Memories are made of this
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
I was reminiscing with work colleagues today about how my parents banned me from watching The Avengers for a month because, as a fan of Diana Rigg, I complained when an episode was cancelled because of coverage of the assassination of JFK. They say everyone remembers where they were. I was in my bedroom, grounded because of my disrespect for the late President. In fairness, I was only six.
History subsequently showed my parents' reverence for President Kennedy to have been somewhat misplaced. We can forgive him many things, but surely never for inspiring such unworthy emulators.
One of my colleagues went to YouTube to find out what had so appealed to me about the show. I am not sure it's to be found in this clip. Much as I was impressed by Ms Rigg's undoubted charms, as a confirmed young petrolhead (no-one believes me, but my first words really were "Mercedes Benz") I think it was the Lotus Elan I was actually in love with.
"I complained when an episode was cancelled because of coverage of the assassination of JFK"
Had you been watching the BBC at the time you would have have noticed that the BBC decided to broadcast the Harry Worth show as scheduled. FWIW I think the decision was the right one. The death of a foreign head of state, no matter how iconic, did not demand an instant plunge into "mourning mode" by the UK's state broadcaster. In any event the news was out: JFK had been shot and was dead or dying: solemn music or worse, endless fevered speculation on who did it, did nothing to assuage the tragedy. I went down to the US Embassy in London that evening to sign the book of condolence: had I known, I would have gone on to the HQ of ITV and signed a book of protest concerning the enforced absence of Diana Rigg from our screens.
Posted by: | Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 03:22 PM
Ms Rigg is beautiful, sexy, charming, sophisticated, intelligent. One could see how even a supposed megastar like Uma Thurman could not fill her catsuit psychologically, even though she made a go of it physically (in a static kind of way) in the remake.
The character of Mrs Peel was superb. IIRC, the scriptwriters were not told which role was to be Steed or Mrs Peel, so in that way no stereotypes could be written in at the core. You often found episodes where Mrs Peel rescued the trapped and helpless Steed!
There was great sexual chemistry, but nothing was overt. I wanted to be Steed both for his life, his style and the delightful company he kept.
Ms Thurman is not even capable of coming close to the cool, natural, confident way that Mrs Peel should be.
Enough! I could sing her praises for a decade.
Posted by: Roger Thornhill | Friday, April 18, 2008 at 02:07 PM
Did you like her in OHMSS, Tom?
Posted by: jameshigham | Wednesday, April 16, 2008 at 06:37 PM