Emma Peel (Death at Bargain Prices / Too Many Christmas Trees):
For most people Emma Peel is the ultimate Steed companion. Diana Rigg, in her black leather cat suit, caught the attention of many a teenage boy; myself included. Death at Bargain Prices and Too Many Christmas Trees are excellent examples of the Emma Peel era showing The Avengers at it's creative best. All the elements are here from fantastic fashions and razor sharp dialogue to surreal situations and a heaping helping of double entendre. My only regret is that none of the color Emma Peel episodes were included.

Tara King (Look [Stop Me if You've Heard this One] / All Done With Mirrors):
Linda Thorson must have felt intimidated when she learned that she would be replacing Diana Rigg. By the late 60s The Avengers had become an institution and Emma Peel was leaving some very large shoes to fill. Steed's new companion Tara King would find herself in the midst of a very different program. Humor was the focus of The Avengers in the final seasons and though many of the episodes were well written they had a hard time finding the balance of the earlier installments. These two episodes are among the best of the Tara King years. Keep an eye out for a cameo by one of the Monty Python gang.

The Extras:
The primary extras on these discs are amiable introductions by Patrick MacNee. He doles out interesting historical information, anecdotes and critical impressions of each episode as well as offering an overall introduction to the set. Each disc also contains a bonus video segment. Disc one has the alternate 'Chess Board' opening to the Emma Peel episodes with an earnest expository voiceover. Disc two features a very dated looking interview with Linda Thorson called 'Town Girl'.

Conclusion:
Compiling a 'best of' set from any series can be problematic. Hard core fans have very strong opinions on which episodes are the best and no matter what line up you arrive at; you're bound to disappoint some of the audience. A&E took a conservative approach to this release and in the process came up with a list of programs that, if not perfect, is a good cross section of the kind of entertainment offered by The Original Avengers. This set is a great introduction for novices. Died in the wool Avengers fans will probably want to dive right into the comprehensive series releases. Rating: Recommended.