I first saw this series when Channel 4 repeated some of the early Macnee/Blackman shows in the 1990s, and then when a satellite channel did a full run, and I was hooked. Starting off as a sort of troubleshooting-come-action-series and progressively becoming more outlandish and stylised it proved hugely popular when it was made and tapped into the feel of the moment.

It is no surprise then that it has become a staple show on the many satellite and digital channels, with Granada Plus being one of the latest to air the shows, complete with specially filmed bumpers and trails. I was particularly pleased to find that many of these are included on the first DVD releases of the shows from Contender Video on their Cult TV label. This covered the colour Rigg series, and comprised all the episodes from 1967, over 8 DVDs. They come in brilliantly robust cardboard slip sleeves, each containing two DVDs, have the episodes in order - something the video releases a few years ago didn't even attempt to do - and becasue of the marvels of DVD, have tons of extras. A little bowler hat motive leads to picture galleries, biographies, the bumpers and other extras including interviews. With each of the discs containing 3 episodes, this is a very neat and compact way to own the series, and very professionally produced. Bowlers off to Contender!

Contender have gone on to release not only the remaining Rigg series, but also the Thorson's, the New Avengers, and int he last couple of months, the Honor Blackman series. Whilst the later releases have not been as nice as the first set in appearance (I believe a fan complained that the sturdy slip boxes meant that the montage photo on the spine didn't quite line up, so they have gone for a flimsyer slip case now!), they do save one hell of a space on the shelf in comparison to the videos.

There are none of the nice little extras on the later releases either, and I have been informed by those in the know, that the picture quality on some prints - especially the New Avengers - could be better. This, as I understand it, is not Contender's fault but is down to the owners of the archive. In true bully style, when Contender asked for better prints, they were told you'll take these and lump it! Once again, I suppose, it is the poor consumer who loses out, but, the as the videos were from the same masters, I haven't noticed any difference in quality. The shows still stand up for themselves, and I can't praise Contender enough for taking the trouble to release them in order, and for thinking about the presentation well beforehand.

Episode Title B/cast Date Notes Hot Snow 7.1.61 Brought To Book 14.1.61 Square Root of Evil 21.1.61 Nightmare 28.1.61 Cresent Moon 4.2.61 Girl On A Trapeze 11.2.61 Diamond Cut Diamond 18.2.61 The Radioactive Man 25.2.61 Ashes of Roses 4.3.61 Please Don't Feed The Animals 1.4.61 Hunt The Man Down 8.4.61 Dance With Death 15.4.61 One For The Mortuary 29.4.61 The Springers 13.5.61 The Frighteners 27.5.61 The Yellow Needle 10.6.61 Death On The Slipway 24.6.61 Double Danger 8.7.61 Toy Trap 22.7.61 The Tunnel of Fear 5.8.61 The Far Distant Dead 19.8.61 Kill The King 2.9.61 Dead Of Winter 9.12.61 The Deadly Air 16.12.61 A Change of Bait 23.12.61 Dragonsfield 30.12.61
Episode Title B/cast Date Notes Mr Teddy Bear 29.9.62 Propellant 23 6.10.62 The Decapod 13.10.62 Bullseye 20.10.62 Mission to Montreal 27.10.62 The Removal Men 3.11.62 The Mauritius Penny 10.11.62 Death of a Great Dane 17.11.62 The Sell-Out 24.11.62 Death on the Rocks 1.12.62 Traitor in Zebra 8.12.62 The Big Thinker 15.12.62 Death Dispatch 22.12.62 Dead On Course 29.12.62 Intercrime 5.1.63 Immortal Clay 12.1.63 Box of Tricks 19.1.63 Warlock 26.1.63 The Golden Eggs 2.2.63 School For Traitors 9.2.63 The White Dwarf 16.2.63 Man In The mirror 23.2.63 Consipracy of Silence 2.3.63 A Chorus of Frogs 9.3.63 Six Hands Across The Table 16.3.63 Killerwhale 23.3.63
Episode Title B/cast Date Notes Brief For Murder 29.9.63 The Undertakers 5.10.63 The Man With Two Shadows 12.10.63 The Nutshell 19.1.63 Death of a Batman 26.10.63 November Five 2.11.63 The Gilded Cage 9.12.63 Second Sight 16.11.63 The Medicine Men 23.11.63 The Granduer That Was Rome 30.11.63 The Golden Fleece 7.12.63 Don't Look Behind You 14.12.63 Death A La Carte 21.12.63 Dressed To Kill 28.12.63 The White Elephant 4.1.64 The Little Wonders 11.1.64 The Wringer 18.1.63 Mandrake 25.1.64 The Secrets Broker 1.2.64 The Trojan Horse 8.2.64 Build a Better Mousetrap 15.2.64 The Ouside-In Man 22.2.64 The Charmers 29.2.64 Concerto 2.3.64 Esprit De Corps 14.3.64 Lobster Quadrille 21.3.64
Episode Title B/cast Date Notes The Town Of No Return 2.10.65 The Murder Market 13.11.65 The Master Minds 6.11.65 Dial a Deadly Number 4.12.65 Death At Bargain Prices 23.10.65 Castle De'ath 30.10.65 The Cybernauts 16.10.65 The Gravediggers 9.10.65 Room Without a View 8.1.66 A Surfeit of H2O 20.11.65 Two's a Crowd 18.12.65 The Maneaster of Surrey Green 11.12.65 Silent Dust 1.1.66 The Hour That Never Was 27.1.65 Too Many Christmas Trees 25.12.65 The Thirteenth Hole 29.1.66 Small Game for Big Hunters 15.1.66 The Girl From Auntie 21.1.66 The Quick, Quick, Slow Death 5.2.66 The Danger Makers 12.2.66 A Touch of Brimstone 19.2.66 What The Butler Saw 26.2.66 The House That Jack Built 5.3.66 A Sense Of History 12.3.66 How To Succeed at Murder Without Really Trying 19.3.66 Honey For The Prince 23.3.66
	Episode Title B/cast Date Notes From Venus With Love 14.1.67 1967 Volume 1 The Fear Merchants 21.1.67 1967 Volume 1 Escape In Time 28.1.67 1967 Volume 1 The See-Through Man 4.2.67 1967 Volume 2 The Bird Who Knew Too Much 11.2.67 1967 Volume 2 The Winged Avenger 18.2.67 1967 Volume 2 The Living Dead 25.2.67 1967 Volume 3 The Hidden Tiger 4.3.67 1967 Volume 3 The Correct Way to Kill 11.3.67 1967 Volume 3 Never, Never Say Die 18.3.67 1967 Volume 4 Epic 1.4.67 1967 Volume 4 The Superlative Seven 8.4.67 1967 Volume 4 A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Station 15.4.67 Something Nasty in the Nursery 22.4.67 The Joker 29.4.67 Who's Who? 6.5.67 Return of the Cybernauts 30.9.67 Death's Door 7.10.67 The £50,000 Breakfast 14.10.67 Dead Man's Treasure 21.10.67 You Have Just Been Murdered 28.10.67 The Positive Negative Man 4.11.67 Murdersville 11.11.67 Mission High Improbable 18.11.67
Episode Title B/cast Date Notes The Forget-Me-Knot 12.1.69 Game 19.1.69 The Super Secret Cypher Snatch 26.1.69 You'll Catch Your Death 2.2.69 Split 9.2.69 Whoever Shot Poor George/Stroke XR40 16.2.69 False Witness 23.2.69 All Done With Mirrors 2.3.69 Legacy Of Death 9.3.69 Noon Doomsday 16.3.69 Look, Stop Me If You Have Heard This One 23.3.69 Have Guns, Will Haggle 30.3.69 They Keep Killing Steed 6.4.69 The Rotters 20.4.69 Invasion of the Earthmen 27.4.69 The Interrogators 13.4.69 Killer 4.5.69 The Morning After 11.5.69 The Curious Case of the Countless Clues 18.5.69 Wish you Were Here 25.5.69 Stay Tuned 8.6.69 Take Me To Your Leader 15.6.69 Fog 23.6.69 Homicide and Old Lace 6.7.69 Love All 13.7.69 Getaway 27.7.69 Who Was The Man I saw You With? 31.8.69 Thingumajig 1.8.69 Pandora 10.8.69 Requiem 17.8.69 Take Over 24.8.69 My Wildest Dream 7.9.69 Bizarre 14.9.69
	Episode Title B/cast Date Notes The Eagle's Nest 22.10.76 The Midas Touch 29.10.76 House Of Cards 5.11.76 The Last of the Cybernauts..? 12.11.76 To Catch a Rat 19.11.76 Cat Amongst the Pigeons 26.11.76 Target 3.12.76 Faces 10.12.76 Tale of the Big Y 17.12.76 The Three Handed Game 24.12.76 Sleeper 31.12.76 Gnaws 7.1.76 Dirtier By the Dozen 14.1.77 Hostage 21.1.77 Trap 28.1.77 Dead Men Are Dangerous 9.9.77 Medium Rare 16.9.77 Angels Of Death 23.9.77 Obsession 30.9.77 The Lion and the Unicorn 7.10.77 K is for Kill: The Tiger Awakes 14.10.77 K is for Kill: Tiger By The Tail 21.10.77 Complex 28.10.77 The Gladiators Forward Base Emily