The Avengers - Series 3
Optimum continue with their Avengers release programme with Series 3, a set of episodes previously released by Kult TV in their Definitive Dossier set almost a decade ago. Unlike Season 2 (and surviving episodes from series 1), many Avengers fans (like myself) will have bagged this season on its first outing in the UK and will now face the 'double dip' dilemma. Is it worth it? In short, the answer is a resounding yes.
Before I get into the details for the case for double-dipping, I thought I'd summarize up front for those with short attention spans. The reasons this set is an essential purchase (even if you have the season already) are two-fold:
- Substantially better picture quality which makes this a much more pleasurable watch.
- A raft of extras which arguably will be worth the price of the set alone.
Despite the fact that the series was still being shot live to video tape, Optimum Home Entertainment, have fully restored the episodes, removing digital pixilation, blurry lines and increasing the contrast, as well as grading the images to make them appear more filmic and less like bad security camera footage.
Below are two frame grabs which help illustrate the work that has been done.
Both grabs are taken at the same time using the same software and saving the images in exactly the same way (very scientific!). The first (below) is from my Kult TV Definitive Dossier Set. Note the lack of clarity manifesting through visible lines.
Now compare this to the image below with increased definition (or at least the illusion of this) as well as more satisfying grading with heavily crushed blacks and higher contrast.
This is the case throughout.
Audio-wise the differences between the sets are marginal, both delivering adequate mono which is wildly variable depending on whether a shot is wide or close.
The money invested in the series shows up in increased production value including lavish sets and costumes and a super array of acting talent; a veritable who's who of sixties film and television. There was even budget to pre-film Cathy's famous high-kicking fight scenes the day before the broadcast ready to be played in live at the appropriate moment.
In Season Three, the series begins to get into its stride, combining madcap spy stories with slightly surreal characterisation, as well as the occasional whiff of sci-fi. The series was genre-busting from the outset but by now it had really come into its own. Cathy Gale was further developed as a sexy leather clad heroine who pushed the boundaries of feminism with her dominant action hero antics, whilst still managing to turn on a generation of male viewers. It's a shame she decided to leave the series (to play Pussy Galore in Goldfinger) at the very moment that it was decided to move it to film to increase the possibility of international sales. I expect she would have looked amazing! The result of her leaving meant that plans to start shoot a feature film were put on ice, and then, sadly, abandoned pretty much forever (unless you count the relatively recent outing).
There was a barely suppressed level of sexual tension between the characters, which was highly progressive for 1962-1963. The series revealed that Gale lived in Steed's flat, and whilst the explanation was that it was a temporary arrangement whilst Gale looked for a new home, and that Steed slept in a hotel, the innuendo was there for all to see.
The Avengers became the longest running espionage series ever produced for English-language television, eventually reaching audiences in 120 countries, a record that still stands to this day.
Everyone will, of course, have a favourite episode (mine being 'Brief for Murder', a Brian Clemens penned episode featuring two Ealing comedy style lawyers played by Harold Scott and a pre-Dad's Army John Laurie) but I can assure you that there isn't a dud amongst them.
"Liveliest looking corpus I ever saw. Oh, and very delecti, if I may say so." Steed in 'Brief for Murder'.
The extras are a veritable treasure trove of related material, including fascinating commentaries (the Brian Clemens one for 'Brief for Murder' is fantastic), and plenty of PDF material including TV Times clips and scripts, often scribbled on in pencil and great fun for poring over. There are many TV archival gems too including Patrick Macnee in an episode of 'Armchair Theatre', 'The Importance of Being Earnest'. No stone has been left un-turned to make sure that this really is the definitive dossier.
There is really no point in waiting in hope of a Blu-Ray for this season either as there is little chance that this will have any positive effect on quality with this being as good as it is ever likely to get.
"Goodbye Steed! You see, I shan't be pussy-footing along those sun soaked beaches, I'll be lying on them" (Cathy Gale)
"No pussy-footing? I must have been misinformed." (John Steed) From 'Lobster Quadrille'.
Here's a complete list of what you'll get. And you really owe it to yourself, if you are a fan of the series, to add this to your collection as soon as you are able. If the scarcity of the 'Definitive Dossier' sets is anything to go by (and the consequent price hikes on eBay as a result with Season 3 often fetching north of a hundred quid), then I wouldn't dilly-dally too long.
Series 3 (1963-1964) Episodes:
Disc 1 Concerto
Brief for Murder
The Nutshell
The Golden Fleece
Special Features Audio commentary by Brian Clemens on Brief for Murder
Series 3 promotional brochure
Stills gallery for featured episodes
PDF material (4 x scripts, 3 x TV Times features and 'Meet the Avengers'
book)
Disc 2 Death a la Carte
Man with Two Shadows
Don't Look Behind You
The Grandeur That Was Rome
Special Features Audio commentary by Don Leaver on Man with Two Shadows
Stills gallery for featured episodes
PDF material (4 x scripts)
Filmed introduction to Don't Look Behind You taken from the Avenging
the Avengers interviews that went with the Channel 4 repeats of episode
Disc 3 The Undertakers
Death of a Batman
Build a Better Mousetrap
November Five
Special Features Stills gallery for featured episodes
Behind the scenes shots from The Undertakers
PDF material (5 x scripts, including 2 x versions of Death of a Batman)
Filmed introductions to The Undertakers, Death of a Batman and
November Five taken from the Avenging the Avengers interviews that
went with the Channel 4 repeats of episode
Disc 4 Second Sight
The Secrets Broker
The Gilded Cage
The Medicine Man
Special Features Stills gallery for featured episodes
PDF material (4 x scripts and Psychology Magazine)
Episode Reconstruction - Double Danger
Filmed introductions to the Second Sight, The Gilded Cage and Medicine
Man taken from the Avenging the Avengers interviews that went with the
Channel 4 repeats of episode
Disc 5 The White Elephant
Dressed to Kill
The Wringer
The Little Wonders
Special Features Stills gallery for featured episodes
PDF material (4 x scripts)
Episode Reconstruction - A Change of Bait
Filmed introductions to The Wringer and The Little Wonders taken from
the Avenging the Avengers interviews that went with the Channel 4
repeats of episode
Disc 6 Mandrake
The Trojan Horse
The Outside-In Man
Special Features Audio commentary by Roger Marshall for Mandrake
Audio commentary by Jonathan Alwyn for The Outside-In Man
Armchair Theatre - The Importance of Being Earnest - starring Patrick
Macnee - Act 3 only (only surviving footage) 18 mins
Stills gallery for featured episodes
PDF material (4 x scripts)
Disc 7 The Charmers
Esprit de Corps
Lobster Quadrille
Special Features Avenging the Avengers (main programme - 25:03)
Avenging the Avengers - Extended Interviews: (Macnee/ Blackman/
Thorson (09:43) - on Avenging the Avengers VHS release
Newsreel footage (Honor Blackman's Judo book)
Gale Force part 2 (Honor Blackman interview)
Filmed introductions to The Charmers and Esprit de Corps taken from
the Avenging the Avengers interviews that went with the Channel 4
repeats of episode
Stills gallery for featured episodes
PDF material (4 x scripts)
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