‘The Avengers’—dated, but what style!

Press, 15 April 1986, Page 15

‘The Avengers’—dated, but what style!

F Review]

Ken Strongman

Seeing “The Avengers” again after 20 or so years could have been a dreadful disappointment It was thoroughly enjoyable at the thne, particularly the series with Emma Peel played by Diana Rigg. It iias definitely not lasted we il — it looks dated and even more foolish than it did then. And it doesn’t matter a damn. In spite of all its faults, it is still good television. One reason is historical. "The Avengers” seems to have started many things: cryptic joking interchanges between dynamic duo heroes who were more competent than The Magnificent Seven; criminals were larger-than-life megalomaniacs, and gadgetry was important Last Thursday's episode had lasers being reflected by mirrors, which also appeared in the first episode of “MacGyver.” Things have not changed much. Above all, “The Avengers” was about style, and in fact a style that has rarely been matched. But it did look dated. These were the days of programmes in which people kept raising one eyebrow. For the most part, men wore trousers and had shorter hair than women. Any exceptions were either weird, and

therefore un-trustworthy, or were Mrs Peel, who could get away with anything. This was all very clearly 8.F., that is, before feminism, and even for this reason seems dated. It also means that one might perhaps apply different standards, although only for a moment or two, of course.

Here goes. There is an occasional woman who somehow has the near perfect combination of face, voice, legs and walk, is extremely capable and yet has flashes of vulnerability. Diana Rigg is one such. Not only this, but her chuckle is very sexy and she looks marvellous in a Lotus. The only problem is that she has a penchant for throwing her head back to look at things. It makes her seem both confident and competent, but also makes her face resemble a doublebarrelled shot-gun-Steed not only knows everything, as a man should, but a|so can deal with any problem. He is a

very advanced social animal, but with more than a hint of the moneyed eccentric, shading into possibilities of the macabre. He is a clever character, played to a bizarre perfection by Patrick MacNee, so socially apt that he can hide any ignorance behind a joking facade.

When you think about it, Steed and Peel are great names, with ideal connotations for the series. One thinks of perfectly bred race horses and their riders, of firmness and the ringing of changes. It all points to the classier depths of England. Even their respective cars help to make the point, from classic thoroughbreds to modern thoroughbreds. In English terms, Steed and Peel are the archetypes of the green welly brigade. These are people who are thoroughly at home in grand country houses to which they drive E-types along rustic lanes. They boom and bray with voices that could cut through ice, and rarely affect to notice other mortals. They change clothes every few

minutes and always look impeccable. And they are usually as dreadful as they sound. However, Steed and Peel are a cut above this, perhaps because they do notice things and they are humane.

The most intriguing thing of all is their relationship. Basically, a generation of television viewers, completely hooked on “the Avengers,” pondered that ageold question, “Do they, or don’t they?” for years. It

isn’t any clearer now. Why does he call her Mrs Peel? Why do they only joke and poke cryptic fun at each other? Why does she never have other suitors? (that would have been the word, then). Why isn’t she more impressed with his ability to do as much with his rolled umbrella (so to speak) as a boy scout could do with a Swiss army knife? It is all very difficult.

Anyway, it might look dated, but “The Avengers” is still very watchable. It is a pleasure to see Steed cope with almost anything, with little more than a slight rearrangement of his bowler. It is even more of a pleasure to see Mrs Peel doing anything at all. Fire no salvoes, a B.F. programme deserves a B.F. review, even though Emma Peel’s ability at unarmed combat is breath-taking. One can only hope that those who are seeing all this for the first time enjoy it as much as do ageing romantics, but they might have to suspend more disbelief than we did a few years ago.