The Avengers: Season 6 (UK - Blu-ray) Available for Preorder (1 Viewer)

To all,

The UK Blu-ray edition of The Avengers season 6 is now on pre-order at Amazon UK.
It is presented with nine discs: a good sign of quality.
Release date: October 5, 2015.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B013JZW7WQ

Season 6 was the first season with actress Linda Thorson as Tara King
and the last one of the sixties.

The season premiere "The Forget-Me-Knot" features both actresses Diana Rigg and Linda Thorson.

Some unique episodes appeared that season:
"Get-A-Way!"
"Look - (stop me if you've heard this one) But There Were These Two Fellers…"
"All Done With Mirrors"
"Super Secret Cypher Snatch"
"Game"
"They Keep Killing Steed"
"Killer"
"The Interrogators"
"The Morning After"
"Pandora"


Episode Guide:
http://www.dissolute.com.au/the-avengers-tv-series/series-6/

As usual with UK Studio Canal releases the price is way too high.

What should be a similar set on the same day is available from Amazon Italy for half the price.

Any chance of a U.S. Release; has anyone heard anything ?

turtledove said:

As usual with UK Studio Canal releases the price is way too high.

What should be a similar set on the same day is available from Amazon Italy for half the price.

Click to expand...

Maybe i missed something, but i didn't see a price on the Amazon Italy site.

smithbrad said:

Maybe i missed something, but i didn't see a price on the Amazon Italy site.

Click to expand...

Of course you didn't because it isn't there. Oops.

It's Amazon Germany -sorry. If you have the UK series 4 you will note that when the disc begins the first screen to appear gives a choice of English or German which would inidicate the discs should be identical.


http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B0116C3NTA/ref=s9_simh_gw_p74_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=1RF2GJWM0BW3730X6PMZ&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=585296347&pf_rd_i=desktop


I must admit the foreign text on the cover is a bit off putting but with postage is works out at just over £37 which is way under what the UK set will be even though the current price will very likely drop before release.

The good thing about ordering from Amazon is that on the offchance the discs do turn out to be different and maybe not include the extras you can simply return it to Amazon

I paid around 44 pounds shipped for series 5 and about 50 pounds shipped for series 4 from Amazon UK. I guess it will depend how low the UK price goes before release date. Amazon DE does provide another option.

Actually I'm going to withdraw that Amazon Germany recommenndation. Although series 4 discs were identical I've discovered that series 5 wasn't and that the menus are in German. I've seen no confirmation of whether the extras are included but as its 2 discs less ( as is the Thorson season) I'm inclined to think the bonuses are not on the German set . It might be because the Germans have decided to release series 5 as series 5 AND 6 which might be the wording on the discs and menus which account for them being authored separately.


I have the US set of series 5 so although there's no extras I'm not in a mad rush to get the UK set at it's current price. I would be very happy with the US set if it were not for the dreadful audio. Not only is the original mono audio omitted, not always a problem for me but the included 5.1 is just so terrible.

THE SIXTH SEASON (1968-1969)


producers Albert Fennell and Brian Clemens

executive in charge of production Gordon L.T. Scott

story consultant Philip Levene

consultant to the series Julian Wintle

script editor Terry Nation

composers Laurie Johnson and Howard Blake


PRODUCTION RUNDOWN


This is the most twisted, incongruous and chaotic season—and even gruesome—because the series crosses the line of madness combined with vivid parody: it even foreshadows the stylish and creepy humour of films like Robert Fuest’s The Abominable Dr. Phibes or Douglas Hickox’s Theatre of Blood. This is the longest season with thirty three episodes and three episodes encapsulate the mad circus line: Look, Game and Pandora. Robert Fuest is the leading director of the season, by the way. Both Fennell and Clemens are fired at first—because ABC UK wishes a return to realism, meaning no more fantasy and eccentricity—and then are re-hired but meanwhile a producer—Cathy Gale-era John Bryce—starts the season and only let three “uncredited” sloppy episodes (Invasion of the Earthmen, Invitation To A Killing, The Great Great Britain Crime) that are re-shot, re-edited and some re-titled (Invasion of the Earthmen, Have Guns - Will Haggle, Homicide and Old Lace) under the supervision of Brian Clemens. Since season 4 and 5 writer Philip Levene supported failure producer John Bryce as a story consultant and was also removed by ABC. Despite a ‘courtesy’ credits, Julian Wintle has already left the series at the end of season 5.


In the very end, season 6 is the product of three men: Fennell (finance), Clemens (writing and editing) and Scott (continuity). After eight produced episodes, Clemens hire Terry “Dalek” Nation to be the real story consultant unlike Philip Levene that only has a ‘legal’ credits. The onscreen credits for “executive in charge of production” means “executive producer”. Even though John Bryce used to bring his fashion consultant named Harvey Gould, costume designer Alun Hughes resumes his position and provides fancy woman clothes, the typeface of the logo remains intact and Steed keeps his previous flat but a break in the series’ internal conventions and a feeling of loss appear. As the season progresses, the typefaces of the episode titles vary.


New main titles credits are conceived: a bare orange studio-bound one used only once for the end credits of the season premiere (“The-Forget-Me-Knot”) and for the opening titles of one episode (“Split!”)—a link to the previous season—and then the regular one done in the countryside with a Middle Age suits of armour tapestry directed by Robert Fuest but to complete this second opening titles, a new end titles was fashioned by John Hough depicting inserts of the hands of Magic Circle member John Wade performing his card tricks. The replacement female partner is Agent 69 aka Tara King played by “green” actress Linda Thorson who was previously casted by John Bryce and who underwent two severe changes of hair color and had to carry wigs to hide the damage, including a blonde one in the three Bryce failures. After the first nine produced episodes, we meet new semi-regulars of the Secret Service: wheelchair-bound superior Mother, supported by his tall and mute blonde female body guard Rhonda. I still wonder if Mother is not a humoristic nod to Ironside? Keep in mind the characters of wheelchair-bound Detective Robert Ironside and blonde Officer Eve Whitfield.

I much preferred the original credits (target, shooting gallery design) to the outdoor suit of armor/hand of cards credits. Memory can play tricks but I'm pretty sure that when these were first-run on ABC in the USA those titles appeared on the first batch of shows, not just the two episodes described above. Then somewhere along the line the other titles took their place. I can't think of any reason why only "Split!" would have these opening credits, other than when they replaced them thru early episodes they mistakenly forgot Split! If so this does suggest that the shooting gallery credits were at some point used on the first episodes of the season. In any case I wish they'd stuck with them. (I also liked the live-action-clips New Avengers opening better than the alternate version.)

mark-edk said:

I much preferred the original credits (target, shooting gallery design) to the outdoor suit of armor/hand of cards credits. Memory can play tricks but I'm pretty sure that when these were first-run on ABC in the USA those titles appeared on the first batch of shows, not just the two episodes described above. Then somewhere along the line the other titles took their place. I can't think of any reason why only "Split!" would have these opening credits, other than when they replaced them thru early episodes they mistakenly forgot Split! If so this does suggest that the shooting gallery credits were at some point used on the first episodes of the season. In any case I wish they'd stuck with them. (I also liked the live-action-clips New Avengers opening better than the alternate version.)

Click to expand...

I sold my UK 50th Anniversary set a couple of weeks ago so I don't have the Thorson era at the moment ( apart from one of the original A&E sets) but when I saw The Avengers after its first restoration in 1992 the only episode to have the target titles was Split (IIRC) but the dvd's also only have one episode with the target titles and it was not the same one that I saw with it. Split had them but I'm not sure if that was in 1992 or on the new dvd's.


My impression was that there were 2 sets of credits and the target titles were used in some countries.


Re: The New Avengers. The animated titles were the ones intended to be used from day one but they were not completed in time for the earliest episodes to be supplied to ITV so a live action montage was prepared to replace them including a shot from Joanna Lumleys screen test that wasn't in any episodes. As they did with The Professionals once a set of opening titles became popular they tacked them onto every episode even ones that never had them originally. It's only with the recent home video reissues that all the episodes of both shows had the original opening titles put back where they should be.

When TNA was repeated in the 80's and 90's some episodes did retain the live action titles but not all the ones that should have.

mark-edk said:

I much preferred the original credits (target, shooting gallery design) to the outdoor suit of armor/hand of cards credits. Memory can play tricks but I'm pretty sure that when these were first-run on ABC in the USA those titles appeared on the first batch of shows, not just the two episodes described above. Then somewhere along the line the other titles took their place. I can't think of any reason why only "Split!" would have these opening credits, other than when they replaced them thru early episodes they mistakenly forgot Split! If so this does suggest that the shooting gallery credits were at some point used on the first episodes of the season. In any case I wish they'd stuck with them. (I also liked the live-action-clips New Avengers opening better than the alternate version.)

Click to expand...

The orange target main titles was part of the first batch of ‘produced’ episodes.

Find the list that may trigger some memories:


"Invasion of the Earthmen"
"The Curious Case of the Countless Clues"
"The Forget-Me-Knot"
"Split!"
"Get-A-Way!"
"Have Guns - Will Haggle"
"Look - (stop me if you've heard this one) But There Were These Two Fellers..."

JohnHopper said:

To all,

The UK Blu-ray edition of The Avengers season 6 is now on pre-order at Amazon UK.
It is presented with nine discs: a good sign of quality.
Release date: October 5, 2015.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B013JZW7WQ

Click to expand...

Good news! The price dropped: from £79.99 to £59.99 (minus £20).

I have read that Patrick Macnee disliked the character of 'Mother' ( no detriment to veteran Avengers actor Patrick Newell of course) and the more 'comedic' style the show rather slid towards....'Bizarre' was a very weak ending to the classic sixties show


yet episodes such as 'Game', 'Super Secret Cypher Snatch', 'Noon Doomdsay', 'All Done With Mirrors', 'Pandora', 'The Morning After', 'Killer''Thingamajig' etc were all really good and well up to 'Avengers' standard


while I enjoyed 'Fog' it was a bit silly really...'Legacy of Death' was pure ham acted farce..


'Killer' featured guest star Jennifer Croxton as honoury Avenger 'Lady Diana' (a salute to Diana Rigg ?) who seemed far more an 'Avenger girl' - deputising as Linda Thorson was either away on holiday or ill with glandular fever depending which source you read...


while 'They Keep Killing Steed' featured future 'Return of The Saint' star Ian Ogilvy guesting as an 'honoury Avenger' helping Tara search for a missing Steed - Linda Thorson later guest starred in an episode of 'Return of The Saint'


Brian Clemens was apparently not happy about having an obligatory Canadian actress cast in his absence - he would have gone for a girl with 'Acid Chelsea wit' he once said (actress Jane Merrow who guest starred in 'Mission: Highly Improbable' episode, might have made a super 'English' Avenger girl)


But Linda Thorson did a great job, despite being reduced to tears early on by the production staff, put on diet pills, having her hair damaged by bleaching it blonde - 'they had her running around looking like Harpo Marx !' Brian Clemens put it... and initially Linda was being unintentionally 'cold shouldered' by Patrick Macnee (then badly missing his old & dear friend Diana Rigg)


Seeing Linda reduced to tears Patrick Macnee 'took her under his wing' & insisted on being present at all production meetings (duly 'batting on her behalf') and the 'Steed & Tara' partnership then really took off...


it seemed no two writers ever got Tara's character the same - one week she's a confident 'Co-Avenger' girl...next week she's still a newcomer in awe of Steed ! - so great credit to Linda Thorson for making her Tara King character work !!


Linda's acting in 'Pandora' - an episode that really centered on her - was quite excellent


Brian Clemens admitted the BEST scripts/ideas were either those left undone from the earlier Di Rigg era or those written in that style - maybe they were torn between going out & out comedic (as The Man From UNCLE had been fatally damaged by going...and despite Anthony Spinner's fine 'rescue' attempt in season four - that show was doomed by the lurch into camp comedy style)


- The Avengers always had enough of the stronger more credible episodes to avoid that...but by 1969, despite still healthy viewing figures (Linda Thorson was much loved in France too) they were starting to run out of ideas it seemed....with a few familiar themes revisited and perhaps getting too silly at times ('Bizarre' was a dreadful closing episode I felt)


'The New Avengers' later in the mid seventies was significantly a far more serious and credible styled show, being firmly set in the 'spy' world albeit with eccentric colourful foes...

¶ Speaking of the character Mother:


As a reaction to the ABC character imposition of Tara King and her lack of chemistry with her partner, producer Brian Clemens writes the character of Mother as a nod to M from James Bond but for the season premiere. ABC reacts positively to the newly created character and asks Clemens to bring him back.


Mother has two episodes focused on him: Stay Tuned (assassination attempt) and Homicide and Old Lace. Mother appears in twenty episodes out of thirty three: from the season premiere The Forget-Me-Knot to You’ll Catch Your Death, All Done With Mirrors, Super Secret Cypher Snatch, False Witness, Noon Doomsday, They Keep Killing Steed, Wish You Were Here, Killer, The Rotters, The Interrogators, Love All, Take Me to Your Leader, Stay Tuned, Fog, Who Was That Man I Saw With You, Pandora, Homicide and Old Lace, Requiem, Bizarre.



Some of the most eccentric appearances of Mother are found in:

1. The Forget-Me-Knot (a room with step ladders and ceiling grips)
2. All Done With Mirrors (in a swimming pool)
3. Super Secret Cypher Snatch (inside a luxury car in a field)
4. They Keep Killing Steed (on a small boat)
5. False Witness (in a double dekker bus)

The season 6 artwork revealed:

turtledove said:

I sold my UK 50th Anniversary set a couple of weeks ago so I don't have the Thorson era at the moment ( apart from one of the original A&E sets) but when I saw The Avengers after its first restoration in 1992 the only episode to have the target titles was Split (IIRC) but the dvd's also only have one episode with the target titles and it was not the same one that I saw with it. Split had them but I'm not sure if that was in 1992 or on the new dvd's.


My impression was that there were 2 sets of credits and the target titles were used in some countries.


Re: The New Avengers. The animated titles were the ones intended to be used from day one but they were not completed in time for the earliest episodes to be supplied to ITV so a live action montage was prepared to replace them including a shot from Joanna Lumleys screen test that wasn't in any episodes. As they did with The Professionals once a set of opening titles became popular they tacked them onto every episode even ones that never had them originally. It's only with the recent home video reissues that all the episodes of both shows had the original opening titles put back where they should be.

When TNA was repeated in the 80's and 90's some episodes did retain the live action titles but not all the ones that should have.

Click to expand...

I may also sell my region 2 avengers 50th DVD box set.

I really am only a fan of the peel and king years. Well and the new avengers of course.
I feel lost at times on the gale episodes.

Wow!!

Tunnel of fear preorder now online...

https://mobile.twitter.com/AvengersTvShow/status/960874587876745216