I just got The Complete Emma Peel Megaset of The Avengers, and it’s pretty killer 17 DVD’s of goodness covering the several-year block of the show in which Diana Rigg played Emma Peel as Steed’s partner.
But when I popped in the first disc, I was confused; Emma and Steed act as though they’re old friends with years of history between them even though it’s the first episode that she appears in. I know that Rigg wasn’t merely replacing Honor Blackman, but that Peel was replacing Cathy Gale as Steed’s partner.
I guess I was expecting some sort of exposition or character introduction, but they just jump right into it. What am I missing?
There was no “set-up” episode (I have the megaset as well), but there may be little bits and pieces of her background throughout her two seasons. The House That Jack Built probably has the most info about Emma Knight, prior to her marriage to Peter Peel.
Sir Rhosis
Don’t ask me. Whenever Diana Rigg is on TV, I lose all of my mental faculties.
You’re not missing anything. Instead of the unbelievably stupid and time-wasting introductions of characters that most every other tv show does, they plunged you right in and let the characters’ actions explain the relationship. What a concept! What writing!
I’m in a complete geek jealousy mode to find out that there is such a thing as The Complete Emma Peel Megaset, and that people own it.
As to myself, I haven’t seen much of The Avengers, but I definitely had the hots for Mrs. Peel when I did see it.
I was in the 9th grade when Anne Francis as “Honey West” was on television. Also, Julie Newmar made several guest appearances as Catwoman on “Batman”.
Then in the 10th grade, “The Avengers” (with Diana Rigg as Emma Peel) was shown on ABC.
With that much estrogen stimulating this adolescent’s androgen by the 11th grade, I was amazed I wasn’t walking around “Neanderthal style” with my knuckles draggng on the floor. 
