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THE AVENGERS: The Complete Series 4

OPTBD1750

 

Released: 23rd February 2015 Distributor: StudioCanal
Number of Discs: 7 RRP: £59.99
Region Code: B (A, C untested) Media: Blu-ray disc
Packaging: Digipak with card outer case

 

The Complete Series 4 -
Disc Breakdown:

  • Disc 1:
    Episodes
    The Town of No Return; The Murder Market; The Master Minds
    Special Features

    Audio commentaries by Roy Ward Baker and Brian Clemens for The Town of No Return and Robert Banks Stewart for The Master Minds;
    The Series of No Return
    — audio interview with Elizabeth Shepherd, conducted 29th January 2010;
    Armchair Theatre — The Hothouse starring Diana Rigg;
    Alternative UK opening and closing credits (from The Master Minds);
    Alternative UK bumper slates (from The Master Minds);
    Standard UK bumper slate;
    USA Chessboard opening sequence;
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 2:
    Episodes
    Dial A Deadly Number; Death at Bargain Prices; Too Many Christmas Trees; The Cybernauts
    Special Features
    Audio commentary by Roger Marshall for Dial A Deadly Number;
    Colourised test footage from Death at Bargain Prices;
    Alternative end tag from Death at Bargain Prices;
    London Line
    - Behind the Scenes on Return of the Cybernauts;
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 3:
    Episodes
    The Grave-Diggers; Room Without A View; A Surfeit of H
    2O; Two's A Crowd
    Special Features
    Variant opening title credits for The Grave-Diggers;
    German 1960s opening credits;
    French 1960s opening and closing credits;
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 4:
    Episodes
    Man-Eater of Surrey Green; Silent Dust; The Hour That Never Was; Castle De'ath
    Special Features
    Audio commentary by Gerry O'Hara for The Hour That Never Was;
    Episode reconstruction for Series 1 script Kill The King;
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 5:
    Episodes
    The Thirteenth Hole; Small Game for Big Hunters; The Girl from Auntie; Quick-Quick Slow Death
    Special Features
    ITN Newsreel footage (Fashion Show; Patrick Macnee's Wedding; Diana Rigg Interview; The Avengers Sold to the USA);
    Episode reconstruction for Series 1 script Dead of Winter;
    Reconstructed The Avengers are Back John Stamp trailer;
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 6:
    Episodes
    The Danger Makers; A Touch of Brimstone; What the Butler Saw; The House That Jack Built
    Special Features
    Audio commentary by Don Leaver for The House That Jack Built;
    Colourised test footage from A Touch of Brimstone (omitting the colourised tag scene included on the earlier DVD);
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 7:
    Episodes
    A Sense of History; How to Succeed... at Murder; Honey for the Prince
    Special Features
    The Strange Case of the Missing Corpse
    promotional trailer;
    Das Diadem - Diana Rigg short film;
    Stills Galleries

 

Brief:

  • The discs in this set are identical to those in the German one, with a country choice screen appearing first when the discs are put in the player. This means that all German extras are available in addition to the UK ones listed above.
  • The 'London Line' extra on Disc 2 is listed as "Behind the Scenes on The Cybernauts" but actually focuses on the 1967 sequel Return of the Cybernauts.
  • Too Many Christmas Trees contains incorrect writer and director credits - Brian Clemens and Charles Crichton are shown respectively as writer and director on the Blu-ray print, when the correct credits are Tony Williamson (writer) and Roy (Ward) Baker (director). It appears the opening titles of Death at Bargain Prices were inadvertently edited onto the Blu-ray master of this episode. The DVD edition had incorrect credits, too, but taken from The Town of No Return (Clemens/Baker)!
  • The English soundtracks of a significant proportion of the episodes on this set have the theme music start approximately two seconds late, with the music being out of sync with the animation throughout. Fortunately, this problem does not affect the episodes beyond the title sequences. The German soundtracks are fully in synchronisation during all opening title sequences

 
THE AVENGERS: The Complete Series 5

OPTBD1751

 

Released: 22nd June 2015 Distributor: StudioCanal
Number of Discs: 7 RRP: £79.99
Region Code: B (A, C untested) Media: Blu-ray disc
Packaging: Digipak with card outer case

The Complete Series 5 -
Disc Breakdown:

  • Disc 1:
    Episodes
    The Fear Merchants; Escape in Time;
    The Bird Who Knew Too Much
    Special Features

    Film trims from The Fear Merchants and Escape in Time;
    Filmed episode introduction by Brian Clemens to The Bird Who Knew Too Much;
    Archive German TV interview with Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg, conducted by Joachim Fuchsberger;
    Original 1960s German Titles;
    Granada + Points;
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 2:
    Episodes
    From Venus With Love; The See-Through Man; The Winged Avenger; The Living Dead
    Special Features
    Audio commentary by script writer Richard Harris on The Winged Avenger;
    Filmed episode introduction by Brian Clemens to The Living Dead;
    Film trims from From Venus With Love and The See-Through Man;
    Granada + Points;
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 3:
    Episodes
    The Hidden Tiger; The Correct Way to Kill;
    Never, Never Say Die; Epic
    Special Features
    Audio commentary by guest star Peter Wyngarde on Epic;
    Filmed episode introductions by Brian Clemens to The Correct Way to Kill and Epic;
    Interview with Dame Diana Rigg - an 8-minute extract from British Legends Of Stage & Screen (*);
    Granada + Points;
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 4:
    Episodes
    The Superlative Seven; A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Station; Something Nasty in the Nursery; The Joker
    Special Features
    Filmed episode introductions by Brian Clemens to The Superlative Seven, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Station and The Joker;
    Granada + Points;
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 5:
    Episodes
    Who's Who???; Death's Door; Return of the Cybernauts
    Special Features
    Audio commentary by Cyd Child, Diana Rigg's stunt double, on Return of The Cybernauts;
    ATV newsreel footage (Diana Rigg receives TV Award);
    Episode Reconstructions for lost Series 1 scripts One For The Mortuary and Death on The Slipway;
    The Avengers — "They're Back" archive trailer;
    Granada + Points;
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 6:
    Episodes
    Dead Man's Treasure; The £50,000 Breakfast; You Have Just Been Murdered
    Special Features
    Episode Reconstructions for lost Series 1 scripts Tunnel of Fear and Dragonsfield;
    Archival Series 5 Trailer (*);
    German cinema trailer for compilation movie, Emma Peel: Meine tollsten abenteuer mit John Steed;
    Diana Rigg Short Films: Der Goldene Schlüssel; Minikillers (Operation Costa Brava; Heroin; Macabre; Flamenco) (*);
    Granada + Points;
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 7:
    Episodes
    Murdersville; The Positive-Negative Man; Mission... Highly Improbable
    Special Features
    Audio commentary by script writer / producer Brian Clemens on Murdersville;
    Filmed episode introduction by Brian Clemens to Murdersville;
    The Avengers — A Retrospective
    (1993 documentary presented by Patrick Macnee);
    Granada + Points;
    Stills Galleries

Brief:

  • Whereas the UK and German discs for the Series 4 Blu-ray set were identical, these are separately authored. As the German set is labelled Series 5+6 (taking the second production block of Series 5 as a sixth series), this might explain the reason as the UK release refers to these episodes as simply Series 5. There could of course be an additional reason.
  • This Blu-ray edition included all special features from StudioCanal's previous version with the exception of printed and PDF materials. However, it undersells itself as it does not list on the packaging all the special features which it contains. Only the special features from the 2010 DVD version are listed. Unlisted items are marked (*) above.
  • The HD master of Return of the Cybernauts was found to be missing a short sequence, which was present on the A&E DVD. The film material was located and the missing footage added to the HD master specially for this release.

 
THE AVENGERS: The Complete Series 6

OPTBD1752

 

Released: 5th October 2015 Distributor: StudioCanal
Number of Discs: 9 RRP: £79.99
Region Code: B (A, C untested) Media: Blu-ray disc
Packaging: Digipak with card outer case

The Complete Series 6 -
Disc Breakdown:

  • Disc 1:
    Episodes
    The Forget-Me-Knot; Invasion of the Earthmen; The Curious Case of the Countless Clues
    Special Features

    Introducing Linda Thorson promotional trailer;
    Artistes Screen Tests (Part 1 of 2) - Lyn Ashley, Diane Clare, Susan Engel, Jane Murdoch (mute with audio commentary by Jaz Wiseman);
    Variant end credits for The Forget-Me-Knot;
    American end credits for Invasion of The Earthmen;
    Granada + Points for The Forget-Me-Knot;
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 2:
    Episodes
    Split!; Get-A-Way!; Have Guns — Will Haggle; Look — (Stop Me If You've Heard This One) But There Were These Two Fellers
    Special Features
    Audio commentary by director Roy Ward Baker and scriptwriter / producer Brian Clemens on Split!;
    American shooting gallery opening credits on Split! (*);
    Textless extended closing credits;
    Girl About Town promotional film;
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 3:
    Episodes
    My Wildest Dream; Whoever Shot Poor George Oblique Stroke XR40?; You'll Catch Your Death; All Done With Mirrors
    Special Features
    German opening and closing credits;
    Filmed introduction by director Cyril Frankel for Whoever Shot Poor George Oblique Stroke XR40?;
    Standard UK bumper slate;
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 4:
    Episodes
    Super Secret Cypher Snatch; Game; False Witness; Noon Doomsday
    Special Features
    Audio commentaries by director Robert Fuest on Game and Linda Thorson's stunt double Cyd Child on Noon Doomsday;
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 5:
    Episodes
    Legacy of Death; They Keep Killing Steed; Wish You Were Here; Killer
    Special Features
    Audio commentary by guest star Jennifer Croxton on Killer;
    Tara King Special - Oliver Kalkofe discusses Series 6 (*);
    In the Footsteps of Tara King — Oliver Kalkofe interviews Linda Thorson (*);
    Wish You Were Here — London locations featurette (*);
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 6:
    Episodes
    The Rotters; The Interrogators;
    The Morning After
    Special Features
    Audio commentary by director John Hough on The Morning After;
    Filmed introduction by Linda Thorson to The Interrogators;
    Episode reconstructions for Series 1 scripts The Springers and The Yellow Needle;
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 7:
    Episodes
    Love All; Take Me to Your Leader; Stay Tuned; Fog
    Special Features
    Audio commentary by scriptwriter Jeremy Burnham and guest star Veronica Strong on Love All;
    Filmed introductions by Linda Thorson to Love All and Take Me To Your Leader;
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 8:
    Episodes
    Who Was That Man I Saw You With?; Pandora; Thingumajig; Homicide and Old Lace
    Special Features
    Filmed introductions by Linda Thorson to Pandora and Thingumajig;
    Stills Galleries

  • Disc 9:
    Episodes
    Requiem; Take-Over; Bizarre
    Special Features
    Artistes Screen Tests (Part 2 of 2) - Toby Robins, Valerie Van Ost, Susan Travers, Wanda Ventham, James Maxwell and Moray Watson (mute with audio commentary by Jaz Wiseman);
    Filmed introduction by Linda Thorson to Requiem;
    Episode reconstructions for Series 1 scripts The Far Distant Dead and The Deadly Air;
    Stills Galleries

Brief:

  • The British, French and German Blu-rays for Series 6 were all authored separately.
  • This Blu-ray edition included all special features from StudioCanal's previous version with the exception of printed and PDF materials. However, it undersells itself as it does not list on the packaging all the special features which it contains. Only the special features from the 2010 DVD version are listed. Unlisted items are marked (*) above.

THE AVENGERS: The Cybernauts Trilogy

7958198

 

 

 

 

Released: 5th August 2019 Distributor: Network
Number of Discs: 1 RRP: £16.00
Region Code: 2 Media: Dual Layer BD50
Packaging: Digipak

Episodes — Series 4:

The Cybernauts  

Episodes — Series 5:

Return of the Cybernauts

Episodes — The New Avengers:

The Last of the Cybernauts...??  
Extras:
  • 32-page booklet by television historian Andrew Pixley

  • Vintage Experience: Option to watch episodes with commercial break bumpers and a selection of contemporary commercials (listed below)

Vintage Experience:
The Cybernauts (1965 Commercials) - Birds Eye Beef Burgers / Esso Extra / Tempo Frozen Garden Peas / Polo Mints / Birds Eye Fish Fingers / Benson and Hedges King-Sized Cigarettes

Return of the Cybernauts (1967 Commercials) - Kellogg's Corn Flakes / Mr Kipling's Cakes / Martini / Birds Eye Beef Burgers / Gale's Choc-Nut Spread / Gillette Razor Super Silver Blades / After Eight Mints (Rosalind Knight) / Radiant Clothes Washing Liquid

The Last of the Cybernauts...?? (1976 Commercials) - Esso *British* Oil / Bovril (Terry Wogan)/ Kit-e-Kat / Robin Reliant / Castella Courts Cigars (John Le Mesurier) / Domecq Sherry (Orson Welles) / British Airways (Diana Rigg) / Ready Brek / Castrol GTX / Hai Karate Gamesman (Carl Held)

Brief: This was first issued as a website exclusive, available only from Network's own website, and then later reissued in a standard Amaray Blu-ray case in a generally available edition (cat no. 7958309) on 2nd December 2019. The second edition did not include the booklet.
 

 
THE NEW AVENGERS

OPTBD4365

 

Released: 10th November 2025 Distributor: StudioCanal
Number of Discs: 10 RRP: £99.99
Region Code: B Media: Blu-ray disc
Packaging: Digipak with card outer case

 

Series One
Disc Breakdown:

  • Disc 1:
    Episodes 1-3
    The Eagle's Nest; House of Cards; The Last of the Cybernauts...??
    Special Features

    Audio commentaries by Gareth Hunt and Brian Clemens for The Eagle's Nest, Cyd Child and Henry Holland for House of Cards and Rocky Taylor, Nicholas Briggs and Henry Holland for The Last of the Cybernauts...??;
    Episode Introductions by Cyd Child for House of Cards, Rocky Taylor for The Last of the Cybernauts...?? and Nicholas Briggs for The Last of the Cybernauts...??;
    Remembering The New Avengers with guest star Annette André;
    German Credits - Series 1 / Series 2

  • Disc 2:
    Episodes 4-6
    The Midas Touch; Cat Amongst the Pigeons; Target!
    Special Features

    Audio commentary by Cyd Child and Dick Fiddy for The Midas Touch;
    Episode Introduction by Dick Fiddy for The Midas Touch;
    Director John Hough on The New Avengers (University of Chichester, 2011)

  • Disc 3:
    Episodes 7-9
    To Catch A Rat; The Tale of the Big Why; Faces
    Special Features

    Interview with Cyd Child (University of Chichester, 2011);
    The New Avengers —
    Screen Test

  • Disc 4:
    Episodes 10-11
    Gnaws; Dirtier By the Dozen
    Special Features

    Audio commentary by Nicholas Briggs and Jonathan Wood for Gnaws;
    Episode Introduction by Nicholas Briggs for Gnaws;
    Interview with Raymond Austin (University of Chichester, 2011)

  • Disc 5:
    Episodes 12-13
    Sleeper; Three Handed Game
    Special Features

    Audio commentary by Joanna Lumley and Cyd Child for Sleeper;
    Episode Introduction by Joanna Lumley for Sleeper;
    Interview with Patrick Macnee biographer Marie Cameron (University of Chichester, 2011);
    Becoming Purdey: The Woman Who Redefined The Avengers
    Auditioning Purdey
    (Easter Egg)

Series Two
Disc Breakdown:

  • Disc 6:
    Episodes 1-3
    Dead Men Are Dangerous; Angels of Death; Medium Rare
    Special Features

    Audio commentaries by Gareth Hunt and Brian Clemens for Dead Men Are Dangerous and Caroline Munro and Henry Holland for Angels of Death;
    Episode Introduction by Caroline Munro for Angels of Death

  • Disc 7:
    Episodes 4-6
    The Lion and the Unicorn; Obsession; Trap
    Special Features

    Audio commentary by Samuel Clemens and George Clemens for Obsession;
    Episode Introduction by Samuel Clemens and George Clemens for Obsession;
    The New Avengers x Rover
    Promo;
    French credits

  • Disc 8:
    Episodes 7-9
    Hostage; K is for Kill
    Part 1: The Tiger Awakes; K is for Kill Part 2: Tiger by the Tail
    Special Features

    Audio commentary by Dick Fiddy and Henry Holland for K is for Kill
    Part 1: The Tiger Awakes;
    Episode Introduction by Henry Holland for K is for Kill
    Part 1: The Tiger Awakes

  • Disc 9:
    Episodes 10-11
    Complex; Forward Base
    Special Features

    Audio commentary by Jonathan Wood and Grant Taylor for Complex;
    Episode Introduction by Jonathan Wood for Complex;
    Restoring The New Avengers;
    Brian Clemens on The New Avengers (University of Chichester, 2011);
    Interview with Laurie Johnson (University of Chichester, 2011)

  • Disc 10:
    Episodes 12-13
    The Gladiators; Emily
    Special Features

    The New Avengers - series trailer;
    The Impact of The New Avengers: Reinvented for a New Era
    ;
    Kicks, Flips & Spy Tricks: The Stunt Magic of The New Avengers

Brief:

  • A brand new restoration of The New Avengers which was simultaneously issued on 4K (UHD, deluxe packaging, black-coloured outer box) Blu-ray (HD, deluxe packaging, orange-coloured outer box) and DVD (SD, cream and cerise sleeve in plastic case) by StudioCanal in the United Kingdom.
  • Two printed booklets were also included: a 64-page Collector's Edition Booklet, comprising essays by Samuel Clemens, Dick Fiddy, David Richardson, Andrew Roberts and Kim Newman, and a Collector's Edition Comic, comprising reproductions of comic strips featured in the 1977 and 1978 New Avengers annuals (originally issued by Brown Watson). The main booklet included a tribute to author and Avengers fan Dave Rogers, who had sadly died on 5th July 2025.
  • Package design was by Sam Smyth.
  • The disc was designed with multiple territories in mind, starting up with a menu choice offering 'Deutschland', 'France' and 'United Kingdom'. The French and German menus offer dubbed audio in these languages or English with locked subtitles. Interestingly, the actual French discs have a different opening menu choice and subtitles are not locked.
  • A well-attended launch event was held at Riverside Studios in London on the afternoon of Sunday 9th November 2025. The new restoration of The Eagle's Nest was screened in full. The intention had been to follow this with the new documentary, The Impact of The New Avengers: Reinvented for a New Era, but this was not available to screen on the day. Consequently the featurette Restoring The New Avengers and a lengthy excerpt of Kicks, Flips & Spy Tricks: The Stunt Magic of The New Avengers were shown instead. The event also had a Q&A session with guests Cyd Child, Samuel Clemens, George Clemens, Rodney Marshall (Avengers author and son of writer Roger Marshall) and Dick Fiddy.

  • There were minor issues with this release: The Last of the Cybernauts...?? opens with out of phase sound but this corrects itself after about 5 seconds, and The Gladiators is missing approximately 1 second of footage during the fight sequence immediately after the opening titles. This was previously edited for DVD to remove an ear clap which was then only certifiable at a '15' BBFC rating in the United Kingdom. By 2025, it would only have warranted a '12', which was the overall rating of this box set.

  • Additionally, StudioCanal made the controversial decision to adjust the audio pitch to match the original transmissions which unavoidably exhibited "PAL speed up". This was an unfortunate consequence of the PAL broadcast system, which ran at 50Hz and therefore dictated a frame rate of 25 frames/50 fields per second. With the episodes shot at 24 frames per second this necessitated a speed up to 25 fps for transmission. Generally, the original camera frame rate is considered authentic, but here StudioCanal presented video at 24fps with audio mimicking 25fps.

  • An Australian version of this boxset was released in March 2026 by ViaVision Entertainment on their Imprint Television label.

 
 
 

Compiled by Alan Hayes with thanks to Denis Kirsanov and Rick Curzon

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