Philippa wrote:I think this is now officially our thread with the longest posts

You know me, if you get me started, I'm a total chatterbox. There's so much to say about this show, because it's so legendary on so many levels. And although it takes me ages to reply to Timeless her posts ( ), I do love discussing the show as much as watching it.

That's another interesting point - Steed's relationship with all the girls. I'd say one out of four is professional, two are based on friendship and one is love. I have no idea as about the Cathy Gale and Tara King eras, as I'm completely focussing on Emma right now, and I love it.

Maartje wrote:

Philippa wrote:I think this is now officially our thread with the longest posts

You know me, if you get me started, I'm a total chatterbox. There's so much to say about this show, because it's so legendary on so many levels. And although it takes me ages to reply to Timeless her posts ( ), I do love discussing the show as much as watching it.

That's another interesting point - Steed's relationship with all the girls. I'd say one out of four is professional, two are based on friendship and one is love. I have no idea as about the Cathy Gale and Tara King eras, as I'm completely focussing on Emma right now, and I love it.

Sorry, I have a lot to say about this series. I keep thinking it'll take fewer words than it does, but I can't help it--I'm wordy. You know what I mean. You've read my fanfics.

I find it interesting how you've divided the relationships. I take it Cathy is professional, Tara and Purdey are friends, and Emma is the love? Because I can go with that.

Yeah I agree with it too, nice theory

I read somewhere today that Patrick himself once claimed that he ''had seen all the Avengers girls naked, except for Joanna'', because she was too young. I'm perfectly the able to tell the difference between characters and real people, but I'm somehow shocked. There goes the whole Steed/Emma magic.

Mara wrote:I read somewhere today that Patrick himself once claimed that he ''had seen all the Avengers girls naked, except for Joanna'', because she was too young. I'm perfectly the able to tell the difference between characters and real people, but I'm somehow shocked. There goes the whole Steed/Emma magic.

Ah, yes, that quotation, although I believe his reason was that Joanna was an "absolute ice maiden when it came to sex" (which has been repeated by many of the crew. They said because she was attractive she used to go for men who valued her less for her looks. "She really gave herself a hard time.") Like all things Patrick says, I'd take it with a grain of salt. If he did, well, Diana was his "impish kid sister." He certainly wasn't sleeping with her. If that's true, it's more a testament to what good friends they were, how casual they could be around each other. I'm sure that's how it was for the others, too. And if it makes you feel any better, he saw Gareth in the altogether, too. Gareth and some of his friends dropped by Patrick's one day, and they all spent the day wandering around naked (although Gareth had a conveniently placed guitar. ) And Linda probably was from the day she dropped by his place and they were having a nudist party. She apparently "slipped off her clothes" and joined in. Remember, too, that Patrick spent a lot of time in a nudist colony in California, so he's sort of a part-time nudist.

In that Wogan interview with Patrick and Honor that I uploaded to YouTube, Honor mentions Patrick playing tennis in the nude. That sounded.....interesting to say the least

Philippa wrote:In that Wogan interview with Patrick and Honor that I uploaded to YouTube, Honor mentions Patrick playing tennis in the nude. That sounded.....interesting to say the least

Puns about where he put his balls ensued.

Timeless A-Peel wrote:Like all things Patrick says, I'd take it with a grain of salt. If he did, well, Diana was his "impish kid sister." He certainly wasn't sleeping with her. If that's true, it's more a testament to what good friends they were, how casual they could be around each other. I'm sure that's how it was for the others, too.

Teehee, thanks for clearing that up. I already had my doubts reading that story, but since it was clearly stated that it was a quote from Patrick himself... I think Jo certainly proved a point keeping a certain distance with her co-workers. It seems a bit odd sleeping around with your colleagues when you're working on a show together, certainly when it's something like the Avengers.

Timeless A-Peel wrote:And if it makes you feel any better, he saw Gareth in the altogether, too. Gareth and some of his friends dropped by Patrick's one day, and they all spent the day wandering around naked (although Gareth had a conveniently placed guitar. )

Now that I'd have liked to see. He certainly some interesting hobbies, to say at least...

Timeless A-Peel wrote:Puns about where he put his balls ensued.

Mara wrote:

Timeless A-Peel wrote:Like all things Patrick says, I'd take it with a grain of salt. If he did, well, Diana was his "impish kid sister." He certainly wasn't sleeping with her. If that's true, it's more a testament to what good friends they were, how casual they could be around each other. I'm sure that's how it was for the others, too.

Teehee, thanks for clearing that up. I already had my doubts reading that story, but since it was clearly stated that it was a quote from Patrick himself... I think Jo certainly proved a point keeping a certain distance with her co-workers. It seems a bit odd sleeping around with your colleagues when you're working on a show together, certainly when it's something like the Avengers.

Timeless A-Peel wrote:And if it makes you feel any better, he saw Gareth in the altogether, too. Gareth and some of his friends dropped by Patrick's one day, and they all spent the day wandering around naked (although Gareth had a conveniently placed guitar. )

Now that I'd have liked to see. He certainly some interesting hobbies, to say at least...

Timeless A-Peel wrote:Puns about where he put his balls ensued.

The only attempt as romance between Avengers co-stars was Patrick's one pass at Honor, who shot him down so fast, he begged her to forgive him, and never tried it again. He was best friends with both Diana and Honor, and felt protective of Linda. Gareth and Joanna were firm friends but never came close to wanting a romance--they were both divorced and living with other people. Good friends is all--Honor comforted Patrick when he got divorced, Patrick lived with Diana and her husband while he did TNA, and Gareth and Joanna shared that suite in Canada to make ends meet.

The naked story from Gareth is quite funny-he talked about it on the DVD commntaries. It was...interesting.

Mara wrote:I read somewhere today that Patrick himself once claimed that he ''had seen all the Avengers girls naked, except for Joanna'', because she was too young.

Linda is younger than Joanna.

Avengerdan wrote:

Mara wrote:I read somewhere today that Patrick himself once claimed that he ''had seen all the Avengers girls naked, except for Joanna'', because she was too young.

Linda is younger than Joanna.

Yeah I was going to mention that too. Joanna was born in '46 and Linda in '47.

Avengerdan wrote:

Mara wrote:I read somewhere today that Patrick himself once claimed that he ''had seen all the Avengers girls naked, except for Joanna'', because she was too young.

Linda is younger than Joanna.

I didn't realize that, I just quoted what I read.

Timeless A-Peel wrote:The naked story from Gareth is quite funny-he talked about it on the DVD commntaries. It was...interesting.

I bet! I just love commentaries, because you can always pick up little facts about a show that are never asked about on interviews for instance. I'd love to see the TNA outtakes too someday.

Mara wrote:

Timeless A-Peel wrote:The naked story from Gareth is quite funny-he talked about it on the DVD commntaries. It was...interesting.

I bet! I just love commentaries, because you can always pick up little facts about a show that are never asked about on interviews for instance. I'd love to see the TNA outtakes too someday.

I love the commentaries, although I wish the interviewer had let Gareth free-talk more. When he does he's brilliant, and I mentioned how good he was with voices, right? Man oh man, that man could do things with his voice box... But yes, that story was a definite highlight. Just imaging Gareth with that guitar...

I wish there were TNA outtakes so badly...

Mara wrote:

Avengerdan wrote:Linda is younger than Joanna.

I didn't realize that, I just quoted what I read.

Understandable. I think a lot of people think Jo is younger than Linda - she looks younger (especially today) and the tendancy to cast a younger actress with each new Avenger girl.

Avengerdan wrote:

Mara wrote:

Avengerdan wrote:Linda is younger than Joanna.

I didn't realize that, I just quoted what I read.

Understandable. I think a lot of people think Jo is younger than Linda - she looks younger (especially today) and the tendancy to cast a younger actress with each new Avenger girl.

Exactly - she looked a lot younger, even back then. The difference in age isn't even that big, but I'd have expected a younger girl to be honest.

Mara wrote:

Avengerdan wrote:

Mara wrote:Understandable. I think a lot of people think Jo is younger than Linda - she looks younger (especially today) and the tendancy to cast a younger actress with each new Avenger girl.

Exactly - she looked a lot younger, even back then. The difference in age isn't even that big, but I'd have expected a younger girl to be honest.

Yeah, it shows just how young Linda was that her successor was actually older than she was. Gareth and Joanna's casting was actually a bit of a throwback to the early Avengers, when all the main players--Hendry, Macnee, Blackman--were in their thirties. After that they started drifting into their twenties, but both Gareth and Joanna were a little more "experienced" lifewise. No idea if that was intentional. That said, Purdey is pretty much the only character in the series who seems younger than the actress playing her. Joanna was 30, but Purdey always seems about 28 to me. There's something about the way Joanna plays her that speaks to a but more wide-eyed innocence in the face of Gambit and Steed's men of the world.

I agree with you on that one. Purdey always seemed to be younger than Joanna was in real-life. Linda was really young though when she was cast in The Avengers, quite a big burden to follow in Diana's footsteps at that age.

Philippa wrote:I agree with you on that one. Purdey always seemed to be younger than Joanna was in real-life. Linda was really young though when she was cast in The Avengers, quite a big burden to follow in Diana's footsteps at that age.

She was only 20 when they cast her--not even drinking age in Britain! Can you imagine following a hugely popular actress in a hugely popular series at that age? It's no wonder she was afraid to talk to the press, who then slammed her for being "some sort of Garbo," thinking she was too good to grant interviews. Then all her hair fell out from the dye-job. You'd cry, too.

(actually the drinking age is 18 )

But yes, she was my age when she was cast. I'd be scared, too.

Well indeed, poor Linda. And on top of that, she had to follow in Diana's footsteps. Of course Joanna did too, but when TNA was aired, it already had been a while since the epic Steed/Emma era. I think the fact that Purdey turned out to be the fabulous Joanna Lumley has improved the image of TNA a lot too, to be honest.

Philippa wrote:(actually the drinking age is 18 )

But yes, she was my age when she was cast. I'd be scared, too.

Really? I thought it was 21 for some reason. It is in the US. It's 19 here in Canada.

Mara wrote:Well indeed, poor Linda. And on top of that, she had to follow in Diana's footsteps. Of course Joanna did too, but when TNA was aired, it already had been a while since the epic Steed/Emma era. I think the fact that Purdey turned out to be the fabulous Joanna Lumley has improved the image of TNA a lot too, to be honest.

Joanna's profile has definitely helped TNA, especially with those BBC4 airings earlier this year. It's really gratifying to see TNA get some love after so many years of being picked on. And yes, Joanna had less of a task than Linda--it had been years since the original Avengers, and it was a new show with a slightly different format. Although all the crew called her "Diana" for weeks at the start of the shoot out of habit, and the French complained because they wanted Linda back.

All this talk really makes me want to watch TNA right now!
I can't though, I've got coursework to prepare for tomorrow

Philippa wrote:All this talk really makes me want to watch TNA right now!
I can't though, I've got coursework to prepare for tomorrow

Bugger. Maybe later in the evening. TNA-watching is always nice after a hard day of work.

It most certainly is. I might just do that as a reward for all my hard work!
But first I have to start thinking about dinner, even though I haven't got any food in the house

Philippa wrote:It most certainly is. I might just do that as a reward for all my hard work!
But first I have to start thinking about dinner, even though I haven't got any food in the house

Yeah, you need a reward.

TNA won't help you magically create food, though.