[PREV - BLAZING] [TOP]
THE_VENUS_SMITH
July 31, 2006
Rev: April 13, 2007
On seeing the early 1960s Avengers with
Honor Blackman as Catherine Gayle:
There's much to be
said for the Gayle
character: tough and One of the interesting
intelligent, she details in these early
radiates force when episodes is that Steed
she's angry, she is a much more sleazy,
genuinely seems like obnoxious fellow.
a dangerous woman.
He's *using* these women that he's
When Honor Blackman recruited, manipulating them into
left to take the handling the dirty work, and
Pussy Galore bribe, Catherine Gayle, unlike Mrs. Peel,
they re-tooled does not think it's cute.
the Avengers,
replacing Catherine
Gayle with the
younger, less Note: Diana Rigg
threatening Emma preceded the shift
Peel ("Man Appeal") to color by a year,
played by, of and the color So Diana Rigg
course, Diana Rigg. production was paid created the shot
for with US network at America, I
Emma Peel is such a cash. would gather...
cultural icon it's
difficult to complain Or did it play
that she "wasn't tough on US television
enough for the role" or It's possible to in b&w for a year?
some such, but seeing argue that the
Honor Blackman raises Emma Peel character
that temptation. was more interesting
because she held a
A key figure in door open to being So the toned-down
this evolution is tough-but-"feminine". version might be seen
the exceedingly as a more radical
minor character version: Powerful,
"Venus Smith": but not... de-sexed?
Catherine Gale is not the Powerful, but
only female amateur not frightening.
recruited by Steed, a few
of the episodes revolve
around this other
character: bright,
spritely, button cute.
No combat ability, but she
can sing -- in theory --
and they don't pass up any
chance to slip in musical "What if Mary Poppins
comedy numbers into the were a secret agent?"
spy thriller plots.
She only appears in a few
episodes, but the fact Six, actually, (though
that she appears at all I've only seen three).
is, I think, a tip-off All in the 62/63 season,
about the way the
producers were thinking. Hm: there was a 1962 season, but
most episodes were lost (?!). And
Catherine Gayle was an it started in 1961 (under the name
interesting character, but "The Police Surgeon") with Steed
not the kind of sex kitten partnered with a male character, a
you need to really put Dr. Keel, a man out to avenge the
something over. She made death of his wife...
them uncomfortable...
Couldn't they try someone, 1/1961 Steed w/male Dr. Keel
oh you know, *cute*? 9/1962 Gayle in "Teddy Bear"
11/1962 1st Venus Smith
Mrs. Peel was the 2/1963 last Venus Smith
fusion of these two. 10/1965 1st Emma Peel
1/1967 Goes color (and U.S.)
Catherine Gayle 3/1968 Peel exits, Tara in.
tempered by 4/1969 last episode
Venus Smith.
Consider the way the show evolved,
gradually, but *thoroughly*: changing
With some hints of concept, changing it's title (!),
Modesty Blaise? swapping lead chracters around,
changing acting staff...
BLAZING
A modern American television show has
no room for so much trial-and- error.
If the pilot flies, the parameters are
nearly fixed thereafter.
MUTATION
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