - how she manages to let the director she is "guardian" get killed from under her nose. But how the clowns managed to pull the literal rug out from under him and hurl him out a window they cannot have known was there, let alone open, is anyone's guess.

But then, this is the most surreal Avengers episode ever, with a character changing costume three times WHILE HE IS THROWN ACROSS A ROOM!

Si.

[Simon R]

Don't forget Bernie Cribbins!

[SiHart]

Great episode that one.

[Nyder]

More Tara loveliness in "Who Was That Man I Saw You With?", as she skillfully battles against accusations of being a double agent.

Mother's office is ..... a castle!! Rhonda is dressed in a tunic, naturally

The character of Mother seems to divide many Avengerphiles. I love the character! Patrick Newell plays him with the right amount of irascibility and quirkiness.

A lovely tag scene in this one with a very impressive champagne tower!!

[Rob McCow]

We watched two episodes last night, The Wringer (Cathy) which was superb and Fog (Tara) which was sort-of-good.

The Wringer featured a superb performance from Peter Sallis. A superb Cathy-era episode focusing mainly on Steed, it gives everyone some serious acting to do - though it does feel like it's wandered in from another series!

[SiHart]

The Wringer was excellent- from seeing Barry Letts acting through to the excellently odd performance from Terrance Lodge, baby. Nice and grounded by Peter Sallis who plays it excellently.

Fog was good, but odd for the sake of being odd really.

[Nyder]

My patent-pending Avengers randomiser is telling me to watch "Dressed To Kill" this weekend. Okay then!

[SiHart]

That would have been next for us, but we watched that before The Avengers weekend last year for Anneke goodness!

[Nyder]

and she certainly had some goodness in this ep - miaow!! Director Bill Bain clearly thought so because there was a long, lingering shot of the Wills derriere

Great scenes in Steed's flat in the first couple of minutes as he clears up after a Christmas party. He was clearly quite enamoured by Mrs Gale's present for him:-

"I didn't know they came in crocodile!"

We also learn in this episode that Steed went on a handcuff course

Why am I putting spoilers in for a 51 year old programme? Well I know that two of our illustrious Simon's are watching this prog. Okay, so they're not watching any Cathy eps yet but I'm sure that'll change!

[Si Hunt]

One day!

Si.

[Nyder]

Just watched Requiem. There are a handful of Tara episodes I've not seen - and this is one of them

Good use of Mother (who raids Steed's red oriental drinks cabinet) and Rhonda in this one. Of course we all get to the "reveal" before Tara does, but it's still a fun journey. Plus the interchanges between Steed & Miranda are first class.

An episode of champagne quality!

PS I would kill for a drinks cabinet like Steed's - inside & out!

[SiHart]

That was one of the very first episodes I saw