In 1966, the BBC turned to Doctor Who creator Sydney Newman and producer Verity Lambert for an idea to emulate ITV's success with The Avengers. Adam Adamant Lives! saw ever-so British star Gerald Harper take the lead role and Ridley Scott, acclaimed director of Hannibal, Gladiator and Alien, direct several episodes. Only two series were made but three decades later a certain Austin Powers exquisitely parodied the series...

Adam Adamant is a dandy Edwardian adventurer who wakes up in the swinging Sixties, having been frozen in a block of ice by his nemesis, "The Face". Bemused by the loose morals of a permissive society, Adam, aided by swinging chick Georgina Jones, dashes about in his Mini Cooper, thwarting evil in the form of sinister ladies' charities, posh satanists and cigar-chomping female crimelords!