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...
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
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 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.
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.
...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-''..!
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 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.
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
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.
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? 😄
@@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 !
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.
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.
...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...
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!
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
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.
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. 🎉
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
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.
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...
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...
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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'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.
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..
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!!!
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.
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!
Why is it the British are creating so well done shows. Same with the British original of THE ELEVENTH HOUR. There Patrick Steward had been the advising scientist.
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!!
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.
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.
@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???
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.
Diana Rigg and her chemistry with Macnee made this show for me -- a true classic!
Agree 100 % !
I couldn’t agree more. Steed and Peel were magical together. I was sad when Diana Rigg left the show. Tara King would never compare.
Talk about having a serious crush! Diana Rigg was fine for days! There was something about her that made watching that show a quiet experience. 😊
Along with The Prisoner, The Avengers was just about the most entertaining thing that has ever been on television.
Agree. The depth of The Prisoner was, also amazing, a true illustration of life under an autocratic system that we were heading for.
Two of my favourite shows when I was 7, back when they were first on.
@@SenileOtakuyou were a very enlightened 7yo! 😊
Totally agree, but as a kid born in the early 60's I also have to add Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlett!
@@dougaldouglas8842
*_Yes, the hidden hand that holds the real power and that which is never seen!_*
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.
Not much "Class" in this.
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
The Avengers was one of the very best shows ever produced. There will never again be such a show.
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...
RIP Diana Rigg. You will never be forgotten.🥂🌂🥂2020. “Always keep your bowler on in times of stress and watch out for diabolical masterminds”.
Thank you. Emma Peale was a great role model for millions of us little girls, and she was the first on television.
Watched this show in reruns as a kid in the early 1970s. One of the best ever. Diana Rigg and Patrick Macnee were so awesome together!!
As a kid in the 60's I loved this show. Thank you.
We're so lucky to have enjoyed this level of entertainment. Emma Peel, Steed, and the whole adventure! What a delight in our personal history!
I never, ever tire of watching this program. Time and again each episode is consistently entertaining. I love them all.
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.
And the daft plots!
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!
The movie remake with Uma and Joephes (Yes, I know, the spelling) very close.
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
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.
There's something rather special about that theme tune, it still makes the hairs on the back of my neck prickle!
Agreed.
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.
I was in love with Linda Thorson. The close-out scenes in Steed's stylish mews flat, with the inevitable glass of champagne were priceless ! 😊
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.
Was there ever a better-dressed man than Patrick MacNee?
Even after five decades, those suits still ooze elegance and class.
Wonderful stuff.
...you noticed that too...!!!...
...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..!?
I seem to recall that Bat Masterson dressed very well.
@@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-''..!
Was there ever a cooler look? Super charisma and ultra-class.
A true classic with so much style that could never be replicated nowadays ❤️
One of the best television themes ever written
It's awesome yes!
Yes but also The persuaders
Department S too
a theme that takes genius, unequaled.A whole era and precious memories.
The theme music used for the first three series was performed by Johnny Dankworth I believe, Cleo Laine's husband and a great jazz musician.
Beauty, appeal, class, natural talent : Diana had everything. Will be sadly missed 😪, mrs peel you're needed elsewhere. RIP
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.
Every time I here that tune I'm 9years old again Best tv theme of all time...well that and t hunderbirds.
Theme courtesy of Laurie Johnson.
Diana Rigg and Patrick Macnee to me are the best I’ve ever seen.
Agree, they just kew each others reactions, rolled off each other, made it look easy, it was perfect.
And those spartan rural locations...!
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.
Diana Rigg..............wow. What a stunner, plus just a great show. Always big fun, well done.
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
Good point.
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
Can you imagine being in the shower and the cybernaut coming through the door where in the hell do you run
😂😂😂😂
😂😂😂
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.
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? 😄
Godspeed Diana. Thank you for entertaining us. Rest in Peace.
Still my favorite, since I was a child. Bravo to a great tv series😇
I use to love seeing The Avengers when I was a child. Best TV show ever!!!
RIP Patrick McNee, Honor Blackman, and Dame Diana Rigg. You were my heroes when I was just a kid. Thank God, we still have Dame Joan Collins!
Come off it.....the old boiler wore out her welcome decades ago.
@@bertplank8011
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 "Old Boiler" or should it be *_Old Broiler_* (a hen used for meat production)?
@@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!
So sad... Dame Diana Rigg has passed away this morning (9/10/20). She had it all...brains, beauty, and (in the 60s) this pre-teenage boys heart ♥️.
I loved the theme music.
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 !
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.
I loved Patrick MacNee and my favorite woman was Emma Peel! What a great show that was! ❤️ Diana Rigg and Patrick MacNee made the best episodes!
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.
As a child this was my favorite show. I loved the way Emma Peel was able to back John when they were threatened. Her fighting style was inspirational.
Memories. Loved this show... and Diana. When she left so did I.
"One of the best shows ever made" I whole heartedly agree UK TV
Vale Diana Rigg, 10 September 2020. Thank you so much for entertaining us during such a long career. Rest In Peace.
Diana Rigg was the best. Always loved the early B&W versions of The Avengers.
Dwight A So was Patrick Mcnee!!!
...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...
Whoa, all the actors still look so gorgeous and no botox. The Avengers forever and ever!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you from the USA...
Oh please Joan has had more work than the Panama Canal
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!
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!
Your dad had good taste,
From the 60s and 70s those two shows are still amazing
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
One of my favorite tv shows in the 60’s. I’m 63 now.
DIANA RIGG, BY FAR THE CLASSIEST MOST BEAUTIFUL OF THE AVENGER WOMEN!
David Kingsbury The only one of the three I watched the last one was just too campy if that’s a word
Modern Woman Forever Young
Best TV show ever. I still watch it every week on DVD. Escapism at its finest.
cool
BolanKeith
As Soon as I here the Music it alters my psychy.
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.
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. 🎉
A real blast from the past!! lol!! I loved The Avengers when I was growing up!!
Thank you for this!!
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
I was 10 years old, born and being raised in southern California, and I was sure TheAvengers was exactly how the English were and had always been :)
As a young boy watching Emma Peel on our black and white TV, I was always struck by her beauty.
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.
I also!
Wonderful TV show that entertained me as a child of the 60s. Emma was every boys first TV crush back in that day.
Like a butterfly on a flower. What a beautiful description of Diana Rigg by Patrick.
Diana Rigg was a stunningly beautiful gal. Had major fanboy crush on her.
Mekratrig. Every man loved Emma Peel!!.
@@tigerbay1000 and boys too.
Mekratrig Very beautiful
That's why I enjoyed the show and yes she was a beautiful woman
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...
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...
Diana was stunning in the day, none of the other girls ever came close.
Huge Diana Rigg fan -- when she was young on The Avengers and other projects and old too, on Game of Thrones.
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".
...they were all over WEIGHT according to ...HOLLYWOOD''
She was sweet but... only Honor Blackman was deemed beautiful enough for 007 in the greatest Bond movie ever... GOLDFINGER!!!
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.
One of my all time favorite shows, along with The West Wing. Both were intelligent and creative. Honorable mentions to Mash, WKRP, and Night Court.
One of my favorite TV shows.
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.
Loved it all from beginning to the end. Cheers for the memories!
As old Pat said, one of the greatest shows ever made.
tabletalk33 etched in my young mind. She and the series are epic!!!
I used to watch repeats of this show as a kid in the early 70;s, I had a crush on the woman, she really was very beautiful .
VLAD THE IMPALER super crush. She had a grip on me through the Telly in the States!
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 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.
One of my favorite shows and themes. Ran across it by accident and loved it ever since.
My hero was Mrs. Emma Peel. She was everything I wanted to be.
Dee Green
Me too
It's true what I've heard about lovely Emma Peel.She was the woman every woman wanted to be and every man wanted to be with.:-)
Lady Olenna was as hot as Margery
@@richardranke7878 Men want her, women want to be her...
I saw reruns of The Avengers in the early 80s here in the Philippines. I had a crush then with Diana Rigg. She's so pretty and sexy!
The Avengers are on now. Nanny Roberts.
ITV4. Starts 1545hrs.
On again at 1645hrs on ITV4 plus one.
Absolutely brilliant episode
🥰🇯🇲🏴🕊️🔥✝️
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.
He was a genius and true innovator.
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.
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
Hayden Harris
Yup Diana lived near Gledhow Valley Road for a while. As a kid, we often drove by the house where she supposedly lived. No luck seeing her, though.
Hayden Harris wow. Ditto
British movies,novels,culture is smashing!!
Simply loved this serious I was crazy about Emma peel we loved her may she Rest In Peace we miss you and John steed
Emma peel was the best of them all
Purdy x
Nope, Linda Thorson was my favourite - !
Cody DePalma( Ziva) captures much of the Emma Peel personification
It will always be Honor Blackman for me. Ian Hendry was good as well.
I never chased after blondes 'coz of Diana Rigg. Became a life long fan of brunettes & Black hair.....
It's good to see Diana Rigg and Joan Collins, two beautiful and classy British ladies.
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.
Da H and the coolest music themes ever!!
I honor you for your discernment.
Yes ,the avengers and the wild wild west were so much fun to watch. Off the wall fun.
I absolutely LOVE The Avengers, it was and is a very stylish and witty show, and there is NO woman sexier than Diana Rigg in a cat-suit!!!
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..
best ever remember it when i was a kid loved tara king
Hooray!!! Love this show, own every episode, watch them frequently..
R.D Bergman cool...I own the VHS'S....I want the dvd or blue ray
Aye, "what the butler saw" and "the house that jack built", and all the rest, the English charm will be remembered in this household till I'm gone.
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!!!
What a sweet memory. . ., thanks for sharing.
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.
One of my favorite TV shows ever. The Prisoner is up there with it.
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!
This episode was rewritten from a Blackman episode ( Don't look behind you). Both episodes were excellent.
it was the same house used for the superlative seven episode.
The scariest episode that I remembered from childhood was "the house that Jack built"
One of my favorite scenes in Marvel Comics is when a character meets Marvel's Avengers and says, "Oh wow! Which one is Mrs Peel?"
James Bond antics with a dash of Dr Who bonkers.....
What you call bonkers! Those wearing bowler hats call surrealism. Being of the arts it differs to realism whilst also being real.
Why is it the British are creating so well done shows. Same with the British original of THE ELEVENTH HOUR. There Patrick Steward had been the advising scientist.
Good summary!
...james-BOND''...(-pussy-GaLORE-)-...with One and Only ...sean-connery''...FORGET THE ...rest...
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!!
I agree about Honor Blackman as Cathy Gale. A true trendsetter who is too often overlooked by casual fans. But we diehards know better! 👍🥂
The theme was brilliant.
In the States it was on Friday nights at 10:00 on ABC. I can still remember being 10 years old, and staying up to watch with my older sister.
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.
Here in formerly Western Germany it was very popular at the end of the 1960's and early 1970's and I looked it every time when it was on the air
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.
i guess here it was also on Friday nights at the end of the 1969's .
I seem to remember it was like 8pm, the stations that normally showed re-runs during the summer months would pick up these english tv shows.
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.
Rigg was my favorite. James bond girls. No one could be like her she was big in the1960s and always will be.
GREAT SERIES.
Diana Rigg was perfect.
Honor Blackman :Quelle charme dans la figure !!!Le Charme Britannique :j ' adore ...
When Diana Rigg first appeared on the Avengers I was thirteen and had such a crush on her. Heck, Honor Blackman wasn't bad either.
@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???
The Soviet dossier on John Steed read: "Extremely Dangerous. Handle with Care!"
The file on Emma Peel read: "Way to dangerous. Do not handle at all!"
Fair assessment.
Rudolf Trost John Steed was every bit as dangerous! I love Steed and Mrs. Peel and both Patrick and Diana. Would never put one above the other.
Surely the Soviets could spell better than that.
Nyet!!
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.
that was hilarious.
I always remember that one where there was drug that made people always say the opposite of what they wanted to say, it was with Tara King.
I just watched that 2 days ago.It gave them the chance to finally be physical with each other, without having to flirt.
I was in a pub in Tasmania watching The Avengers and Diana Rigg appeared in a "bikini", the place went nuts! She and Patrick were an amazing duo.
It was a fun show to watch in the 1960's.