The Avengers International Fan Forum

I was wondering, which are the original main titles for the Emma Peel episodes, the gun and champagne, or the chessboard? Was the chessboard filmed just for the U.S. market? Any reason why they had a different sequence?

I think the gun and champagne is for the colour Emma Peel episodes, and the chessboard is for the black and white ones.

The chessboard sequence was made for American audiences, since they had not seen any of the Avengers before and needed an introductory voice over to explain the concept of the show.

I am not sure whether Canada received the chessboard sequence.

In the UK, the Avengers had already had three fullseasons before Emma Peel came along, so the chessboard was not required.

You can read about the chessboard sequence here: http://theavengers.tv/forever/peel-prod-dp1.htm

So would it be considered an alternative title sequence? The only one I know of is the gun and champagne. I think the b/w Diana Rigg episodes had a montage of photos. Would that be correct?

It's not a title sequence, as such - it was added on to appear before the titles of the black and white (photo-montage) titles, for America. As I understand it, following the chessboard sequence with its explanatory voice-over about who the avengers are, the episode "proper" begins with the same title sequence (montage) as the UK got.

Thanks for explanation.

Frankymole wrote:It's not a title sequence, as such - it was added on to appear before the titles of the black and white (photo-montage) titles, for America. As I understand it, following the chessboard sequence with its explanatory voice-over about who the avengers are, the episode "proper" begins with the same title sequence (montage) as the UK got.

myself, always loved that sequence with the chessboard. genius.