# Please explain Emma Peel's introduction in "The Avengers."
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-emma-peels-introduction-in-the-avengers/361479
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [June 20, 2006, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-emma-peels-introduction-in-the-avengers/361479 "2006-06-20T20:52:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2006, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-emma-peels-introduction-in-the-avengers/361479/1 "2006-06-20T20:52:38Z")
I just got [The Complete Emma Peel Megaset](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CCW2VQ/qid=1150836565/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-3646376-5228843?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=130) 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?
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### Author:  [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2006, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-emma-peels-introduction-in-the-avengers/361479/2 "2006-06-20T21:39:36Z")
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
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### Author:  [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2006, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-emma-peels-introduction-in-the-avengers/361479/3 "2006-06-20T21:59:21Z")
Don’t ask me. Whenever Diana Rigg is on TV, I lose all of my mental faculties.
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [June 21, 2006, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-emma-peels-introduction-in-the-avengers/361479/4 "2006-06-21T00:47:27Z")
> [@VCO3](#):
>
> What am I missing?
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!
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### Author:  [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2006, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-emma-peels-introduction-in-the-avengers/361479/5 "2006-06-22T04:54:00Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2006, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-emma-peels-introduction-in-the-avengers/361479/6 "2006-06-22T05:38:47Z")
[Diana Rigg](http://cf.geocities.com/foxycath/peel2.jpg)
[Diana Rigg](http://www.leninimports.com/diana_rigg_gallery_14.jpg)
[D…](http://www.leninimports.com/diana_rigg_gallery_16.jpg)
…rool.
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### Author:  [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2006, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-emma-peels-introduction-in-the-avengers/361479/7 "2006-06-22T05:56:17Z")
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. 😃