Product description

The New Avengers (8 Disc Collector's Edition Box Set) [1976]

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Binding : DVD
EAN : 5060034576952
Label : Optimum Home Entertainment
Manufacturer : Optimum Home Entertainment
Publisher : Optimum Home Entertainment
Release date : 2006-10-30
Title : The New Avengers (8 Disc Collector's Edition Box Set) [1976]
Actor : Array
Audience rating : Suitable for 12 years and over
Format : Array
Languages : Array
Number of items : 8
Original release date : 1976-01-01
Region code : 2
Running time : 1320
Studio : Optimum Home Entertainment
Theatrical releaseDate : 1976

Customer reviews

review by: date: 2008-11-19 rating:

Not classic Avengers, but a decent enough 70s action series
During the shooting of the last season of The New Avengers, Patrick McNee ran into Peter O'Toole, who asked him what he was doing. "I'm doing The New Avengers" "Patrick, you're always doing The Avengers." Each episode beginning with a pre-title cliffhanger and a strident martial variation of his original theme music by uncredited co-producer Laurie Johnson, the show itself is nowhere near as bad as its reputation - the trouble is, it's nowhere near as good as the original series, even in its Tara King days. What's missing most of all is not just the straight-faced whimsy and the innocent kinkiness but the playful banter between Steed and his female partner, be it Cathy Gale, Tara King or Emma Peel. Indeed, rather than a double act, he cuts a more paternal (or should that be Maternal?) figure with two young pretenders handling the fighting and the banter in the form of Joanna Lumley's Purdey and Gareth Hunt's Gambit, (probably British television's first working class Jewish action hero).

The plots are generally a little more grounded in the first season, which translates as more ordinary, with the unnamed foreign power now openly Russia this time round and the violence somewhat more serious - fewer blasé reactions to exotically murdered corpses this time round - even if the fight choreography was a lot less impressive. Steed even found himself picking up a gun in a couple of episodes in the second season despite McNee's well-known intense aversion to them. Nor is the series especially nostalgic: it may have launched with a plot to revive Hitler from cryogenic suspended animation in a Scottish castle run by monks, but many of the plots revolve around schemes hatched at the height of the Cold War that the classic episodes treated so frivolously finally coming home to roost or around characters from the past obsessing over old grievances presumably incurred around the time of the show's glory days coming back to haunt the main characters. Rather than fending off the threat of reality or consequences with witty banter, Steed occasionally cuts a more serious, sombre figure, not quite taking everything cheerfully in his stride and not necessarily meaning it when he does. Despite the distinctive dress sense and the steel bowler, there's the distinct feeling that the producers have decided it was high time he had finally grown up, even if only a little.

As if to underline the more serious approach, the show's original leading man Ian Hendry turns up in as a guest star in one episode in a quite different role, and a rather unfortunately autobiographical one at that as a down-and-out alcoholic former spy trying to get back into the game and failing miserably. Sadly, with all but one of the first season's episodes lost, this now stands as 50% of Henry's surviving legacy in the series his one-time sidekick inherited and made his own.

Taken as an Avengers series, the first season isn't flattered by the comparison, though as a 70s action thriller series it's more than passable fare. Things went wrong with the visibly underfunded second season. By then the show seemed to be reverting to its roots in the worst way, becoming a rather tired, run of the mill spy series at times. With producers Albert Fennell and Brian Clemens busily developing what would become The Professionals, the series almost turns into a blueprint for that, with Steed assuming the Gordon Jackson role and Purdey and Gambit the Martin Shaw and Lewis Collins roles (indeed, Collins and Shaw actually co-star in one episode, Obsession). Gambit had given up his attempts to get Purdey into bed and resigned himself to being more comic relief than action man. The writing is often lazy, relying on huge suspension of disbelief to overlook gaping plot holes like security men not bothering to check bell towers when looking for an assassin or McNee and co taking a car with a vital palm print by the most roundabout route to a police station to give the bad guys ample opportunities to destroy it.

It's also the one where the co-producers started demanding their pound of flesh, with three episodes being shot in France (though the French co-producers only came up with the money for two) and the last four being shot on the cheap in Canada under the title The New Avengers in Canada. The most reviled of the series, these at least did show a return to the odd moment of surrealism, with Complex offering a fully-automated building that doubles as an assassin (an idea it sadly makes little of and which Philip Kerr lifted for his novel Gridiron) and Forward Base delighting in a corner of Lake Ontario that dries up and floods in the blink of an eye.

Still, even that season had its moments - Dead Men Are Dangerous sees Steed targeted by Clive Revill's terminally ill old school friend who always came second to you-know-who in every sporting and spying endeavour, and it deserves points for cheek for using a bit of stock footage from The Winged Avenger and A Touch of Venus to add Emma Peel to the beginning of another episode, K is For Kill.

As per most Avengers DVDs, this Optimum reissue of both series is almost extras-free - just an audio commentary with Brian Clemens and Gareth Hunt on two episodes. While not quite as bad as some reports, the transfers aren't particularly good: it's obvious that the old video release masters have been used with no effort at restoration, with wildly varying results that veer from acceptable (as long as your TV screen isn't too big) to not that good. Probably one for the completists.

review by: peanutclarke date: 2008-06-01 rating:

unfairly panned
I'll try and be brief with this review,when the new avengers came out it was UNFAIRLY PANNED by the "critics"i can only assume they were still pining for the georgous mrs.peel and all things which were 60's.To be fair series one is superb (as good as anything from the original avengers)series 2 is weak(er)but this was down to fall outs with the production crew and tv studios and the filming having to be moved to canada.This set is worth buying for series 1 alone,the chemistry is there especially between gambit (the late gareth hunt) and purdey (joanna lumley....LEGEND AND NATIONAL INSTITUTION)my own favorite episodes are target (it's the one per cent that kills you) and sleeper(watch for joanna in the shop window).There you go,nice and brief,if you buy this box set you will not be disappointed guys.

review by: Simon Long date: 2008-03-06 rating:

Be warned about the packaging
I bought this set from Amazon, and noticed that a number of the discs had circular scratches around the edges on the playing side, which looked serious enough to cause problems with playback. I thought this was an artifact from the pressing plant, but on closer examination it is actually caused by the packaging.

Each tray that holds a DVD has nine tiny bumps around the edge - no idea what for - but they are clearly what is causing the damage as the discs move in the box and rub against them. I spent an hour last night cutting these out of the trays to prevent further damage - other purchasers may wish to do the same.

review by: thorstenkrings2 date: 2008-02-28 rating:

Good series, technically poor
The series itlsef is good. I'm not extatic about it but the dialogues are brilliant, the chemistzry between the characters is fine and there is Joanna Lumley of course. I'm a bit ashamed to find her sexy as she is my mother's age. Anyway, some of the stories just don't work but all in all it's good fun. However, I would stay clear of this edition as (and some other people have mentioned that too) I'm experiencing major problems with some of the discs. So wait for the next edition or try getting the other one.

review by: date: 2007-11-04 rating:

Great series - poor quality.
Well as Brian Clemens pointed out in the commentary - Leyland cars didn't know how to capitalise on the series potential. And sadly to say, Studio Canal has done much the same with this DVD release. Anyone who previously brought The Contender box set, then don't bother shelling out again for this! It contains the same old speckly ropey prints. Or worse still, the video tape transfers which look like you're viewing the show through a fuzzy plate glass window!
Come on - in this HD age, such a classic series should've been digitally remastered with pristine prints and dolby stereo long ago by now. And that includes the previous Avengers series too. Even colourising the first b/w Diana Rigg series I say...
So if Studio Canal's not up to the job, then why not just sell the rights to the likes of Network video instead? A 'with it' Company who really know how to treat the fans of such classic shows! Otherwise Studio Canal might very well just go the way of Leyland cars and the dodo. Simply because they also failed to recognise the full promotional and commercial potential of The Avengers canon. So 5 stars for the great series, but only 1 Star I'm afraid for yet another shoddy release - with only the included commentary to commend it as being anything new and worthwhile!

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