I'm afraid you are right. I don't think it could be played as well today. Even if they took the same scripts and found really good actors to play it, it wouldn't have the same look and style. It is a piece of magic from a time when TV was being much braver than it had before. I'm not going to go all gaga about the 60s being this golden age because you can list the ways it wasn't, but in this TV series, they captured a sense of delight that it is hard not to feel nostalgic about. It was a breaking through the more sober affairs that had gone before. It wasn't exactly a comedy but it wasn't exactly a drama either. They existed in this twilight mirror universe where wit and playfulness would not be diminished by the most dire of threats; where flirting could exist in the full knowledge on all parts that it would never go further than flirting. It's not reality but despite the way corpses piled up, you kind of wish it was.

100 % correct ; truly unique & the best actors combo ever !

Yes. I can only use the smallest moments in these videos but there is always so much wonderful stuff to choose from.

I love her delivery of that line. Some like their films and TV shows gritty and peppered with realism. The Avengers is always letting us know that this is a great game to enjoy and yet never at the expense of the story working its magic.

I always prefer black and white shows shot on film to those shot in colour or on video. The light and shadow just plays so well. Colour suits the movies, especially those big epic sweep movies. But TV always seemed best suited to monochrome. It's probably just a personal thing or even a nostalgia thing... But these shows look so great.

She had a lot of wonderful qualities. That mixture of toughness and sweetness and sexiness and uprightness. An impossible act to follow.

Diana Rigg as Emma was the total package of perfect " femininety " ! Watched the first time the Avengers was broadcasted on America's ABC N.Y.C. viewing area in b & w. in 1966 then the following year in color with Emma 's new non-leather cripelene material stretch , colorful jumpsuits/ stretch stirrup pants ( like Bogner's stirrup ski pants ).@@dreamsofprojectedlight

It's amazing just how many people did. They were always giving scenes to interesting character actors. One of the reason there is rarely a dull moment.

The flood is coming

Very true. I grew up with the 625-line black and white TVs... But the thing is, at the time, it looked amazing because we didn't have anything to compare it to. I'm so glad they shot this series on film.

@@dreamsofprojectedlight I grew up with 405 Television sets they were about to try 625 lines sets happy and more simple times when bin men use to go around your back garden empty your bin and still have time for a chat when they brought the bin back.......All gone

Yes. The perils must be great because we know that salvation will come but must still feel excited at how close a shave it might be. And yes, Emma Peel was such an iconic character. They always said of Bond that men wanted to be him and women wanted to sleep with him. I think Emma Peel is one of the few heroines that women wanted to be and men wanted to sleep with, knowing of course that she was ever faithful to the missing Mr Peel and that if she wasn't it would be Steed first.

Strength is silent. Weakness is loud. I think the problem with some of the more modern films which put women in the central action role is that they keep saying it. I heard that an actress in one of these female led franchise action films said she was the first woman to play an action heroine. What do these people learn at school?

It is pretty obvious not much, we do have some gifted intelligent actors, but they seem to keep to themselves. It's like that old saying "a hollow gourd makes the most noise"@@dreamsofprojectedlight

Very understandable. She is timeless.

@@dreamsofprojectedlight Yess!!👍🥂

A Surfeit of H20. Fourth Series, Eighth episode.

@@dreamsofprojectedlight many thanks 😊 much appreciated!!

I think many are. She had a quality that was so unusual. She exuded a kind of confidence in every scene and yet never once feels that she's being snarky in any way. She is always polite and thoughtful however dire the situation or however eccentric a character she is playing with. That's the quality she really shares with Macnee. It is not surprising that the two got on so well.