The Avengers. In Colour. The Complete Series 5 Box set. (PG.)
Starring Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg. 1965/6. 7 Disc Blu-ray set. Available from Studiocanal.
John Steed. Mrs Peel. The Sixties. In Colour. Life doesn't get much better than a box set of series 5 of The Avengers. Well, maybe a box set of series 4 of The Avengers, in black and white. But even so, there is nothing wrong in the world when you're walking along the street with a set of 7 Blu rays featuring Diana Rigg's final 24 episodes as Mrs Emma Peel in your hands.
I'm not sure I can add to what I wrote about the programme and the Steed/ Peel dynamic when I reviewed series 4. They represented our nation's subconscious yearning for benign, enlightened and competent Toryism. Our heroes are effortlessly superior, unbeatable and unflappable. Most episodes see Peel facing imminent death, usually with her tied up to the instrument of her impending demise, and always she faces down this threat with cavalier disregard. Often she goes cheerfully along with the villain's diabolical schemes, offering up an encouraging/ condescending little smile depending on how innovative the plan is. Her confidence comes from the innate Tory belief that whatever happens they will inevitably end up on top, even though some less important people may have to die along the way.
This fifth season 's great leap forward was the title sequence. The black and white episodes opened with a set of still photos of the two leads, accompanied by Laurie Johnson's marvellous new theme music. Now there is a filmed sequence with them in an empty space enacting the poses from the previous version. This necessitates a bit of extra music, a drum roll prologue while we wait (rather too long) for some champagne to be popped and poured. The defining image is Mrs Peel's head popping out from behind a chair, smiling knowingly and brushing some strands of long auburn hair out of her eyes. (Rigg's struggles with her hair are a constant subplot.) You have to love a programme that has its two heroes sitting with their feet up in the opening credits.
In general though series 5 doesn't quite hit the peaks of the previous one. The surrealism and eccentricity has become a bit formulaic. Even though Steed and Rigg mostly remained smugly oblivious to any danger, a lot of the black and white episodes, such as Town Of No Return or The Hour That Never Was, had a strong sense of menace. Just like old Doctor Who or Quatermass episodes, they really had an eye for the sinister nature of the British countryside: deserted airbases, churchyards or seaside villages. There's very little sense of danger in Series 5. People die or are driven out of their wits but it's all in bright, nuanceless colour.
The plotting is also more rote. Somebody will die in outlandish circumstances in the opening scene. Next Mrs Peel will be seen pottering around in her swish central London flat – sculpting, fencing – when she will be interrupted by Steed delivering the message Mrs Peel, We're Needed. (This gimmick gets dropped towards the end of the series.) A few more bodies will be dispatched. A sinister organisation (such as The British Venusian Society) will be infiltrated. A noted character actor will have an extended scene opposite one of the leads playing a British eccentric. It will conclude with Peel being tied up and rescued by Steed so she can perform some of her karate moves.
Nit picking aside though, this is a marvel. TV and film production is such a random process, a desperate act of luck, hoping for all the elements to coalesce into a dream chemistry. You watch the episodes glide by and realise that this is the level that 99.9% of all other producers, directors and actors are trying to achieve. Of course, making something like The Avengers takes great talent but also great dollops of luck. Or maybe it's just all in the breeding.
Extras.
Lots of stuff over the seven discs. There are commentaries provided by writers, producers, guest stars and stunt doubles. Each of these is moderated by Avengers enthusiasts, people you sense like this programme a little bit more than is healthy.
Besides the usual collection of trailers and deleted scenes there are some interesting curios.
- The Avengers – a Retrospective proves to be a rather redundant collection of clips collated for the video release back in the eighties. It is worth its place though because you get a chance to see Diana Rigg's farewell to the show, which comes in the opening episode of series 6, The Forget-Me-Knot. As she says goodbye to Steed, meets her replacement Tara King (Linda Thorsen) coming up the stairs and drives off with her husband, just found after years spent lost in the Amazon, you may find the stiff upper lip quivering just a jot, and having something very persistent in your eye.
- Der Goldene Schlussel, and The MiniKillers are both low budget, German productions (where the show was/is massive.) They are dialogue-free short films featuring Diana Rigg as a very Emma Peel like character. Der Goldene Schlussel is just inept, but the MiniKillers has to be seen to be disbelieved. The title sequence and song are Manson levels disturbing, as demented as anything the sixties produced, and the plot which involves Peel on a Mediterranean holiday clashing with drug smugglers who use killer dolls to do their dirty business, is as bizarre as it is uninvolving.
- Four Episode Reconstructions. Almost all of the first series with Ian Hendry partnering Steed were wiped and these episode reconstruction feature the original opening sequence, with Johnny Dankworth's theme tune, and a narrator telling us the story over a selection of stills from the episode. Unless you're a really big La Jetee fan, these are not gripping experiences, but are still fascinating looks at the show's humble beginnings.
The Avengers. In Colour. The Complete Series 5 Box set. (PG.)
Starring Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg. 1965/6. 7 Disc Blu-ray set. Available from Studiocanal.
John Steed. Mrs Peel. The Sixties. In Colour. Life doesn't get much better than a box set of series 5 of The Avengers. Well, maybe a box set of series 4 of The Avengers, in black and white. But even so, there is nothing wrong in the world when you're walking along the street with a set of 7 Blu rays featuring Diana Rigg's final 24 episodes as Mrs Emma Peel in your hands.
I'm not sure I can add to what I wrote about the programme and the Steed/ Peel dynamic when I reviewed series 4. They represented our nation's subconscious yearning for benign, enlightened and competent Toryism. Our heroes are effortlessly superior, unbeatable and unflappable. Most episodes see Peel facing imminent death, usually with her tied up to the instrument of her impending demise, and always she faces down this threat with cavalier disregard. Often she goes cheerfully along with the villain's diabolical schemes, offering up an encouraging/ condescending little smile depending on how innovative the plan is. Her confidence comes from the innate Tory belief that whatever happens they will inevitably end up on top, even though some less important people may have to die along the way.
This fifth season 's great leap forward was the title sequence. The black and white episodes opened with a set of still photos of the two leads, accompanied by Laurie Johnson's marvellous new theme music. Now there is a filmed sequence with them in an empty space enacting the poses from the previous version. This necessitates a bit of extra music, a drum roll prologue while we wait (rather too long) for some champagne to be popped and poured. The defining image is Mrs Peel's head popping out from behind a chair, smiling knowingly and brushing some strands of long auburn hair out of her eyes. (Rigg's struggles with her hair are a constant subplot.) You have to love a programme that has its two heroes sitting with their feet up in the opening credits.
In general though series 5 doesn't quite hit the peaks of the previous one. The surrealism and eccentricity has become a bit formulaic. Even though Steed and Rigg mostly remained smugly oblivious to any danger, a lot of the black and white episodes, such as Town Of No Return or The Hour That Never Was, had a strong sense of menace. Just like old Doctor Who or Quatermass episodes, they really had an eye for the sinister nature of the British countryside: deserted airbases, churchyards or seaside villages. There's very little sense of danger in Series 5. People die or are driven out of their wits but it's all in bright, nuanceless colour.
The plotting is also more rote. Somebody will die in outlandish circumstances in the opening scene. Next Mrs Peel will be seen pottering around in her swish central London flat – sculpting, fencing – when she will be interrupted by Steed delivering the message Mrs Peel, We're Needed. (This gimmick gets dropped towards the end of the series.) A few more bodies will be dispatched. A sinister organisation (such as The British Venusian Society) will be infiltrated. A noted character actor will have an extended scene opposite one of the leads playing a British eccentric. It will conclude with Peel being tied up and rescued by Steed so she can perform some of her karate moves.
Nit picking aside though, this is a marvel. TV and film production is such a random process, a desperate act of luck, hoping for all the elements to coalesce into a dream chemistry. You watch the episodes glide by and realise that this is the level that 99.9% of all other producers, directors and actors are trying to achieve. Of course, making something like The Avengers takes great talent but also great dollops of luck. Or maybe it's just all in the breeding.
Extras.
Lots of stuff over the seven discs. There are commentaries provided by writers, producers, guest stars and stunt doubles. Each of these is moderated by Avengers enthusiasts, people you sense like this programme a little bit more than is healthy.
Besides the usual collection of trailers and deleted scenes there are some interesting curios.
- The Avengers – a Retrospective proves to be a rather redundant collection of clips collated for the video release back in the eighties. It is worth its place though because you get a chance to see Diana Rigg's farewell to the show, which comes in the opening episode of series 6, The Forget-Me-Knot. As she says goodbye to Steed, meets her replacement Tara King (Linda Thorsen) coming up the stairs and drives off with her husband, just found after years spent lost in the Amazon, you may find the stiff upper lip quivering just a jot, and having something very persistent in your eye.
- Der Goldene Schlussel, and The MiniKillers are both low budget, German productions (where the show was/is massive.) They are dialogue-free short films featuring Diana Rigg as a very Emma Peel like character. Der Goldene Schlussel is just inept, but the MiniKillers has to be seen to be disbelieved. The title sequence and song are Manson levels disturbing, as demented as anything the sixties produced, and the plot which involves Peel on a Mediterranean holiday clashing with drug smugglers who use killer dolls to do their dirty business, is as bizarre as it is uninvolving.
- Four Episode Reconstructions. Almost all of the first series with Ian Hendry partnering Steed were wiped and these episode reconstruction feature the original opening sequence, with Johnny Dankworth's theme tune, and a narrator telling us the story over a selection of stills from the episode. Unless you're a really big La Jetee fan, these are not gripping experiences, but are still fascinating looks at the show's humble beginnings.
