V (1984-1985) - NBC

How a bird-like woman on a train is connected to Mrs Peacock, Jane Badler, Diana the Visitor, Diana Marshall, and eating rats.

The woman in front of me on the train is reading her iPad and her head moves slightly back and forth as she reads each line which gives her a bird-like demeanor. She clearly likes turquoise based on her attire, so if I look out the window and place her in my peripheral vision it’s a bit like having a giant peacock sitting nearby, reading an iPad.

I have decided to call her Mrs Peacock.

Of course, she’s not as good as the original one and only Mrs Peacock from Cluedo, played by Jane Badler in the Australian version of the game show from 1992-1993.

Before she was Mrs Peacock, Jane Badler was Diana, the most kick-ass of all the Visitors in the original series of V.

Diana also got to eat more rodents than any of the other Visitors.

Cluedo was the beginning of Jane Badler’s long association with Australian film and TV, which even resulted in the creation of the role of Diana Marshall the “super-bitch with a score to settle” on Neighbours – a role that was a deliberate homage to her role as Diana in V.

You could possibly argue however that all of Jane Badler’s roles have been a homage to Diana, including a role on the remake of V as… Diana… (but different).

Mrs Peacock on Cluedo was also really a homage to Diana – a bit like Diana had replaced her red and black body suits with flowing turquoise gowns. They both had homicidal tendencies, and no one ever complained about the Cluedo house having a rat infestation…

Either way, if I see Mrs Peacock on the train again, I’ll be sure not to disturb her from reading her iPad…

Share this article