Sure, there was Emma Peel of The Avengers. Emma, played by the amazing Diana Rigg, with her sexy jumpsuits, was awesome. But Mrs. Peel was the junior partner to John Steed (Patrick Macnee). And a year or two later, there was The Girl from UNCLE, played in an episode of The Man from UNCLE by Mary Ann Mobley as a rookie agent partnered with a veteran male partner (played by Norman Fell), then in the series by Stefanie Powers who often needed rescuing. The show was part of a brief, campy era of TV, and April was a bit of a ditz. Partnered with Mark Slate (Noel Harrison) who was her equal, she would have been no match for Honey.
Years later, I discovered the British comic strip (in anthologies I found in comics specialty shops) Modesty Blaise and have been a big Modesty fan since those days in the mid-'70s. It occurs to me now that Modesty and Honey were similar. Both were independent women capable in the fields of martial arts. Both worked with men but were superior to them in "rank," with both men being devoted to them but not romantically. Both kicked ass. Modesty, however, did not have an ocelot. And I probably love Modesty so much because she's so much like Honey, perhaps better.
I wish Honey West had lasted longer, but she left her mark on television. The series was one I never thought I'd get to see again, especially on DVD, so I'm thrilled to finally have it in hand. I've got some good hours of TV to watch.
Feeling:
~~~o0o~~~
Technorati Tags: Honey West
Hmm
ReplyDeleteI think in the Avengers Honor Blackman preceded Emma Peel. I can't remember the name of her character though. This was before she was in a Bond film. I saw her on TV a year or so ago. She still looked terrific but must be over 70. It's quite encouraging that 70 year olds look so good I am almost looking forward to getting old!
How is your shoulder?
Fretherne
The Honor Blackman Avengers didn't air in the US, so regrettably, I've never seen them. But my understanding is that her character (Cathy Gale?) was still at best, Steed's partner. She wasn't the senior member of the team. Honey West inherited her father's spy or security agency and she was clearly in charge. It's nice to know Honor Blackman still looks good, and yeah, she was pre-Emma Peel.
ReplyDeleteThe shoulder seems to have plateaued. It still aches. It still doesn't move backward much. Therapy is doing only so much.