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The New Avengers (1976-1977)

barryt007barryt007
in General Movies & TV Posts: 19,339
This is also not on our forum,which is madness ,but as i just created an Avengers one i thought we might as well complete the set.

Any comments on this brilliant series about the adventures of Steed,Gambit and Perdey ,feel free to comment away !

Comments

  • timmertimmer
    Posts: 4,622
    Haven't watched it in a long time. I caught most of it on regular TV.
    It's on my list of DVD sets to buy along with original Avengers TV series.
    The big three '60s gentlemen spys are Bond, Steed and Solo.
    I quite enjoyed it. MacNee's last fling as Steed.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    I saw it on TV last year on ITV4 i think,and thoroughly enjoyed it,some good fights and Gareth Hunt as Gambit was so much better than i thought he would be....i remember my dad watching it when it was originally on tv even now...(but only when i came down for a glass of water ,had a quick look,got told off by my dad,and mum put me back in bed with said glass of water..i was a little sod he he ).
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    edited April 2017 Posts: 13,384
    Absolutely love it, in fact I bought the box set of the two series :x

    Steed's old Jag.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    I like The New Avengers.

    It's great to have a separate thread for it. I certainly will post my reviews here.

    I guess you can look at that show as a farewell to Steed. Or da capo of sorts.
    While I understand that many may find it a bit meh... it's mainly because it obviously gets compared to the 60s show and probably to the Diana Rigg seasons.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited April 2017 Posts: 23,883
    I love The New Avengers. The dynamic between Gambit & Purdy is great fun to watch.

    My favourite episode remains Trap. Terry Wood is a hoot as Chinese crime lord Soo Choy. Such camp. The Lion and the Unicorn is excellent as well.

    The score to this show is killer. A lot of the 70's shows have phenomenal scores, including The Return of the Saint.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    @bondjames

    Oh I love, that you love it! Totally agree about the scores too!

    The Return Of The Saint I cherish. I own the Australian DVD release which is great.

    I wish I was home and could watch Trap just now! I just don't know why I love this episode so much.

    My favourite though may be Sleeper.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    The episode " Dead men are dangerous" with the actor Clive Revill, is of note
    As He was the original choice to play George Cowley in The Professionals, but
    Wasn't available when filming was scheduled.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited April 2017 Posts: 23,883
    @BondJasonBond006, I have the Australian DVD release of The Return of the Saint too! Quality is so-so, and I think there is a more recent, better quality UK release out there which I might purchase. It's cheaper as well. Ian Ogilvy could (and in my view should) have been Bond.

    Sleeper     is indeed great, and I recall liking Target! as well. So many great episodes.

    Regarding the scores: I think a lot of these were done by Laurie Johnson (he did The Professionals as well - another great show). I think The Return of the Saint was composed by Brian Dee & Irving Martin.

    They don't make them like these shows any more. Great European location photography as well, perhaps because the UK was so expensive around this time tax wise (even Bond went offshore in terms of co-financing with MR).
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    I have Return of the Saint as well..Ogilvy is so similar to Moore....dare i create a thread haha ?
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    @bondjames

    looked it up, indeed there's a UK release and I just ordered it :) don't even matter if there's a difference in picture quality I just have to have it :lol:
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited April 2017 Posts: 23,883
    I might get it as well @BondJasonBond006, as it's a much more compact set. I hope it's a better quality version (I read a user comment saying the quality was decent but I don't actually think t has been remastered).

    EDIT: I wish they would remaster and release The New Avengers on blu ray.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    edited April 2017 Posts: 8,216
    At the time I enjoyed it very much; I haven't seen it since it's original run on late night TV here in the States. I was 13 and Purdey made quite the impression.
  • fire_and_icefire_and_ice
    Posts: 6,432
    Kick ass theme tune watched every episode of the show when I was a kid, was a good reinvention of the original show.



    I used to have this on Vinyl
  • vzokvzok
    Posts: 4,044
    Great theme tune, as was "Return Of The Saint"
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Alan Partridge is a fan.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    edited April 2017 Posts: 9,020
    It's heartwarming to see the love for this sadly criminally overlooked series. Same for The Return Of The Saint.
  • timmertimmer
    Posts: 4,622
    Its like bonus Avengers, much like the one-off Return of the Man From Uncle: The 15 Years Later Affair (1983) which also featured MacNee as the new Head of Uncle.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    The Eagle's Nest (19th October 1976) Series 1, Episode 1
    full.jpg

    Peter Cushing who is playing Von Claus in this episode already has been on The Avengers in Return Of The Cybernauts in 1967.

    Steed investigates the death of a colleague while Gambit witnesses the kidnapping of Professor Von Claus. Purdey scuba dives to the remote island of St. Dorca, where a monastery hides a secret and Germany's greatest treasure.

    full.jpg
    full.jpg

    A quite bizarre and grotesque episode that leaves me puzzled.

    In all seriousness Nazi Monks are hiding Adolf Hitler's frozen body in a monastery on a remote island.
    Nonetheless, Peter Cushing screen presence is great as Professor Von Claus, an authority on suspended animation, who has to revive "Der Führer".

    There are some hilarious moments like when Steed realises that he is staring at Adolf lying in that casket. Luckily the viewer never gets to see the Führer's face, a wise decision, the whole set up is disturbing enough.

    full.jpg

    I have to say that Joanna Lumley as Purdey is quite a sight for sore eyes, especially in that green jumpsuit she is wearing at the monastery where she kicks the asses of several Nazi monks in uniform.

    full.jpg

    Yes, Mr. Steed, that is Adolf, you better believe it!
    full.jpg

    When the New Avengers are exiting the monastery after rounding up all the Nazi's they whistle the Colonel Bogey March. Yes really!

    I had only seen The New Avengers after it came out on the great A+E DVDs. I remember after seeing that first episode it took me like 10 minutes until I was able to get up from the sofa and bang my head on the coffee table to make sure I was not dreaming :lol:

    What a truly bizarre way to start a new series!!!
  • patbpatb
    edited April 2017 Posts: 4,617
    I once sat opposite Gareth Hunt on a train up to London. I wanted to shake his hand and thank him for his contribution to The New Avengers but I decided to respect his privacy. I think I made the wrong call.

    (small World : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licensed_to_Love_and_Kill)

    There is a section in "Sleeper" where Purdey drives a Mini wearing silk pyjamas. If that doesn't grab your attention, nothing will!!

    The New Avengers and The Professionals represent the last in a TV era where Britain still had a swagger and a pride in itself (cars that were actually made in this country by British firms for example). Nothing to match those since. A metaphor for a declining nation?

    Bond carries on the tradition on the big screen (thank goodness)

  • timmertimmer
    Posts: 4,622
    Nice work @BondJasonBond006
    What an episode! I don't think I ever saw that one, as I'm sure I would have remembered!
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    edited August 2017 Posts: 9,020
    .
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