The Avengers International Fan Forum

Allard

Typically fans of tv shows get asked what is their favourite episode. I want to ask which episode you think or experience as being most typical of each series of The Avengers. So NOT your favourite, but which episode you think best represents a certain series best. We're starting of with the Peel colours:

please elaborate in a reply if you have more than one episode (the forum will only allow one vote) or if you wish to discuss or motivate your choice.

mousemeat · Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2021 5:09 am Post subject:

good question..

tough choice, I reckon'....speaking for myself, I would select murdersville' as that episode..everything from photography, depth, dialogue , and overall attitude, coming from the script..is there with this episode ...is this the ultimate peel episode ? probably not..if such an episode does exist...is this the 'best' colour Peel episode ? again, it's up for discussion...each of her episodes, means something to many of us..so the debate is valid, and should prove to be lively

darren · Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2021 5:29 am Post subject:

I've never been very keen on it but I think The Hidden Tiger sums up the template for series 5 episodes. You have people being murdered off one by one that leads Steed and Emma to a strange organisation with someone dodgy behind it all.

Frankymole · Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2021 7:36 am Post subject:

Three or four episodes were remakes of earlier videotaped ones. However one of those, The Correct Way to Kill (a remake of The Jokers) was to my mind the most typical episode of series 5 incorporating all the elements of the formula.

The only weird thing is Steed and Emma both get paired with different people, which makes us grateful when they're reunited at the end. So it both calls back to Series 3 (script), and forward to series 7 (looking like a double-banked episode with Steed operating with a different partner, and his usual partner getting a new one of her own). But the diabolical masterminds, settings, even the recurrent actors (Madoc, Gough, Barkworth) are totally typical Avengers.

All that said, I'll go for one I enjoy less. Escape in Time, so often cited as the archetypal Emma episode.
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mousemeat · Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2021 3:22 pm Post subject:

Frankymole · Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2021 3:58 pm Post subject:

It's definitely typical of season 5, and Peter Bowles is one of the best actors, in all Avengers seasons. He makes for one of the best diabolical masterminds, every time he appears. Pretty good in other series, including comedy like "To The Manor Born" and "Only When I Laugh". I've seen Escape in Time too often, but to show someone what Avengers series 5 typically is like, it's spot on. And lovely to see Rocky Taylor's handsome face for once.

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mousemeat · Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2021 4:44 pm Post subject:

Brugeoise · Thingumajig Joined: 29 Oct 2016 Posts: 59

In my opinion, it's a tie between The Hidden Tiger and You Have Just Been Murdered but, since only one episode can be chosen, I went for The Hidden Tiger.

I think it's a perfect blend of all the elements that made The Avengers a world-wide phenomenon. There's sci-fi, tongue-in-cheek humour (the episode if plentiful with double entendres), style (Emma drinking champagne while peeling off her wallpaper), eccentricity (the safari, Mr. Cheshire), archetypal 60's set designs (the cat corridor at Purrr impressed me very vividly the first time I watched this episode). Oddly, there isn't a clear diabolical mastermind here: Angora and doctor Manx don't seem to do quite the trick for me, although Angora is a wonderfully chilling -though underused- character.

You Have Just Been Murdered has all of the above-listed elements but it doesn't come through as such a strong episode as Tiger does. Nevertheless, it's very enjoyable (and a personal favourite).

mousemeat · Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2021 6:36 am Post subject:

dissolute · Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2021 4:49 pm Post subject:

I chose The Hidden Tiger but Escape in Time would have done equally well at representing series 5.
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mousemeat · Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2021 6:52 pm Post subject:

denis rigg · A Touch of Brimstone Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Posts: 2593

I thought about this for two days and came to the conclusion that You Have Just Been Murdered looks like most typical one. Mysterious circumstances, a series of deaths of persons to one belonging - rich people, Emma Peel is captured, fight at the end of the episode, etc.
Initially, I wanted to opt for The Hidden Tiger, but capturing Steed is not typical and there is no final fight.
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Denis

Allard · Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2021 2:51 am Post subject:

Results from the same poll on facebook:

Frankymole · Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2021 3:38 am Post subject:

Murdersville, really? Aside from having an unusually large amount of location footage, it features Emma being dumber than perhaps in any other episode.

She and Steed are also separated longer than usual, more like a Tara-era double-banked episode.

So maybe I should vote for Fog or All Done with Mirrors in the Tara season poll, after all...
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Last watched: "The Gilded Cage"

denis rigg · A Touch of Brimstone Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Posts: 2593

Murdersville? I'm surprised too. It's a good episode, but frankly, aside from lame logic, it lacks intrigue unlike most other episodes of the Emma Peel series.
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Denis

mousemeat · Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2021 8:52 am Post subject:

frank · Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2021 7:32 am Post subject:

Oooh I've been away too long. This is a nice poll. It was a tough choice. Correct Way To Kill was not my favorite or what I thought was the best. But it does best exemplify the spoof nature that Brian Clemens pushed for. My other choice would have been Who's Who

I find it interesting that the forum heavily went with Philip Levene over Brian Clemens but the Facebook poll was more evenly divided

mousemeat · Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2021 8:46 am Post subject:

Frankymole · Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2021 5:08 pm Post subject: