The Avengers Alternative Series 6 Opening Titles and Closing Credits

[whiskers1965]

I mean Linda Thorson is pretty and all but unlike Diana she is more eye candy than tough. She just looks so out of place like she should be dancing on Laugh In if you catch my drift

[photobygil]

Notice how the gunshot sound effect is missing only from the opening titles - they are clearly present in the end titles. This is not an example of censorship for any reason. It is lazy editing on the part of those who re-mastered the series for home video. They cleaned up the soundtrack just once, obviously for the field of armor version of the credits, and inexplicably didn't realize or care that it didn't exactly match this version of the credits. Really annoying, in my opinion!

[whiskers1965]

I hated it when Diana Rigg left and this theme shows it. Easily the worst of the series with Linda Thorson trying to ham it up badly and Patrick MacNee looking really uncomfortable (probably thinking - who talked me into doing this with her?)

[dramaticguy]

@whiskers1965 Linda nearly quit with all the changes of producer,Patrick talked her into staying.

The story lines in the Thorson era were some of the best of the series,Linda was very inexperienced but she got better,Patrick Macnee said a few years ago,he should have left with Diana but he only has praise for Linda Thorson.

[altfactor]

I wonder if the gunshots (which I think were also removed from the Season Six closing by ABC in the U.S.) had to do with the 1968 assisintaions of Martin Luther King and Senator Bobby Kennedy.

[altfactor]

After the first couple of seasons (where the show was pretty serious), "The Avengers" adopted the "light" touch which made it very popular (and a classic) all over the world.

[sitedezynz]

Laurie Johnson's theme is timeless and just about the most romantic music I've ever heard... it's right up there with another Brit, Sir Ronald Binge's "Elizabethan Serenade" played on the BBC Light back in the 50's.

[whiskeyify]

I wish they could have found someone a little more athletic to replace emma peel.

Linda was just too clumsy in the fight scenes etc.

[digipeeper]

This version was way better then the field of Knights version which was lame and had no excitement.

[robertgift]

This "modernized" (English "modernised") version of the.me music is not as good as thearlier version.

[olarcial]

From the three girls (I started watching it from 1965 on so I never saw Honor Blackman's episodes) Diana is the one I like the most. But I also love Linda Thorson. Look at her beautiful legs waving her mini-skirt. She's so sexy, she's so 1960's. I love her. And when the fight was on I think she was better in the fight scenes than Rigg or Lumley.

[sitedezynz]

@olarcial Absolutely! I agree. I saw the Thorson episodes first when it went into syndication. I love Linda. She is a terrific actress and very funny lady

[poglad]

Mmmm Tara Tara Tara...

[3investigators]

Linda Thorson was very pretty but the chemistry just wasn't the same as it was with Kathy Gale and Emma Peel. Love this theme!

[frankd1965]

@3investigators Saw Linda Thorson on a "Law & Order" Episode.

[JubalCalif]

@3investigators

Well, said!  I second that emotion!

:-)

[JerryWE]

Linda Thorson wasn't as good as Diana Rigg. This is after they find Mrs Peel's husband and Diana Rigg leaves the show.

[JohnnySullivan]

@JerryWE - In over all quality,I have to agree. LT's entire body of Avengers work didnt reach the level of DR as a whole,but she had moments that were just as good.Be interested to see how it would be if the time line of these 2 women had been reversed. Was a huge EP fan when I was little,and it was about 2 yrs before I saw my 1st TK episode.I feel her character had more potential & although the show was still great,it was occasionally lacking when compared to production values of the DR era.

[DoudiTheMadgique]

je kiff ce générique (love)

[44032]

This is totally superior to the one they did outdoors after this- much more clever and visually interesting, with the combinaiton of action and sly humor the show was known for. It's also a natural outgrowth of the titles for the Rigg series.

[photobygil]

Great how you linked the opening & closing credits for continuity - these credits (like the color Rigg credits) help establish the somewhat surreal nature of the program, & I prefer them to the suits of armor titles (although I do like those as well). By the way, did you know that there is even an alternate version to these? In some versions, the very last scene shows Tara & Steed standing still side by side, facing the camera, rather than walking away. Just a bit of trivia!

[gattigail]

Love,love,love the theme song!

[frankd1965]

John Steed was a fine dresser.

[MrChickyBee]

Brilliant and with the beautiful Linda Thorson as Agent 69, Ms Tara King.

[zenileon]

I remember watching this in 1981 in the SCALA Cinema London, and around 1.01,you see Tara looking straight at the camera and shaking her head. I wonder if anyone has that version.

[Actionguy1]

Beautiful!

This "end title" sequence was the introduction of Laurie Johnson's "revamped" Avenger's theme. It was, and still is, the best yet!

I have Laurie Johnson's 3 CD set featuring the music from "The Avengers." I'm just not sure if this end title theme is on there. I'll have to investigate.

[MrTVTheme]

They didnt tamper (or censored) with the sound - they used the soundtrack from from the knights and armour credits ( the swoosh sound from the sword hitting steeds shield before the title "The Avengers" appears, is clearly audible during the intro drumroll). Vice versa, there is a Knights and Armour credit sequence with the target alley soundtrack AND the gunshot. Some french prints have that variant. Apparently somebody mixed up the soundtracks when they replaced the target alley credits.