The Avengers - Vol. 17 of The Complete Emma Peel Megaset Collector's Edition (Bonus Disc)
This 216-minute bonus disc is part of the2006Complete Emma Peel Megaset, but is also available separately for those who already have the2001 Megaset.  Completists will appreciate the "lost" episodes from the first season.  Of the very first episode, "Hot Snow," however, only the first 15 minutes were recovered.  "Girl on the Trapeze" features a vanilla-esque Ian Hendry as Dr. David Keel investigating the death of a circus performer, while "The Frighteners" perks things up considerably with the addition of Patrick Macnee's John Steed, who displays a bit of the comedic twinkle that would be the cornerstone of the series through its entire run.  All in all, the episodes aren't nearly as watchable as the peak years of the series.  Of greater interest to fans is "Avenging the Avengers," a 1992 documentary recapping the series through clips and interviews with Macnee, crew members, and actresses Honor Blackman (Cathy Gale, 1962-64) and Linda Thorson (Tara King, 1968-69).  Diana Rigg appears briefly in older interview footage.  The documentary lasts 25 minutes, and an additional nine minutes of interviews are added to the end.  There's also a three-minute promotional film that Macnee and Rigg made to promote the series' switch from black and white to color, an alternate opening sequence, and a 1977 episode in which Mrs. Peel makes a cameo appearance.--David Horiuchi