The series was independently made of a YV network. Whilst the cast, crew and writers were British,the funding was predominantly from an independent French producer who was a big fan of the original 1960s series when it was shown in France. It is probable then that this producer had contacts in the French television industry and therefore was able to secure a sale quite early on in the production process whilst the ITV network in the UK was more fragmented back then and buying and showing of the series in the UK was down to each franchisee (hence why it might have transmitted on different dates and different times in each area of the ITV network). The US only showed the series when most (if not all) of the episodes were completed.
So to answer your question, the series was shown first in France because that is where it was sold first. The series took a few weeks longer to sell in the UK because of the way the ITV network worked back then ( it was sold to regional franchisees as opposed to one whole network) and the US television broadcasters were not interested in buying a foreign show unless there were a certain number already completed and ready for transmission. I believe the show was not broadcast on a national network in the US but in a syndication package, (hence why it was important for the last 4 episodes to be completed despite them being deemed 'inferior' as they were filmed on a shoestring budget and crew in Canada and in a hurry) as a show could only go into syndication back then if there was a minimum number of shows available.
So to answer your question, the series was shown first in France because that is where it was sold first. The series took a few weeks longer to sell in the UK because of the way the ITV network worked back then ( it was sold to regional franchisees as opposed to one whole network) and the US television broadcasters were not interested in buying a foreign show unless there were a certain number already completed and ready for transmission. I believe the show was not broadcast on a national network in the US but in a syndication package, (hence why it was important for the last 4 episodes to be completed despite them being deemed 'inferior' as they were filmed on a shoestring budget and crew in Canada and in a hurry) as a show could only go into syndication back then if there was a minimum number of shows available.
Steed didn't normally use a firearm as Patrick McNee had an aversion to them after his wartime combat experiences as motor torpedo boat commander. However in The New Avengers he does use firearms in episodes such as 'Dead Men are Dangerous', 'The Gladiators', 'Hostage' and 'Trap', killing at least 2 men. He keeps an antique Colt .45 revolver from his cowboy days as a momento in his house.
The New Avengers breaks many of the traditional rules of the original Avengers such as including uniformed policemen, blood visibly on display and Steed using firearms in episodes such as 'Dead Men are Dangerous', 'The Gladiators', 'Hostage' and 'Trap'. Steed also keeps an antique Colt 45 from his cowboy days in his house. The lower classes are now portrayed including tramps and the central conflict is explicitly the Cold War between NATO and the Warsaw Pact rather than some unnamed 'foreign power'. In many ways the series is seen as bridging the gap between the pure fantasy of 'The Avengers' and the gritty realism of creator Brian Clemens' next project 'The Professionals'.
The New Avengers is much better with actions sequences, film outdoors as opposed to studios with fake lighting and Purdey eclipsed all her predecessors. Bonus: young guy Gareth Hunt for even more action sequences. It was fast spaced as opposed to weird settings and bizarre spy storylines, this brought modernism and realism to the series, not fantasy unlike predecessors.
The New Avengers is much better with actions sequences, film outdoors as opposed to studios with fake lighting and Purdey eclipsed all her predecessors. Bonus: young guy Gareth Hunt for even more action sequences. It was fast spaced as opposed to weird settings and bizarre spy storylines, this brought modernism and realism to the series, not fantasy unlike predecessors.
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- How many seasons does The New Avengers have?2 seasons
- How many episodes does The New Avengers have?26 episodes
- When did The New Avengers premiere?September 5, 1978
- When did The New Avengers end?November 3, 1978
- How long are episodes of The New Avengers?1 hour
- What is the IMDb rating of The New Avengers?7.2 out of 10
- Who stars in The New Avengers?
- Who created The New Avengers?
- Who wrote The New Avengers?
- Who directed The New Avengers?John Hough, Robert Fuest, Desmond Davis, Ray Austin, Sidney Hayers, Graeme Clifford, James Hill, Ernest Day, Claude Fournier, Don Thompson, and others
- Who was the producer of The New Avengers?
- Who was the composer for The New Avengers?
- Who was the cinematographer for The New Avengers?
- What is the plot of The New Avengers?Secret agent Steed, working for an unnamed branch of British intelligence, is teamed up with two partners to fight evil plots for world domination, dealing with suspended animation, biological warfare, robotics, and other threats.
- Who are the characters in The New Avengers?John Steed, Purdey, Captain Tony Noble, Colonel Martin, Cope, General Gaspard, George Myers, Lt. Stanislav, Mike Gambit, Mother, and others
- What genre is The New Avengers?Action, Mystery, and Thriller
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