The Avengers : 'Chess board' intro

When The Avengers was bought by the ABC network in the United States in 1966, network executives were concerned that the audience might not take to the show if it didn't understand where the characters were coming from, so they commissioned a short introductory sequence to fill in the perceived gap. The sequence was only ever broadcast in the USA, so when Canal+ remastered the episodes, it was omitted from the DVDs produced for the US market. A&E and Canal+ were surprised at the uproar this caused, so when the Emma Peel episodes were repackaged after the Ian Hendry episodes came to light, it was included as a feature on the disc.

Once again, I've transcribed the entire script.

script

GRAMS. Theme music

CU an ornate dagger sunk into the middle of a target [1]

PULL OUT to reveal it's in the middle of a waiter's back,
the target painted on his white blazer in black.

He falls to the ground dead

CUT TO wide shot of a chess board with a couple of pieces on it, two figures walk onto the board [2]

- MRS PEEL from TOP STAGE RIGHT, STEED from TOP STAGE LEFT.
They both march diagonally towards the waiter.

CUE V/O:
"Extraordinary crimes against the people, and the state have to be avenged by agents extraordinary"

STEED bends down to take the champagne bottle from the waiter's hand. [3]

C/U STEED's hand, as he rises again

"Two such people are John Steed"

HOLD HIM C/U FACE

STEED examines the bottle, then looks intently at EMMA [4]

"Top professional"

CUT TO MID C/U of EMMA's boot

She slips her gold-plated revolver into it [5]

SLOW PAN up her long legs

CUE V/O as the pan reaches the waist

"And his partner, Emma Peel, talented amateur"

HOLD on EMMA's face, she smiles [6]

CUT TO C/U two flutes being filled with champagne

"Otherwise known as The Avengers"

ZOOM OUT from glasses to reveal STEED and EMMA

They toast each other and take a sip form the glasses [7]

They turn away from camera and walk off towards TOP STAGE RIGHT

CUT TO long shot of board, (new angle) FROM BOTTOM STAGE LEFT [8]

FADE TO BLACK. F/U OPENING OF EPISODE.

cast

Teleplay by	Brian Clemens {NewAv}{drake}{champ}{CI5}{adam}
Directed by	James Hill {NewAv}{saint}
Produced by	Julian Wintle
In Charge of Production	Albert Fennell {NewAv}{CI5}
Music by	Laurie Johnson {NewAv}{CI5}{JK}
Starring
Patrick Macnee {NewAv}{007}	as John Steed
Diana Rigg {007}	as Emma Peel
?	as Waiter
© Associated British Productions Limited MCMLXV

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'Chess board' Intro