The Avengers returns with a restatement of what it’s all about. There are lots of fights, some baddies with a dastardly plan, eccentric secret agents, a gimmicky element to the story (in this instance amnesia darts), and plenty of humour. It’s a show that doesn’t take itself too seriously. This episode also has an important bit of business to accomplish: the departure of Emma Peel and the arrival of new sidekick Tara King.

Even the fact that the word “sidekick” is appropriate shows the shift that has taken place over the last couple of years, since Emma took over from Cathy. Steed and Cathy were equals, in every sense. Emma leaves to be a wife, and her parting advice to her replacement is about how Steed likes his tea stirred. Something very important was lost a long time ago, with an erosion of the feminist credentials of The Avengers. Although Emma is the character who broke something wonderful, in many ways, she is still the best-remembered Avengers girl, and her departure is an emotional moment that is wonderfully acted. In fact, I don’t think much acting was needed, because the emotion was genuine. Patrick Macnee went back to his dressing room to cry after the scene was shot, but you can already see the tears welling up in his eyes after Emma kisses him (thanks to the stunning picture quality on the DVD – if only all 60s shows were preserved so well).

As for her replacement, Tara seems very promising, despite the gender imbalance that is now a disappointing part of this series. Although she is still in training, she uses her initiative and intelligence, and clearly has all the qualities needed to be a useful ally for Steed, who has been rewritten over the years as much more of a 007 figure than he used to be. He is referred to by his fellow secret agents as a legend among them, the best of the best, and his only Achilles’ heel is the opposite sex.  All very familiar.

The story this week concerns traitors within their midst, which is always a reliable way to build a bit of tension. It works better if the possible culprits are well-established, ideally over a few episodes, which doesn’t happen here, so there is no real excitement to be had at figuring out who is betraying Mother and who isn’t. Steed being a suspect is again a story element with lots of potential, but it never really works all that well here because he is an amnesiac at that point, rather than being just an accidental fugitive with the rug of his usual support network being pulled out from under him. The amnesia element of the story really ends up overriding all other elements and undermining their impact. It’s played for laughs most of the time, although loss of memory and loss of self is actually a really scary idea, and one that obviously affects a lot of people in real life for various reasons. I once had a very brief brush with memory loss, many years ago, and it was one of the scariest things I’ve ever experienced. I can’t imagine what it’s like for people who have to go through that on a daily basis. To be robbed of the ability to understand the world around you, and your place in it, is terrifying. Treating it as a big joke is therefore something of a betrayal of a topic that deserves better, and the comedy ends up misfiring anyway. Sean Mortimer gets hit with an amnesiac dart three times, and it becomes tiresome. It also robs Steed and Emma of almost all interaction for their final adventure together, until it’s time to say goodbye.

Patrick Newell is introduced as Mother. If I ever saw these episodes before, I was a child at the time, so I don’t remember them, but the knowledge that he’s a much-loved character has osmosed into my head somehow. So far, I can kind of see why, because he’s an eccentric in a colourful room. We love an eccentric, but I have reservations about some of the laughs being achieved at the expense of a disability. Somehow, I don’t think a wheelchair user would want to get around with a bunch of those wobbly handholds you get on buses, even if he could, and at times the actor forgets that he’s supposed to be propping himself up on the ladder. But we are perhaps finally building a more coherent world around our heroes, who previously existed within a mysterious organisation that was largely unknown and unseen. For now, we will have to trust in the assurance that Mother knows best.   RP

The view from across the pond:

Barring a cute play on words that “ties” in with the first victim of dart-induced dementia, there is no forget-me-knot.  The Avengers once again puts catchy gimmicks before logic, but since that only affects the title, I don’t mind.  It’s a clever use of the title and we start the season on a strong episode.  The Forget-Me-Knot is actually a really great title for the episode that ends the run of Emma Peel episodes.  There’s no danger of us forgetting Emma!  In fact, I begin to think I’ve done myself a major disservice by not reading more of the IMDb trivia because I’ve found a few gems on there recently.  For this episode, I learned that Patrick Macnee said that at the end of the filming, he went to his dressing room and cried over the loss of Rigg.  You know what: you go Patrick!  Don’t be embarrassed about your emotions – Diana Rigg may not have been the best Avengers spy-girl but she certainly had charisma and warmth down to a science.  There are often moments where you can see there’s chemistry between the two and on more than one occasion I expected them to kiss.  So it was a weird choice to have her leave because her husband turned up.  (I wonder if her successor will also have a missing husband…)

I was equally happy to end the season on a high note.  For another episode, we’re not dealing with an idiotically convoluted plot.  This is about a traitor in the ranks of the Avengers, or whatever department they call themselves.  They use the drug of forgetfulness as a means of keeping the story going, because otherwise it would be a fast episode, but the whole plot simply centers around keeping the traitor a secret while introducing our next heroine to the series.  To further lure me into the episode, it has a very Holmesian opening.  Steed is working at his alcoholic drinks the way Holmes might have been working at his chemicals table.  Emma is looking out the window while doing a crossword puzzle before noticing a client, of whom she comments much as Watson had on diverse occasions.  The fact that they are on the second floor just accentuated the feelings of 221b; a place very near and dear to my heart.  They finally pulled me into their world and I want more of that!  It pays to copy the greats and who more worthy of emulation than the great detective himself?

The real question for me is around our new Avengers girl, Tara King.  She seems ok so far, but what raised the flag in my mind was all her talk about “The Steed Method”.  I wish I had kept a list of the multiple times the “star pupil” did dopey things, but the last episode was so heavy on moronic moves from Steed that I really want to know what “the Steed Method” actually is.  Walking around unfamiliar places knowing bad guys are around while calling out to your sidekick?  Walking in front of your enemy while they have a weapon in hand? Using twigs to pick locks?  Drinking far too much?  (The doctor may have his number when he says, “One drink too many; that’s what’s wrong with him!”)  It’s not that Emma does a whole lot better job herself.  What was the deal with her posing Sean into a ridiculous pose to confuse their jailor?  It was simultaneously funny, senseless, while lasting for no more than a picosecond, and just served to remind us that this show has no idea if it wants to be comedy or spy thriller.

All that being said, I still liked the episode and really feel like Emma had a good innings.  She will be missed.  Whether Tara King can live up to her predecessor’s legacy is anyone’s guess.  (Well, maybe not anyone who has already watched this seemingly interminable show.)  My question is whether the show will finally pulls me in completely or leave me wanting to use a forget-me-knot dart to get through the remaining 30 or so episodes.  Gosh, when I consider that in 130-ish episodes, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed maybe a dozen, that doesn’t fill me with confidence.  I can only hope Tara King brings more sense to the final season.  Please be good for the series, Tara!  Please!!  ML

Read next in the Junkyard… The Avengers: Game