This is dedicated to the look of the series. Here's a few of my favourite visuals to get the ball rolling:
The set design for My Wildest Dream: Something I love about the series is that it didn't always go for the obvious. If there was an office it wasn't always just a room, they did different things. The Observation room is wonderful, big and white with the words blazoned across the back - all that was needed was a small room with a couch but they didn't go for that.
Emma Peel's costume in The Winged Avenger with the long suede thigh boots. There's a wonderful cowgirl kind of feel to it.
They Keep Killing Steed - I love the handheld camera movements around the conference as each new Steed arrive. It makes it's very surreal. The extras become like part of the scenary and the camera moves around them.
The Town of No Return - The old abandoned airbase. The footage that survives from the Shepherd version of Steed wandering around the airbase is wonderful. It's so atmospheric with the dark, storm sky - beautifully shot original director Peter Graham Scott. I love Steed being playful on the roundabout. There's a real sense of history.
The Forget-Me-Knot - Gilbert Taylor was the lighting cameraman on this episode (amongst others). He did films like Star Wars, Dr. Strangelove, The Omen, A Hard Day's Night etc. There's one particular set that I love, Mother's office - he gives it real atmosphere creating shadows of the stepladders. It gives Mother are wonderful mystique. Shame he didn't do more B/W episodes (only Sense of History) as he made Dr. Strangelove look stunning.
The Hour That Never Was - Another airbase location. There's real pace and flair to the scenes of Steed and Emma wandering around. It all looks so wide and barren, the antennas spinning, the flags. that lovely shot of them finding the body has been removed from the circle on the runway and Steed circles Emma as they ponder.
Graveyards sets - I love it when the series had those artificial graveyards as they never went for realism. They were always like a surreal painting. Mandrake, The Living Dead and From Venus With Love have wonderful pokey, hilly graveyards that are full of atmosphere.
The House That Jack Built - I love how this story seemed totally made for B/W. You have Emma's very simple outfit interacting with the contrasting set design of the house. The images are beautiful and unnerving.
Peter Hammond - My favourite director. I love how the limitation brought out the creative best in him. A very visual director anyway but he would go for a film noir approach with lighting. The surgery scenes in Second Sight, there's just one wall with a clock on it and a glass shelf for the tools but by how he positions the actors, you don't need to have any more. Love the earlier shot of the faces reflected in the mirror table.
Escape In Time - Another handheld camera moment as it moves around the funny happenings on Mackiedockie Court. A wonderful bit of set design and dressing. The randomness of the passing nuns. People walking around with Crocodile and Elephant toys.
Fog - A story so aptly named but it looks stunning. It reminded me of some of the creepy Charley Chan films. And in amongst all this fog you have Tara wearing that wonderful Red coat with black fur trimming.
Those are just a few but there are doubtless loads more.
