Month: October 2020

DVD Review: The Avengers: The Complete Emma Peel Megaset

Three seasons of the Avengers passed prior to Emma Peel (Diana Rigg) becoming John Steed’s (Patrick Macnee) partner in fighting crime and espionage. After she left the series, it carried on with a new assistant for Steed for another thirty-two episodes. Yet to many fans, if they think of the Avengers as anything other than Marvel Comics’ superhero team, they think of Steed and Peel. The Avengers was that rare British TV show that came to America and became a success in prime time television.

Steed worked for British Intelligence. Emma Peel was the latest civilian drawn into Steed’s orbit. She had inherited wealth, but also had a keen scientific mind, along with amazing martial arts skills.  

This DVD release collects all 52 episodes comprising the Black and White Season 4, the color Seasons 5 and Season 6, and her departure story in the first episode of Season 7. 

The series had them dealing with a wide variety of different threats, including some that were science fiction. The series was always stylish. Steed’s Bowler hat and umbrella and luxury cars mixed with Diana Riggs iconic style made for a compelling combination. The opening to the color episodes could easily be repurposed as a high-end champagne ad.  

The Avengers had a tongue in cheek feel that  grew as the Emma Peel went on. The fourth Season may be the best from a dramatic standpoint. The episodes were often tongue in cheek, but more grounded than some of the color episodes. When the series went to color, there seems to have been a thought that there wasn’t much to it, if the plots weren’t going to be as outlandish as possible. The plots ranged from elaborate revenge plots to towns populated by assassins, dance schools that were training killers, cyborg killing machines, body swapping, mind control, shrinking technology, underground cities, and even killer Christmas Trees. One episode paid homage to the iconic 1960s Batman show by having Mrs. Peel holding up Comic Book action words like, “Pow!” To be fair, this makes slightly more sense in context of the episode but not a whole lot more.

McNee was great as a leading man, providing great humor, but Riggs is ultimately what made the Avengers work so well. Mrs. Peel was a fun character with a lot of facets as a scientist, heiress, and fighter. Riggs’ acting ability is absolutely superb. She’s able to play both the serious and the playful aspects of the show. The strength of how good she can be is seen in an episode like, “The House that Jack Built” where Steed is mostly absent and Peel is trapped in a house meant to destroy her. She walks about the house in silence and sells the eeriness of the situation.

The set lacks a lot of bonus features, but it’s priced reasonably on Amazon at around $20 for more than fifty episodes. The episodes are a mixed lot. Some black and white episodes are bit dull, and more than a few color episodes that are a bit too silly or over the top. But those are matters of taste. At the end of the day, The Avengers is an iconic classic.

Recently Diana Rigg passed away after a long career that included appearing in a James Bond film as well as working on more modern hit TV shows like Victoria and Game of Thrones. If you want to see how she rose in stardom and why after such a long career, this is the role many remember her best for, this is a must-purchase. It’s also essential if you’re a fan of 1960s spy and adventure shows.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5

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EP3272: T-Man: The Big Mexican Dope

After a T-Man is killed, Steve goes undercover as a drug dealer to find the top of an international drug ring.
Original Air Date: July 29, 1950

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EP3271: Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Stanley Springs Matter

Edmond O'Brien

Johnny travels to an insured cotton plant after the insured company received a report of illegal shipments coming out of the plant.

Original Air Date: March 10, 1951

When making your travel plans, remember http://johnnydollarair.com

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EP3270: Mystery is My Hobby: Andrew Bradford Runs for Governor

An Independent Candidate for Governor is murdered after an escaped convict ex-friend tries to blackmail him.

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EP3269: Man Called X: Spot the Eight Ball

George Raft
After watching a plane take off carrying a man who identified himself as a British knight affiliated with the Air Ministry, Ken Thurston learns the man is actually a criminal and spy.

Original Air Date: January 4, 1948

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AWR0148: Columbia Presents Corwin: The Lonesome Train (Raymond Massey’s Lincoln)

Amazing World of Radio

A “folk-contata” capturing the national reaction to the assassination of President Lincoln.

Original Air Date: March 21, 1944

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EP3268: Dick Tracy: Dick Lassoes the Purple Rider/The Purple Rider Exposed/Tracy Rescued and Kyle Exposed

Junior takes the Purple Rider and two of Vernon Kyle’s Men into custody as Tracy and Pat ride to rescue Junior.

Original Air Dates: April 19, 20 and 25 1938

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EP3267: Box 13: The Biter Bitten


Dan is called in by a snake expert to find a snake that escaped in a large hotel.

Original Air Date: 1948

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Video Theater 189: Dick Tracy v. Cueball

Dick Tracy tries to catch the robbers in a diamond robbery gone bad. Can Dick catch any of the criminals before they wipe each other out.

Original Release Date: December 18, 1946

AWR0147: Cavalcade of America: Keepsakes (Raymond Massey’s Lincoln)

Amazing World of Radio

An examination of little known incidents in the Life of Lincoln through artifacts in the massive Lincoln collection of Oliver R. Barrett.

Original Air Date: January 30, 1951

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Audio Drama Review: Black Jack Justice, Season 8

Black Jack Justice eighth season was released monthly between September 2012 and March 2013, once again featuring Christopher as Jack and Andrea Lyons as Trixie Dixon, Girl Detective.

The series at this point was in a nice groove and the first four episodes reflect the typical episodic nature of the series up until this point. In “Jawbone of an Asp,” they find themselves drawn into the middle of an academic controversy.  In “Two is Too Many,” they end up trying to see if long-time underworld supporting character “Freddy the Finger” Hawthorne and his cousin have inherited a fortune. And in the best episode of the season, “The More Things Change,” the duo are hired by a woman who wants them to prove her fiancé to be virtuous.

The final two episodes are inter-related. “The Late Mr. Justice,” grabs the listener’s attention as Jack informs us that he’s about to die and explains how he got to this point. An old-time gangster Jack sent away has been released and is out for blood, having taken Jack’s girlfriend hostage. The gangster threatens to kill her if Jack doesn’t show up at an old abandoned theater. There’s some great noirish feel that leads to a solid finale.

The second episode has Trixie in an empty office wondering what happened to Jack after the events of the last story and whether he’ll be back. A boyfriend comes from a big agency with a clients…and with hopes of  becoming Trixie’s new partner if they uncover a missing will. A wealthy woman supposedly left it, cutting a repentant black sheep in for part of her estate. This was a good story that Trixie managed to carry quite well but I had a couple problems with it. Innuendos which Trixie used occasionally in most episodes were way overused as if writer Gregg Taylor was leaning into them a bit much.  In addition, this is the second story in six episodes involving a will. But other than that, it was a pretty good finale with a nice revelation to wrap up Black Jack Justice’s Eighth Season.

Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0

Black Jack Justice Season 8 can be downloaded for free at Decoder Ring Theatre.

EP3266: T-Man: Show Business is No Business

Treasury Agent Steve Larsen investigates some counterfeiting and suspicion falls on a theatrical company that’s touring in a production of an awful play.

Original Air Date: July 1, 1950

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EP3265: Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Celia Woodstock Matter

Edmond O'Brien

Johnny goes to Bridgeport to investigate the disappearance of a Sea Captain’s wife.

Original Air Date: March 3, 1951

When making your travel plans, remember http://johnnydollarair.com

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EP3264: Mystery is My Hobby Episode 27

A man calls Barton Drake and offers him $10,000 to clear him of the murder of his bed-ridden wife.

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EP3263: The Man Called X: Assignment: Naples

George Raft
Ken Thurston goes to Naples to protect a shipment of seeds, and is robbed by two juvenile war orphans.

Original Air Date: December 28, 1947

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