Celebrating Emma Peel: Diana Rigg And The Impact Of THE AVENGERS!

In the 1960's THE AVENGERS brought fashion, excitement and a TV show that remains decades later, one of the best ever. 4 Great episodes, too!

When A TOUCH OF BRIMSTONE aired the world took notice of THE AVENGERS. Never before had fetishistic fashion been on television before.

This was a bit of an infamous episode for its time, partly due to the leather costume Emma Peel wears. The kinky aspect of the tale doesn't disguise the fact it is a well written episode all the same as usual. It was also the highest rated episode of the show. 

Watch A TOUCH by clicking this underlined link

For many growing up in the 60s, Diana Rigg’s Emma Peel was their first style icon. Over two seasons on The Avengers opposite Patrick Macnee’s Steed, Peel kung fu kicked down television’s puritanical costume regulations to create a character who came to define the look of the swinging 60s. As important as Mary Quant or Twiggy, Rigg’s Peel was perhaps more influential as, through the medium of TV, she was seen by a bigger audience.

Working with fashion designer John Bates, Peel made several televisual sartorial firsts including black polo necks, PVC jumpsuits, low-rise hipster trousers, flat boots and anything with an exposed zip.

Dressed to kill! Full article

John Bates

The moment Diana Rigg appeared on THE AVENGERS wearing outfits by John Bates, women demanded his fashions.

From Wikipedia:

The character was particularly notable for a number of characteristics. Peel is a strong heroine; she is rarely defeated in fights and is capable of rescuing Steed if he is in trouble. She is a master of martial arts and a formidable fencer. A certified genius, she specialises in chemistry and other sciences. She is often seen in episodes engaging in artistic hobbies and had success in industry at the helm of the company of her late father, Sir John Knight. Her husband, Peter Peel, was a pilot whose plane had disappeared over the Amazonian forest. He was presumed dead for many years, and Peel went on to work with Steed. She drove a convertible Lotus Elan at high speeds, and convincingly portrayed any series of undercover roles, from nurse to nanny. Her favourite guise was that of a women's magazine reporter, trying to interview big business tycoons and rich playboys. The name "Emma Peel" is a play on the phrase "Man Appeal" or "M. Appeal", which the production team stated was one of the required elements of the character. (Diana Rigg was never comfortable in her position as a world-famous sex-symbol.)

Peel's verbal interactions with Steed range from witty banter to thinly disguised innuendo. Regarding the constant question of whether they had a sexual relationship at any time, Patrick Macnee thought the characters went to bed on a very regular basis (just not in view of the camera). However, Rigg thought they were most likely engaging in an enjoyable extended flirtation that ultimately went nowhere. Writer/producer Brian Clemens said he wrote them with the idea that they had an affair before Emma's first appearance in the series, and they certainly appear to already know each other very well when Emma is first introduced to the series. 

murdersville: the avengers

The local doctors and the local alcoholic pub terrorizing the town to death ... Murdersville. And Emma gets waterboarded! The most violent episode of the show.

The. Avengers. 1965. S 04 E 09. The Hour That Never Was
Season 4 saw the move to film, broadcasts in America, and the rise of Emma Peel. She and Steed wake from a car crash and find the air base they were heading for abandoned. They are knocked out in short order- only for Steed to awake at the crash site again, and find the air base celebrating their imminent decommissioning.

Where is Mrs Peel? What happened in the hour Steed can’t remember? Why is there a constant sound of drilling? One of the best episodes.

Watch THE HOUR by clicking this link

In real life, Diana Rigg had chosen to leave the series for a number of reasons, one of which was to accept a role in the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service (similarly, her predecessor Honor Blackman departed to appear in the Bond film Goldfinger). During her first series, Rigg eventually discovered that she was being paid less than the cameramen: afterwards her salary was tripled and combined with her loyalty to Macnee, she was persuaded to come back for 25 additional episodes (including her farewell episode, which was actually shot well into the Tara King season). Eventually the arduous shooting schedules, various conflicts with the producers, the lure of film and stage roles, and a desire to challenge herself as an actress all combined in her decision to leave the show for good. - Wikipedia

She did not know until years later the enormous impact she’d had when women would thank her who saw the show as kids, and realized they could be much more than housewives and damsels in distress.

the avengers in color: the winged avenger patrick macnee diana rigg 

This show was a tribute to comic books and the BATMAN TV show. 

If you would like a trial paid subscription you are in for a treat. THE MINI KILLERS and THE DIADEM are two Rigg projects after THE AVENGERS. You can see them here!

If you enjoy the world of psychotronic movies and music, join us on Facebook. That’s psycho as in horror and tronic as in electronic or science fiction. We also cover the realm of pop culture others consider trash. Join the film society on Facebook by clicking the underlined link.

If you like our spin-off here on Substack, THE GLOBAL PSYCHOTRONIC FILM SOCIETY, subscribe!

We post a lot of posts that have ads, you can block those ads for free using Ad Block Plus. Very easy to use! Block ads for free