PR: Two Against the Underworld - The Avengers (Book)

[Rodders]

You're quite right, I misread it! I like Hendry as Keel in the material which exists. It would be interesting to know whether the show would still have left the ground in terms of outre plots if he had stayed onboard. One or two of those Series 1 storylines suggest that it might have.

[Lhbizness]

If I can just add a little bit: I think one of the issues in Season 1 is that it really is "two guys in trenchcoats." Not a bad thing, but certainly not a unique one either. Simply the shift from two men to a man and a woman operating on a similar/equal footing was revolutionary in the 1960s and wouldn't have happened if Hendry had stayed on board. Nor, for that matter, would the elevation of Steed to his (IMO rightful) place as the leading male. I personally find Keel a bit dull and over-paternalistic, treating Steed and Carol like they're children.

Of course, losing Hendry means no Avengers slash fiction.

[Alan]

If I can just add a little bit: I think one of the issues in Season 1 is that it really is "two guys in trenchcoats." Not a bad thing, but certainly not a unique one either. Simply the shift from two men to a man and a woman operating on a similar/equal footing was revolutionary in the 1960s and wouldn't have happened if Hendry had stayed on board. Nor, for that matter, would the elevation of Steed to his (IMO rightful) place as the leading male.

This is pretty much the point I make in the new essay that appears in the book.

[Alan]

You're quite right, I misread it! I like Hendry as Keel in the material which exists. It would be interesting to know whether the show would still have left the ground in terms of outre plots if he had stayed onboard. One or two of those Series 1 storylines suggest that it might have.

And again!

[MikeR]

When I arrived home from work today I found that the postman had paid a visit and brought me a hardback copy of Two Against the Underworld, which is the detailed guide to the lost season of The Avengers, season one. This is achieved by a uniformed and comprehensive approach to each episode which breaks down as follows…

Incident Report: A breakdown of the storyline

Production: Cast and crew, plus rehearsal and recording dates

Transmission: TX dates

TAM Rating: Viewing figures

Archive: What exists in the archives for this episode

Reconstructions and Audio Adaptations: Self explanatory

Production Brief: The story behind the making of the episode

Field Report: Location filming and stock footage

Personnel File: Background to the cast and crew

Matters Arising: Points of trivia

Mentioned in Dispatches: The Avengers in the press

Verdict: The authors give their view

There’s a lot of newly researched material here and I’m looking forward to delving into this volume and becoming immersed in it. Plus, there’s also forewords by scriptwriter Roger Marshall and Ian Hendry’s nephew Neil.

Further to this, there are also introductory portions that deal with the creation, development and pre-production of the series and other sections that deal with the aftermath and legacy of the first season. A look at missing episodes, not to mention a lengthy section of appendices that covers unproduced scripts, merchandising and season one spin-offs.

I’m also informed that Lulu are currently giving a 25% discount and free shipping if you input the code LULURC, so there’s never been a better time to acquire this informative and intricately researched tome.

[Alan]

Thanks Mike. I hope you enjoy the book!

The free shipping + 25% code LULURC is still current I believe.

http://www.hiddentigerbooks.co.uk/aveng ... rworld.htm

[Alan]

Two Against the Underworld - Kindle Edition - now price reduced!

http://bookshow.me/B018W3ZYLQ/

[Avengerholic]

Mmmmm, just bought this, excellent value at £15.93 for the hardback. The first piece of Avengers merchandise I've purchased since dissolving my original collection many years ago. It'll make interesting reading along side the Big Finish audio experience.

[Alan]

Thank you. I'm flattered to have had a hand in something that tempted you back into Avengers collecting, even in a small way.

[Andrew Pixley]

Although being very, very tired and rather unwell ... I did manage to make it through to 4.30pm at the Missing Believed Wiped Central event in Birmingham last Saturday ... which in turn meant that I was one of those fortunate enough to have seen the rather beautiful print of "Tunnel of Fear" which was screened.

Now, I'm assuming that the merits and the delights of the episode itself are being discussed widely on line elsewhere (I'm afraid that this week has been so hectic that I've barely been on the fora I normally visit) ... so rather than add even more noise around the episode itself, I just wanted to note that - after I'd recovered from the day out - on the Sunday I got Richard, Alan and Alys' book off the shelf to remind myself of some of the background and context to the episode which - despite the exhaustion - I'd enjoyed the previous day.

And - you know what? Re-visiting this volume with a new awareness of the raw research material made me even more impressed of what this superb book achieved when it first appeared. It's all too easy to take these works for granted (particularly when they class as "reference works" in so many ways - something so often taken off the shelf only for checking). And I'd certainly forgotten how massively well-assembled and beautifully thought-out and reasoned this book actually was. Brilliant level of detail and study throughout, with a real empathy for the adventures themselves.

So while I'm delighted by the hard work of Kaleidoscope in recovering these lost moments of television history for me to enjoy first hand, the experience is further enhanced by having the context and background served up so brilliantly in an amazing volume like this.

All the best

Andrew