The Avengers: The Murder Market

The Murder Market (1965)

Starring: Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg, Patrick Cargill, Suzanne Lloyd, Peter Bayless, and Naomi Chance

Directors: Peter Graham Scott and Wolf Rilla

Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

When a string of Britain's most eligible bachelors die through misadventure or outright murder, secret agents John Steed (Macnee) and Emma Peel (Rigg) discover that the dating service they all used is a front for a murder-for-hire operation. Steed doesn't just want to break up the operation--he wants to catch whoever's behind it all. But will he have to sacrifice Mrs. Peel to accomplish that goal?

"The Murder Market" is another excellent episode where drama and comedy coexist in perfect compliment of each other. From the garish, frilly offices of the dating service with its fey and VERY British staff members that are the public face and recruiting arm of the assassination business; through Steed's fake-murdering Mrs. Peel to discover the true identity of the mastermind behind the murder business, which almost turns into a real murder when things go sideways; to the gradual unveiling of who the real operators and masterminds are, this episode is constantly swinging back and forth between dark, hilarious humor, an intriguing mystery, and a sense that the heroes may be in real danger. (And, yes... at one point, it seems perfectly plausible that Steed may have to sacrifice Mrs. Peel's life for real in order to fully unravel the conspiracy. (Watching this episode in the 2020s, it's obvious that Mrs. Peel doesn't die--since Diana Rigg played the character for two seasons of the series--but in 1965, viewers had every reason to believe that she might not make it; until Season Four of the "The Avengers", Steed had worked with a rotating series of partners.)

One thing astute viewers (or those who are binging episodes) may notice is that the character of Emma Peel is not quite as she's been in previous episodes. Her banter with Steed seems out of tune, her mastery of hand-to-hand fighting seems to have declined, and she doesn't seem as cunning and focused as a secret operative as she has been. As amusing as the scene with Mrs. Peel tottering about drunk is, it seems very much out of character with how she's been portrayed previously. In fact, the only major bit that seems in keeping with the character from other episodes, is the scene where she's messing around with a tuba while making plans with Steed. 

The explanation for the sudden change is that the Emma Peel we've gotten to know over the six episodes prior to this one airing didn't yet exist. In fact, the reason the gag with the tuba seems in keeping with the character we know is because it was one of the pieces that brought the character into focus both for the writers and for Diana Rigg.

Although it was the seventh episode aired, "The Murder Market" was actually the first one that was filmed with Diana Rigg. Emma Peel was originally played by Elizabeth Shepherd, but after completing all her scenes on "The Town of No Return" and a few on "The Murder Market", she was suddenly let go and Rigg was hastily hired as a replacement and swiftly put to work in an attempt to get the show back on its production schedule. The reasons for why Shepherd was let go differ, but if Rigg's performance in this episode is any indication, perhaps the Mrs. Peel that was emerging was too similar to Steed's former sidekick, Cathy Gale and the producers wanted something different, both from the character and the actress portraying her. However, after this episode was completed and the producers turned their attention back to "The Town of No Return", everyone had a firm grasp on how to portray the multi-talented, brilliant and charming Mrs. Emma Peel.

 Although I make a big deal out of Emma Peel's character forming in this episode, it really isn't anything that those looking for something to pick at will notice (or, as mentioned, if you're watching several episodes back-to-back). The story here is so strong, and the various supporting characters so amusing and/or well-acted, that Emma's "off-day" is pretty much a non-issue. By the time we get to the obligatory "clowning around tag" at the end of the show, we will have sat through one of the best episodes in Season Four.