Season Six: an apology
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Rodney
Season Six: an apology
I have both a confession and an apology to make. I hadn’t watched an episode of Season Six in twenty years, ever since watching two terrible episodes on Channel 4: Wish You Were Here and Homicide and Old Lace. The latter, in particular, was so bad it put me off watching any others. Well, twenty years is a long time to hold a grudge so I recently bought the Canal Plus box set of the Tara King era. What a pleasant surprise awaited me. I’m still not entirely convinced by Tara King’s character which I feel lacks the ‘edge’ of both Mrs Gale and Mrs Peel. Also, Linda Thorson is not as talented as either Blackman or Rigg, IMHO. But I was wrong to dismiss her, and the season itself. I have watched about half of the episodes so far and love many of the locations, the storylines and both the atmosphere and charm. Favourites so far include some genuine ‘four bowlers’: All Done with Mirrors, Killer, Get-A-Way, and Stay Tuned. I quite enjoy the character of Mother and genuinely feel that this season takes the show in interesting, new directions. It was not Thorson’s fault that they made her character less Amazonian than her predecessors nor that many of her outfits look out of place on her more rounded figure. I think she actually looks better in her tom-boy type outfits, such as the cap and trousers in All Done with Mirrors. I have, so far, probably enjoyed it as much as Season Five, something I never imagined myself saying. What are other forum members’ highlights of the sixth season?
We will have to break out the champagne and celebrate Rodney's awakening!
Don't worry Rodney, I've noted several times that it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I learned to appreciate the Tara episodes as much as the Emma's. While season six is no where near as intense as season four, it does manage to surpass season five.
Like all the seasons, there are good and bad episodes and it's simply a matter of taste as to which ones you like. Homicide is generally the most hated for obvious reasons, though in my opinion the scenes with Mother and his aunts are funny...sorry but I have a warped sense of humour.
Look Stop Me..is still my least favorite and it's doubtful I'll ever learn to appreciate what other fans of the episode like about it.
The Tara King character was never fully developed, sad to say, though as the season goes on there is a much more comfortable relationship between her and Steed. The wide eyed school girl crush diminishes and then dissapears all together later on so that we eventually get some mild bantar between the two.
What amazes me about the fashions she wore was that while she was at her thinnest, she could wear anything and look good, but when she was at her heaviest they would put her in the most god awful colors and patterns.
Anyway, my two favorites from the era are All Done With Mirrors and Pandora (Yes I liked Pandora..so shoot me!)
It's been quite awhile since I've watched anything Avenger's related and with my schedule being what it is, it's going to be quite awhile longer, but I'm looking forward to hearing what you have to say on the episodes themselves.
In the meantime, enjoy.
Don't worry Rodney, I've noted several times that it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I learned to appreciate the Tara episodes as much as the Emma's. While season six is no where near as intense as season four, it does manage to surpass season five.
Like all the seasons, there are good and bad episodes and it's simply a matter of taste as to which ones you like. Homicide is generally the most hated for obvious reasons, though in my opinion the scenes with Mother and his aunts are funny...sorry but I have a warped sense of humour.
Look Stop Me..is still my least favorite and it's doubtful I'll ever learn to appreciate what other fans of the episode like about it.
The Tara King character was never fully developed, sad to say, though as the season goes on there is a much more comfortable relationship between her and Steed. The wide eyed school girl crush diminishes and then dissapears all together later on so that we eventually get some mild bantar between the two.
What amazes me about the fashions she wore was that while she was at her thinnest, she could wear anything and look good, but when she was at her heaviest they would put her in the most god awful colors and patterns.
Anyway, my two favorites from the era are All Done With Mirrors and Pandora (Yes I liked Pandora..so shoot me!)
It's been quite awhile since I've watched anything Avenger's related and with my schedule being what it is, it's going to be quite awhile longer, but I'm looking forward to hearing what you have to say on the episodes themselves.
In the meantime, enjoy.
Every parent has a favorite child. Usually the child belongs to the neighbors.
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Frankymole
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I find her costumes a lot more mature than the totally barmy "Emmapeelers" of the Rigg color era (most of which were just not slinky enough, they looked like Nora Batty's baggy stockings - thank goodness for Lycra in later years).
We just watched "Stay Tuned" and my other half mentioned how busty Tara/Linda was - the costume seemed to be designed to hide that as much as possible; as Linda said, the producers seemed terrified of the fact that she had a woman's body, and breasts! It was something new to them.
I found her fights a lot more realistic. Also, I did wonder how Emma Peel came to be such a good spy - since she was completely untrained. It didn't stretch credibility too much to have Tara employing unarmed combat techniques and lockpicking, etc, in this story. If Emma was doing it, I'd have to wonder where a mathematician/scientist picked up all these espionage/underworld techniques...
But basically I was just pleased with the lack of daft catsuits (Mrs Gale always carried them off better anyway, and wasn't afraid to wear practical leather rather than pink stretch-material
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We just watched "Stay Tuned" and my other half mentioned how busty Tara/Linda was - the costume seemed to be designed to hide that as much as possible; as Linda said, the producers seemed terrified of the fact that she had a woman's body, and breasts! It was something new to them.
I found her fights a lot more realistic. Also, I did wonder how Emma Peel came to be such a good spy - since she was completely untrained. It didn't stretch credibility too much to have Tara employing unarmed combat techniques and lockpicking, etc, in this story. If Emma was doing it, I'd have to wonder where a mathematician/scientist picked up all these espionage/underworld techniques...
But basically I was just pleased with the lack of daft catsuits (Mrs Gale always carried them off better anyway, and wasn't afraid to wear practical leather rather than pink stretch-material
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cyberrich
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Glad to see someone giving something a chance rather than dismissing it outright on a whim. Season 6 is a superb season of television. I think it's the third best after the two Emma seasons. Lots of variety and lots of fun. There's a few stinkers admittedly. If Homicide and old lace is the only one you've seen I can imagine you'd be scarred for life. There are no expletives sufficient to describe how terrible this episode is. The worst episode ever! Thingumajig and Have guns will haggle are also pretty bad. However, there are at leat 26 classic episodes out of 33, so there's many hours of good entertainment you'd be missing out on if you don't give these a chance. Game is my all time fave. Fog, Stay tuned, Pandora, look stop me, All done with mirrors, My wildest dream, many others.
Linda was maybe an odd choice, and Honor and Diana were a tough act to follow. The fact that she was Canadian and so young. Still, there's been a lot of unfairness in the treatment of Linda. After a few unsure performances in the early days, Linda really came into her own and gave some tremendous performances. Her best ever was in Who was that man I saw you with. Remember she was only 21 here. Seasons 5 and 6 have been accused of being too comic-book. Maybe they are, but not in a bad way. With the current trend of making movies based on comic book heroes, I think this makes seasons 5 and 6 more relevant than the first 3 seasons.
Linda was maybe an odd choice, and Honor and Diana were a tough act to follow. The fact that she was Canadian and so young. Still, there's been a lot of unfairness in the treatment of Linda. After a few unsure performances in the early days, Linda really came into her own and gave some tremendous performances. Her best ever was in Who was that man I saw you with. Remember she was only 21 here. Seasons 5 and 6 have been accused of being too comic-book. Maybe they are, but not in a bad way. With the current trend of making movies based on comic book heroes, I think this makes seasons 5 and 6 more relevant than the first 3 seasons.
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Allard
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Great to read how someone discovers a TV series which he or she can really enjoy.
But that's the thing with the Tara King episodes, they feature some of the real low points of the entire Avengers. And some episodes are simply the real Avengers, unique and new. Something of that real Avengerishness that was slowly disappearing from the later Peel colours is resurfacing in the Tara King era.
I am viewing Tara King's myself at the moment, Love All - very nice, Stay Tuned - not bad at all and Who Was That Man I Saw You With - superb!(well almost).
But that's the thing with the Tara King episodes, they feature some of the real low points of the entire Avengers. And some episodes are simply the real Avengers, unique and new. Something of that real Avengerishness that was slowly disappearing from the later Peel colours is resurfacing in the Tara King era.
I am viewing Tara King's myself at the moment, Love All - very nice, Stay Tuned - not bad at all and Who Was That Man I Saw You With - superb!(well almost).
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Rodney
My pleasure was derived from the fact that I expected them all to be as bad as Homicide and Old Lace while, as you say, some are actually far more exciting than the previous season. My one regret is that there is not the intellectual banter between the two which was such a key part of the previous seasons. Still, some wonderfully mad Avengers moments such as killer window cleaners and furniture restorers...only in Avengersland could this happen.
Oh dear Lord, if all the episodes had been as bad as Homicide and Stop Me...Ugh...
As for the bantar, the type of bantar Steed could easily get away with with Mrs. Peel, would never have worked with Tara. It was a line Steed probably would not cross because of her age and "innocence", though I question the spank he gives her in Game. He probably would have ended up through a plate glass window if he had tried that with Mrs. Peel under normal circumstances.
As for the bantar, the type of bantar Steed could easily get away with with Mrs. Peel, would never have worked with Tara. It was a line Steed probably would not cross because of her age and "innocence", though I question the spank he gives her in Game. He probably would have ended up through a plate glass window if he had tried that with Mrs. Peel under normal circumstances.
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Timeless A-Peel
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I remember not giving the Taras much of a chance after Emma. I held out a faint hope that perhaps Steed wouldn't make it in time and she'd be offed by the DM of the week. I gave up on them pretty quick. It took my positive experience with TNA to cycle back and give them another shot,. Glad I did, too, because there's lots to enjoy.
The plots on the whole are pretty good considering this was an extra-long season and they could've skimped way more than they did. Tossing out Invasion of the Earthmen, Thingumajig, and the Avengers "clips" episodes Homicide and Old Lace, it's a pretty strong season for plots. Fog, Who Was that Man I Saw You With?, Take-Over, Game, Stay Tuned--I could go on. All brilliant, some surprisingly dark, already plodding back toward the Gale era and what TNA would eventually become in terms of mood.
Tara herself has grown on me. She'll never be my favourite Avenger girl, but I've warmed to her considerably. She's very warm and sweet. I no longer wish her il. But I still find her relationship with Steed pretty flat. In fact, the less Tara hangs about with Steed, the more I like her (which is the exact opposite way I feel about Emma). She's better on her own. Otherwise it predicts the Steed/Purdey relationship, which was also pretty dull, and there's no Gambit to inject some life into the proceedings.
And some of the clothes are really terrible. The fashion decline started here, folks. Those prints wouldn't flatter anyone.
And I like Mother. I find it funny when people object to Steed having a boss. Steed always had a boss. The Emma era was an anamoly in that respect, not the status quo. He's crabby, but in a likeable way (if that makes any sense), and I think he fits quite well with the new emphasis on the Ministry. And Rhonda's actually quite effective despite (maybe even because) never saying a word. Along with Tara being an official agent, we get a fresh perspective on Steed's organization. TNA's much more centred on the Ministry, too, and it ties in nicely with the Taras, gives it some continuity. I always assumed that the Ministry went through some sort of reshuffling process throughout the late sixties/early seventies, and someone decided the whole "talented amateurs" thing was getting a bit out of hand. It opens up a whole new line of plots with Tara running into old classmates and talking about courses and such. So I think it was a good shift in direction.
The plots on the whole are pretty good considering this was an extra-long season and they could've skimped way more than they did. Tossing out Invasion of the Earthmen, Thingumajig, and the Avengers "clips" episodes Homicide and Old Lace, it's a pretty strong season for plots. Fog, Who Was that Man I Saw You With?, Take-Over, Game, Stay Tuned--I could go on. All brilliant, some surprisingly dark, already plodding back toward the Gale era and what TNA would eventually become in terms of mood.
Tara herself has grown on me. She'll never be my favourite Avenger girl, but I've warmed to her considerably. She's very warm and sweet. I no longer wish her il. But I still find her relationship with Steed pretty flat. In fact, the less Tara hangs about with Steed, the more I like her (which is the exact opposite way I feel about Emma). She's better on her own. Otherwise it predicts the Steed/Purdey relationship, which was also pretty dull, and there's no Gambit to inject some life into the proceedings.
And some of the clothes are really terrible. The fashion decline started here, folks. Those prints wouldn't flatter anyone.
And I like Mother. I find it funny when people object to Steed having a boss. Steed always had a boss. The Emma era was an anamoly in that respect, not the status quo. He's crabby, but in a likeable way (if that makes any sense), and I think he fits quite well with the new emphasis on the Ministry. And Rhonda's actually quite effective despite (maybe even because) never saying a word. Along with Tara being an official agent, we get a fresh perspective on Steed's organization. TNA's much more centred on the Ministry, too, and it ties in nicely with the Taras, gives it some continuity. I always assumed that the Ministry went through some sort of reshuffling process throughout the late sixties/early seventies, and someone decided the whole "talented amateurs" thing was getting a bit out of hand. It opens up a whole new line of plots with Tara running into old classmates and talking about courses and such. So I think it was a good shift in direction.
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Timeless A-Peel
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You should definitely give them a shot. Everyone should give every era of the show a shot. If you've enjoyed all the other seasons, it's pretty much guaranteed you'll like the Taras too. It ties in nicely with TNA, as I've said, but there's hangovers from the Emmas and the darker tones of the Cathys.Philippa wrote:I'm getting more and more curious about the Tara episodes, but so far I haven't seen any of them.
I will watch them in the near future, when I've got money to buy the dvd's.