The Adventures of Steed and Mrs. Peel

Speak the words “Mrs. Peel, We’re Needed” in the company of a classic TV fan and you’ll likely bring back memories of The Avengers, which starred Patrick Macnee as government agent John Steed. Although Macnee had several co-stars over the course of the show’s six season run (including Honor Blackman as Cathy Gale) his best remembered partner is probably the lovely and dangerous Emma Peel, played by Diana Rigg. Their sparkling chemistry, as well as the show’s offbeat stories and very British sense of humor, were an instant hit with viewers when ABC began showing the Macnee-Rigg episodes in 1966. That was the first time The Avengers aired in the States, though it was actually the show’s fourth season. If you’re looking for a few episodes to watch to get the flavor of the series, I’d like to recommend these five episodes as a starting point:

Steed & Mrs. Peel go shopping in Death At Bargain Prices

“Death At Bargain Prices” – Season 4

An agent is mysteriously killed at a department store while searching for a missing scientist. Steed and Mrs. Peel are called upon to investigate. Emma goes undercover as a store employee, and Steed snoops around as a customer. As our heroes try to solve the agent’s murder and locate the scientist, they discover a nefarious plot to destroy London. This episode features some of the best scenes of the Macnee-Rigg era, with the usual excellent byplay between the two stars. It’s written by longtime Avengers scribe Brian Clemens, and directed by British cinema veteran Charles Crichton, who later went on to helm A Fish Called Wanda.

“Castle De’ath” – Season 4

It’s an eerie story about dead agents, ghosts, submarines, and the price of fish. At a Scottish castle, Steed is posing as a historian named “McSteed” and Emma as a consultant who wants to turn the place into a tourist attraction. The two brothers who live at the castle are at odds about what to do to honor their family legacy, but there’s more going on at this stately home than meets the eye. The episode gives viewers the opportunity to see Macnee in a kilt instead of his usual tailored suit and bowler, and Rigg wandering the castle in her nightgown. And just where does that iron maiden in the basement fit in? This entry features nice guest turns from British film and television stalwarts Gordon Jackson and Robert Urquhart as the sparring brothers of Clan De’ath.

“What The Butler Saw” – Season 4

Among a group of high-ranking officials, someone is leaking government secrets. In order to discover the culprit, Steed joins a butler training school (yes, you read that correctly) and Mrs. Peel has to cozy up to a womanizing member of the group. Macnee gets to wear a number of disguises in the episode (each a bit more outlandish than the last) and Emma tries something called “Operation Fascination” to land her target among the group. There’s a lot of sharp dialogue, and not so subtle nods to Get Smart’s famous “Cone of Silence,” and perhaps, 007 himself. This Brian Clemens penned outing is a great deal of fun.

“Who’s Who???” – Season 5

Most classic genre shows found themselves doing a body or mind switch tale at some point during their runs, and The Avengers was no exception. Enemy agents named Basil and Lola use an experimental machine to swap minds with our dynamic duo, leaving Steed and Mrs. Peel trapped in their bodies. It’s a delightfully daffy romp as the evil duo make the most of their time in our heroes’ bodies, and Steed and Mrs. Peel have to find a way to get back to where they belong. Kudos to the excellent performances by Macnee and Rigg, who have to act very unlike their normal selves, as well as Freddie Jones as Basil and Patricia Haines as Lola, who do a nice job playing Steed and Mrs. Peel in their bodies. Written by Philip Levene, and directed by John Llewellyn Moxey.

Mrs. Peel tries to solve the mystery of Murdersville

“Murdersville” – Season 5

Emma escorts an old friend to his new home in a small town. Soon after they arrive, mysterious things begin to happen. Her friend turns up dead, the body disappears, and no one will admit to ever having seen him. The townspeople have devised a very unique way of turning a profit by treating certain visitors to a one-way trip. As Emma tries to escape, she reaches out to Steed. Will he get to her in time? Or will she end up the latest casualty in “Murdersville?” This is one of the best episodes of Season 5, and features some wonderfully odd characters among the townspeople. If you're a credits watcher, pay close attention to Mrs. Peel’s phone call to Steed when she names their “children."

Rigg left the show at the end of its fifth season, and was replaced by Linda Thorson as Tara King for the series’ final year. The show was revived in the mid 1970s as The New Avengers, and during its two season run, Steed had a pair of partners, Gareth Hunt as Mike Gambit and a pre-Absolutely Fabulous Joanna Lumley as Purdey. Ironically, three of the show’s leads went on to be prominently featured in the James Bond film series: Blackman in Goldfinger, Rigg in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (in which Lumley also appeared, pre-New Avengers) and Macnee in A View To A Kill. The series has lived on in syndication, home video releases and online streaming ever since. All of the incarnations of The Avengers have their fans, except perhaps, the disastrous 1998 film version featuring Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman. So sit back, relax, and enjoy some wonderful action-adventure tales featuring witty dialogue, colorful characters and of course, the sophisticated and extraordinary John Steed and Mrs. Emma Peel.