acorn dvd
region: region 2 (this dvd may not be viewable outside europe. read more about dvd formats. )
through its acorn and acacia catalogs and e - commerce websites. acorn media u. k. and acorn media australia distribute comparable lines of dvd titles to consumers in the u. k. ,
it was a very funny dvd i no the person i gave it to was very pleased .
their output may not yet be quite as prolific as network dvd' s, but acorn media is definitely a company to watch for in future .
i’m delighted to hear that acorn will be releasing a third dvd of dixon of dock green episodes. more details can be found on their website here .
couldn' t get enough of this series. now i own the dvd i can watch it any time! sooo funny .
acclaimed documentaries to us customers. acorn direct is a direct - to - consumer division offering dvds, digital downloads, and other high quality products in north america; acorn media u. k. and acorn media australia distribute comparable lines of dvd titles to consumers in the u. k. , australia, and new zealand .
it can be pre - ordered from acorn now (for release in early 2015). if it follows the path of previous acorn releases. then it should stay as an acorn exclusive for a few months before going on general release .
although not released until next month, the dvd (which includes interviews with phillips, and galton & simpson) is available to pre - order now. orders placed through acorn' s own website are already being shipped. more information
, acorn media group has grown from a one - man basement documentary production and distribution operation in the mid - 1980s into a leading independent media company operating on three continents. acorn media group consists of four divisions. with its acorn label, acorn media u. s. is the leading distributor of british television programming to consumers in
this just leaves the black and white episodes which could (maybe if sales of this dvd are good) make up collection four some time in the future .
acorn media, the dvd distribution company that has in the past issued such well - loved series as to the manor born and the good life, appears to be expanding its comedy offerings by delving deep into the bbc' s television archives .
, chief executive officer of acorn media group .
we expect to greatly benefit from
why you should check it out: based on an elizabeth bowen novel, the death of the heart is a romantic tv movie with a wonderful cast that seems almost forgotten except for acorn tv online streaming. indeed, i can’t even find this one on dvd (even on acorn online). i will definitely be watching this one soon while it is still available .
acorn tv – new & featured | the best british tv streaming on demand, commercial free .
as is the case with casanova' 73, the dvd release of trevor' s world of sport is not yet available in shops, but pre - orders placed through acorn' s website will be shipped in just a few weeks from now. great for sport fans and not, what better a christmas present than a dvd that' s not even been released yet? alongside the full tv series is an interview with writer - creator andy hamilton. more information
mr. edwards, in a telephone interview, said the company believed it was now the second - largest distributor of british programming on dvd in north america, second only to the bbc .
' s vision as we continue to acquire library content and build acorn tv ,
he concluded .
why you should check it out: acorn tv loves mystery series and you can’t get much better than poirot! acorn includes even the newest episodes so you can watch the finale of the entire series .
just released: “the spirit of the brotherhood” - the companion dvd to “free spirits. ” nine former commune members discuss the spiritual experiences and beliefs they shared back then that still influence them today .
comedy aficionados have long called for a bbc equivalent to network dvd, the company responsible for pumping out hundreds of dvd releases of both loved and forgotten itv series, over the past decade. however, with the bbc' s own label, 2entertain, seeming unable - or just plain unwilling - to answer the call, american - owned acorn media appear to have stepped up to the plate with a number of fascinating releases both in the recent past, and coming up over the next 12 months .
spurred on by new episodes of the british serial “upstairs, downstairs” on pbs last april, many viewers went in search of the 40 - year - old original. they found it in the catalog of acorn media, which had released the vintage series a month earlier as a complete 21 - disc dvd set .
acorn synopsis: seen on masterpiece theatre, this haunting british drama blends heart - pounding suspense with unexpected romance .
acorn’s business plan has shielded it from the recent economic downturn, said jean - philippe randisi, executive vice president for consumer products for itv studios global entertainment, which has longstanding deals with acorn to distribute many itv titles .
an article on march 26 about acorn media, the home video company, erroneously attributed a distinction to its box dvd set of the original british series “upstairs, downstairs. ” the box set is the second one of the series, not the first. (a & e home video released a box set of the series in 2002. )
dinnerladies - complete collection (series 1 & 2) - 3 - dvd set (dinner ladies - season one and two) [ non - usa format, pal, reg. 2 import - united kingdom ] by celia imrie
now each thrilling episode is available together for the first time on dvd, including
babs and the cup of coffee
,
mrs overall and her apron
and the memorable classic
berta coming through the doorway
.
as executive chairman of rlj entertainment, i am looking forward to this unique business combination of image entertainment and acorn media group ,
said johnson .
rlj entertainment will have a broad strategy for financial growth by providing content to all media platforms including broadcast and cable, dvd and blu - ray, digital downloads, and digital streaming. image entertainment is a leader in the urban, indepedent film, comedy, and horror genres, and acorn media group, founded by
acorn synopsis: adapted from the novel by evelyn waugh, it hasn’t lost any of its power to seduce and enchant .
skip ahead 6 months to news today that the acquisition is indeed complete; both image and acorn have been swallowed by rlj .
the series delves into the last half an hour awake each evening, of both the oldfields and their neighbours. it' s a subtle, keenly - observed series that shines a light on that supposedly quiet, calming time of the day when we should all be winding down and ready to sleep. acorn' s dvd includes all three series, plus an interview with hamilton .
acorn synopsis: eyes twinkling behind his spectacles, kenneth more is g. k. chesterton’s wily detective in this classic british series .
acorn have announced a mouth - watering series of special features for dixon of dock green – collection three, due for release in 2015 .
peter edwards, left, and miguel penella of acorn media, which spent eight years getting rights to
tinker tailor soldier spy .
and while image entertainment is an usa - based company, acorn media group has several international arms: with its acorn label, it’s the leading distributor of british television programming to consumers in north america. its acacia label offers a line of original health & wellness programming. its
he press release below, which confirms the completion of the acquisition, and provides some further insight, states that johnson plans to become a major player in the distribution of content across all platforms – dvd, blu - ray, digital downloads, streaming, broadcast tv and cable .
series one and two of the brokenwood mysteries are released by acorn media on the 14th of august 2017. both series cost £19. 99 each .
i' m not a youngster so i remember the hilarious acorn sketches. the moving walls, the poor camera work, the way you see the different members of the shop waiting to come on, the brilliant way the words were spoken by some truly great actors with such perfect timing, ,, all add up to true greatness. many modern sketches could learn so much from watching this dvd. great fun, just great .
. its acacia label offers a line of original health & wellness programming. appealing to the growing lifelong learning audience, acorn u. s. also offers acclaimed documentaries on the athena label. acorn direct is a direct - to - consumer division offering dvds, digital downloads, and other high quality products in
acorn synopsis: david suchet stars as the dapper, diminutive belgian who solves the most serpentine cases with the sharpest of minds and the driest of wits .
rlj acquisition, inc. announces successful completion of its business combination acquiring image entertainment, inc. and acorn media group to form rlj entertainment, inc .
why you should check it out: while i haven’t seen george gently yet, acorn tv is definitely the place to go if you like period drama mystery shows .
acorn synopsis: set in the roaring ’20s, the grand hotel is a nexus for schemes, scandals, romance, and intrigue among guests and staff members alike .
image entertainment, with a library of 3700 titles, already has established channels to all those platforms; as does acorn – although its reach is apparently much wider .
rlj acquisition, inc. agrees to acquire image entertainment, inc. and acorn media group, inc. to form one of the largest independent distributors of video content globally
, which will be paid in cash and in the form of promissory notes to the holders of preferred stock of image entertainment. the shareholders of acorn media group will receive
acorn synopsis: p. g. wodehouse’s beloved blandings castle stories follow the foibles of an eccentric aristocrat, his peculiar family, and the ramshackle ancestral home they share .
acorn synopsis: sir derek jacobi is brother cadfael, a 12th - century benedictine monk and former crusader who uses his knowledge, skills, and intuition to solve crimes .
it was in april when robert johnson’s plans to acquire image entertainment and acorn media group, to create what was deemed a “ formidable independent distributor, ” were revealed .
acorn synopsis: anzac girls is a moving series based on the unique, and rarely told true stories of australian and new zealand nurses serving at gallipoli and the western front .
and because i know there are several other period drama lovers out there looking for something new to watch, here are several of the period dramas now streaming on acorn tv (of course, you can always find these on dvd as well). as always, i aimed to pick titles with less explicit content, so if acorn gives a mature warning, the period drama automatically got cut. it should also be noted that one of my favorite tv shows, “the hour, ” is expiring on december 6 th, so i didn’t include it either. still, if you have the time, i truly suggest you give that excellent and intelligently written romantic period series a try .
thankfully, acorn released all 10 surviving episodes, alongside another galton & simpson interview, and a feature talking to series 1 co - star liz fraser about the show. more information
acorn synopsis: partners in crime is an espionage adventure series about a suburban married couple, tommy and tuppence beresford, who solve mysteries and foil plots in ’50s cold war britain .
i sadly missed this live, so the dvd had to be bought. the music is superb, from the pseudo - bach in the first half interspersed with' café continental', to the lively upbeat numbers of the second half. some of the acting is a little hammy i will grant you, but in the very best acorn antiques taste. jo lawrence is superb (great singing voice), and whilst neil morrisey is outshone by the rest, all the cast pull together and i laughed hugely ...
last month, the acorn media group bought a 64 percent controlling interest in the literary estate of agatha christie, which includes more than 80 of her novels and plays and nearly 40 television films, with eight more in the works. terms weren’t disclosed, but mr. edwards said the deal was acorn’s largest, and resulted in the company’s taking on some debt .
acorn synopsis: set around perth from 1943 - 63, it tells the story of two rural families, each scarred by catastrophe, who end up sharing a large, ramshackle house .
acorn synopsis: proper, demure, sharp as a tack, agatha christie’s spinster sleuth is brilliantly portrayed by geraldine mcewan (1 - 3) and julia mckenzie (4 - 5) .
acorn synopsis: a former scotland yard sleuth now tracking murders in britain’s north country, george gently (tony nominee martin shaw) is an old - time copper in the rapidly changing 1960s .
the company has ambitious plans for the titles, possibly grittier remakes of the films starring the hercule poirot character. but mr. edwards said acorn would take a passive role in the actual production .
much better than the original reviews suggested - full of the much - missed victoria wood' s brilliant invention. if you watched acorn antiques in the original tv show, you' ll love this .
acorn synopsis: a thoroughly addictive drama brimming with secrets, passion, romance, and intrigue, a place to call home explores the ties that hold families together and the betrayals that can tear them apart .
, with approximately 3, 700 exclusive dvd titles and approximately 350 exclusive cd titles in domestic release and more than 450 programs internationally via sublicense agreements. for many of its titles, image entertainment has exclusive audio and broadcast rights, as well as digital download rights to approximately 2, 200 video programs and approximately 500 audio titles containing more than 6, 000 individual tracks. image entertainment is headquartered in
so acorn has taken steps to minimize risks, while “aggressively pursuing the opportunities, ” said miguel penella, the chief executive. in july, the company began a streaming service, acorn tv. for $ 25 a year (no monthly options available), subscribers can watch a rotating schedule of old gems and united states premieres of new series, like the currently streaming season 5 of the popular “doc martin. ”
acorn synopsis: written by poet and playwright christopher fry (the lady’s not for burning), this period drama authentically explores the tender and tragic family history that is as much the bronte legacy as their literary works .
acorn synopsis: while still the prince of wales, the future edward viii meets the married american socialite, wallis simpson. their relationship causes furor in the palace and in parliament, especially when king george v dies .
acorn synopsis: four - part adaptation of anthony powell’s 12 - volume satirical novel sequence, this series follows the history of a group of friends, starting in their schooldays together, and their lives over the next 50 years .
“we have been solidly profitable for years and years, ” said peter edwards, 59, acorn’s chairman, who founded the company, then known as atlas video, in 1984 in a spare bedroom in his home in washington .
again, the title won' t be widely available until may 2013, but will be sent out to those pre - ordering via the acorn website very soon - the first stock is expected by the end of october. more information
why you should check it out: foyle’s war is definitely one of the best period dramas you can find because the characters and actors are so fabulous! this is a definite must see. plus, acorn tv has all 9 seasons .
one would have thought that the bbc would have already taken advantage of the works of the writers of steptoe and son, but one would be wrong: earlier this year, acorn released an even earlier galton & simpson title, citizen james .
acorn synopsis: while wwii rages across the channel, police detective christopher foyle reluctantly remains on duty in his quiet english coastal town. series 9 sees foyle investigating cases involving international oil politics, anti - semitism, and the wartime activities of the soe .
acorn synopsis: in 1930s london, an awkward 16 - year - old struggles to find herself through a disastrous love affair. starring robert hardy (all creatures great and small), miranda richardson (sleepy hollow), and patricia hodge (miranda) .
next in acorn' s eyes are two titles from andy hamilton, the co - creator and co - writer of sitcom hits including old harry' s game on radio 4, bbc one' s family hit outnumbered, and biting 1990s satire drop the dead donkey .
why you should check it out: i cannot say enough good things about a place to call home. addictive is the perfect word and i cannot wait for series 3 (acorn says it is coming soon). this period drama is one of my personal favorites .
i so loved this dvd. i admire victoria woods work tremendously, i was glad of the extra features with her in the mrs overall part... ...... .... . but really no one is as good as julie walters, even the fabulous ms wood. i would have been thrilled to see both on stage. cast members well know and not so, were fantastic quality production of highest class. duncun preston, josie lawrence and celia imrie are also really top notch in this. enjoy
in another new move, acorn is expanding into content production. in november 2010, it bought all rights to “foyle’s war, ” a popular british detective series that was shown for many years on “masterpiece mystery! ” on pbs. production on three new episodes will start in september .
set for release in february, pre - orders direct through acorn will be sent out soon. the 3 - disc set includes all 17 existing episodes - the complete series 1 & 3 - as well as the starlings reunited, a specially filmed interview feature with both briers and scales. more information
official site for acorn productions llc and the documentary film, free spirits, directed by bruce geisler, about the brotherhood of the spirit / renaissance community commune, one of the largest and most controversial new - age intentional communities of the 1960s and 1970s, and its founder, michael metelica rapunzel .
that is, of course, just a small selection of recent and upcoming acorn media comedy titles. others include dear ladies, dear john... ., chelmsford 123, shine on harvey moon, and filthy, rich & catflap - with plenty more to be announced, we are assured !
acorn synopsis: classic series based on the on the turn - of - the - century stories by somerville and ross. peter bowles (rumpole of the bailey, to the manor born) stars as major sinclair yeates, a retired english army officer who becomes a resident magistrate in pre - independence west ireland .
thanks in part to pbs’s revitalized “masterpiece” series, and its two - season hit “downton abbey, ” america is having a love affair with british drama and mystery. and the privately held acorn media group, which is 28 years old and based in silver spring, md. , has been well positioned to benefit .
in my dismissive attitude i missed every one of the episodes when first shown on television. the little lady kept telling me about it, so, here we get the entire collection on one dvd. i enjoyed it so much... a send up of crossroads televising maybe, with wobbly sets and furniture, missed cue' s etc etc. a classic look at how it should be done to make people laugh. so much going on all the time, it screams out for reviewing time and time again so as not to miss out on anything... .. a splendid purchase. !
bethesda, md / / october 3, 2012 / / robert l. johnson, chairman of the rlj companies and founder of black entertainment television (bet), announced today rlj acquisition, inc. (otcqb: rljau; rlja; rljaw) (the “company”) has successfully completed the business combination acquiring image entertainment, inc. (otcqb: disk) (“image”) and acorn media group, inc. , two highly complementary media content distribution companies to create rlj entertainment, inc. approved by the company’s, image’s and acorn’s respective shareholders, rlj entertainment, inc. becomes one of the largest independent global distributors of digital and video content .
a number of factors could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those indicated by such forward looking statements. these factors include, but are not limited to: (1) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the agreement and plan of merger between the company and image entertainment (the
merger agreement
), the preferred stock purchase agreement by and between the company and the holders of preferred stock of image entertainment (the
preferred stock purchase agreement
) or the stock purchase agreement by and among the company, acorn media group, the shareholders of acorn media group, and
re - live the drama as mrs overall serves up another batch of macaroons and babs discusses the future of the shop. what will be this week' s riveting cliff hanger? will the set survive? written by victoria wood, acorn antiques was produced and directed by geoff posner and first transmitted as part of victoria wood as seen on tv in january 1985 .
while the home video business has been challenged by years of plummeting sales, acorn continues to grow. the company said it hit $ 99 million in gross revenue in 2011, up 5 percent from 2010, largely because of increased sales, both in units and revenue, for the home video titles it has amassed for british mysteries and dramas, both old and new .
acorn synopsis: based on the beloved gothic novel by daphne du maurier, jamaica inn follows mary yellan, an orphan sent to the rugged coast of cornwall to live with her aunt. mary is met by a brutish, menacing man - her uncle, joss. she soon learns that no guests stay at the inn, and joss is part of a savage gang of smugglers .
as an avid period drama watcher, i had to subscribe to acorn tv back when season 2 of miss fisher’s murder mysteries was available there first (the wait always kills me). ever since then, i haven’t looked back. with several fresh and lesser known british and australian period dramas (and mysteries too) to choose from, i always have something new to check out .
so far, acorn tv — which had some technical flaws at introduction that the company says are now fixed — is available online, and via ipad, apple tv and google tv. the number of subscribers is growing, mr. penella said, but he declined to be more specific. a boost is likely when nook and roku applications are introduced, expected toward the end of april .
the series, broadcast as the title suggests in 1973, caused quite a stir at the time, enraging clean - up - tv campaigners including mary whitehouse. one episode sees newhouse' s own niece attempting to seduce him, whilst another features henry judging a beauty contest. it' s interesting to note that the show was inspired by a one - off sitcom play written by galton & simpson, and also starring leslie phillips and jan holden (as his wife), from 1969. broadcast as part of itv' s the galton & simpson comedy series, the plot of the suit saw howard butler caught at his girlfriend' s flat in a state of undress when a burglar breaks in and steals his clothes. sadly this earlier production isn' t included in the casanova' 73 dvd set .
acorn describe the first series :
newly - married george and kate starling arrive home from their honeymoon to discover that they' ve lost their door keys. how they come to meet their new neighbours and events that follow, sets the tone for a series that lovingly explores the perils and pitfalls of love, marriage, anniversaries, petty quarrels and the kind of making - up that' s not so hard to do .
in cash, 1, 000, 000 shares of common stock of rlj entertainment and warrants to purchase 1, 000, 000 shares of common stock of rlj entertainment. after the completion of the business combination, the current stockholders of image entertainment and acorn media group will own approximately 11% and 5% of rlj entertainment, respectively, assuming no redemptions. the current stockholders of the company will own approximately 74% of rlj entertainment, assuming no redemptions .
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the rlj companies logo. (prnewsfoto / the rlj companies) (prnewsfoto / )
the business combination is subject to approval of the company' s and image entertainment' s respective stockholders, as well as regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions. assuming these conditions are met, the business combination is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter of this year .
, chairman and chief executive officer of image entertainment, who will serve as the chief executive officer of rlj entertainment after the completion of the business combination .
this communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which the offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. no offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of section 10 of the securities act of 1933, as amended .
readers are referred to the most recent reports filed with the sec by the company and image entertainment. readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward - looking statements, which speak only as of the date made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise the forward - looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise .
rlj entertainment, the company, image entertainment and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of the company and image entertainment in connection with the proposed business combination. information regarding the officers and directors of the company is available in the company' s annual report on form 10 - k for the year ended december 31, 2011, which has been filed with the sec .
information regarding the officers and directors of image entertainment is available in image entertainment' s annual report on form 10 - k / a for the year ended march 31, 2011, which has been filed with the sec. additional information regarding the interests of such potential participants will also be included in the registration statement on form s - 4 (and will be included in the definitive proxy statement / prospectus for the proposed business combination) and the other relevant documents filed with the sec .
about rlj acquisition, inc. (rljau; rlja; rljaw) is a special purpose acquisition company (spac), also known as a blank check company, that seeks to acquire one of more operating companies. rlj acquisition, inc. intends to use the net proceeds from its initial public offering to acquire one or more operating businesses through a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination. for more information about rlj acquisition, inc. , please visit: urltoken
image entertainment, inc. is a leading independent licensee and distributor of entertainment programming in
copyright © 2018 pr newswire association llc. all rights reserved. a cision company .
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@ freyacartlidge yes, freya! thank you for sharing this pic. sounds like a perfect weekend to us !
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was a mini soap opera set in a shop on the outskirts of manchesterford .
viewers were gripped with the everyday dramas that beset miss babs (celia imrie), berta (victoria wood) and the glamorous mrs overall (julie walters) .
this is a great collection if you want to watch all the sketches in one go and it shows the great comedic talents of the whole cast. victoria wood was a brilliant comedian and will be much missed. there are no extras on this, as soon as you pop it in the player it' s starts the episodes, definitely no frills !
only just watched this after having bought it ages ago. was visiting a friend and victoria had recently passed. such fun and a reminder of these great characters. want to say' bye' to people on the phone like miss babs now: - )
not as expected... loved the series but these small excerts dont do it justice. . will be giving it away
disappointing, just 5 minute clips from many shows. julie walters & celia imrie look 40yrs younger than i remember, but perhaps thats the result of me ageing !
what can i say the funniest and most mickey taking serious she created, the characters are great and keep you chuckling from start to finish. love miss babs and mrs overall classic characters and well worth a watch .
i understand it is a send up of a series years ago but found it childish .
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you have to be a fan of victoria and julie to appreciate this. a bit too repetitive with the intro music .
i bought this for my mum. she said it' s really good .
welcome to the town of brokenwood. a sleepy farming town in the middle of new zealand where you’d assume that nothing ever happens. but their crime rate is extraordinarily high for such an idyllic spot as barely a week seems to go by without a mysterious death occurring .
one such murder brings the experienced detective mike shepherd (neill rea) up from the city. an unconventional maverick, he’s partnered with the much younger and much more by - the - book detective kristin sims (fern sutherland) and, as might be expected, to begin with they don’t hit it off. but as inexplicable murder follows inexplicable murder, it’s also to be expected that they’ll start to form a bond as mike adjusts to life in the country, where everybody seems to be connected to everybody else and deep, dark secrets abound … .
brokenwood is a small place. the population seems to be around five thousand, although it’s constantly decreasing (depending on how many people get killed in any given episode). brokenwood’s bucolic beauty is one of the series’ selling points – no wonder that some have dubbed the show “a new zealand midsomer murders ” – whilst the interplay between mike and kristin is another obvious plus - point .
it’s hardly an original concept for a series. a mismatched partnership – male / female – with very different takes on just about everything. but since the formula works it’s not surprising that it gets repeated again and again. the brokenwood mysteries might not bring anything particularly new to the table, but it does what it does very well .
it’s always handy to start a new series with an outsider, since they can function as the audience identification figure and we can learn along with them. mike shepherd is pitched headlong into the town of brokenwood in the opening episode – blood and water – which sees a local farmer – nate dunn (chris sherwood) – fished out of the river. did he commit suicide or was it a case of murder? the parameters of the series are firmly set here – a leisurely running time (90 minutes plus per episode), lashings of country music (mike’s a firm fan) and a story where long - hidden secrets hold the key to solving the mystery .
neill rea instantly appeals as mike shepherd. mike is a friendly and slightly rumpled character, easily able to put just about everybody he meets at their ease (a useful skill for a detective). his private life is a bit of a mystery though. there are definitely ex - wives in his past, although exactly how many isn’t known. that he elects to stay in brokenwood after solving the first case suggests that he had nothing or no - one special to return home to (he’s very much a self - contained person, happy with his own company) .
he does have passions though – a 1971 car he’s very proud of (although nobody else agrees with him) and a large supply of country music cassettes. he prefers music on cassette and he loves country music because “they’re the best three - minute crime stories ever sung. there’s heartache, adultery, jealousy, divorce, death”. his quirks – he likes to crack inappropriate jokes when inspecting bodies (“too soon? ”) as well as conversing with the corpses – ensures that he stands out from the rank and file .
his strengths are matched in equal and opposite ways by kristin sims (fern sutherland). kristin is everything that mike isn’t – young, meticulous and computer savvy. initially she rubs mike up the wrong way, but it isn’t long before they settle down and form a fairly harmonious working relationship, although kristin can still sometimes be appalled at mike’s reluctance to follow procedure. but as time goes by there’s a definite ying / yang feel to their relationship as both have positive character traits that the other lacks .
those familiar with the parameters of this type of series should be easily able to spot the upcoming murder victim during the opening minutes of the second episode, sour grapes. brokenwood is an area with a thriving wine industry, so it’s no surprise to learn that the annual wine contest always sparks a great deal of interest. amanda james’ (josephine davison) winery has walked away with the top prize for the last five years, therefore she is appalled when judge paul winterson (alistair browning) overlooks her this time .
the appearance of dead winterson’s body is a jolting reveal – it comes bobbing to the surface from one of amanda james’ vast wine vats – and his presence there means that amanda is a prime suspect. but although the brokenwood mysteries has no qualms in embracing predictability at times, with ninety five minutes to fill it’s pretty obvious that the solution isn’t quite as cut and dried as it first appears .
the remaining two episodes of the first series – playing the lie and hunting the stag – maintain the high standard already established. arresting reveals of the dead or dying is something of a brokenwood trait and playing the lie certainly doesn’t disappoint on this score. the sight of adele stone (roz turnbull), owner of the brokenwood golf club, lurching towards a group of golfers – her face red and distorted – is certainly something out of the ordinary. death by poisoning? that’s what mike and kristen have to establish .
in hunting the stag, hayden renner (francis mountjoy) elects to combine his stag party with the hunt for a real animal, so he and his friends head out into the forest. but bride - to - be renner never makes it back – he’s shot through the head. at first it appears to be a tragic hunting accident, but since none of his friends will admit to shooting him and all of them discharged their rifles, things turn out to be quite complex .
as series one progresses, we begin to learn a little more about the other regulars. detective constable sam breen (nic sampson) is always on hand to do a spot of research or provide some necessary exposition. playing third banana on a police show isn’t a terribly rewarding job, but sampson does the best with the material he’s provided with .
pana hema taylor has a more interesting role as jared morehu. when mike moves to brokenwood, jared becomes his neighbour as well as his drinking buddy and confidant. in his early twenties, jared has the air of a wide - boy who enjoys skirting around the edges of the law. possibly it’s a case of opposites attracting, but he and mike quickly form a bond (there’s a surrogate father / son vibe about them) and jared sometimes finds himself assisting – totally unofficially, of course – mike in the odd investigation .
gina kadinsky (christina serban ionda) is brokenwood’s idiosyncratic medical examiner whilst meredith wilmott (andi crown) appears in several episodes. meredith is the head of police communications as well as being one of mike’s ex - wives, so there’s inevitable mileage to be found in their personal and professional conflicts .
strange murders keep occurring as the series enters its second series. in leather and lace, arnie langstone (phil vaughan), coach of the brokenwood cheetahs rugby team, is discovered dead, stripped naked and tied to a goalpost with a pair of women’s underwear stuffed down his throat. the brokenwood cheetahs are a record - breaking side – with an incredible losing streak of fifty straight games – so arnie’s death doesn’t distress many at the club. but then a second body turns up …
one of the strengths of the series is the way that it hops from different groups and sections of society (winegrowers, rugby teams, etc). the next episode, to die or not to die, maintains this run as mike and kristen investigate a mysterious death at the brokenwood theatre society. the back - stabbing world of amateur dramatics is a fertile area for both drama and comedy, making this episode a highlight of series two .
catch of the day poses yet another baffling mystery. when jared discovers a severed human hand in a crayfish pot, the team have to consider several questions – who does the hand belong to and are they still alive? this one may feel a little drawn out, but the interplay of the regulars ensures that it still ticks along quite nicely .
after that slight dip, series two ends on a strong note with blood pink. as we’ve seen, mike is a big country music fan and is naturally delighted when his favourite singer, holly collins (browwyn turei), arrives in brokenwood for a gig. no surprises that she doesn’t make it out alive – which immediately points the finger at her dysfunctional band members – slim fingers (peter dabue), waylon strings (jordan maguer) and jesse james (colleen davis) .
like other long - form detective dramas – midsomer murders, inspector morse – the lengthy running time of the brokenwood mysteries can be both a blessing and a curse. whilst it means that the mysteries are given time to unfold, there are also occasions when a less than engaging story can feel like something of a slog. but luckily there’s more hits than misses across these two series, so this isn’t too much of a problem .
both releases include a number of short special features. series one has two interviews – the first with neill rea and fern sutherland and the other with head writer tim balme whilst series two has a behind the scenes featurette. the brief running times of the interviews and featurettes (five minutes each for the interviews, three minutes for the behind the scenes feature) means that they obviously can’t go into any great depth, but they do help to place the series in context. both series also include photo galleries, each running for around a minute .
the brokenwood mysteries is an engaging series which should definitely appeal to crime fans. recommended .
audio commentary on domino with actor stephen marsh (p. c. harry dunne) .
the final cases: documentary on the making of this last series, with actors nicholas donnelly (sgt. johnny wills), richard heffer (d. s. alan bruton), gregory de polnay (d. s. mike brewer) and production assistant vivienne cozens .
good evening all: a tribute to jack warner, with nicholas donnelly, richard heffer, stephen marsh, gregory de polnay and vivenne cozens .
personnel files: extended interviews with nicholas donnelly, richard heffer and gregory de polnay .
having the episodes themselves would have justified the purchase price, but this set of special features is more than welcome. more information on collection three can be found here whilst there’s an overview of collection one here .
collections one and two contained all the existing colour episodes broadcast between 1970 and 1975 (with the exception of molenzicht which was omitted for unspecified rights reasons) .
collection three will have all eight episodes from the 22nd and final series (broadcast in 1976). this is the only series of dixon of dock green to exist in its entirety, which sadly indicates just how depleted the dixon archive is .
this final series sees george dixon (jack warner) working as a civilian collator at dock green police station, following his retirement from the force. given that jack warner was eighty years old at the time, this was a reasonable move (indeed, his obvious age and immobility had been a problem for a few years prior to this) .
missing from the final series was andy crawford (played by peter byrne). as byrne had been a regular since 1955, his decision not to take part in this series was puzzling – as it was pretty obvious that the series (due to warner’s age) wouldn’t be continuing for much longer .
i’ve written here about my appreciation of the first collection of episodes, released in 2012, and hopefully these final eight will be of a similar standard .
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one of their most interesting upcoming releases is casanova' 73 (pictured, right), starring british cinema legend leslie phillips. penned by ray galton and alan simpson - the highly regarded writing duo behind hancock' s half hour and steptoe and son - the show focuses on henry newhouse (' new house', a translation of the italian' casa nova' - geddit ?), a slightly reluctant middle - aged lothario; he loves his wife, but no matter how hard he tries, just can' t help falling into bed with a string of glamorous, saucy and alluring young women .
an indirect spin - off from hancock' s half hour, the sitcom saw comedy legend sid james take on his own starring role. his character' s almost identical to that which we grew to love alongside the lad' imself; a wheeler - deeler type, quick - witted gambler and constant fiancé with an eye for money - making schemes .
sadly, citizen james is one series that hasn' t survived the infamous videotape purges of the 1960s, 70s and 80s: whilst galton and simpson' s first series exists in its entirety (6 episodes), only 2 episodes each from series 2 and 3 - penned by sid green and dick hills (who also wrote for morecambe & wise) - survive .
those green and hills series marked a curious change for the series, with sid becoming less of a cheeky' spiv' and more of a social crusader, taking up various causes in each episode.
acorn dvd is a trading name of rlje international ltd , a british company that publishes and distributes dvds , as well as selling home-video products and streaming videos with a particular focus on british television . 
acorn dvd is a trading name of rlje international ltd, a british company that publishes and distributes dvds, as well as selling home-video products and streaming videos with a particular focus on british television.
acorn dvd is a trading name of rlje international ltd, a british company that publishes and distributes dvds, as well as selling home-video products and streaming videos with a particular focus on british television.