Just a heads up
Big Finish have a sale of their season 1 stories. There is up to 60% off.
The sale is on for the next few days.
I've decided to plunge into a couple of sets.
Just in case anyone is interested.
Big Finish Sale - up to 60% off
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Frankymole
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Frankymole
- You Have Just Been Posting (a lot)
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You're welcome 
I listened to Hot Snow in bed when I couldn't sleep last night and WOW! Great atmosphere, played straight, with great vocal performances - I was really drawn in.
Julian W has managed to do Patrick MacNee and play Steed straighter in earlier stories than later, and Anthony Howell is mesmerising as Keel - what a great voice and mannerisms.
I know I've only heard the first one, but so pleased at the moment I took the plunge.
I need to decide whether to get a few more before the end date...
I listened to Hot Snow in bed when I couldn't sleep last night and WOW! Great atmosphere, played straight, with great vocal performances - I was really drawn in.
Julian W has managed to do Patrick MacNee and play Steed straighter in earlier stories than later, and Anthony Howell is mesmerising as Keel - what a great voice and mannerisms.
I know I've only heard the first one, but so pleased at the moment I took the plunge.
I need to decide whether to get a few more before the end date...
You really must have a word with that cleaning lady....
Well, I've listened to the first three and a bit stories.
I REALLY like these. Both leads are great, particularly Anthony as Keel - great voice.
They are played very straight and are gripping to listen to. I've had them on my phones whilst up the gym.
In the end I picked up boxes 3 and 4 as well just before the sale ended.
Can't wait to hear the rest of them.
I keep wondering what the original leads would have done with the material. I wonder how close to the originals the scripts are.
Really interesting.
I REALLY like these. Both leads are great, particularly Anthony as Keel - great voice.
They are played very straight and are gripping to listen to. I've had them on my phones whilst up the gym.
In the end I picked up boxes 3 and 4 as well just before the sale ended.
Can't wait to hear the rest of them.
I keep wondering what the original leads would have done with the material. I wonder how close to the originals the scripts are.
Really interesting.
You really must have a word with that cleaning lady....
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Frankymole
- You Have Just Been Posting (a lot)
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I think the scripts are pretty accurate, they only need slight tweaking where something was obviously relayed visually on TV and has to be indicated somehow in audio. However, for a very few of the first series there isn't a surviving camera script and that's really interesting!!! In those cases a lot had to be pieced together from other surviving materials (Tele-Snaps, plot summaries/synopses in listings magazines and previous books, rehearsal scripts if we're lucky enough to have one survive, etc) to make a workable and consistent story - for example in the way Dissolute does for the synopses of script-less stories on the excellent website: https://www.dissolute.com.au/the-avenge ... /series-1/
Last watched: "The Secrets Broker"
Interesting.
I was trying to imagine Pat in the scene in the second episode playing cards with te baddie, or his Irish accent in Square Root of Evil.
I think from the remaining episodes we have from series 1, we see a banter between MacNee and Hendry which I'm not sure is there between Wadham and Howell, even thought they do sound right together. Perhaps it will grow later in the run.
I was trying to imagine Pat in the scene in the second episode playing cards with te baddie, or his Irish accent in Square Root of Evil.
I think from the remaining episodes we have from series 1, we see a banter between MacNee and Hendry which I'm not sure is there between Wadham and Howell, even thought they do sound right together. Perhaps it will grow later in the run.
You really must have a word with that cleaning lady....
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Frankymole
- You Have Just Been Posting (a lot)
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Yes, I know from the McGinlay/Hayes books that Macnee and Hendry did a hell of a lot of work sequestered together whenever they got a new script, bashing together ideas for how Keel and Steed would bring their personalities to it; so much so that Macnee reckoned Hendry was a co-writer of the scripts. That wouldn't be obvious in an initial, unamended rehearsal script. A lot of what the videotaped era Steed was (and which the Emma/Tara/TNA film series Steed grew from) was Hendry's (re) writing as well as Macnee's inputs.
The episode would've developed throughout the days and weeks until the final camera script. We can't have that with all the audios, they've got to be their own thing really. Like a theatre play from a known book but with a new cast. That's no bad thing, and I'm glad the two audio stars work. There is a quality in the stories which isn't apparent in much other 'pulp' thriller serial stuff from the early 60s or earlier. It was made with great love by a young production team and did start to change the way TV drama, and the 1960s in Britain, felt.
The episode would've developed throughout the days and weeks until the final camera script. We can't have that with all the audios, they've got to be their own thing really. Like a theatre play from a known book but with a new cast. That's no bad thing, and I'm glad the two audio stars work. There is a quality in the stories which isn't apparent in much other 'pulp' thriller serial stuff from the early 60s or earlier. It was made with great love by a young production team and did start to change the way TV drama, and the 1960s in Britain, felt.
Last watched: "The Secrets Broker"
Well, I've just finished the four box sets I bought in this sale.
Regrets? YES!
I wish I had been able to buy all seven.
These have been such an enjoyable listen. I can't believe have I have just lapped these up. These are my thoughts:
The theme arrangement is great. At first, I found it a little jarring with a few of the extra additions, but 16 episodes in and I have to remind myself it isn't the original. This fairs so much better than the Johnson version used for Emma and Tara, which sounds like it was made on a computer with a metronome keeping strict time. The Tara countermelody and brass stabs are only superimposed over and it doesn't seem to capture the original.
The incidental music is brilliant. It doesn't try to copy that of Dankworth, but it has the film noir Jazz feel and suits the story telling really well. There is quite a range of styles and cues, and I can see why some people would like a release of the music.
I love the fact that the add breaks are still there.
Julian and Anthony work so well together. They have great chemistry and have a rapport which has grown on me. As we know so little about some of these stories because they don't exist, I find it hard to think of Patrick and Ian playing these parts. In fact, in the behind the scenes interviews, they are gushing with praise for the original leads and have a lot of respect for them.
I love the authentic early 60s feel. They are played straight, matching the acting style of the early 60s. There is a British stiff-upper lip feel to the whole story telling, and some great voice work. Some of it sounds quite menacing. I could imagine a few violent scenes which, due to restrictions at the time, would have been would have been played down but your mind can work over time on audio.
There really were some excellent stories in the first season. For the majority of the first four boxes they seem to be using the existing scripts. Only Hunt the Man Down was fleshed out from a synopsis, but I would never have known: I thought it was an excellent script.
Negative points:
It's not Patrick, Ian and Ingrid - but that is all. And, considering they aren't around, there is nothing that can be done about that.
If you have doubted getting these - don't. I suppose I'm used to Big Finish as I have an extensive collection of their original Doctor Who stories. I know most parts are played by the original actors, but I was apprehensive when I first dipped my toe into their work, but I have got so used to Doctor Who on audio. I worried that with The Avengers being only visually represented I would find the audio a challenge, but no.
I whole heartedly recommend.
I wish now we could have some original story telling using Steed and Keel....
Regrets? YES!
I wish I had been able to buy all seven.
These have been such an enjoyable listen. I can't believe have I have just lapped these up. These are my thoughts:
The theme arrangement is great. At first, I found it a little jarring with a few of the extra additions, but 16 episodes in and I have to remind myself it isn't the original. This fairs so much better than the Johnson version used for Emma and Tara, which sounds like it was made on a computer with a metronome keeping strict time. The Tara countermelody and brass stabs are only superimposed over and it doesn't seem to capture the original.
The incidental music is brilliant. It doesn't try to copy that of Dankworth, but it has the film noir Jazz feel and suits the story telling really well. There is quite a range of styles and cues, and I can see why some people would like a release of the music.
I love the fact that the add breaks are still there.
Julian and Anthony work so well together. They have great chemistry and have a rapport which has grown on me. As we know so little about some of these stories because they don't exist, I find it hard to think of Patrick and Ian playing these parts. In fact, in the behind the scenes interviews, they are gushing with praise for the original leads and have a lot of respect for them.
I love the authentic early 60s feel. They are played straight, matching the acting style of the early 60s. There is a British stiff-upper lip feel to the whole story telling, and some great voice work. Some of it sounds quite menacing. I could imagine a few violent scenes which, due to restrictions at the time, would have been would have been played down but your mind can work over time on audio.
There really were some excellent stories in the first season. For the majority of the first four boxes they seem to be using the existing scripts. Only Hunt the Man Down was fleshed out from a synopsis, but I would never have known: I thought it was an excellent script.
Negative points:
It's not Patrick, Ian and Ingrid - but that is all. And, considering they aren't around, there is nothing that can be done about that.
If you have doubted getting these - don't. I suppose I'm used to Big Finish as I have an extensive collection of their original Doctor Who stories. I know most parts are played by the original actors, but I was apprehensive when I first dipped my toe into their work, but I have got so used to Doctor Who on audio. I worried that with The Avengers being only visually represented I would find the audio a challenge, but no.
I whole heartedly recommend.
I wish now we could have some original story telling using Steed and Keel....
You really must have a word with that cleaning lady....