The Avengers International Fan Forum

In case this gets missed in the 'Spun-Off' forum:

For those of you that are interested in the South African radio series of The Avengers, be my guest and download A Deadly Gift (the radio version of The Cybernauts) for free from Avengers on the Radio.

Find Free Stuff: The Serials and scroll to the bottom of the page.

These downloads are officially sanctioned by the SABC Sound Archives.

I am going to have to listen to these one day. Correct me if I'm wrong, but one of the reasons why I've been avoiding them is because it's my understanding that some of the Tara episodes were redone as Emma Peel episodes. I just have to gear myself up to listen to them without clouding my mind with images from the show itself.

That's quite correct, Kim. I suppose they used the quite logical argument that those stories would have been Emma Peel stories had Diana Rigg remained with the series.

As South Africa didn't get a television service until 1976 (and the Avengers radio series hails from 1971-1973), I imagine the producers thought it unnecessary to have a second partner for Steed when the audience was used to Steed (Donald Monat) and Mrs Peel (Diane Appleby). Both do well in their roles - and for me, Monat is every bit as much John Steed as Patrick Macnee. He's that good!

I can't recommend them highly enough. I love 'em to bits.

Thank you for posting these links!

A pleasure, Helen.

There will be a new serial available soon, too.

Curious that they didn't adapt some Cathy Gale-era scripts instead of the Tara ones (as Cathy was closer in character to Emma Peel) when they ran out of suitable season 4/5 stories.

I think it's more a case that EMI sent Sonovision 83 scripts (i.e. all the filmed series). I don't think that Sonovision would necessarily have known that there were more besides those. After all, they applied for the rights to make completely new stories when the scripts available were running low, rather than ask for older ones. Sadly, they were turned down by EMI. Even more sadly, EMI also turned them down when Sonovision producer Dave Gooden tried to negotiate with them to permit the commercial release of some Avengers serials on tape... That would have made a notable difference to what survives.

More than happy to oblige, Barry!

The restoration work on The Super Secret Cypher Snatch is now complete - please visit Avengers on the Radio to read about the restoration and download the serial for free, gratis and with my compliments!

Restoration Report here...

Download the serial here...

Enjoy!