Amazon.com

Devotees of Diana Rigg's Mrs. Emma Peel will be especially thrilledby this two-volume collection of seven black-and-white episodes that closed out the fourth season of The Avengers in high and often provocative style. One Avengers Web site ranks "A Touch of Brimstone" among the 10 best episodes of the Mrs. Peel era; "What the Butler Saw" and "Honey for the Prince" rank among the top 20.

To these add "The House That Jack Built." This mind-bending tour de force finds Mrs. Peel at the mercy of a vengeful techno-obsessed mastermind who has rigged a mansion to drive her insane. Also included in this collection are "The Danger Makers," in which umbrella-toting gentleman spy John Steed (Patrick Macnee) and Mrs. Peel uncover a secret society of thrill-crazed soldiers; "A Sense of History," about a deadly clique of university students; and "How to Succeed... At Murder," in which secretarial assassins take their orders from, yes, a puppet. The mysteries are intriguing, the villains suitably mad, and the banter between Steed and Mrs. Peel charged with erotic possibilities. With the ravishing, knee-weakening sight of Emma decked out as Robin Hood in "A Sense of History," as a harem girl in "Honey for the Prince," and--be still my beating heart--as the Queen of Sin in "A Touch of Brimstone," this Avengers collection boasts very potent Emma "a-Peel." --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (7)

New partner for Steed
These DVD's from A&E represent the best known and certainly the most popular era of the long running British TV fantasy-adventure series "The Avengers." Made between 1965 and 1966, all 26 episodes of the fourth season of the show are available here on four discs.

When Honor Blackman (Mrs. Cathy Gale) left the series after season 3 to take up the lead role in the Bond movie "Goldfinger," the producers had already made the decision to start filming the series, moving it out of the TV studio and giving it a much glossier and dynamic feel. John Steed (Patrick MacNee), the debonair British government agent stayed on and his new partner was devised by the production team to be another tough, all-action girl with "Man Appeal." M-Appeal (geddit?) Elizabeth Shepherd was cast as Mrs. Emma Peel and two episodes were filmed before it was mutually agreed that she didn't meet the expectations of the production team. A quick replacement was sought and in stepped Diana Rigg. A TV legend was born.

The relationship between Steed and Mrs. Gale had always been haughty to say the least. With the introduction of the widowed (or seemingly) Mrs. Peel, the relationship between the two leads became much closer. Mrs. Peel was as intelligent, quick thinking and emasculated as her predecessor, and initially at least shared her penchant for leather outfits, but she was also certainly softer and more readily prepared to act as Steed's partner in their adventures.

The stories were certainly becoming much more fantasy bound, and the use of diabolical masterminds and organizations with bizarre acronyms became the norm for the stories from this series on. The fantasy and sci-fi elements of the show were highlighted more than before and the fashions and design of the show took on a much more stylish and indeed 'stylized' look. The success of these elements was immediate, and huge ratings in the UK followed, plus overseas transmissions of the show followed for the first time. Such was their success indeed that another 26 episodes were soon commissioned, this time to be made in color.

The stories have supposedly been digitally re-mastered for these DVD releases, and indeed the picture quality is pretty impressive, but there is still sparkle and dirt on the prints that may detract from the quality for some viewers. The 26 episodes are presented in the same order of their original UK transmission.

This for me is the very best season of the show, with great style and wit accompanying the excellent scripts, direction and production values. I'd certainly recommend this release to anyone.

One of the best Avengers EVER!
This set is a classic! This has some of my favorites on it. Patrick Macnee as John Steed and Diana Rigg as Emma Peel are my favorite duo from the Avengers. This set includes The Danger Makers, A Touch of Brimstone, What The Butler Saw, The House That Jack Built, A Sense of History, How To Succeed at Murder, and Honey For the Prince. These are some of the all time best episodes.

A best of `The Avengers'
For anyone unfamiliar with the stylish, tongue-in-cheek 1960s spy series, `The Avengers,' these episodes make the best introduction to the show's Diana Rigg years.

As Emma Peel, the tall, lithe Rigg made a strong female partner for Patrick Macnee's suave, polite agent John Steed, the lifeblood of the series.

Macnee provided brilliant support for all his leading ladies, and crisp, buxom Honor Blackman originated the role of leather-clad, judo-chopping woman warrior. But those show were not originally broadcast in the US, where viewers first tuned in and were turned on by Macnee's sparkling chemistry with the modelish Rigg.

A few caveats: this never more than a cult show in the U.S., and the shortcomings of its shoestring budgets are sometimes obvious. The writing varies in tone from intense action to silly comedy. The quality of the disks is generally quite good, but not always great. The A&E disks have few extras compared to the Contender series available in the UK. American fans: the checkerboard intro is missing, because these disks were made from UK masters, where the lead-in wasn't used.

That said, these episodes present several high points for the series in writing and direction, and also several of Rigg's more notorious costumes.

All that applies to the atmospheric historical thriller, `A Touch of Brimstone.' Diana Rigg is poured, padded and pushed up into black dominatrix gear, with boots, corset and snake. But the plot is ingenious, and Pat Macnee holds his end up, outwitting as well as outfighting particularly nasty villians.

Perhaps the best episode, though, has Peel trapped in a computerized house, trying to `reason her way out' of the predicament. Compared to the typical damsel-in-distress plots of other TV shows of the time, `The Avengers' women were decades ahead of their time.

`The Dangermakers' is another thriller, as the heroes infiltrate a group of thrill-seekers, military men who don't get enough buzz from civilian life.

`Honey for the Prince' presents nefarious goings-on with a lighter touch, and includes sterling performances by the best gallery of eccentric supporting characters ever assembled. Still, some fans fast-forward to Emma's dance of six veils. Her unpadded bustier does nothing for Diana Rigg's waifish bust _ think Kate Moss, not Pam Anderson. But her Emma Peel character does does think, and Rigg also shows endearing spunk in something as simple as tugging on her Turkish trousers. Scantily clad, she still takes out the bad guy.

In a fashion sense, the boyish Rigg does better dressed as Robin Hood in `A Sense of History.' Diana still saves the day in a costume that flatters her thin figure and shows off her legs. The plot is not quite as sharp as `Brimstone,' but there's another off-beat villain to provide a surprise.

`What the Butler Saw' is a bit fluffy, but gives Patrick Macnee a chance to have some fun in various undercover guises, including, of course, a true gentleman's gentleman.

The only real clunker in the lot is `How to Succeed.. at Murder,' a tiresome and condescending take on feminism that is even more dated now.

Six out of seven isn't bad, especially as part of a charming series that greatly influenced the `X-Files,' `Dark Angel,' `Alias,' `Charlie's Angels,' maybe even `Ed.' If you're curious about `The Avengers,' this is the place to start.

The Show At Its Peak
For my money, this set represents The Avengers at its peak. They did terrific shows before and after these last seven episodes of '66, but they never had another such sustained streak of brilliance as this here.

The set includes "The House That Jack Built," my favorite episode of the Diana Rigg series. I love it because it's such a great showcase for Diana as an actress, but also that we can see a strong, intelligent female character saving her own skin (rather than being rescued by a dashing hero) by *reasoning* her way out of the problem. I also think the house itself is just an ingenious idea: what would you do if you were stuck in a house designed as a machine to trap you inside? Apparently the producers were so intrigued by the idea, they gave Mrs. Peel a similar problem in the '67 episode, "The Joker."

I also see the influence of the episode pop up in other series from time to time. Some writers have noted the debt that the X-Files owes to the Avengers. Look for the X-Files episode called "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" (w/ Ed Asner & Lily Tomlin) playing on FX during the holidays, and see if you don't think it's Chris Carter's homage to "The House That Jack Built."

Anyway, every episode in this set is just as inspired and witty in its own way, most of them variations on secret societies and assassination conspiracies. We also get some of Diana Rigg's most notorious costumes here: the Queen of Sin in "A Touch of Brimstone," a harem girl in "Honey for the Prince," and Robin Hood in "A Sense of History."

My only complaint: where is the chessboard introduction to the episodes? I realize that the intro was created only for the American audience, but for Americans who saw the program on TV it's become part of the show! Every US fan who knows the show from TV can recite the narration from memory: "Extraordinary crimes against the people and the state have to be avenged by agents extraordinary... two such people are John Steed, top professional, and his partner Emma Peel, talented amateur... otherwise known as... THE AVENGERS!"

Come on, you hear the burst of bongos, you see the guy fall onto the chessboard with a knife in his back, there's the narration, Emma steps forward in her catsuit, Steed breaks out the champagne... and you're primed to go. How could they take that out? It's classic! So classic, the definitive book on The Avengers, THE COMPLETE AVENGERS by Dave Rogers, has a cover photo of Steed & Mrs. Peel standing on the set. I just don't understand what A&E was thinking.

If you're new to the show, you won't miss what you never knew, and nobody should let that omission deter them from getting the set, anyway. It's just a small frustration for me because I like the intro so much. Apart from that, five stars for the set. The stories are as clever as the series ever got, Rigg has really found herself in the role by now and the chemistry between her and Patrick MacNee is electric, and the b&w film looks incredible after the restoration. If you're buying your first Avengers set, start here.

This Is the House that Steed Built
What a provocative cover! If you fondly remember that great British import that we watched on TV way back in the 60s then you no doubt know about the content of what you are getting. You are more likely concerned about the quality of the product. Like John might say to Emma, "You scratch my back and I'll scratch your back. Just watch the hat please." John and Emma are back and are here to stay. Being on DVD, the aesthetics about the actual episodes are not in question here. More appropriately one may ask how they look. They look good, very good, excellent in fact. Still can't get that great theme out of my head. You get seven on this one. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Get your kicks with The Avengers '66. This two-volume set uncorks six sought-after episodes from this cult classic series' fourth season. Patrick Macnee, the umbrella-toting gentleman spy John Steed, and Diana Rigg, the ravishing Mrs. Emma Peel, investigate further extraordinary goings-on in the most ordinary of places, including a swank hotel ("Room Without a View") and a golf course and dance school ("The 13th Hole" and "The Quick-Quick-Slow Death"). Suitable for framing is "The Girl from Auntie," in which an art dealer, who supplies his clients "anything for a price" (including the Mona Lisa!), kidnaps Emma for auction to enemy agents. Perhaps members of Monty Python's Flying Circus got the inspiration for their "Hell's Grannies" sketch from this episode's quaint assassin, an elderly "lady" who does in her victims (including four chaps named John, Paul, George, and... Fred) with knitting needles.

For new fans, the episodes found in The Avengers '65 sets are of a better vintage, and The Avengers '67 offerings give more of a campy, effervescent kick. But '66 was still a very good year, and Avengers aficionados will, of course, want to own every episode from the Mrs. Peel era. "What's so special about Mrs. Peel?" a woman asks in "Auntie." "You'd think she was Madame Curie and a half-dozen others all rolled into one." She is, to borrow a phrase, all that. A second Avengers '66 boxed DVD set is also available. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (6)

New partner for Steed
These DVD's from A&E represent the best known and certainly the most popular era of the long running British TV fantasy-adventure series "The Avengers." Made between 1965 and 1966, all 26 episodes of the fourth season of the show are available here on four discs.

When Honor Blackman (Mrs. Cathy Gale) left the series after season 3 to take up the lead role in the Bond movie "Goldfinger," the producers had already made the decision to start filming the series, moving it out of the TV studio and giving it a much glossier and dynamic feel. John Steed (Patrick MacNee), the debonair British government agent stayed on and his new partner was devised by the production team to be another tough, all-action girl with "Man Appeal." M-Appeal (geddit?) Elizabeth Shepherd was cast as Mrs. Emma Peel and two episodes were filmed before it was mutually agreed that she didn't meet the expectations of the production team. A quick replacement was sought and in stepped Diana Rigg. A TV legend was born.

The relationship between Steed and Mrs. Gale had always been haughty to say the least. With the introduction of the widowed (or seemingly) Mrs. Peel, the relationship between the two leads became much closer. Mrs. Peel was as intelligent, quick thinking and emasculated as her predecessor, and initially at least shared her penchant for leather outfits, but she was also certainly softer and more readily prepared to act as Steed's partner in their adventures.

The stories were certainly becoming much more fantasy bound, and the use of diabolical masterminds and organizations with bizarre acronyms became the norm for the stories from this series on. The fantasy and sci-fi elements of the show were highlighted more than before and the fashions and design of the show took on a much more stylish and indeed 'stylized' look. The success of these elements was immediate, and huge ratings in the UK followed, plus overseas transmissions of the show followed for the first time. Such was their success indeed that another 26 episodes were soon commissioned, this time to be made in color.

The stories have supposedly been digitally re-mastered for these DVD releases, and indeed the picture quality is pretty impressive, but there is still sparkle and dirt on the prints that may detract from the quality for some viewers. The 26 episodes are presented in the same order of their original UK transmission.

This for me is the very best season of the show, with great style and wit accompanying the excellent scripts, direction and production values. I'd certainly recommend this release to anyone.

A Very God Plot and Very Fun
The Avengers, Patrick Macnee as John Steed and Diana Rigg as Mrs. Emma Peel are a classic two from the Avengers. This is a great set. It has some very good plots and these episodes are always fun to watch. From finding out about a new star from trading enemy agents into England, the Avengers are always on the tail of the enemy. This set includes: Silent Dust, Room Without a View,Small Game for Big Hunters, Girl From Auntie, The 13th Hole, and Quick-Quick-Slow Death. This is a fine Avengers sets... but not the best.

Yet Another Great Set of Episodes.
It is very difficult to review the Avengers DVD sets. Each set of disks has its own set of highlights and just when you think that they must have exhausted all of the clever ideas, they reach out and tap you with yet another inspired script superbly performed by well trained actors.

And this disk is no different. It ranges from the highly interesting Girl from Auntie (with a "costume" for Mrs. Peel which it is hard to believe got by censors from the period) in which Steed steps forward and takes the primary focus to the rather strange "The 13th Hole" which brings a new outlook on the game of golf as a life and death struggle. Not a weak episode in the bunch.

(One of the best parts about these old avengers episodes is seeing future stars of stage and screen in roles unlike those for which they achieved fame. )

The 13th Hole
If you fondly remember that great British import that we watched on TV way back in the 60s then you no doubt know about the content of what you are getting. The year is 1966 and it is definitely more 'camp' I would say. Still you may be more likely concerned about the quality of the product. Like John might say to Emma, "You scratch my back and I'll scratch your back. Just watch the hat please." John and Emma are back and are here to stay via DVD technology. Being on DVD, the aesthetics about the actual episodes are not in question here. More appropriately one may ask how they look. They look good, very good, excellent in fact. Still can't get that great theme out of my head, 1966 and all.

3 Belles and All is Well
John Steed certainly was comfortably well in the hands of Kathy Gale, Mrs. Emma Peel and Tara King. 'The Avengers" was a popular 1960's British fantasy-adventure series that focused on the exploits of a male-female duo in the service of the British government. The series underwent several changes of its female lead but its one constant male lead was John Steed always portrayed by the debonair Patrick Macnee (Originally the John Steed had two male partners but that format eventually changed). Kathy Gale portrayed by Honor Blackman became Steed's first female partner. However, when Honor Blackman departed the series and Diana Rigg entered as Mrs. Emma Peel, the show became an international sensation. Rigg brought sophistication, wit, charm and beauty, which hid her lethal and highly visual judo and karate abilities. Macnee and Rigg complemented each other beautifully with their carefree witty and charming exchange of dialogue. The show distinguished itself with bizarre and futuristic villains and fantastic plots. Popular at the height of the James Bond craze, the show was able to distinguish itself with its simply over-the-top visual style. Laurie Johnson's catchy and sophisticated main title theme matched the visuals of the show and still conjures up an image of the series when listened to today. When Diana Rigg left the series, Linda Thorson entered as John Steed's new partner Tara King. The series soon went off the air in the United States. It was a shame because the episodes with Tara King were quite good. The King episodes seemed to be a little more down to earth and contained some very good writing and intricate plotting. In any event series definitely left its mark amongst the finest. These DVD copies are gorgeous and they sound great in Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

...and Steed's Mother makes three!
The final season of the original Avengers finally comes to DVD & VHS in region one. "The Forget me knot," the debut episode of Ms. Tara King played by Linda Thorson, was released back in 1998, but only now is the entire series seeing the light of day - and it's been well worth the wait.

There are many of course who do not rate these last adventures featuring the debonair John Steed as Britain's top government agent as highly as what had gone before, and it's easy to see why. Steed's pairing originally with Mrs Gale (Honor Blackman) and later Mrs Peel (Diana Rigg) had been an excellent match for his skills. With Mrs Peel leaving the show, the producers, Brian Clemens and Albert Fennell followed suit and John Bryce was brought back to the programme, following his stint producing the early Mrs Gale episodes.

The first thing Bryce did was to cast his girlfriend, twenty one year old Canadian Linda Thorson as Steed's new assistant, Miss Tara King. In order to complete the delivery of episodes to the US market, production was fairly rushed, and what came out of it was deemed substandard. Bryce was sacked and Fennell and Clemens brought back to rescue the production. Clemens was particularly unhappy about Linda Thorson's role, but it was too late in the day to do anything about it. They set about filming the initial block of 8 episodes (extended to 9), rehashing two of the abandoned Bryce episodes, and bringing back Mrs Peel for the one-off story "The forget me knot" to introduce the new character of Tara (although this "debut" was actually filmed third). Once these episodes were ready, they set about producing the final batch of 24.

There is a very significant shift in the character of Tara King between these two production blocks as Thorson began to gain confidence in the part. Also added as a regular into the later stories is Steed & Tara's boss, "Mother," played by Patrick Newell. Thorson's inexperience and the naivety of the character are often cited as the reason the show was cancelled after these episodes were transmitted. Personally, I think the inclusion of the very annoying "Mother" to be a far more valid reason. But it's all a matter of taste.

The stories are included on the discs in the order they were first transmitted in the UK. I would strongly recommend viewing them in PRODUCTION ORDER (easy to track on any Avengers website). There are several reasons for this. It's easier to warm to Miss King as you follow her character development. It also makes more sense to understand her constant hair changes and costume. She started as a blonde, moved to a be-wigged brunette, and only in the latter 24 episodes did we see Thorson's own hair. We can also see how the actress started in "slimmed down mode" (on the orders of the TV station) but regained her lost weight as the series moved along. The character also started out as a complete "spy" trainee, but by the second production block, had become one of the most experienced agents in Mother's department. I also enjoyed seeing the rehashed sets from episode to episode too. All these nuances are lost by following the stories strictly in disc order, and indeed the characterisation of the leads is actually confusing if you simply watch the shows in disc order.

As for the discs themselves, sadly A&E have once again neglected to include any extras at all. All there is are a few still photos, although it has to be said that the menus are at least very well done. The picture quality is certainly very sharp, but there are definitely flaws due to sparkle and dirt. Sadly, "You'll catch your death" has been transferred incorrectly, and the picture strobes and jumps throughout. Clearly no-one at A&E was paying much attention to the remastering process.

Clemens believes this batch of episodes to be the best of the entire run of The Avengers. He has stated that everything came together right in terms of production and scripts. I can't say I agree entirely. They are certainly as enjoyable as anything else, but the total fantasy nature of the stories and the weakness of Tara and Mother characters combine to take the edge away when compared to the earlier Peel episodes. Regardless, it's all camp and wacky fun and I still highly recommend this collection to any fan of the series as there is plenty here to enjoy.

GREAT VIEWING
I JUST GOT THIS DVD AND IT IS GREAT.
THE STORIES ARE AS FOLLOWS.

THE INTERROGATORS-STEED AND TARA VS AN EVIL MASTERMIND KILLING AGENTS INFORMERS WILL TARA SPILL THE BEANS..

THE ROTTERS- STEED AND TARA INVESTIGATE A VERY BAD CASE OF DRY ROT...

INVASION OF THE EARTHMEN- STEED AND TARA ARE HUNTED THROUGH A BIZZARE SCHOOL FULL OF PITS,KILLERS AND DEADLY TUNNELLS.

KILLER-TARA TAKES A HOLIDAY AND STEED GETS A NEW ASSISTANT WHO CAN MORE THAN TAKE CARE OF HERSELF.

THE MORNING AFTER- STEED AND A MAN HE IS TRYING TO PUT INTO CUSTODY MUST TEAM UP TO SAVE A DESERTED TOWN...AND TARA IS PUT TOO SLEEP!!

THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE COUNTLESS CLUES- STEEDS FREINDS ARE BEING FRAMED FOR MURDER SOON IT IS STEEDS TURN ..THE VICTIM A INCAPACITATED TARA..

I LIKED THESE ONES ALL ARE VERY INTERESTING BUY THIS NOW.

Steed Goes in for the Kill - Tara Takes a Spill
For those staunch Emma Peel fans, you can rejoice, for the infamous episode "Killer" is in your hands, featuring the undeniably Emma Peel-ish Lady Diana Forbes. But for those other unbiased viewers, you'll be happy to know that there's only one sour apple in the bunch. So settle down and take these six doses of Tara, and judge for yourself; adorably wacky or embarassingly inept?

First, we have the indelibly charming "The Interrogators", and then the humorous "The Rotters", and of course the detestable "Invasion of the Earthmen". "The Interrogators" is perhaps the definitive Tara King episode, in which agents run trough a special interrogation course, and then find all their contacts have been murdered. So many plusses for this one! First of all, we have the great Charles Crichton directing (his last episode, sadly), a terrific script, and an exorbant amount of batty boffins, with lots of cute touches such as Izzy Pound and his Incredible Marching Sound, which, for me, takes the cake. This is one of my favorite Tara episodes, featuring the ever-menacing Christopher Lee as villianous Colonel Mannering. A truly brilliant episode in every respect! Next we have "The Rotters", in which experts on forestry are being murdered for knowing too much about dry-rot. I can't find much to say, but it smacks with classic Avengers touches, such as a delightful pair of villianous, a good dose of wit, and plenty of eccentrics. Last there's "Invasion of the Earthmen", in which Tara and Steed invetigate at a Space Academy, training astronauts with aspirations of conquering space. This one's a dud thanks to its shakey production history. It was half finished with producer John Bryce at the helm, before he was sacked, then additional scenes were filmed and the result presents a fascinating premise, but it's just so very dull. I reccomend you pass on this one, unless you feel you can really stomach it.

On the second disk, there's the fan favorite "Killer", the haunting "The Morning After", and the straightforward but well-executed "The Curious Case of the Countless Clues". "Killer" seems to work much better for the Tara-haters, as Tara is off on holiday and she's replaced with leggy Lady Forbes, in which agents are all turning up dead, gift-wrapped, clean as a whistle, and dumped in a graveyard. The Forbes character seemed quite wooden to me, while the episode was still good, I would have much preferred Tara. Good all-round production, though. "The Morning After" also excludes Tara, as she spends the episode asleep, and Steed, handcuffed to a criminal, searches a deserted town. This episode is extremely haunting and memorable for it's somber and sweeping atmosphere. Much like "The Town of No Return", it's quite eerie. Last we have "The Curious Case of the Countless Clues", in which aristocrats are being implicated as murderers thanks too some extremely damning evidence, courtesy of a very clever killer with a weakness for art. This episode is quite good. While rather bland, there really isn't much at fault, and features an extremely harrowing climax well worth the price of admission.

This set is definitely worth your money, and all the episodes, except one, are good. It's worth the price for "The Interrogators" alone. So don't hesitate, Tara won't bite. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Final series makes it to DVD
The final season of the original Avengers finally comes to DVD & VHS in region one. "The Forget me knot," the debut episode of Ms. Tara King played by Linda Thorson, was released back in 1998, but only now is the entire series seeing the light of day - and it's been well worth the wait.

There are many of course who do not rate these last adventures featuring the debonair John Steed as Britain's top government agent as highly as what had gone before, and it's easy to see why. Steed's pairing originally with Mrs Gale (Honor Blackman) and later Mrs Peel (Diana Rigg) had been an excellent match for his skills. With Mrs Peel leaving the show, the producers, Brian Clemens and Albert Fennell followed suit and John Bryce was brought back to the programme, following his stint producing the early Mrs Gale episodes.

The first thing Bryce did was to cast his girlfriend, twenty one year old Canadian Linda Thorson as Steed's new assistant, Miss Tara King. In order to complete the delivery of episodes to the US market, production was fairly rushed, and what came out of it was deemed substandard. Bryce was sacked and Fennell and Clemens brought back to rescue the production. Clemens was particularly unhappy about Linda Thorson's role, but it was too late in the day to do anything about it. They set about filming the initial block of 8 episodes (extended to 9), rehashing two of the abandoned Bryce episodes, and bringing back Mrs Peel for the one-off story "The forget me knot" to introduce the new character of Tara (although this "debut" was actually filmed third). Once these episodes were ready, they set about producing the final batch of 24.

There is a very significant shift in the character of Tara King between these two production blocks as Thorson began to gain confidence in the part. Also added as a regular into the later stories is Steed & Tara's boss, "Mother," played by Patrick Newell. Thorson's inexperience and the naivety of the character are often cited as the reason the show was cancelled after these episodes were transmitted. Personally, I think the inclusion of the very annoying "Mother" to be a far more valid reason. But it's all a matter of taste.

The stories are included on the discs in the order they were first transmitted in the UK. I would strongly recommend viewing them in PRODUCTION ORDER (easy to track on any Avengers website). There are several reasons for this. It's easier to warm to Miss King as you follow her character development. It also makes more sense to understand her constant hair changes and costume. She started as a blonde, moved to a be-wigged brunette, and only in the latter 24 episodes did we see Thorson's own hair. We can also see how the actress started in "slimmed down mode" (on the orders of the TV station) but regained her lost weight as the series moved along. The character also started out as a complete "spy" trainee, but by the second production block, had become one of the most experienced agents in Mother's department. I also enjoyed seeing the rehashed sets from episode to episode too. All these nuances are lost by following the stories strictly in disc order, and indeed the characterisation of the leads is actually confusing if you simply watch the shows in disc order.

As for the discs themselves, sadly A&E have once again neglected to include any extras at all. All there is are a few still photos, although it has to be said that the menus are at least very well done. The picture quality is certainly very sharp, but there are definitely flaws due to sparkle and dirt. Sadly, "You'll catch your death" has been transferred incorrectly, and the picture strobes and jumps throughout. Clearly no-one at A&E was paying much attention to the remastering process.

Clemens believes this batch of episodes to be the best of the entire run of The Avengers. He has stated that everything came together right in terms of production and scripts. I can't say I agree entirely. They are certainly as enjoyable as anything else, but the total fantasy nature of the stories and the weakness of Tara and Mother characters combine to take the edge away when compared to the earlier Peel episodes. Regardless, it's all camp and wacky fun and I still highly recommend this collection to any fan of the series as there is plenty here to enjoy.

THE BEST DVD YET!!!
I JUST GOT THIS DVD TODAY AND I HAVE TO SAY I THINK IT IS THE BEST YET. THE STORIES ARE AS FOLLOWS

WISH YOU WERE HERE.. TARA BECOMES TRAPPED IN A HOTEL SHE CAN NEVER LEAVE....

STAY TUNED...STEED FINDS HIMSELF LIVING THE SAME DAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN ONE PROBLEM NO ONE ELSE DOES.

TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER-STEED AND TARA CHASE A TALKING BREIFCAST TO CATCH A SPY...MOTHER!!!

FOG...STEED AND TARA CHASE THE GASLIGHT GHOUL TARA FINDS HIM IN HER APARTMENT.

HOMICIDE AND OLD LACE..MOTHER TELLS A THRILLING ADVENTURE TO HIS ELDERLY AUNTS INVOLVING STEED AND TARA.

LOVE ALL...STEED AND TARA FIND ROMANCE MAY NOT BE DEAD AFTER ALL BUT THE MEN WHO FALL FOR THIS LADY CLEANER SURE ARE.

GETAWAY...TWO OF STEEDS FREIND ARE KILLED BY AN INVISIBLE MAN AND STEED IS NEXT.

ALL IN ALL THE STORIES HERE ARE VERY GOOD BUY THIS NOW I PROMISE YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT. ONE MORE LITTLE THING THE BOX I GOT WAS RED NOT THAT GARISH YELLOW ON THE PICTURE ABOVE. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Early adventures for Steed
For all the fans of The Avengers familiar with the Emma Peel/Tara King era of the show, these early episodes featuring Cathy Gale and Venus Smith may come as something of a disappointment. In fact, fans of the later shows may find it hard to believe that they are even part of the same TV series!

After the initial run of 26 episodes featuring Police Surgeon David Keel and his cohort John Steed had aired in the UK in 1961/62, the producers of the program opted to bring Steed to the forefront of the action and give him a number of different "assistants." Thus, for season two, 26 further episodes were made and broadcast in 1962/63 featuring Steed abetted by Martin King, Venus Smith or Cathy Gale. Mrs. Gale turned out to be the most popular and successful foil for the suave agent, and the other characters did not return after season two. Unlike the later Peel/King stories which were all made on film, these studio based TV shows are much more reliant on dialogue and plot than visual elements, and can be somewhat heavy going as a result.

A&E is releasing these stories in a somewhat confusing order, and has started with season three. The first two sets released, Avengers 64 1 & 2, feature the LAST six episodes of season three. Next comes Avengers 63 sets 1 & 2 which comprises of the first half of the season. Next up in the release order is 63 sets 3 & 4 which precede 1 & 2 in running order and in fact feature the last seven stories from season two, plus the first from season three. Confused? Ultimately, it doesn't really matter, since thankfully there's no real reason to watch the stories in chronological order anyway.

What is interesting is the development of the production standards. 63 sets 3 & 4, featuring the latter stories from season two, are far more rudimentary in terms of production quality. The sets are extremely small and sparse; The direction very slap-hazard; Camera work shoddy; Sound is extremely poor; and the acting is negligible. With no budget for editing or reshooting, all the actor's fluffs and goofs stayed in. Steed's character is far less suave and sophisticated then he became later during his familiar role alongside Mrs. Peel, and the relationship with Mrs. Gale in particular is at first downright hostile with very little warmth between the two. He seems to get along much better with Miss Venus Smith, a night club singer who he engages at various gigs to act as his eyes and ears. Venus is a very odd character, and played strangely, but enthusiastically by Julie Stevens. She looks about 12, sings like she's forty, and dresses like anything in between. She also seems extremely naïve and it's hard to imagine why Steed engages her to help him at all. The far more intelligent and elegant Mrs. Gale does eventually warm up to Steed, and in the season three stories where she is the exclusive companion to him, their relationship develops nicely and they become much warmer and closer to each other.

The production values on season three are also much better than the earlier episodes. The sets became larger and more elaborate. The direction, lighting and sound improved greatly and the acting was much less wooden. Some editing was clearly allowed on these later stories, whereas the earlier ones clearly were broadcast as if they were live. There's a terrific blunder in "Six hands across a table," where Cathy is called "Ros" in one scene, and both actors realize the mistake, but keep going.

The quality of the DVD's is somewhat disappointing, even accounting for the age of the material and the production values mentioned above. It may not be the case, but it certainly appears that A&E have made no attempt whatsoever to re-master the original tapes, and the flaws, jumps, scratches and sound blips are too numerous to mention. Virtually every episode on 63 sets 3 & 4 are hampered by picture and sound flaws and defects. Things do improve for 63 1 & 2 and 64 1 & 2, but the quality is still disappointing. Mind you, it appears they have done nothing to clean up the Tara King episodes either!

As a big fan of the series, I wouldn't even consider not having these episodes in my collection, but if you're looking for the wacky camp humor and the tele-fantasy of the Peel/King eras, these stories may not be for you.

An Inimitable Partnership
Not a very gentleman-like Steed you say? Before the good old days you say? If you fondly remember that great British import that we watched on TV way back in the 60s then you no doubt know about the content of what you are getting. Yet, you may be surprised by this one. John seems a bit rough and tumbled around the edges. And his partner is quite a looker. In this case it is not John and Emma, but instead John and Kathy Gale (Honor Blackman). Still you may likely be concerned about the quality of the product. Being on DVD, the aesthetics about the actual episodes are not in question here. All these episodes were shot directly to videotape and they have great historic value to lovers of the show. 'Warlock' is my favorite episode. Very creepy that one is.

Of more historical interest than dramatic at this point
Of the 160 "Avengers" episodes telecast since its inception (recorded on 1/61) to the last of the Tara King entries (5/69), numbers 41-128 are now available from A&E on tape and DVD. This means we have almost all of the Cathy Gale's and all of the Diana Rigg's, which is saying a lot! The latest entry in this series is that give us those telecasts starting with "Intercrime" (1/63) and ending with "Brief for Murder"(5/63).

In reviewing the other sets, I stated that we must judge these older offerings on their own merits without comparing them unfairly with what was to come when Rigg took over. Here we must even forget the more fanciful Honor Blackman episodes that began after the ones included in these sets; for indeed many of these are pretty cut and dry detective plots without much imaginative development or even witty dialogue. (An exception is a female character's claiming that in her act she does "interesting things with stuffed snakes"!)

The best one of all is the last, which is really the opening of the third Avengers season. Here we have Steed apparently involved in treason and then in a murder, the latter being that of Cathy Gale. Since we simply KNOW that the whole thing has to be a put up, the suspense is minimal. However the acting is the smoothest of all the episodes in these sets, special thanks given to John Laurie and Harold Scott, who play two lawyer brothers determined to make legal history in a way that followers of the O.J. murder trial will find very up to date.

Some of the telecasts find Julie Stevens as Venus Smith in place of Honor Blackman; and I for one found myself fast forwarding through the two obligatory songs she was given in each of her appearances. As always, the chemistry between Steed and Gale is never that between Steed and Peel. Gale seems to display more annoyance than admiration for him; and frankly I do find his character a little too cocky, enough to make me agree with her.

It is always fun to spot actors who will appear in future episodes or as stars in their own right in the years after these shows were recorded. We have a very young Paul Eddington ("The Good Neighbors," "Yes, Minister"), Philip Latham (the Rigg episode "Room Without a View" and the series "The Pallisers")--to name only two.

Still, there is enough enjoyment in these old telecasts, which (by the way) seem to have a better picture and sound quality than early issues of later shows; but still with occasional blurring and jumping, much of which I suspect is in the original tapes, and now and then fuzzy sound, due mostly to the accents. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Morse at his best, part two
The Inspector Morse series is one of the greatest in detective drama. While Colin Dexter's books are marvels of intricate (and occasionally bizarre) plot twists, the movies focus more on the characters involved...and in this movie (and "Who Killed Harry Field") especially so. The mystery is good, but the kinship between Morse and chief suspect Michael Steppings is best thing about this particular episode. It's one of those great films where the bad guys and good guys seem to have reversed roles, and the whole mystery hinges on one small slip...#2 on the list of the five greatest Morses! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

...and Steed's Mother makes three!
The final season of the original Avengers finally comes to DVD & VHS in region one. "The Forget me knot," the debut episode of Ms. Tara King played by Linda Thorson, was released back in 1998, but only now is the entire series seeing the light of day - and it's been well worth the wait.

There are many of course who do not rate these last adventures featuring the debonair John Steed as Britain's top government agent as highly as what had gone before, and it's easy to see why. Steed's pairing originally with Mrs Gale (Honor Blackman) and later Mrs Peel (Diana Rigg) had been an excellent match for his skills. With Mrs Peel leaving the show, the producers, Brian Clemens and Albert Fennell followed suit and John Bryce was brought back to the programme, following his stint producing the early Mrs Gale episodes.

The first thing Bryce did was to cast his girlfriend, twenty one year old Canadian Linda Thorson as Steed's new assistant, Miss Tara King. In order to complete the delivery of episodes to the US market, production was fairly rushed, and what came out of it was deemed substandard. Bryce was sacked and Fennell and Clemens brought back to rescue the production. Clemens was particularly unhappy about Linda Thorson's role, but it was too late in the day to do anything about it. They set about filming the initial block of 8 episodes (extended to 9), rehashing two of the abandoned Bryce episodes, and bringing back Mrs Peel for the one-off story "The forget me knot" to introduce the new character of Tara (although this "debut" was actually filmed third). Once these episodes were ready, they set about producing the final batch of 24.

There is a very significant shift in the character of Tara King between these two production blocks as Thorson began to gain confidence in the part. Also added as a regular into the later stories is Steed & Tara's boss, "Mother," played by Patrick Newell. Thorson's inexperience and the naivety of the character are often cited as the reason the show was cancelled after these episodes were transmitted. Personally, I think the inclusion of the very annoying "Mother" to be a far more valid reason. But it's all a matter of taste.

The stories are included on the discs in the order they were first transmitted in the UK. I would strongly recommend viewing them in PRODUCTION ORDER (easy to track on any Avengers website). There are several reasons for this. It's easier to warm to Miss King as you follow her character development. It also makes more sense to understand her constant hair changes and costume. She started as a blonde, moved to a be-wigged brunette, and only in the latter 24 episodes did we see Thorson's own hair. We can also see how the actress started in "slimmed down mode" (on the orders of the TV station) but regained her lost weight as the series moved along. The character also started out as a complete "spy" trainee, but by the second production block, had become one of the most experienced agents in Mother's department. I also enjoyed seeing the rehashed sets from episode to episode too. All these nuances are lost by following the stories strictly in disc order, and indeed the characterisation of the leads is actually confusing if you simply watch the shows in disc order.

As for the discs themselves, sadly A&E have once again neglected to include any extras at all. All there is are a few still photos, although it has to be said that the menus are at least very well done. The picture quality is certainly very sharp, but there are definitely flaws due to sparkle and dirt. Sadly, "You'll catch your death" has been transferred incorrectly, and the picture strobes and jumps throughout. Clearly no-one at A&E was paying much attention to the remastering process.

Clemens believes this batch of episodes to be the best of the entire run of The Avengers. He has stated that everything came together right in terms of production and scripts. I can't say I agree entirely. They are certainly as enjoyable as anything else, but the total fantasy nature of the stories and the weakness of Tara and Mother characters combine to take the edge away when compared to the earlier Peel episodes. Regardless, it's all camp and wacky fun and I still highly recommend this collection to any fan of the series as there is plenty here to enjoy.

A classic gem
These original Avengers are what entertainment should be. Witty, urbane and highly entertaining, this last set is definitely a keeper. I only regret that there are not more in the works. This set is great for anybody who would like to spend an evening of quality television programming. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The long-running Avengers series added some extra gloss to itslook and feel by filming in color starting in 1967, making the inimitable, eccentric atmosphere of the show complete. That production change coincided with some of the best writing the program ever enjoyed. So it makes sense that those late-1960s episodes of The Avengers have been packaged to help us forget the botched 1998 feature film version of the show. Set 1 includes a mystery about killer phobias, "The Fear Merchants"; the time-travel story "Escape in Time"; the feathery spy tale "The Bird Who Knew Too Much"; the invisible-villain yarn "The See-Through Man"; and the comic-book spoof "The Winged Avenger"; and "From Venus with Love." --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (12)

quirky sixties humor with a British twist
If you liked the Avengers, or just enjoy dry humor and wit, then this is for you. These are the best of the Avengers series, and in color, Emma Peel never looked finer.
Very reasonably priced for the number of episodes included, though there almost no "extras" which would have been a welcomed addition. Money well spent.

Wow! There's nothing like it.
I had heard a lot about the original Avengers so when they appeared on DVD I decided to just buy all four sets and after watching a couple of episodes I knew I had made the right decision. The fights mostly look fake and most of the props look really silly, but the stories are really clever and unusual, the interraction between Diana Rigg and Patrick MacNee is wonderful and always funny and the costumes are incredible. It's quirky, it's bizarre and it will not be to everyone's taste, but I love this series. In many ways it doesn't feel like it was made more than 30 years ago, especially in the way women are portrayed - particularly Emma Peel, who is at least John Steed's equal and superior to virtually every man she meets. I hope to see more of this series on DVD in the near future.

New color era for Steed and Mrs. Peel
Following the huge success of the first filmed series of The Avengers, starring Patrick MacNee as debonair British agent John Steed and his cool, sophisticated partner Mrs. Emma Peel, the producers opted to make the next batch of 26 episodes in color, to be broadcast in 1967. In order to accomplish this, foreign backing was necessary, and the American networks were approached. The US had broadcast the black and white season four as a mid-season replacement, and were interested in moving forward with a color season in prime time, however they only provided enough backing for 16 episodes initially. Another challenge was that Diana Rigg was not particularly keen to film another season of the show, and demanded a huge salary increase in order to secure her participation. She got the money, but it was made clear it would be her second and last season with the show.

Apart from the use of color film, there were other subtle changes to the show for this fifth season. Both Steed and Emma were given new apartments and Mrs. Peel a much more stylized wardrobe. The device of ending each story with the two leads driving off in a variety of vehicles was abandoned and instead a tag scene was used to introduce each story, where Steed informed his partner that they were needed in a variety of humorous ways. Each story title was also given a two-line subtitle. After completion of the first batch of 16, the American backers did provide finance for a further 16 but asked for both the subtitles and tag scenes to be dropped, and also requested that Mrs. Peel's wardrobe became more recognizably en vogue.

After only 8 episodes were completed, producers Brian Clemens and Albert Fennell left the show after a disagreement and the new producers opted not to continue with Mrs. Peel and began their own interpretation of the show. It wasn't long before Clemens and Fennell were back in charge, but the 67 series ended with "Mission highly improbable," although Rigg was brought back in 1968 for the one-off "The forget me knot," to introduce her replacement Tara King. This episode is included in this release as a bonus episode.

In terms of storylines, acting and the wonderful interplay between the two leads, there is little difference between this color season and the preceding black and white stories and the show had really reached its zenith by this point. Certainly in terms of popularity and ratings, it was never as successful again. Interestingly, several of these stories are in fact remakes of earlier episodes from the Mrs. Gale era. "The joker," "The correct way to kill," and "The $50,000 breakfast," are all remakes, whereas "The return of the Cybernauts," is a sequel to an earlier Steed/Mrs. Peel adventure.

Fans of The Avengers will of course be delighted to have these discs, and I'd highly recommend them to any other fans of the sci-fi/fantasy genre, and indeed fans of the 60's spy format. If you've ever seen the dreadful movie featuring Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman, don't let that put you off. These stories are the real McCoy!

In the Middle Somewhere...
This is a super set! The Avengers, Patrick Macnee as John Steed and Diana Rigg as Emma Peel, are at their best. Some of the best 67 episodes are on this one. The Fear Merchants is a very enjoyable one. It is about this organization who finds out people's fears and makes them mad. You'll have to watch the episode to find out why they are doing it. From Venus With Love is a classic and well remembered episode. The worst (in my opinion) is probably The See-Through Man. Escape in Time is one of the best episodes ever made. English agents are being killed off by (what you watch when you first see it) people from the past. The Bird Who Knew Too Much is probably the second worst on the tape, but it is still very good. The Winged Avenger is also a classic about this comic book character (someone dressed up in a costume) killing people. This set over all is one of the best '67 sets.

Great TV Show and Transfers
If you fondly remember that great British import that we watched on TV way back in the 60s then you no doubt know about the content of what you are getting. You are more likely concerned about the quality of the product. Like John might say to Emma, "You scratch my back and I'll scratch your back. Just watch the hat please." John and Emma are back and are here to stay via DVD technology. Being on DVD, the aesthetics about the actual episodes are not in question here. More appropriately one may ask how they look. They look good, very good, excellent in fact. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Steed has some rare outings - Tara's on the dance card
The Avengers Season 6 - the final season of the ever popular British TV cult classic. In this, the second set of the Tara King era, we have six rare outings. Featuring fan favorite "All Done With Mirrors". So join join the always suave and sophisticated John Steed, and his able bodied female counterpart Tara King, as they battle ville villians, confounding criminals, and dangerous doubles.

We have two class acts in volume one. The solo Tara King outing "All Done With Mirrors", and the outrageous and stylish "Maltese Falcon" spoof "Legacy of Death". In "All Done With Mirrors", Steed is put under house arrest by Mother, and Tara is sent to investigate the leakage of secrets from a top-security facility. One of my favorite Tara King episodes, "All Done With Mirrors" is sharp and clever, with great direction and performances, and Tara at her series best. She proves quite resourceful, level-headed, and good in a fight (looking wonderful in her denim wardrobe, I might add). In "Legacy of Death", Steed is given the Falcon Dagger, which is the key to unlock a secret buried treasure, which is also the central interest of a bunch of crazed criminals. It's actually quite fun in spots, and then exessively over-the-top in others. But just a bevy of weirdos help it to succeed.

Volume two also has two keepers. The heavy romantic qualities of "Noon Doomsday", and the gag-filled luncy of "Look (stop me if you've heard this one) But There Were These Two Fellers...". Both are quite good, "Look..." being somewhat of a polarizer as not everybody loves it as I do. In "Noon Doomsday" an injured Steed, again, becomes the the target of an old foe who put him away. Not the best episodes, but still enjoyable. Features some good romantic interplay between Steed and Tara, if you like that sort of thing. Could have done without the western music cues though. "Look..." is a much better episode, as retired vaudiville artists seek revenge on the compapny who are planning to bulldoze their old theaters, in order to build and underground miltary shelter. The number of gags in this episode is immense. Beautifully directed by James Hill, "Look..." is absolutley hilarious! And I stand (in good company) firmly on the positive side of this when I say that this is a great episode.

In volume three, we have the rather dull "Have Guns - Will Haggle", which is recycled from an earlier unused Tara episode, and the slow but solid "They Keep Killing Steed". In "Have Guns - Will Haggle", a bunch of top-of-the-line rifles are stolen and tested on living targets, only to be auctioned off to foriegn bidders. A real yawn, as nothing really exciting happens, in this below average episode. I'd advise you to fast-forward to the much better episode "They Keep Killing Steed", in which a madman attempts to create a duplicate of Steed in order to infiltrate and sabotage a peace conferance. It's slow, but it' still good. Worth it for the fights alone, which are great.

In a nutshell - a good buy. Most of the episodes are good, but worth the price alone for "All Done With Mirrors". And, as I said for set one, if you don't like Tara, don't bother. Still, it's great fun for any Avengers fan!

Final series makes it to DVD
The final season of the original Avengers finally comes to DVD & VHS in region one. "The Forget me knot," the debut episode of Ms. Tara King played by Linda Thorson, was released back in 1998, but only now is the entire series seeing the light of day - and it's been well worth the wait.

There are many of course who do not rate these last adventures featuring the debonair John Steed as Britain's top government agent as highly as what had gone before, and it's easy to see why. Steed's pairing originally with Mrs Gale (Honor Blackman) and later Mrs Peel (Diana Rigg) had been an excellent match for his skills. With Mrs Peel leaving the show, the producers, Brian Clemens and Albert Fennell followed suit and John Bryce was brought back to the programme, following his stint producing the early Mrs Gale episodes.

The first thing Bryce did was to cast his girlfriend, twenty one year old Canadian Linda Thorson as Steed's new assistant, Miss Tara King. In order to complete the delivery of episodes to the US market, production was fairly rushed, and what came out of it was deemed substandard. Bryce was sacked and Fennell and Clemens brought back to rescue the production. Clemens was particularly unhappy about Linda Thorson's role, but it was too late in the day to do anything about it. They set about filming the initial block of 8 episodes (extended to 9), rehashing two of the abandoned Bryce episodes, and bringing back Mrs Peel for the one-off story "The forget me knot" to introduce the new character of Tara (although this "debut" was actually filmed third). Once these episodes were ready, they set about producing the final batch of 24.

There is a very significant shift in the character of Tara King between these two production blocks as Thorson began to gain confidence in the part. Also added as a regular into the later stories is Steed & Tara's boss, "Mother," played by Patrick Newell. Thorson's inexperience and the naivety of the character are often cited as the reason the show was cancelled after these episodes were transmitted. Personally, I think the inclusion of the very annoying "Mother" to be a far more valid reason. But it's all a matter of taste.

The stories are included on the discs in the order they were first transmitted in the UK. I would strongly recommend viewing them in PRODUCTION ORDER (easy to track on any Avengers website). There are several reasons for this. It's easier to warm to Miss King as you follow her character development. It also makes more sense to understand her constant hair changes and costume. She started as a blonde, moved to a be-wigged brunette, and only in the latter 24 episodes did we see Thorson's own hair. We can also see how the actress started in "slimmed down mode" (on the orders of the TV station) but regained her lost weight as the series moved along. The character also started out as a complete "spy" trainee, but by the second production block, had become one of the most experienced agents in Mother's department. I also enjoyed seeing the rehashed sets from episode to episode too. All these nuances are lost by following the stories strictly in disc order, and indeed the characterisation of the leads is actually confusing if you simply watch the shows in disc order.

As for the discs themselves, sadly A&E have once again neglected to include any extras at all. All there is are a few still photos, although it has to be said that the menus are at least very well done. The picture quality is certainly very sharp, but there are definitely flaws due to sparkle and dirt. Sadly, "You'll catch your death" has been transferred incorrectly, and the picture strobes and jumps throughout. Clearly no-one at A&E was paying much attention to the remastering process.

Clemens believes this batch of episodes to be the best of the entire run of The Avengers. He has stated that everything came together right in terms of production and scripts. I can't say I agree entirely. They are certainly as enjoyable as anything else, but the total fantasy nature of the stories and the weakness of Tara and Mother characters combine to take the edge away when compared to the earlier Peel episodes. Regardless, it's all camp and wacky fun and I still highly recommend this collection to any fan of the series as there is plenty here to enjoy.

VERY VERY GOOD.
I JUST GOT THIS A FEW DAYS AGO AND I THINK IT IS FAB
THE STORIES ARE AS FOLLOWS.

ALL DONE WITH MIRRORS- TARA MUST CLEAR STEEDS NAME BUT CAN SHE DO IT.

LEGACY OF DEATH- A JAPANEESE SWORD CAUSES CHAOS FOR STEED AND TARA.

LOOK (STOP ME IF YOU HEARD THIS ONE BUT THERE WERE THESE TWO FELLAS)-STEED AND TARA CLOWN AROUND WITH SOME HOMICIDAL CLOWNS.

HAVE GUNS WILL HAGGLE-WHERE TARA'S LIFE IS FOR SALE...TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER.

THEY KEEP KILLING STEED..AN ARMY OF STEED LOOKALIKES CAUSES CHAOS AT A PEACE CONFERANCE..WILL TARA SHOOT THE RIGHT ONES.

ALL IN ALL A MIXED BAG I FOUND EPISODE 6 A BIT BORING BUT IT IS ALL VERY WATCHABLE.I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU BUY IT NOW. ... Read more

Amazon.com

An unsolved murder case is reopened after a suspect is released from jail, but when he and two of his associates are found dead, detectives Inspector Morse and Sergeant Lewis face one of their most difficult investigations, and Morse's involvement may be more personal than he is willing to admit.

The final case for British television's best-loved detective is suffused with melancholy. Years of stress and far too much beer have taken their toll, and Morse is a sick man. Popping pills, wincing with pain, and drinking in spite of doctor's orders, Morse keeps going because he is obsessed with bringing criminals to justice. It's impossible to imagine him in retirement, but his vocation has ruined his health and now threatens his life.

The complex relationship between Morse and his partner has always been at the heart of the show's success, and at the beginning of "The Remorseful Day," that relationship is even more strained than usual.Lewis is furious when Morse takes over his investigation into the multiple murders, and the ailing Morse is more irritable than ever. But in spite of all their differences the two men complement one another and they are soon working together again. When this final episode moves into its final act Kevin Whately's performance as the faithful, underappreciated Lewis is deeply moving, providing a fitting coda to their enduring partnership.

The accompanying documentary includes behind-the-scenes footage, interviews with many of the distinguished actors who have appeared in the show over the years, and comments from Morse's creator, Colin Dexter. --Simon Leake ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A REMORSEFUL ADAPTATION
There's been a murder here, but it's not the one you think. The adaptation of Colin Dexter's "The Remorseful Day" has left a stinking corpse of what was a masterful story, an exquisite exposition of the "Parsifal" like heart of Endeavour Morse. The culprits? Rebecca Eaton and her doltish cadre of American PBS writers who have distinguished themselves in missing the entire point of the book.
Mind you, if you have not read the book, you'll enjoy this video. All the great elements are there: John Thaw essays Morse brilliantly, Kevin Whately turns in a terrific performance as Lewis, although he is compelled to deliver a totally ridiculous and melodramatic "Morse is dead!" proclamation. He acquits himself and moves on. All the supporting players, the family intrigues, the score, the filmwork - all executed brilliantly. So, you'd have little reason to suspect something is awry.

But there is and it is as great a disservice to a book as I can ever remember. Now, that argument can be made about a lot of transfers from book to film, but in this case, and with this series, which has been so faithful to Dexter's works, it is just incomprehensible. I can only conclude that it is due to the American fascination with smoothing out any sense of nuance in order to champion the easily digestible. I should tell you where the crime lies, but that's not fair to anyone who really would enjoy what actually happened in the story. Suffice it to say that much of the story turns on the Parsifal legend, and how in fact the pure of heart are vindicated with vision of the grail, whatever form that grail may take. So, Endeavour Morse is vindicated in a coda that lingers with you long, long after you put the book down. Throughout the film, there are efforts made to quote not only Wagner's theme for "Parsifal", but Han Knappertsbusch's direction of it in the 1962 score. Why? Well, Morse makes reference to it in discussion with Lewis, and it fits with the T.S Elliott quote that includes the title of the story, plus Knappertsbusch was himself the most Morse like of conductors in every way imaginable, and in 1962 was well aware that he was dying. So with all of the main clues in tact, why on earth Eaton and her merry band of nitwits elected to miss the point is not only unimaginable but unforgiveable.

Certainly, enjoy this DVD for what it is. I assure you that if you read the book, you will want, as I want, to grab the murderous crutch and shove it where PBS don't broadcast. The most heinous murder in Oxford was committed in Boston. Shame on Eaton. Perhaps one day Dexter will insist on a reshoot, although Thaw is not well, and Whately may have no interest in any further casting as Lewis. Somehow, the record, as it is in the book, needs to be set straight.

Morse's End Predates John Thaw's by Only a Few Years
Sad to see that the great actor, John Thaw has passed away from esophageal cancer.

This episode is on par with all of the other great episodes of this outstanding series. Thaw's portrayal of an intellectual, world-weary British detective who confronts often complex and involved cases of murder and other crimes.

Now episode to this point really brought home to me how much I loved Inspector Morse. I was actually quite angry to see the great Inspector face such health problems (an understatement), but in light of John Thaw's actual illness, I guess it is to be expected.

My only regret is that there are not 100 more episodes hidden away somewhere. Inspector Morse and John Thaw will be sorely missed.

Relish the Well-done Remorseful Day
This is probably one of the best (if not *the* best) Inspector Morse television episode. I admit to alot of that bias *not* going toward it for being the final installment of the series, but more for it being such a WELL-DONE final installment of the series.

The obligatory murder plot/premise has to do with the re-opening of a case involving the death of a middle-aged temptress/nurse named Yvonne Harrison. Lewis and Morse tackle the case, with the latter acting particularly strange concerning many aspects of the matter. There are a plethora of suspects, one of whom is Morse's own doctor, which conveniently leads to scenes showing how the great Chief Inspector's health is deteriorating rapidly. The Harrison case, while definitely being worked-through carefully, isn't the real focus of the story.

Morse's plight is the prime meaning behind "The Remorseful Day". Never before has the character been rendered so human, and so pathetic. His lady-friend (appearing in recent TV adaptations) has apparently left him, and so Morse is utterly alone. There are poignant scenes between he and Lewis, of him making final preparations, and of him sitting alone in his home listening to profoundly sad classical music. John Thaw as Morse gives a veritable tour-de-force, in the most subtle and gracious way possible, of the great detective in his declining days.

Special note should be given to all involved in the television adaptation, for they have, in my opinion, surpassed the novel. Colin Dexter's book was fine, but it dealt more heavily with the actual murder case, and the illness of Morse was left for small parts, usually at the end of each day. Here, with the version made for the small screen, we have the situation of Morse's closing life brought to the forefront. It is done well, and an experience to watch.

The last scene is terribly moving. I always make it a point to realize that when I sit down to watch a movie or television show, NOT to get too emotional, because there are only actors upon the screen - nothing is real. I thought I would be able to hold forth with said beliefs while watching "The Remorseful Day". But the very last scene, involving just Lewis and Morse, brought tears to my eyes. The swelling music and the starkness of the scene was a wonderful way to end the series.

The impression left is one not easily forgotten.

Please Endeavour to Read this Review!
As a final good-bye to a wonderful series, I was disappointed in "The Remorseful Day." It is a sad and touching film where Chief Inspector Morse bids a fond farewell; however, the film is somewhat disjointed. Morse, more ill than ever -- due to his lack of caring for his health -- exits via a simple myocardial infarction! Couldn't it have been more dramatic or move moving than this?!!! One scene, however, prior to the last touching scene in the mortuary is excellent. It is the night before Morse's death (unbeknownst to him, of course) where he is sitting on his sofa. The look on his face is pathetic and tells the viewer everything. It is without doubt (to me) one of the best scenes in the film -- almost like the blind girl discovering that Chaplin was her benefactor in "City Lights." It is done without words -- only facial expressions.

Alas, our hero has to die and he exits rather pitifully telling Strange to "thank Lewis." I wanted something much more dramatic and much more moving; I suspect Mr. Dexter really does want to retire. The last scene -- when Lewis views Morse's body on a slab and leans over to kiss him -- is very moving and will bring a tear to the eyes of every Morse fan. Although he may have had a rich and rewarding life in his own way with his work, music, poetry and knowledge, I wanted him to go out differently, to have had a woman who really loved him, to have had something in life so very meaningful.... We will miss a very good fictional character and the actors who portrayed the detectives so well. However, thanks to the magic of the movies, we can enjoy the Inspector for years to come!

Goodbye old friend
The loss of "Chief Inspector Morse" hit me just as hard in this, Thaw's, last appearance as this fictional character as the real loss of Jeremy Bret ending the greatest rendition of Sherlock Holmes since the death of Basil Rathbone. Even watching the videos of all the other "cases" is bittersweet as the memory of Lewis kissing Morses' head goodbye in the closing scene now overshadows them all. The true sign of an actors actor making a written character live so vividly. A must see for any Morse fan- just be sure to have the hanky handy and see all the other Morses- first. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Steeds breaks in a new partner - Tara makes her debut
In the first episodes of 1968, Steed's new partner Tara King is introduced. Beautiful and athletic, yet less able than her predecessors, Tara is nonetheless a suitable replacement. But, let's face it, no one will ever be able to replace Emma Peel. Any way, Steed and King are a delightful pair, sharing a closer relationship than the others, battling masterminds and supervillians, doing it in style, and always being fashionable. These six episodes are good, four being average, and only two being truly great, in my opinion.

In volume one we have the delightful escapade that is "Game", and the outdorsey caper "Super Secret Cypher Snatch". Both of these episodes are winners, for me anyway. In "Game", an escaped lunatic seeks revenge on the men who put him away, one of them being Steed. It's one of my favorite Tara King episodes. The delightfully, if not disturbingly, inexplicable deaths, the wonderful Steed/Tara interplay, that wonderful end battle, and the ever diabolical Peter Jeffrey as Bristow. While it's a bit predictable, and slightly unoriginal, "Game" remains a dear favorite. "Super Secret Cypher Snatch" in which window cleaners are involved in the leaking of secrets, is not as good as "Game", but I still like it. Marvelously directed and acted, it has all the elements needed to make a great episode, with the added affect of some truly wonderful sets. Both are highly reccomended and are worth the price alone of this set.

In volume two, we have "You'll Catch Your Death" and "Split!". In "You'll Catch Your Death", doctors are being killed by a madman who's created the ultimate in cold viruses, to be sold to the highest bidder (naturally). It's just an average episode; not bad, but not great either. It has its fair share of continuity errors (all the victim's sneezes are the same) and not everything makes sense. It's actually rather straigtforward, but the premise is interesting and Mother has a wonderful set. "Split" is better, but not much, as ministry agents find that they have a murderous split personaltiy. I rather like it. While it's rather dark, towards the end its almost outrageous, as the baddies attempt to inject part of a madman's mind into Tara's. Predictable, but still enjoyable with alot of familiar faces. Save for a wonderful scene where Steed puts "away" a hospital receptionist and enjoys himself doing it. Also, look for Christopher Benjamin, who gives a delightfully "Wemarkable" performance.

And last but not least, there's "Whoever Shot Poor George Oblique Stroke XR40" and "False Witness" in volume three. Their titles might be misleading, as you might think "Woever..." would be delighfully over-the-top, but it's actually a bit more stupid than funny. "False Witness" is much better, and alot funnier, even though it may not sound like it. In "Whoever...", a super computer is actually shot, and then operated on, as things get a little to silly. It's nonetheless enjoyable, and Linda Thorson is great as Pelly's niece, pulling off a fine American accent . In the hilarious "False Witness", agents are drugged and say the exact opposite of eveything, without knowing they're doing it. It may not sound interesting, but trust me, the whole thing is side-spltting. Leads to a wonderful scene where Steed drugs all the baddies with humorous results, then rescues a drugged Tara who lovingly admitts "I really do hate you Steed."

All in all, these episodes are all good, and none of them are really bad. But you may no think so, as I happpen to like Tara King. But, I'll admit, she does lack Emma's panache, but makes up for it with her wackiness. So if you don't like Tara King, don't bother. But if your in the mood for some good, light, fantsy land sluething, these episodes are just the ticket!

Tara Gets Here Due
If you fondly remember that great British import that we watched on TV way back in the 60s then you no doubt know about the content of what you are getting. You know you are getting the best in that department. You are more likely concerned about the quality of the product. Like John might say to Tara, "You scratch my back and I'll scratch your back. Just watch the hat please." At last now, John and Tara are back and are here to stay on DVD. The Tara King episodes were excellent, being well scripted, thought out and well acted. More appropriately one may ask how they look. They look good, very good, excellent in fact. Tara would have it no other way.

Holds Its Own in Relation to the Mrs. Peel Set.
As some of you who have read other reviews that I have done for The Avengers series and I'll say it again... Being a new fan in terms of seeing the movie, see my review, I became interested in the show.

Now granted Mrs. Peel was beautiful and had class and brains, and Blackman had curves and brains also, yet most people over look Tara King. She did have very good wits and great intellect.

When I first bought this set I thought I was wasting my money, but I was wrong. This volume is pretty good. The firt two episodes are hard to get use to the idea of Steed working with someone else other than Peel, yet after that you warm up to the idea nicely. She adds a new spark to the show and a something... I don't know what, as the French would say. The transfer of the shows is not bad although A&E should have made another master copy and given some better color job or sharpened the picture. Yet those are just small complaints. Steed and King do work well together and they do have chemistry which does make watching the show more enjoyable.

Tara King provided a spark we all knew would flame
Let's be honest. It was a little frustrating watching the playful antics of Steed and Mrs Peel, knowing that all that would ever happen would be a respectful peck on the cheek or a cordial hug. Enter Tara King, Steed's last partner. She is a Peel-in-training, only a little younger and a lot more in love with John Steed. Of course we know that nothing overt would ever happen between the two. It's just nice to know that when the credits roll the two might actually kiss on the lips. Linda Thorson is absolutely terrific as Steed's sidekick. She is athletic, fearless and determined. The '68 episodes were constructed with the same care and attention as the Rigg episodes and they are a pleasure to watch. If you think Mrs Peel was the only game in town, check out Tara King. She is a gas.

Superb episodes but...
For those new to The Avengers, ignore all the bad press that the delectable Tara King gets. Sure Emma Peel was sublime, and Cathy Gale was right on. But Tara King was also top notch, as were most of her episodes. Wherever you go on the web you will find Tara's episodes variously panned. Tish and pish! They are some of the most interesting, quirky and truly '60's' episodes of ANY television show ever.

Let me first state that the high rating of five stars relates to the greatness of the episodes, which is mainly the point of these reviews. Sadly the quality of these so-called 'digitally remastered' episodes by A&E is worse than bad.

Unfortunately the picture quality of my A&E DVD release of these magnificent episodes is passable at best. Now given the mass production method used in manufacturing these things I do not accept that only my copy is dodgy and I assume that the VHS releases are similarly affected. In particular, the episode on vol 1 of this set, "You'll Catch Your Death" is so poorly remastered as to be distracting. The brightness is shocking and the screen flickers with the old stains and blemishes I can only assume remain on the original film stock. Why haven't they been removed? Come on A&am