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Emma Peel

From Alfawiki
Emma Peel
Born
Emma Knight
Occupation(s)Fictional secret agent, crime-fighter
Known forThe Avengers (1960s British adventure series)

Emma Peel is a fictional figure brought to life by Diana Rigg in the 1960s British adventure series The Avengers and later portrayed by Uma Thurman in the 1998 cinematic adaptation. Originally named Emma Knight, she is the daughter of industrial magnate Sir John Knight and acts as the crime-fighting companion to John Steed.

Renowned for her expertise in martial arts and covert operations, Peel emerged as a feminist emblem and an enduring symbol within British pop culture. Her signature leather catsuit and cutting-edge fashion sense established her as both a style icon and sex symbol of the 1960s.

Casting

Emma Peel was introduced as the successor to the well-liked character Cathy Gale, played by Honor Blackman, who departed to star in the James Bond movie Goldfinger. Initially, Elizabeth Shepherd was cast in the role of Peel and filmed part of season four but was dismissed due to being deemed unsuitable. Subsequently, Diana Rigg was cast, and all of Shepherd’s scenes were reshot with Rigg.

Character

Peel is depicted as a formidable, intelligent heroine—rarely bested in combat and often rescuing Steed herself. She is an expert in martial arts and fencing, alongside being a certified genius with specialties in chemistry and scientific disciplines. Beyond her professional skills, she pursues artistic interests and successfully ran her late father’s enterprise. Her spouse, Peter Peel, vanished over the Amazon and was presumed dead.

She drives a convertible Lotus Elan and frequently adopts undercover identities, commonly posing as a women's magazine journalist to gain access to key business leaders. The name "Emma Peel" cleverly references "M. Appeal," emphasizing her designed attraction.

Her rapport with Steed features sharp wit and subtle innuendo; although their relationship remains ambiguous, creators hinted at a past romantic involvement.

Her wardrobe significantly influenced 1960s fashion. Designer John Bates crafted her black-and-white op-art Mod ensembles and miniskirts during season four, with designs marketed nationwide under the Avengerswear brand. While Diana Rigg disliked the initial leather catsuit, Bates developed softer stretch jersey and PVC alternatives.

With the shift to color episodes, designer Alun Hughes introduced vivid psychedelic motifs and bright block colors, including the iconic Emmapeeler catsuit. These styles were also licensed for sale in women’s fashion outlets.

Departure

Emma decides to leave Steed and abandon her espionage career when her husband Peter Peel unexpectedly returns at the conclusion of "The Forget-Me-Knot". Peter Peel, who bears a resemblance to Steed and drives a contemporary two-door convertible Bentley, represents the conclusion of the era dominated by "talented amateurs." Emma’s replacement, Tara King (portrayed by Linda Thorson), is depicted as an inexperienced professional agent.

Diana Rigg exited the show partly to star in the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service, mirroring predecessor Honor Blackman’s departure for Goldfinger. Early during her time on the series, Rigg discovered her pay was less than that of cameramen; after her salary was increased threefold and encouraged by loyalty to co-star Macnee, she returned for an additional 25 episodes, including her farewell episode filmed during Tara King’s introduction season. Ultimately, demanding work schedules, disagreements with producers, and ambitions in film and theatre led to her permanent departure.

Following the series’ end, Rigg reprised a version of Emma Peel in two German 8mm short films: The Diadem and The Mini-Killers. Although production details are scarce, these films have been preserved.

The New Avengers

Emma Peel makes a brief appearance through archived footage in the The New Avengers episode titled "K is for Kill." In this scene, she communicates with Steed over the phone, mentioning that she no longer uses the Peel surname. Steed responds affectionately, "You'll always be Mrs. Peel to me." The voice for this new dialogue was provided by Sue Lloyd. This instance represents the only crossover between the original and revival series.

The Avengers (1998)

In the 1998 cinematic adaptation The Avengers, Uma Thurman took on a reimagined version of Mrs. Peel alongside Ralph Fiennes as Steed. Peel is depicted as a scientist engaged in a weather-related project that is undermined by her doppelgänger; Steed investigates and partners with her. The movie was met with negative reviews and poor box office returns, with both Fiennes and Thurman receiving widespread criticism. In 2003, Total Film magazine labeled them "The Worst Movie Double Act of All Time."

Comics

  • The 1980 X-Men storyline by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, featuring Jean Grey as the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club, drew heavily from Emma Peel’s 1966 episode "A Touch of Brimstone," with Grey’s costume closely resembling Peel’s "Queen of Sin" attire.
  • Emma Peel appears alongside Captain Britain and John Steed in issue #173 of Doctor Who Monthly (1991).
  • Both Emma Peel and John Steed are seen among the crowd in Kingdom Come #2 (1996), created by Mark Waid and Alex Ross.
  • Alan Moore’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier includes a parody character named "Emma Night," portrayed as an industrialist’s daughter who later becomes head of MI5, resembling Judi Dench’s M. She plays a significant role in later volumes.
  • Mike Sekowsky’s late 1960s reinvention of Wonder Woman as a mod, karate-skilled feminist icon was directly inspired by Mrs. Peel.

Music

The Pretenders’ 1986 video for "Don't Get Me Wrong" pays homage to The Avengers, featuring Chrissie Hynde embodying Emma Peel. Additional musical nods include:

  • Purple Avengers’ second album, Emma Peel Sessions (1993).
  • The Cretones’ debut album Thin Red Line (1980) contains the track "Mrs. Peel."
  • The Allies’ first album (1982) includes the song "Emma Peel," which briefly gained national attention.
  • Dishwalla’s debut release Pet Your Friends (1995) features "Miss Emma Peel."
  • French rock group Matmatah dedicated a song called "Emma" to her on their debut album La Ouache, with Peel appearing in another official video.
  • Ann Arbor band Slot released a 7" single entitled "Emma Peel" during the 1990s.
  • Shark Inferno’s 2015 album Puncture contains a track named "Emma Peel."
  • Pussy Galore’s 1996 CD includes the song "Play Emma For Me."
  • Babette Novak composed the track "A-Peel" in 1984.

TV

References and sources

References

Sources

  • Alvarez, Maria (1998), "Feminist icon in a catsuit (female lead character Emma Peel in defunct 1960s UK TV series 'The Avengers')", New Statesman, Aug 14.
  • Cornell, Paul; Day, Martin; & Topping, Keith (1998). The Avengers Dossier. London: Virgin Books. .
  • Lars Baumgart (2002): DAS KONZEPT EMMA PEEL – Der unerwartete Charme der Emanzipation: THE AVENGERS und ihr Publikum. Kiel: Verlag Ludwig –
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