The New Avengers

Seven years after blasting into space in The Avengers' final episode, John Steed (Patrick Macnee) returned to television with The New Avengers. The updated show featured deadpan wit, imaginative action sequences and devious villains - all essential ingredients of the original - but added a third member to the traditional Avengers twosome. While the aging Steed provided sage counsel and gave the operation its style, Mike Gambit (Gareth Hunt of Upstairs Downstairs) and the lovely Purdey (Ab Fab's Joanna Lumley) did much of the legwork.