From my favorite movies..

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

"The New Avengers"was my introduction to the "Avengers" world and I thought Patrick Macnee was great as John Steed,the perfect English gentleman,with bowler hat and umbrella and his charm,in no way making him less able to defend his country. Joanna Lumley was excellent as high kicking Purdey,she holds her own against Mrs Peel,she is very funny when telling Steed,he doesn't need to be so protective to women "as we're liberated now!". I liked Gareth Hunt,his presence is often treated as an interloper by "Avengers" fans but the fact is if it had just been Steed and Purdey,with Steed doing the stunts(or a very obvious stand in as in the Emma Peel/Tara King eras when Macnee's stand in for fights,was clearly seen)it would have looked bizarre. The rapport between Purdey and Gambit is spot on,I love the way they chatter or bicker away in the middle of an action scene,there were changes in the 2nd season after Patrick Macnee complained and poor old Gambit is put on the back burner,in the 2nd season,in the last ever episode,in Canada(the one about the secret base)the closing shot doesn't even feature Gambit. the stories themselves do vary in story quality,the first series started with "Nest Of Eagles"about Nazi's alive and well in Scotland all three New Avengers work great together,Purdey's high kicking,beauty and great humour working great with Macnee's charm and Gambit's 70s gritty edge. Other stories include "House of Cards"about an enemy agent faking his death,it features a humorous scene of a lady guest of Steed's looking at pictures of Cathy Gale,Emma Peel and Tara King. As the lady asks about each Avenger,Steed describes them as excellent or"faithful,reliable" then on Tara King,he says she had a "real kick in her"and he had to have her shot,it turns out,Steed thought she was asking about his three favourite horses! The first series comes across well with varied stories a man whose touch can kill,the dreaded Cybernauts return in one of the best stories,a man who can control birds by music,the first season ends with "Dirtier By The Dozen" about crazed mercenaries,the closing shot of Purdey rescued from a minefield by helicopter by Steed,on a rope ladder,drinking champagne,is one ofthe times,we see some of the old Avengers magic. The second series is more varied,Emma Peel makes an appearance in "K Is For Killing"(using old footage of Diana Rigg and a voice dub) when an old case comes tolight again as enemy soldiers are reanimated,its a good story and the Paris scene really give the series so much needed glamour. The Paris stories work well,the last four episodes of "The New Avengers" are set in Canada,one of them "Complex" about a crazed computer is one of the better ones,"Gladiators" about super powered assassins is good too,the real dull on is "Emily",its like a really bad "Charlie's Angels" episode and is a real turkey. I'll always have a soft spot for The New Avengers",the three leads are excellent,(I met Gareth Hunt,a few years ago,what a nice guy)Joanna Lumley is superb,Patrick Macnee is excellent as ever,Gareth Hunt is a welcome and necessary character,there were mistakes made,like not showing Steed driving his classic cars anymore,too much attention on car chases and violence(but it was the 70s)if maybe more writers from "The Avengers" had been involved maybe it would have been better liked by "Avengers" fans but I like it and I'm glad it was made.

The box set of New Avengers '76 (season one) has the following episodes: The Eagle's Nest, The Midas Touch, House of Cards, The Last of the Cybernauts...?, To Catch a Rat, Cat Amongst the Pigeons, Target!, Faces, The Tale of the Big Why, Three Handed Game, Sleeper, Gnaws, and Dirtier By the Dozen. A favorite of mine when new, I now give this rejuvenated Avengers series four stars out of five. I have heard Patrick MacNee did not like the way Steed takes a back seat in the new format, but I like the team's new balance. Steed has matured into a team leader with two young field operatives, Mike Gambit (Gareth Hunt) and Purdey (Joanna Lumley, later of Absolutely Fabulous). Wild plots and flirtatious banter abound as the three save the world every week, with high style, good looks, and great wardrobes.Sound and picture quality are fine, although clearly not remastered. Extras are minimal: three "production stills" per episode.There was a second season, cofinanced by France and Canada, with episodes in those countries as well as the UK. When that box set comes out, I will buy it.

The idea of The New Avengers was to combine the idiosyncrasies of the old show, yet update it to compete with the then current cop show genre. Thereby capture the audience of middle America.Ultimately it failed commercially and where The Avengers, with Steed and Emma Peel, led The New Avengers followed. The strengths were some cracking stories and performances from the three lead actors (special mention to Joanna Lumley - a worthy successor to Emma Peel). Weaknesses were some rushed and hurried plots and a continued lack of funding.By following the trends of the 1970s it became far more dated than it's more stylish predecessor.

Knock me over with a feather! At first I was not sure what I was watching on late night Detroit or Windsor television -- then it dawned. I made it my business every Friday night after the news to catch THE NEW AVENGERS, but probably saw little more than half.No, it was not the old time religion, because the old chemistry would be impossible to create. This programme stood on its own, suffering in comparison only if one wanted the more of same. THE NEW AVENGERS was "bigger" (which does not make it better), less wacky, and to employ the amorphous, less artistic. The budgets of the 1960s were no doubt modest, forcing more creativity.None the less, it was well cast with Steed as more of an elder statesman -- not "old" at 54 as another commentator was unkind enough to allege. Purdy was not Rigg or Blackman, but then she created her own viable character as a woman, much distinguished from the "youth market" Tara of 1968-9.I make no comment upon individual episodes, because it would not be fair given the time elapsed, for me 1980 at latest. Having no cable television, nor being a videophile, I have not seen THE NEW AVENGERS since.