Steed Pours Champagne - Emma Sparkles
The best thing about The Avengers is that the series is so diverse, a random grab of any half dozen episodes is sure to bring up at least three you're guaranteed to enjoy. With seven available in this set, the odds increase that you'll pull up four.

For those who miss the earlier Honor Blackman crime melodramas in the series, "The Murder Market," "Two's A Crowd" and "Dial A Deadly Number" will fit their bill. "A Surfeit of H2O," "The Hour That Never Was" and "The Man-Eater of Surrey Green" provide a bit of sci-fi and action/adventure, and "Too Many Christmas Trees" - a favorite in anyone's book - is a wonderful psychological suspenser in the espionage/murder vein.

But better than all of that is simply the magnificent chemistry between stars Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg, which livens-up even the weakest episodes in the series with wit, humor and a great abundance of charm. Rarely has any show been so graced with two such appealing actors, let alone writers sparkling enough to make adept use of their native talents. There is a depth of feeling, commitment and moral fortitude, in the characters of John Steed and Emma Peel, that is rarely seen anymore, and is sorely missed.

Enter the world of The Avengers - or reacquaint yourself, if you're already a fan - and immerse yourself in excellence.

A mix of classics and weaker episodes
This collection is a real mixed bag, with classic episodes (including the sharply written, seamless thriller DIAL A DEADLY NUMBER and the enjoyably surreal TOO MANY CHRISTMAS TREES) balanced against definitely weaker episodes (THE HOUR THAT NEVER WAS, MAN-EATER OF SURRY GREEN).

Complete at last
At last all the Diana Rigg episodes are available on video tapes (or DVD if you have the hardware). Here you can view at your leisure exactly what tv is missing today: the exquisitely correct balance of high adventure with tongue-in-cheek plots, dialogue, and world-outlook. The assumption is that the viewers are fairly well educated and can appreciate such references as "Your handbag, Lady Bracknell" in "The Girl from Auntie" episode. This is to a large extent Wildean satire anyway, with a dash of W.S. Gilbert: assume that an absurd situation is normal and follow its logical trail to wherever it leads. On the whole, the black and white episodes are a touch more innocent than the more studio-bound amd self conscious color ones. And it is fun spotting future big stars and lesser ones, none of whom were permitted to appear more than once in the same series. And for a trivia question, what character other than "Brodney" the bumbling Soviet agent appeared in a black and white and then a color episode? Not the same actor, mind you: the same character. Now the question is, Will the Tara King episodes follow? My contact at A&E says no one is sure at this time. But thanks and thanks again for these sets.

JJDBauer@earthlink.net
Great set! Most of the b/w Avengers episodes are better than the color ones. "Murder Market" and "Too Many Christmas Trees" definitely are top of the mark! "Dial A Deadly Number" has that wonderful twist of plot. Definitely worth the purchase.