Subversive Champagne re-examines the 1960s cult television series, The Avengers, through a close analysis of 25 filmed episodes. The book examines how The Avengers - during the classic Emma Peel era (1964-1967) - was continually shifting the boundaries of audience expectation, defying both genre classification and viewers' traditional desire for kitchen sink drama. Subversive Champagne centres on eighteen episodes from the monochrome Peel Season 4 - widely acknowledged as the artistic pinnacle of the series. It is in this era - caught between video-tape and colour film - that The Avengers was undergoing arguably its most profound stylistic and thematic transitions, from mild eccentricity to something genuinely experimental. The author extends his journey into the exhilarating but 'uneven' colour Season 5, adding chapters on seven more episodes, thus allowing us to explore the entire Emma Peel era. Entertaining froth or groundbreaking art? Rediscover the most iconic show in television history.
