BBC4 doesn't actually get as much credit as it should. It has some really good new programmes (especially arts documentaries) but I am especially loving it at the moment for the fact that it has multiple episodes of The Avengers on late at the weekend. They're showing the black and white Mrs Peel episodes at the moment but I'm not sure if they showed any of the Cathy Gale ones as well. If they did it was before I realised they were on, but never mind.

The Avengers is quite simply one of the greatest television series ever. McNee and Rigg are an almost perfect screen couple (or possible couple or not, which ever way you want to read the relationship) and the stories remain as witty and clever as ever to this day. It knows it's silly and the plots are patently ridiculous but because that's obviously what they were aiming for it doesn't matter. Plus when you have two leads like that who can deliver the wisecracks and rubbish puns with such knowing amusement it's hard to go wrong. And yet at the same time a lot of the stories have a very dark bent to them and they're surprisingly violent. The fights are obviously much more choreographed and less graphic than they are today but there are surprisingly large numbers of people being killed in slightly macbre and bizarre ways.

Sitting here watching it again tonight does make me think I may have to go and see if there's a box set of the series to purchase from HMV as a 'just got paid' present.