I grew up as a child watching this with my mother in the late 1960's. The show was absolute "Class" with the fashion, the women, and the Exotic and Classic cars. This was without a doubt , one of the greatest tv series of its time.
absolutely I grew up watching this show as well but I caught it on the reruns 70's and 80's in NZ on the other side of the world. It was amazing to me then and was much loved by me and my sister and our friends we loved the whacky stories
I became an Anglophile - I'm French - thanks to "the Avengers", and I watch this excellent series regularly, as well as "the Prisoner". A real soft power...
As a kid I secretly watched The Avengers through the stair banisters because it was shown way past my bedtime, until my mother caught me one time. After that, as a special treat I was allowed to watch it each week with my parents. Happy days.
I didn’t have a bedtime my parents tried but I was a night owl and so I got to watch it at 10:00 because I didn’t go to bed until 11:00 never affected my school work or grades as it turns out both my parents were night owls as kids too but never told me until I was older ,that show was a big deal for me in a small town.
Ha, me too, we had carpeted stairs to the upstairs bedrooms, I would slide myself down about 4 or 5 stairs on my stomach and peek thru the wooden banisters to watch from above.
I am 68 and have watched many repeats of this fine show. Steed's immaculate attire, Emma Peel's cat suits and fighting scenes, the humour, the locations, the cars, the daft plots, all put together by a team of experts, and still being shown on tv. It would be very difficult to replicate this today. The world has changed and become a lot more serious. The " Avengers " was a one off mix , of skilled actors and actresses, excellent direction, photography, editing, and script writing.
The Avengers is one of my all time favorite TV Shows, one of those perfect creations that exists in a bubble of time that simply can not exist or be recreated at any other time. Although these shows were somewhat before my time - I was a newborn during the Avengers last season for example, I still find them irresistible and resonate deep inside my being even today. Along with The Avengers I'd add Wild Wild West, the early years of Doctor Who (the rare example of one of these unique series still going strong today,, albeit recreating itself many many times over the years) and a few others. I also find it interesting that these shows I love dearly almost all have a season or two in B&W before switching to glorious color, allowing us to see them in these drastically different means of productions. I could go on for hours but suffice to say if our culture gets anywhere close to leaving ancient myths for the far off future generations, I fully expect Steed and Mrs. Peel to be right up there with the best of them (and I pity future scholars who will be forced to work out why some versions of the Avengers seen to leave out Steed and Peel and Tara even with lesser Avengers present, LOL.
Emma Diana Rigg was the total one! Patrick Mac Nee was a wonderful actor! The true Gentleman! Shows movies would be "The BBC Goon Show", "BBC My Word" and "My Music" I would add , "Lawrence Of Arabia" also!
A more realistic but also incredibly wonderful English 'spy' series at the same time that can be paired as equally brilliant as the Avengers was Danger Man (or Secret Agent Man as it was known in America, in France it was Destination Danger) ; Patrick McGoohan was the 'serious' Steed, he was terrific ; I'm not sure if it was even shot in color for I always watched it on an old B/W set
For me, the quintessential "Avengers" moment was in one episode where Steed and Tara were walking down a street, when a would-be murderer suddenly leaped down on them from above -- missing them, and going "SPLAT!" on the sidewalk. Without batting an eye, Steed and Tara stopped, looked down at him, and calmly said: TARA: "Rather a third-rate assassin, wouldn't you say?" STEED: "They don't make them like they used to." TARA: "No PRIDE in their craft." On a more serious note: Diana Rigg had been on the show for some time when she learned that she was being paid less than the chief CAMERAMAN on the show. Needless to say, once the mountains of fan mail for Emma Peel started rolling in, she saw to it that THAT situation changed dramatically.
I remember watching this show as a kid in the 90's thanks to my parent's collection tapes. The theme music of the show was breathtaking. It's iconic and must see tv.....Even today.
...and "Gene-Barry-''...-(-Bat-Masterson-)-...song says and he wore a cane and DERBY-HAT''...But What about PALLADIN''...Have-GUN-Will-TRAVEL...in the San-FRANCISCO...HOTEL...He was ...partTIME...pimping them whores in that ...HoteL'''Oh''...now i GET-it ...i wasn't suppose to Notice ...that ...shit...huh..!?
@@maxnullifidian ...so did ...''PaLLadin''...(-HaveGUN-will-TraveL-)-...Richard-Boone...yo''boy ...his personal...Go-Getter ...chinese...MAID...service in that San-Francisco-Hotel-...He was...pimping-''...Lot of people forget that ...part of the SHOW...p.s.'' check out that ...3...pc...suit He ...wore..!!...oh...yes and that ...10-Gallon...Hat-''..!
One of the main reasons that the British fell behind in technology in the 1960's was that most of their best scientists were killed on episodes of The Avengers
GEE..Your Right!!, But You Brits Did Very Well On Other Things...Music, Dr.WHO, The Saint, Benny, Morse, Princess Diana Her Sons William And Harry, And Other Things/People That The WORLD LOVED AND STILL LOVES..THANK YOU BRITS GOOD JOB
@@alexnelson9512 In Hollywood she was known as "the British Open". !!!! Now, remanuf. her "experience" trying to fit in (along with Jane Fonda) to the new "Woke" program!
Classic.....God help me but I sure miss those days. Some have said that I live in the past but that's fine with me. Everything was better TV, music, movies, people etc. Thank you for the video !
Putting up with having to watch Joan Collins is WAY more than made up for by seeing Patrick MacNee interviewed and Diana Rigg's incomparable figure. The Avengers was fresh and exciting - loved watching it as a child.
I am French and love this serial even if I was born in 90s. It shows us English culture. I am so sad about Diana Rigg's death. She was wonderful and I love John Steed also.
Remember watching this in reruns during the late 60s and 70s, Rigg and MacNee were my favorite pairing, this show, The Man from U.N.C.L.E and Remington Steele are 3 of my all time favorites, the Golden Age of TV sadly long gone.
I can remember watching the adventures of "John Steed" & "Emma Peel" and "The Avengers." My dad was a great fan of English tv programming & especially loved this one, along with Patrick McGoohan's "The Prisoner." Thank you, so much, for sharing this!
He later enjoyed "Have You Been Served," "Benny Hill," and "Prime Suspect." (I can also remember watching "Secret Agent," which had a memorable theme song.)@@CHRISANDREOU4199
An all-time classic full of class, wit, and fun. I have loved it for decades. It was marred only by the return of Peter Peel. And you know it's true. Just why, Brian? 😄
The part of this show that I remember vividly is when Mr Peel shows up after being lost in the jungle for years. Steed watches Mrs Peel as she is leaving with her husband, driving away in a 30's Bentley wearing a suit and bowler. The irony is that you always thought that he never tried it on with her thinking he wasn't her type. The Avengers introduced me to my first and persistent love - the green label Bentley, my dream car to this day, if only I could afford one.
Interesting take. I always thought they were friends with benefits as soon as the cameras stopped rolling. We never see Peter Peel from Emma's point of view; only from Steed's. I've heard it explained that Steed was imagining himself riding off to a new life with her. Ah well. Different interpretations are part of the fun. 🎉
Kelly Brown Joan Collins wasn't in the Avengers, so yes the Avengers were pre-botox, and they were also athletic, so that would exclude Joan even more.
You know Dianna Rigg - Emma Peel - played Lady Olenna on Game of Thrones. She's still a fabulous actress and an amazing woman, but she does look her age (which in your 80s is pretty hard not to.) And yes, of course, I had a crush on Emma Peel!
It was one of the best shows ever made, too! When I found the show one day when I was young, I loved it and tried to catch all I could. It was amazing, kind of why I loved "The wild wild west' and "The prisoner", every episode a great ride, pure entertainment, well written stories, great fun acting, none of the stupid crap most U.S. television offered at all.
Nik Rahmat Yes likewise She was my first crush. Even before Puberty had even kicked in. I thought she was stunning. Just out of interest did anyone during the late 60's send off to ATV studio and BBC studio for autographed photos of the TV stars of the 60's ? Great times. Great TV.
...The OLDER -version...of Her is ...Astonishing...she''s WELL...Kept...Nice...Luscious...'''Lips...Slim, Trim, mean & Lean...noORCA The WhaLe Look or ...''Henrietta-'''HippoPotamus...Like these women you see out here...nowAdays...yucKKK...
I think one of the best shows ever it was about escaping the daily grind,not looking for oozing blood. Patrick Mcnee and all of his lady co stars were and are fabulous. Miss the all.
Today Diana Has Passed Away ,I Am Shocked Yes ,She Was Apart of My Childhood ,And A Classy Lady ,There TRULY WILL NEVER EVER BE ANOTHER LIKE HER My Condolences To Her Daughter
Back during the 1960s, it was great to watch Patrick MacNee and Dame Diana Rigg on “The Avengers” every week on ABC. There must have been millions of school boys across England, America, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, who had a huge crush on Dame Diana. Author George R.R. Martin has said that he loved watching Diana Rigg on “The Avengers” as a teenager. I thought that Linda Thorson as the energetic Tara King was also terrific as John Steed’s new partner on the show. And, years later, we finally got to see the wonderful Honor Blackman as Mrs. Cathy Gale (in her pre-Pussy Galore “Goldfinger” days) on American television. As others have already stated, it’s still great fun to watch the exploits of John Steed and his beautiful and highly capable colleagues on “The Avengers” over 50 years later. Requiem aeternam, Mr. MacNee, Dame Diana and and Ms. Blackman.
To me as a teenager at the time of the Avengers I was always in awe at the unparalleled writing of Brian Clemens and without his writing the show would never have been half the success it had become. Clenens had the creative ability to churn out brilliant macabre dramatic television writing for many British espionage drams including Danger Man, The Protectors, The Professionals, The Invisible Man, Remington Steele and The Persuaders to name but a few and the hugely successful 70's British TV series of 43 episodes, Thriller.
Clemens was amazingly inventive and prolific. I tip my hat to him on many things. I just wish he had never seen "Casablanca" so he wouldn't have turned Steed and Emma into Rick and Ilsa at their parting. 😄 ETA: the high water mark of the Avengers is generally seen as Season 4, the black and white Emma Peel episodes. There was a larger assortment of writers that season than most others and the different takes on the show from those writers was alluring. After this season, Clemens took on a bigger role, until it became more his vision than anyone else's, which limited some of the creativity from other minds being added. To the show's detriment, I think.
Mrs. Peel was the only Avengers girl where there was absolutely no doubt of her equality to Steed in every way. If Steed had left instead of her, she could have taken the lead role without a hiccup! Her acting chops were never in question, which is to this day, evident in her role on "Game of Thrones".
To me as a guy yes she's both beautiful and able to take care of herself, she proved to be pretty good in those action scenes. Very unusual to see a 60's girl that was strong and independent.
This documentary is delightful. And, more time should have been afforded to it; regarding the expansive influence that THE AVENGERS accomplished. For example, within the Canadian television series of 1990 entitled, "These Arms Of Mine", Shauna MacDonald's character of "Claire Monroe" was filming her lover, "David Bishop" , portrayed by Alex Carter at his work as a photographer. Her character was making an audition-interview tape for a news network. And, throughout this montage, was being played a song that featured the constant lyric, "I want to feel like Emma Peel". The song's title was either, "Emma Peel", OR "Like Emma Peel". And although every one of the avengers are loved, Emma did hold a particularly evocative influence as the beautiful genius, and master of martial arts and weaponry. Whom would NOT want to feel like Emma Peel? At least two other spy shows had presented their own homage to the show: [1] "Get Smart" had produced an episode in which a Steed-likened, and Emma-likened duo of villainous spies were stirring up trouble. And, although those characters were antagonists, fans of The Avengers could detect the familiar-affectations instantly! And, [2] "The Saint" , starring Roger Moore, featured an episode in which his character of "Simon Templar" was rescuing a woman from a fortress.----Both were navigating their way through the forest of the estate which was populated with armed guards. And, said young woman, who was hiding behind a tree, had administered a karate-chop against the base of the neck of one of those rifle carrying guards. He, as a result, fell to the ground; totally un-conscious. Proudly, she had boasted to Simon, "I learned THAT from watching television.! Then Simon, with much wit, answered, "Ye-es. Well, come along, Mrs. Peel.".
I was excited to visit England in the 1980's because of the Avengers. When I went, I had the greatest time of my life absorbing Avengers home nation. LOVE...
I was 11 and had no interest in girls at all. I couldn't understand what was all the fuss about girls among my older mates (I was always the youngest of the class)… then I saw Ms. Emma Peel and life changed for ever...
How I loved this show ! I came aboard during the Emma Peel episodes and became not only an instant fan but a dedicated watcher. I have seen and enjoyed the original episodes and the ones with Cathy Gale, and never could accept Tara King. The Emma Peel episodes were quirky, fun, a bit over the moon plotwise, and just terrific. Kudos to the production group who kept it all afloat and to Patrick McNee whose John Steed was the epitome of British manners and down to earth action. We shall never see its like again. Thank goodness for reruns, and thanks for this behind the scenes documentary.
1: If it weren't for Honor Blackman there'd be no Diana Rigg, Honor set the standard for Emma Peel to be possible. 2: The chemistry between Patrick and Diana is unmatched in TV/Film to this day. It was a once in a lifetime relationship!!
Best programme of its time and still an evergreen. My favourite theme music of all time!. I used to go to rugby with my dad in Leeds Yorkshire as a youngster, and what a thrill to see Diana Rigg Sat a few rows behind me, in the early 1970s
I watched this every week growing up. England was sunny and beautiful. Small villages held mysterious secrets. John Steed and Emma Peel were the greatest. Loved the cars, especially Steeds.
Dame Diana Rigg or should l call you Dame Mrs Peel. God bless you for the grace and Elegance you brought to the Avengers and also to the Bond film "On her majestys secret service". You were the actress which all other actresses need to aspire to, and will always need to aspire to. A true rose. God rest your soul. And l hope there are still people watching this video in 2020 and beyond. What a lady and what a gem. RIP Dame Diana Rigg.
Ah, the memories of my 13 yr old babysitter who my 7 yr old self thought was grown and was hopelessly in love with. Still have a pic of the two of us sitting together on the sofa holding hands right before my folks left for the evening and anxiously waiting for the Avengers to start. HI NANCY!!!
saw this as a child.. strugeled to freaking stay awake it showed so late.. but the wait was well worth it.. i love it to this day.. great fantasy and glamor only good old England could bring..
R.D Bergman yes Patrick was born in 1922 and was 93 when he passed away in 2015 only a few years before his close friend and former James Bond Star Roger Moore whom he co starred with in A View To A Kill.
I love SO many of the episodes of this magnificent series... but if I were forced to pick one, I'd have to say "The Joker" ... Emma's article on playing bridge attracts the attention of a Sir Cavalier Rusticana, who invites her to his home for the weekend... except what she finds is a huge house full of strange people and astonishing traps... Brilliant from start to finish, and it scared the crud out of me when I first saw it at 10 years of age!
I've always though of Avengers and Wild wild west as related shows. Both action adventure both part sci fi and whimsical and I am finding that both stand up to the test of time much better than anything made in their time period.
My favorite episode was the one where they were brain switched with the foreign agents. It gave Patrick and Dianna a chance to step out of character. It must have been a lot of fun for them.
@A Slice of Fruitcake, too husky for me. I liked the svelt Ms. Rigg better. Ms. Lumley was in the New Avengers I think. Wasn't Joanna also on the show Absolutely Fabulous???
it first run during the summer months back in the 60's, most stations at the time showed re-runs so they started picking up these British shows during the summer.
I'm too young to have seen the show in its original run (I was born in the middle of Diana Rigg's second series!), but I watched it religiously in re-runs on one of the San Francisco TV stations when I was in college in the mid-1980s.
Lovely to see this, especially after the sad news of recent days (Sept 2020), and to be reminded just how fantastic this series was all those years ago. What else combined the thrilling, the classy and the surreal in such appetising entertainment.