Description

The object of many pre-pubescent lads' desires, Mrs. Emma Peel - as brought to light by Dame Diana Rigg - dazzled television screens on both sides of the Atlantic from 1965 - 1967. Now, for the first time anywhere, all 51 of the enduringly classic adventures featuring the dynamic duo of Steed and Peel are gathered together in one massive collection. The Complete Emma Peel Mega-Set is a one-stop haven for DVD collectors, with all episodes remastered and bolder than ever, with the digital clarity only DVD can deliver! It also includes galleries of extremely rare, high-quality production stills culled from the archives of The Avengers. Contains all 51 Avengers episodes ever made featuring Dianna Rigg as Mrs. Emma Peel. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

A rigg-lover's dream come true
The immensely popular ABC series called "The Avengers" has long since achieved legendary status since it appeared back in January 1961. Since then there have been 161 episodes, which break into four major sections. We have the early episodes (1-26) with Patrick Macnee as John Steed and Ian Hendry as Dr. Keel. Then the "Cathy Gail" series (27-78) with Honor Blackman as Cathy Gale, the man-tossing, leather-covered intellectual who broke new ground for female characters on television. Even more popular was the black and white series (79-104) with Diana Rigg and Emma Peel (read "M[en] appeal "), which led not unexpectedly to the color series with Rigg (105-129). Then the final section with Linda Thorson as Tara King (129-- in which she co-starred with Rigg-161).
As of this writing, the early episodes in the Gale series and all of the King series are not yet available. However, A&E has just released all of the Rigg entries, both the black and whites and the color, in a wonderful boxed set called "The Avengers: the Complete Emma Peel Mega-Set." And Mega, I suppose, is as good as any adjective to describe the enjoyment value of the contents therein. We have here all the Rigg episodes, including the transition entry in which Tara takes over for Emma, on 16 DVDs, each holding 3 episodes with an occasional 4th as a "bonus."
Those who have never seen them before will want, of course, to watch them in order. Others will want to jump to their favorite episodes, which is pretty easy on DVD. You will notice that the black and whites were less studio-bound and the sets in general more realistic. With the first color episode, the series took a strong science fiction bent; and the sets, as the producers admitted, were more a view of England as the Americans would like to think it is.
You will also have a lot of fun spotting stars-to-be. There is Donald Sutherland, Brian Blessed and Charlotte Rampling in "The Superlative Seven," Peter Bowles in "Dial a Deadly Number" and "Escape in Time," Geoffrey Palmer in "A Surfeit of H2O," and Christopher Lee in "Never, Never Say Die." It was a policy that no actor could appear more than once a season, so Bowles and Lee, for example, would have to wait for the King series to play other characters. In fact, the only characters as such to reappear in the color Rigg series from the black and whites is the bumbling Brodny (Warren Mitchell) who can be found in "Two's a Crowd" and "The See-Through Man" and the evil assistant (Frederick Jaeger) to the Cybernaut-master.

And for more fun, see how many actors from "Are You Being Served?" you can spot? There are three in all.
The most frequent repeat actor seems to be comedian Roy Kinnear, who also has the honor of being in the very last King episode in the role of Bagpipes Happychap. And then we have rotund Patrick Newell who was murdered in the very first Rigg entry, drugged in a color one, and wound up as Mother in the King series.
But all in all, it is the interplay between Macnee and Rigg that really made this program work. Unlike Cathy Gale, who seemed actively to dislike Steed when she was not merely tolerating him, Mrs. Peel had a genuine fondness for him and was not averse to stirring his tea (anticlockwise, as he preferred it). And as for the question of Peel and Steed being lovers, recall that they are fictional characters and have no life off the screen.
The dialogue was light hearted, and you seldom if ever saw blood after a mere trickle in their third episode. You also never saw a policeman, an element that for some reason the producers thought would be a jarring note. (You figure out why; I cannot.)

The best episodes? There is no question that "The House That Jack Built" leads the pack. This is the one in which Emma finds herself in a house designed to drive her mad and Steed appears only at the start and end. The worst? Possibly "Silent Dust." The silliest? That has to be "Epic." The most serious? "Murdersville." So what if the package costs a small fortune? You could purchase them separately, of course; but think of what you would be missing.

Steed Sets A Moral Trend - Emma Shows Appeal
This DVD set consists of the best episodes The Avengers had to offer - the entirety of the Emma Peel years, which (to most Americans, anyway) was virtually the whole of the series, itself.

For the uninitiated: John Steed and Emma Peel were the coolest, suavest, hippest, sexiest pair of crimefighting secret agents ever to grace T.V. He was old-school British upper-crust orthodoxy and money, she was the chic young-blood, hip-flip, proto-feminist karate expert in boots, leather pants and miniskirts. Together, Steed ("top professional") and Mrs. Peel ("talented amateur") weekly "avenged crimes against the people and the state," which ranged from evil plots by average Cold War Russian spies to ambitious megalomaniacs to everyday organized killers-for-profit. Their foes included makers of murdering robots, terrorists manufacturing atom bombs in department stores, clandestine military invaders and/or saboteurs from foreign shores, and even a mind-controlling plant from outer space. The show was part spoof, part parody, part sci-fi, and a lot of straightforward supersleuthing action/adventure. It was clever and colorful, smart and fashionable, funny, witty, and even thrilling.

There are very few bad episodes in this entire bunch, and even the worst of them is elevated by the phenomenal chemistry between the two stars, Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg, whose witty repartee and general unflappability were always the most genuine magic of the whole series. The bond between the two's characters is formed of the noblest qualities: courage, patriotism, moral fortitude, mutual respect and devotion, and the willingness to risk their own lives for each other and the safety of the world at large, if need be.

Sadly, the recent badly-made movie severely damaged the desire of a new generation to see what all the grand fun of the original series was all about; but believe me, it's well worth rediscovering, and every bit as good today as it was when it debuted, almost forty years ago.

Treat yourself. Meet "The Avengers," and discover how fast they come to feel like old friends.

Time for middle-aged women to chime in...
I first watched the Avengers when I was in grade school in the mid-sixties, and I fell in love with both the show and Steed and Mrs. Peel. I felt compelled to respond to the Viewer from Ohio, and anyone uninitiated into the Avengers Fan Club. First, the Avengers never proclaimed to be "realistic." Its tongue-in-cheek send-up of the burgeoning secret agent genre made it far more enjoyable than any of the other offerings of the time. What makes these episodes (and I admit to being partial only to the Mrs. Peel years) is the marvelous, seductive yet unstated sexual energy and outstanding chemistry between Steed/Macnee and Rigg/Peel. Their double-entendre delivery is worth the price of this spectacular set. The character of Mrs. Peel offered the young American girl the first real feminist hero on television---smart, strong, brave, yet with no doubt about her femininity and sexual identity. As for Patrick Macnee: I'm sorry, Viewer from Ohio: he presented a charming and very attractive character, and the relationship between the 2 leads fueled the fantasies of many peri-pubescent girls (I'll let the boys speak for themselves). And, I've met Mr. Macnee: he's a very nice man indeed.
For fans of the series, this set is a must. For newcomers, I still believe it is the most enjoyable series I've ever seen and I recommend it to everyone, but know what the show is about before spending a couple of bills on 16 DVDs! But if you DO know, then this is a set worth owning. I'd rather watch this (and do!) than almost anything on TV in THIS century!

I'm in love with Diana Rigg
Sorry, but I just had to get that out of the way. Dame Di spent her teen years in my home town of Leeds in the UK. Swoon.

Emma Peel was an incredibly important female role model at a time when blond bimboes were pouting, being dumb and twisting their ankles while being led by the heroes as they fled from the bad guys.

Emma Peel, warrior woman, took on the bad guys, and usually won. Xena: Warrior Princess, played so masterfully by Lucy Lawless - also 5'10", owes a great deal to Mrs. Peel, who was immortalized by the insanely talented, classically-trained actress, Diana Rigg.

I actually loved the black and white episodes - apart from the stories themselves being intriguing, they have an Art House quality about them.

Likewise, the color episodes, which are of superior quality, are just as magical in their own way. The Avengers, even down to the score by Laurie Johnson and unmistakable indidental music, was just flawless, with Macnee and Rigg beng every bit as magical and compelling a screen couple as Bogie and Bacall.

Absolutely wonderful to have these as a single package. If I recall, the name Emma Peel came from the time when they were trying to develop a female character who would have Man Appeal or M-Appeal... hence Emma Peel.

Whatever the reality, in Diana Rigg's Emma Peel, they succeeded mightily. Possibly the most perfect woman who ever walked the Earth.

Did I say 'possibly'? Tsk tsk.

Incredible
I am a HUGE fan of this series, specifically the Emma Peel years, I find all of the Avengers good but when Diana Rigg did the show it became a classic. In this set is the complete set. Worth EVERY penny and any Avengers fan shouldnt live without this amazing set. The picture quality is simply stunning the dvds themselves are packed quite nicely also. I won't try to be all witty like some cheesballs do.....but simply, Buy this it is WELL worth it! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Far superior to Season 1.
Season 2 had some very memorable episodes that are definetely worth watching. I especially love how they take classical Greek mythology and turn it on its head. Yes, it is not accurate or a historical portrayal, but it's damn fun! Love Jason from the Argonauts w/ Hercs mom.

bad
the first two seasons horrible nothing like xenas second season rthis season is crap i wouldnt recomend it season three thriough fiove ow yeah season three hercules isn't stupid and dumb theres funny jokes great action and enertainment skip thios one

Bring on Season Three!!
Truly enjoyed Season One of the DVDs and this superior H:TLJ DVD set is even better -- with an exception of one or two (but nothing to lose stars over) little things. The crisp quality of the episodes are wonderful.
Also loved the extra disc with the Rob Tapert interview (he gets wonderfully emotional at one point with regards to his creation) and outtakes (etc. - and I had absolutely NO tech problem with this extra disc as was mentioned by another reviewer) and the single episode discussion/over-view done by Kevin Sorbo, including "The Apple" and "Cast a Giant Shadow" were just so much fun to listen to -- BUUUT ... Where was Michael Hurst this time? He was the co-star of the show yet there were no episode commentaries from him as there was in Season One and that just seemed so wrong. His presence is sorely missed this time. Hope to hear him in the Season Three DVDs!
Nevertheless, the GREAT stuff out-weighs the missing and I highly recommend this DVD package to any fans. LOVED IT!

Hercules The Legendary Journeys Season 2
Hercules Season 2 is a brilliant box set. The bonus disc is great as are the video and audio commentarys given by Kevin as he's watching certain episodes. The picture quality is excellent. I've been a fan of Hercules since it started and Kevin, so it's great to see Hercules getting the regonition it deserves at last. Season 2 is a must for any DVD collection and a must for all Hercules's fans. Five stars all the way and I can't wait for Season 3 to see what goodies will be included.

Awesome!
Now I know why our family fell in love with Hercules during the second season. What fabulous episodes! I enjoyed season one, but season two has been even better. The friendship between Herc and Iolaus shines even more during season two and the stories are just a delight. Clever, funny, interesting, and thoroughly entertaining. We've all enjoyed watching these together again. Excellent, family fun. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Forget Steve Reeves and all those Italian strongmen who played stiff, humorless versions of the mythic demigod in 1960s Saturday matinee fodder. Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (a cluster of 1990s television films followed by a syndicated series) re-imagines and re-introduces Hercules--son of Olympian chief Zeus and an earthbound, mortal mother--as a laidback but focused hero of ordinary folks with extraordinary problems. Played with casual grace and ironic wit by Kevin Sorbo, the new Hercules wanders through an equally entertaining, revisionist view of ancient Greece as, well, charming and accessible--not exactly Homeric. There are gods and monsters aplenty, but if this was the cradle of civilization, well....

This eight-disc volume includes five movie-length adventures, thirteen one-hour episodes, and numerous bonus features. Narratively, the unfolding story finds Herc doing good deeds wherever he's needed, though his backstory is more interesting, including a dubious relationship with his all-powerful dad (a sweet performance by Anthony Quinn)and a tendency to feel the wrath of Zeus's wife, Hera, simply because Hercules is the philandering old man's illegitimate offspring. The movie cycle ends with Herc in a state of domestic bliss; the subsequent, regular series darkens him considerably but then thrusts him repeatedly into adventures with redemptive possibilities.

Nifty special effects make one believe once again in centaurs, many-headed serpents, a Minotaur, a Cyclops, and several other fantastic species not included in standard references to Greek myths. The regular or recurring cast include Michael Hurst as Hercules's vain, comic-foil buddy, Iolaus; Tawny Kitaen as the hero's wife; and Lucy Lawless in a pre-Xena role (in Hercules and the Amazon Women) and then as the Warrior Princess herself for multiple episodes. All together, this is a show that turned out to be smarter and funnier than anyone might have expected in the mid-'90s, and which holds up very well today. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (17)

PERFECT for Hercules fans!
This DVD set is great. Not only do you get the 5 TV movies, but you get the 13 episodes that made up Season 1. I was kinda skeptical about this DVD set at first because I heard some people were upset about the Xena DVD sets, but the Hercules DVD set is a perfect purchase for us Hercules fans. The episodes look and sound better than they did on TV. The commentaries by Kevin Sorbo and Michael Hurst are entertaining and very funny. They even provide video commentary of Sorbo and Hurst physically watching the episode they are providing commentary on. This DVD set is excellent. The only disappointments I found from this set were minor things. I always loved the TV promo ads (previews of each episode on TV when it was coming out), and I was hoping those really cool promos would be in the set, but they weren't. Plus the scene selections seem to random and to few for each episode, but other than that it's perfect. All fans should purchase this!

Thank the Gods!!
Dude, I'm so glad Hercules is finally on DVD, it's been too long since it's been on TV. I think that overall I liked H:TLJ better than X:WP (Xena: Warrior Princess) because it's tone was more consistant, it was never a soap opera, it travelled to other lands while keeping Greece as the focus, and it didn't screw with its own universe by killing off all of the gods!! The five movies vary in quality (the Underworld one is the best), but they are really the testing grounds for what the series will be. The first season presents Ares very differently than how he will eventually be portrayed by the late Kevin Smith--both H:TLJ and X:WP were loose with their continuity and reinvented characters and storylines as they pleased. And there aren't as many cool demi-god maneuvers in the fight sequences because of the budget. Even so, there is a lot of warmth, humor, thrills, kewl special FX, and campy fun in the first season as Our Hero and his goofy but heroic best buddy Iolaus travel the roads and right wrongs. This DVD also introduces many of the most important recurring characters in the series: Zeus, Alcemene, Hera, Deineira, Ares, Salmoneous, Nemesis, and Xena. Buy this DVD, you'll have fun watching it.

Superb!
This DVD is great, with all the original action pack movies how can you go wrong.

Fantastic Show
Hercules the Legendary Journeys was one of the most popular syndicated shows ever. It was originally part of the action pack with other shows such as Kung Fu, Tekwar, Babylon 5, and Highlander. Hercules was the crown jewel of the action pack and is finally out on DVD.

Hercules is executive produced and founded by Sam Raimi(Evil Dead Series and Spiderman). The lead character is played by Kevin Sorbo and he established himself as the best Hercules ever. He was outstanding and could act unlike some of the previous people to play the strongest man alive.

Hercules The Legendary Journeys contains the five original made for TV movies and all 13 episodes that were put out in season 1. The movies are about an hour and 45 minutes long and are great. I've enjoyed reliving the experience of watching them, and enjoy them all a lot except for the Maze of the Minotaur which lacks the originality of the first four. The 13 episodes tell the tales of Hercules, as he goes off and helps people that are in need.

It's a great show with a great cast. Tawny Kitaen plays Hercules wife in the movies. She it totally hot and it's a shame she's gone of the deep end. Anthony Quinn plays the king of the gods Zues. Michael Hurst plays Hercules best friend Iolas and there is also Lucy Lawless and Xena in a couple of episodes. There are a couple of other actors that are in the show that look familiar and can be seen in a lot of Sam Raimi's stuff.

This is a great show. It's awesome being able to just pop a DVD in and watch a great episode from a great tv show. Any fan of mythology has to get this. Any fan of the tv show should get it. You won't regret buying it. Don't miss out on it.

Better Than GREAT
I've been looking forward to getting the first season of H:TLJ on DVD for the LONGEST time and was not as all disappointed when it finally showed. This set is even better than anticipated.

The background and commentary from the stars of the show, Sorbo and Hurst, is wonderful. You can actually see them watching the episodes along with you or, if you prefer, listen to their comments as you watch. I only wish we could have heard from both actors on more than a few episodes. Also would have loved to heard from Rob Tapert on a few of those first season episodes as well.

The installment with Kevin Sorbo and one of the directors (of his first HTLJ movie?) is fun and quite telling. They obviously respect each other a great deal.

Even the small gaff's in both Sorbo and Hursts memories are endeariong. We tend to forget how long ago these shows were taped and they've been inviolved in so many!

In the furture I would like to see outtakes, comments from other actors such as Bruce Campbell (Autolycus) and Bob Trebor (Salmoneus) and also a segment with Sorbo and Hurst together, in the same room, taking a trip down memory lane, especially about their good friend, Kevin Smith (Ares) who is sadly no longer with us. However, we have five in a half more seasons to go for all that!

The picture quality in these DVDs is superior, much better than any of the videos (tape) done years ago, and I eagerly await Season Two and the surprizes it has in store for the HTLJ fans! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Hercules The Legendary Journeys - Season 3
A great season of Hercules. I agree with another reviewer that the Golden Hind episodes are well worth watching.

I looked around to see what I could find out about this DVD set. Anchor Bay Entertainment does a nice job on their website of describing their products. Here is what they had to say. According to their website, the length is 1080 Mins. There was no mention of how many discs are included, but it claims "hours" of special bonus features.

According to Anchor Bay's website, the special features include:
• Audio and Video Commentary From Kevin Sorbo & Michael Hurst
• Hercules Chronicles and Mythology
• Direct Access Scenes
• Series Trivia
• Behind-the-Scenes Interviews with Cast & Crew
• Photo Gallery
• Actor and Director Bios
• Hercules Screen Saver

Here's an episode guide, with a tiny description.
1. Mercenary: Hercules battles pirates and monsters to bring a mercernary to trial.
2. Doomsday: King Nikolaus uses Daedalus, father of the deceased Icarus, to invent terrible weapons.
3. Love Takes A Holiday: Aphrodite resigns as the Goddess of Love. The God of Fire is in love. If he can't have Aphrodite, then Leandra will do.
4. Mummy Dearest: A Halloween episode where a mummy in Salmoneus' House of Horrors comes to life.
5. Not Fade Away: Iolaus is killed by Hera's new Enforcer.
6. Monster Child In the Promised Land: Hera wants the new baby that has been born to a giant and the mother of all monsters.
7. The Green-Eyed Monster: Cupid falls in love with Psyche, and he literally becomes a green-eyed monster when jealous.
8. Prince Hercules: While suffering amnesia, Hercules is tricked into thinking he is Queen Parnassa's dead son.
9. A Star To Guide Them: A Christmas episode. The king and queen round up the male children so their own child will become king.
10. The Lady and the Dragon: A young dragon bent on revenge is convinced that Hercules and Iolaus killed his mother.
11. Long Live the King: Iolaus's look-alike cousin King Orestes is killed.
12. Surprise!: At Hercules's surprise birthday party, his family and friends are poisoned. Only a bite of the apple of the tree of life can save them.
13. Encounter: Nestor wants to use the blood of the last Golden Hind, Serena, to kill Hercules.
14. When A Man Loves A Woman: Hercules must become mortal to marry.
15. Judgement Day: Xena and Gabrielle come to Hercules's aid when he is accused of murder.
16. The Lost City: Salmoneus discovers an underground city that appears Utopian.
17. Les Contemptibles: During the French Revolution, a man pretending to be the Chartreuse Fox and two of his friends try to con a noblewoman.
18. Reign of Terror: Delusional King Augeas believes himself to be Zeus. Hera offers him god powers if he kills Hercules.
19. End Of the Beginning: Hercules and Autolycus go back five years in time. Hercules tries to alter a past tragedy.
20. War Bride: A dying King Tolus tries to end a war by betrothing his daughter to a prince of a neighboring kingdom.
21. A Rock And a Hard Place: A cave-in crushes an accused murderer, slowly killing him.
22. Atlantis: Hercules is shipwrecked on the island of Atlantis, where he meets Cassandra.

hercules season 3 in now available
The epic adventures through the mythic world of Greek gods, goddesses and otherworldly beasts continues with the premiere the newest DVD collection based on the long-running sci-fi/fantasy TV series HERCULES: The Legendary Journeys starring Kevin Sorbo.
HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS SEASON THREE contains the complete and uncut third season from the popular series plus hours of all-new bonus materials including exclusive cast & crew interviews.

An essential addition to any HERCULES DVD library, HERCULES: SEASON THREE features the complete collection of all 22 original episodes that have been fully digitally re-mastered in 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound. HERCULES: SEASON THREE premieres with Kevin Sorbo's all-time personal favorite episodeMercenary, in which actor Michael Hurst makes his directorial debut. The season continues to take fans on a whirlwind adventure that propels HERCULES on wild rides like a romp into 19th century France, a deadly dual with an ancient Egyptian mummy, and even a nasty showdown with a very jealous Cupid.

The HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS SEASON THREE DVD release is highlighted by an impressive list of exciting bonus materials including:

· Audio and Video Commentary from Kevin Sorbo and Michael Hurst
· Behind-the-scenes interviews with the cast and series creators
· HERCULES Chronicles and Mythology: A comprehensive look at the making of a myth
· Photo Gallery

Worst season so far
The first two seasons are worth seeing. This season is terrible. It has no theme at all, no sense of direction - just a collection of unrelated poor episodes. The worst part is that Hercules second wife, who plays an excellent role, is killed off after only two episodes! What a pity. She was a much better actress than Xena and they killed her. Go figure.

Fans Of Hercules and Xena
If you are fans of Hercules or Xena or both the DVD Collectors Sets that I have purchased have lived up to what I expected! Though BestBuy.com has Season 3 of Hercules and Xena for $44.99 each plus tax with free shipping. So go pick it up there. It even was shipped faster than Amazon.com.

One of the best seasons of the show.
I love this show. Finally after almost a two month wait it's here. Hercules Season 3 was a great year for the show. Some of the most popular episodes they made were on it.

Kevin Sorbo aka Hercules favortie episode is included in this season. "Mercenary" is that episode. It's a great episoe where Hercules and a mercenary must defend themselves from Tremor like Worms and a bunch of pirates. It's a great episode and I can see why it's Kevins favorite.

There are two episodes with the goddess of love Aprhodite. "Love Takes a Holiday" and "Reign of Terror" both have her in it played by the lovely Alexandra Tydings. She is so hot in all her episodes. All her episodes are real good and are full of laughs. Sam Rami(Ex Pro) always made sure all the episodes with Aphrodite were great.

"Love Takes a Holiday" is great in a way in that Kevin Sorbo isn't in it. Iolaus(Michael Hurst) stars as the lone hero in this one. He teams up with Aprhrodite to save a town from Aphestus the god of fire.

There are a ton of good episodes in this season. The christmas tribute one is here in "A Star to Guide Them." Hercules fights a mystic mummy in "Mummy Dearest." Hercules also gets sent back to 18 century France in "Les Contemptibles." He finds a new wife, battles his brother Ares and does much more in this legendary season.

Season 3 is awesome. It's better than 2 and I'd say equal to 1. The extras on this one are the best yet, and the DVDs just keep getting better. Fans of the show won't want to miss out on this one. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Hercules is a HOOT!
Hercules returns with his best friend, Iolaus, to face the those who we have never seen before. The season 4 dvd set is a really thrilling episode. Humor played a major role in the adventures of Hercules and Iolaus. The new characters are amazing and take you through a lot of fun and wild adventures.

These myths and legends of Hercules include a selection of reality in the episode, "Yes Virginia, There is a Hercules" which was a very humorous one. You will not get such an argument from the story either. The suspense will not leave you unsatisfied because the story and the scripts written in the play are unforgettable. I really enjoyed the lines from "Stranger in a Strange World" from the evil Hercules, the Sovereign, in which there are two worlds and everyone on this opposite side of the world behave with opposite character traits.

I must say that this is where the real fun begins. For the first time, we see Hera in full human form and a flashback of the young hercules is given an appearence. One of the best parts about viewing the dvd content is the video and audio commentary, along with interviews with the cast and the crew. Its exciting to hear about that the actors feel about the episode, what they think of the other characters and how they feel about them.

Bruce Campbell is a plus in this series as well as the comedy that goes with it. I don't think he is the only reason that made this series funny, some of the episodes like Stranger in a Strange world were funny because stars like Kevin Sorbo were Fancy Free. As Kevin Sorbo would like to put it, this season of Hercules is a HOOT! The MSN chat of Kevin Sorbo which took place recently on Monday, July 12th revealed to us that Kevin's favorite season of Hercules was season 4 as well as mine.

The fighting scenes and hero's actions draw much attention quickly to the the fans, but to even out the odds, there are always dramatic scenes as well. The stars of the show enjoyed shooting this series the most and its worth your money to purchase the set while it comes with exclusive bonus features. Xena Season 3 DVD set is really good to go with the story line of these 22 episodes, because it really puts a mark on what Rob Tapert is producing in the shows together at the same time. Altogether, this season is definately going to be added to my Hercules dvd collection, and you don't have to be a Hercules fan to purchase the set. Any SciFi-Fanatic would love to watch the episodes of season 4 over and over again.

New gods more action, great season
Hercules Gets better in this season because they introduce different gods like Discord, the full body of Hera, the evil daughter of dahak(hope) and we also see more of Areas and Strife.
The season is also great because Hudson Leick(Callisto) guest stars on two episodes, and also xena and gabrielle are on an episode. Heracles' mother Elcemeny dies and Heracles becomes a full god. Other great things about the season was the alternate dimension, where there is an evil Heracles, and there is an episode about Atalanta. This should be bought with xena season 3 and people who are fans and non fans.

More Bruce, More Comedy
In the tradition of Hercules The Legendary Journeys, that was established after it became a regular series as opposed to a run of two-hour made-for-tv movies, humor plays the largest role in this season. Improperly done, this would have fallen horribly flat but, as it stands and taken for what it is, this is easily the wittiest and most creative season of the series as Kevin Sorbo comes into his own as a comedic straight man/action hero.
In the season opener, "Beanstalks and Bad Eggs", Hercules and Autolycus (played brilliantly by Bruce Campbell) are out to rescue Lianna, who had been kidnapped by the giant Typhoon and taken to a castle in the clouds. Upon climbing a giant beanstalk, the two unlikely partners find Lianna in Typhoon's castle, caring for three golden eggs that belonged to the Harpies. Without spoiling the rest, the high points to watch are Autolycus' explanation of the art of love and one of the classic lines of the series concerning the harpies.
The usual mixture of Pop Culture references, legend, myth and fairy tale which, though strange bedfellows are somehow a great combination, permeate this seasons episodes. In "Hero's Heart" we have a standard episode where Iolaus (Hercules' sidekick played by the very talented Michael Hurst) loses his memory and ends up fighting his best friend. Although this has been done to death in the science fiction/fantasy genres, it plays well in the Hercules universe.
There are three homages to modern cinema in this set. "...And Fancy Free" is Hercules The Legendary Journeys' answer to "Dirty Dancing." "My Fair Cupcake" is obviously based on "Pygmalion" which later became the musical "My Fair Lady" from which the title is derived and centers around the character of Autolycus and his former girlfriend. Thirdly, the high point of the season in movie rip-offs, "Men in Pink." A completely undisguised send-up of "Some Like It Hot," is worth the price of the set by itself.
In what becomes in later seasons a reoccurring event, the episode "Yes Virginia, There is a Hercules" introduces us to "reality" as some of the many regular stars of the show take on the interesting task of playing the crew and production staff of Hercules The Legendary Journeys. It seems that after an earthquake in Los Angeles, Kevin Sorbo has disappeared and chaos insues. There are in jokes we only now as casual viewers become privy to in an incredibly enlightening commentary on this one.
There are no lack of continuitous episodes and guest appearances from the sister series/spin-off Xena Warrior Princess but, at this point I felt the two series had diverged in respect to tone. Hercules, and rightly so, will always be heavily influenced by Sam Raimi and his unique sense of humor which is shared by series regular Bruce Campbell who directs a large portion of this seasons best. There are very good reasons that "cross-overs" were rare soon after these episodes though.
When all is said and done, this is money well spent and I just watched them all on a lazy summer day and have no regrets about time spent. I recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the series while it was on or even want a little taste of the action and humor of the Spider-man movies. This is the same creative staff.

Season Four is Full of Grand Comedy and Big Drama
Wow! I just got my copy today; it is wonderful!! I'm so pleased with this show, time and time again. I just can't say it enough. These actors are so great, they are fun to watch, and they are wonderful. The story writers are superb as well. The stories written for season four are the best. The writers and actors are great when it comes to drama, and when it's about the comedy! I love how versatile everyone involved in this show is; it's truly a pleasure to watch over and over. Out of season four there are numerous episodes I consider to be favorites, but I think the comedies are the best. There's nothing like seeing Bruce Campbell and Michael Hurst in drag...Salmoneous is pretty funny too! (The interviews are great too!) I'll be telling all of my friends how great this set is!

package review extra features content
just like the packaging of xena season 4 we have 2 dvds per side one on top of each other.Many of you might find this annoying since you have to take out the top dvd to get the bottom dvd out but it's better than taking out each dvd one by one.

special features

it doesn't have alot of commentary compared to xena but maybe there be more stuff added for the last 2 seasons.

Also be sure to get the one that says "exclusive bonus" on the top front cover for even more extras!

that's it for now, look for my review on audio/video of hercules season 4 soon. ... Read more

Description

Robert Culp and Bill Cosby star as international espionage agents Kelly Robinson and Alexander Scott on highly dangerous missions in this ever-popular, award-winning series. Culp poses as a world-class playboy/tennis player, and Cosby goes undercover as his trainer. Together they travel the world, trading quips and fighting high-level crime with cool bravado and extraordinary savoir-faire. Combining humor with action/intrigue, "I Spy" was the first adventure TV series to be shot in exotic international locales, establishing a new standard for television dramas. Includes Volumes 1-7: A Cup Of Kindness, Dragon's Teeth, Tigers Of Heaven, Turkish Delight, Crusade To Limbo, Sparrowhawk, So Coldly Sweet. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A Wish For All I Spy Fans!
This is called box set 1. Box set 1 is a random collection of episodes from any given season. What I would like to see is 'I Spy-The Complete First Season'. I would like THAT box set to have a lot of bells & whistles--outtakes, commercials for the show, interviews (recent and from the era), tv guide covers and articles from everywhere!

A classic series available again-- TV acting at its best
While the DVD is pretty basic (although Robert Culp's commentary is interesting), it is just wonderful to have this classic TV series available again. THIS is what collaborative television acting is all about. There is a poise and a maturity to this series that many of today's efforts lack (despite the slicker special effects and more complex soundtracks of today's TV dramas). Some of the Cold War issues may seem dated, but in fact this series had almost every international issue possible, and some things are back in fashion again. At the time "I Spy" was celebrated for its groundbreaking casting and for its lush locations. Today, while those remain interesting, the incredibly effective pairing of Culp and Cosby (and the creative contributioins of both these talented artists) make this series something very special.

Review by FreaK
Ok..so my mom ordered this set of DVDs. I was bored to DEATH one night because all my friends weren't home, so I decided to watch it with her. I admit it was actually pretty good. I mean, I barely ever watch shows from the 60's, but I liked this one. The real fake looking fight scenes and stuff weren't that bad, actually. The plot is good, but you almost never see Kelly playing tennis..why is that?? That drove me crazy the whole time! lol!

Just the show
"I Spy" BOX SET #1 (Image Entertainment):
- This appears to be a direct copy from master tapes of good condition.
- Video not redone. Some minor specs/lines, usually towards the beginning of each episode, otherwise crystal clear.
- No languages (English only).
- No subtitles.
- No Close Captioned.
- Audio not redone. Some words are a little muddled and you'll just have to figure out what was said. Rare.
- Container box for discs has classic picture, box set number, and episode titles.
- 7 discs each in its own slim transparent case. Each case is about 4-1/2 discs thick.
- Simple menu. 4 episodes per disc. 6 chapters per episode. All in color.
- Each case has a covering insert. Front cover has a classic picture, series title, and episode titles. Back cover has episode titles, each with a list of its guests and a short synopsis of the episode. 'Spine' has series title, disk number, and one episode title.
- No extras, neither on disc nor included written documentation.
- Each episode is 50 minutes long.
- No laugh track. The series was not recorded with a laugh track.

It's amazing that 1 hour TV shows were that long back then. Today's 1 hour shows rarely go over 45 minutes. I would have liked subtitles, close captions, and extras. Either more episodes per disc and extras together on other discs, or mixed together, would also have been nice. Obviously each disc contains lots of blank space. The series lives on DVD and can still deliver the incredible enjoyment of the show, commercial free.

I SPY, 60's TV Series - November 19, 2002
Anybody loved "I SPY" can't miss this opportunity to get the whole series on dvd!

A great series whose characters were perfomed by two great actors. Spy histories are well mixed up with friendship and loyalty feelings linking the two agents.

No regrets for the obvious absence of special effects: this is a wonderful series anyway.

Regrettably DVDs don't contain any extras (only on box set 3 there is an audio commentary by Robert Culp on "So Long Patrick Henry" and "The War Lord"); in any case the box sets and the dvds look very nice. ... Read more

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

Reviews (10)

Steel Leather and an Umbrella Cathy?
If you relish a series like "Honey West," "Peter Gunn" or "77 Sunset Strip" 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 Steed (Patrick Macnee) might say to Cathy Gale (Honor Blackman), "You scratch my back and I'll scratch your back. Just watch the hat please." John and Cathy Gale 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.

Cook It and See What Is for Breakfast
So says Kathy Gale to John. John who? You ask! '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.

Honor Blackman
I own all 4 VHS sets with Honor Blackman. As a yuppy with only the knowledge of Mrs. Peel replayed over and over, it was hard to accept another partner for Steed. But the more I watch Mrs. Gayle, the more I like her. Mrs. Gayle is more real, and more of an adversary to the foe than Mrs. Peel. Mrs. Gayle fights men and wins. Mrs. Gayle isn't put in "cat-fights" with other women. Sometimes the show seems to have been taped live, but it's fun to catch the mistakes and how they worked around them. You can tell they're not in the correct order in the sets. If you can figure out the order they were aired, you should try to watch them in order. You can't watch just one.

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.

This series is a work of Art!!
Yes, let me say it again-short and sweet-unlike all the other reviewers who write pages and pages- This series -from start to finish- is a Work of Art! Own it! ... Read more

Description

Robert Culp and Bill Cosby star as international espionage agents Kelly Robinson and Alexander Scott on highly dangerous missions in this ever-popular, award-winning series. Culp poses as a world-class playboy/tennis player, and Cosby goes undercover as his trainer. Together they travel the world, trading quips and fighting high-level crime with cool bravado and extraordinary savoir-faire. Combining humor with action/intrigue, "I Spy" was the first adventure TV series to be shot in exotic international locales, establishing a new standard for television dramas. Includes Volumes 15-21: The Lotus Eater, Tag, You're It, This Guy Smith, Pinwheel, Bet Me A Dollar, The Robert Culp Collection #1: So Long Patrick Henry, The Robert Culp Collection #2: The War Lord. ... 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