Should Patrick Macnee have stepped down?

[Dandy Forsdyke]

It would have depended on when he left. As Rodney says, had Pat left with Honor it's likely the show would have ended.

If he'd have left with Diana, the show would have had to continue because there was a commitment to the TV network in the US.

If he'd have left at any other time, who really knows? The Avengers was the first British TV show to have the success it did in the US and, even for the lead actor to leave, might not have meant the immediate death of the show.

The show had already outlived it's original star - Ian Hendry - and managed 33 episodes without Diana Rigg. Although I firmly believe her leaving signalled the beginning of the end for The Avengers.

[kim]

Many of us have said quite often; Patrick Macnee was Steed. He, in a sense, created the character, gave him life, made him grow and change as the years went on. It's not a question of whether or not another good actor could have done the same. Of course they could have. But would they have? I doubt it. Chances are that if they series had continued, then Steed either would have:
1. Been eliminated completely.
2. Been changed so much as to be unrecognizable from the original.
3. Or remained much the same as the Steed we got in the Keel era with little
or no growth in the character. In that vein of reasoning, then would we
wouldn't have had the delightful banter between Steed and Peel, nor
would the rest of the eras have been the same.

Of course, all this is speculation from a biased and die hard Macnee as Steed fan.

[Frankymole]

It would have depended on when he left. As Rodney says, had Pat left with Honor it's likely the show would have ended.

If he'd have left with Diana, the show would have had to continue because there was a commitment to the TV network in the US.

But that deal was probably dependent on casting contracts - I can't imagine the US backers would have counted the deal as valid if the "star" changed. Though they did weather a change of producers... briefly!

[Dandy Forsdyke]

It would have depended on when he left. As Rodney says, had Pat left with Honor it's likely the show would have ended.

If he'd have left with Diana, the show would have had to continue because there was a commitment to the TV network in the US.

But that deal was probably dependent on casting contracts - I can't imagine the US backers would have counted the deal as valid if the "star" changed. Though they did weather a change of producers... briefly!

Well they were willing to go ahead with the deal without an Avengers star already - but both stars leaving may have been pushing it.

It depends when the deal was made - weren't they already in the middle of an American run? (Death's Door to Split!?) This is why Brian Clemens couldn't recast the Tara King role.

[Johnny O]

It would have depended on when he left. As Rodney says, had Pat left with Honor it's likely the show would have ended.

If he'd have left with Diana, the show would have had to continue because there was a commitment to the TV network in the US.

But that deal was probably dependent on casting contracts - I can't imagine the US backers would have counted the deal as valid if the "star" changed. Though they did weather a change of producers... briefly!

Well they were willing to go ahead with the deal without an Avengers star already - but both stars leaving may have been pushing it.

It depends when the deal was made - weren't they already in the middle of an American run? (Death's Door to Split!?) This is why Brian Clemens couldn't recast the Tara King role.

I agree. Had MacNee and Rigg both left, I wouldn't think the show would have continued at all. Regardless of investment etc., the Americans would almost certainly have pulled the plug. It might have continued in the UK, but I doubt that highly too. Steed had become too important to the show and recasting him would have been a very unwise move.

[KennyG]

He now says he regrets not leaving when Diana did and regrets The New Avengers, but at the time I think he knew it was best he stayed with a successful vehicle.

That's probably hindsight based on the fact that neither the Tara King era nor The New Avengers were as successful as the Peel episodes.

If he had left with either Blackman or Rigg, it would have killed the series. After all, it was only able to survive after Hendry and Blackman left because of the continuity provided by Macnee.

It was reasonably credible that Steed, particularly the earlier model, would go through partners over time.

[marty]

i would say it would be impossible to imagine any other person than patrick macnee playing steed- i may be biased but for me diana rigg and macnee are head and shoulders above everyone else

[Borgus Weems]

Macnee is Steed, there is no other way around it. I think the Avengers could go on an be wonderful without Steed, but nobody but Macnee should ever have been Steed, and I'm glad he got to play it as many times as he did.

So, should he been recast? NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rodney]

Steed is Macnee and Macnee is Steed. Nor am I convinced that a non-Steed Avengers would have worked. How could you have the leather boots without the bowler hat? Even in TNA, where the Steed character is - arguably - marginalised, he remains an important part of the show. The show changed so much over the years that it is only Steed's character and Macnee's portrayal of it which allows us to talk about The Avengers as 'a show'.

[mousemeat]

Steed is Macnee and Macnee is Steed. Nor am I convinced that a non-Steed Avengers would have worked. How could you have the leather boots without the bowler hat? Even in TNA, where the Steed character is - arguably - marginalised, he remains an important part of the show. The show changed so much over the years that it is only Steed's character and Macnee's portrayal of it which allows us to talk about The Avengers as 'a show'.

I couldn't have stated that..any plainer...STEED will always be macnee
and vice versa...You could say, it was the role of an life time...