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New BBC on DVD: Afterlife, Call the Midwife, Chased by Dinosaurs, Dalziel & Pascoe, Doctor Who, and Waking the Dead

     Actors: Andrew Lincoln, Lesley Sharp
  • Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC
  • Language: English
  • Subtitles: English
  • Number of discs: 2
  • Rated: NR (Not Rated)
  • Studio: BBC Home Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: May 13, 2014
  • Run Time: 282 minutes




  •  
    Afterlife: Season One


            Made nearly ten years ago, you might be wondering why the first season of “Afterlife” is only now finding its way to DVD, and the answer is quite clear to find in the cast members. This British horror series stars Andrew Lincoln of “The Walking Dead” fame, with ghosts rather than zombies for the actor to take on. Unfortunately, the series feels more than ten years old, with a dated and cliché narrative structure. Ghost stories are difficult to make engaging, and “Afterlife” does little to update or modernize the tired clichés of the genre. “The Walking Dead” this is not.

     


            Lincoln stars as psychologist, University lecturer, and skeptic Robert Bridge, a man whose inability to believe in the very thing he is an expert on is challenged when he meets a truly gifted medium. Alison Mundy (Lesley Sharp) has a real gift in her ability to talk to the dead, but it takes her a great deal of effort in order to convince Bridge that she is not faking. Each episode gives her a new opportunity to prove this skill with a unique case/mystery for the pair to solve together. There are a few thrills and brief scares, but mostly, this series is weighed down by a lot of unnecessary melodrama. Who knew ghosts were so damn depressing.

     

            The DVD release is of the first season alone, despite the fact that there are only two seasons with fourteen episodes in the entire series. This collection has the six episodes from the first season included on two discs. The special features include audio commentary with Lincoln, Sharp, creator Stephen Volk, and producer Murray Ferguson.

     

    Entertainment Value: 4.5/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 6/10

    Historical Significance:  4/10

    Special Features: 4.5/10
     
     
     

         Actors: Jessica Raine, Stephen McGann, Miranda Hart, Jenny Agutter, Pam Ferris
  • Format: Multiple Formats, Box set, Color, NTSC
  • Language: English
  • Subtitles: English
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
  • Number of discs: 3
  • Rated: NR (Not Rated)
  • Studio: BBC Home Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: May 20, 2014
  • Run Time: 547 minutes



  • Call the Midwife: Season Three

           

            “Call the Midwife” fits in perfectly with the new wave of popular period melodramas that have sprung up with the success of “Downton Abby.” Based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth, the story follows the experiences of twenty-some-year-old Jenny (Jessica Raine) working as a midwife in the impoverished slums of London’s East End in the 1950s. Vanessa Redgrave narrates the series as an aged Jenny, giving us wisdom of experience and time with a voiceover contribution.

     

            Jenny works out of a clinic run by a convent, finding herself working alongside nuns who eventually gather side stories of their own. There are other young girls working as midwives alongside Jenny, and the episodes vary from the source material some in order to allow these characters their own melodrama. Though there are changes made to the cast by the end of this season, the opening episodes include nearly all of the original midwives working together in Nonnatus House, until they are all forced to move.

     

            When their convent is scheduled for demolition in the dilapidated neighborhood of decrepit buildings, Jenny, Chummy (Miranda Hart), and Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) go on a hunt for a proper replacement location in the neighborhood. There is also a polio outbreak in the neighborhood which has a devastating effect on the nurses and nuns. The show also always finds time amidst the tragedy and babies being born to throw in a romantic storyline or two. This season has the continued development of Jenny’s relationship with Alec (Leo Staar). There are also additions to the show’s plutonic relationships as well, especially in the form of new recruits.

     

            The third season includes nine episodes that include the Christmas Special. Rather than making us wait a lengthy period, this season has made its way rather quickly onto DVD. There is nothing left to do but wait for season four to arrive. The special features in this 3-disc set include interviews with the cast and crew of the series.

     

    Entertainment Value: 7/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 8/10

    Historical Significance:  7/10

    Special Features: 4.5/10

     

     

         Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC
  • Language: English
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: NR (Not Rated)
  • Studio: BBC Home Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: May 20, 2014
  • Run Time: 90 minutes




  •  
    Chased by Dinosaurs

           

            Following up the “Walking with Dinosaurs” series, this 2003 single-season series utilizes the special effects to bring to life extinct animals for an otherwise traditional nature program. “Chased by Dinosaurs” is unique in that it adds human elements into the visual imagining of a dinosaur nature program, whereas “Walking with Dinosaurs” merely used voiceover narration. Hosted by zoologist and performer Nigel Marven, we are brought back to the days of roaming dinosaurs with the opportunity to see their behavior with human interactions included.

     

            Digitally created dinosaurs combined with Marven’s playful willingness to pretend provides an amusing and educational examination of the extinct creatures. Marven’s interactions with the digitally created creatures vary from simple reaction shots to actual physical contact. The approach is purposefully similar to other nature programs, with feigned fear of the dangerous creatures along with techniques that would normally be used by zoologists. Children especially will likely find this imaginative approach far more engaging than the typical programs.

     

            The DVD contains five 30-minute programs created in 200. There was not much to this series, likely due to the extensive effort put into creating the effects for the episodes which were made. On land, in the air, and beneath the surface of the ocean, Marven finds an assortment of creatures. It is somewhat strange that there are only five episodes, and three of them are a part of the three-part Sea Creature special, but the format of the show remains the same. The special features only include a single featurette, “Big Al Uncovered.” All episodes and this extra are included on a single disc.  

     

    Entertainment Value: 6.5/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 6.5/10

    Historical Significance:  6/10

    Special Features: 4/10
     

     



          Format: Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC
  • Language: English
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
  • Number of discs: 2
  • Rated: Not Rated
  • Studio: BBC Home Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: May 20, 2014
  • Run Time: 468 minutes



  • Dalziel and Pascoe: Season 9

           

            Based on the books by Reginald Hill, “Dalziel & Pascoe” is a traditional detective series highlighting the unlikely friendship between colleagues Superintendent Andy Dalziel (Warren Clarke) and DI Peter Pascoe (Colin Buchanan) as they work together to solve a number of unconventional cases. It is a typical opposites attract friendship, like the Bert and Ernie of detective mysteries. The show aired from 1996 to 2007 for a total of twelve seasons. This two-disc set includes the eight episodes of the ninth season.

     

            Each storyline is split into two episodes in this series, for a total of four two-part mysteries in the collection. The first is “Heads You Lose,” in which they solve the mystery of body parts floating in the river. In “Dead Meat,” the detectives solve the murder of an animal activist found partially eaten in a tiger cage at the zoo. “The Dig” is a bit more complex, with an archaeological mystery involving a corpse and a murdered construction worker thrown into the mix. The final story in season nine is “Dust Thou Art,” which is about a kidnapping that results in a PC being taken ransom as well.  

     

            The series writers had moved away from the books somewhat by this time in the series, and much of the initial raw energy had melted away to a more sanitized series. There are still some good mysteries and Dalziel is still occasionally offensively humorous, but even his personality seems to have been watered down by this point in the show. There are no special features to mention in the season 9 DVD release.

     

    Entertainment Value: 6/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 6.5/10

    Historical Significance:  6/10

    Special Features: 0/10
     
     
     
     

        Actors: Patrick Troughton, Frazer Hines, Deborah Watling
  • Director: Barry Letts
  • Writer: David Whitaker
  • Producer: Innes Lloyd
  • Format: Color, NTSC
  • Language: English
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated:  Not Rated
  • Studio: BBC Home Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: May 20, 2014
  • Run Time: 150 minutes


  • Doctor Who: The Enemy of the World

           

            Yet another storyline rediscovered after thought to be lost for 45-years arrives on DVD with the release of “The Enemy of the World” from season five of classic “Doctor Who.” While some discoveries still left the segments incomplete, this story went from only one known episode in existence to all six available in this single-disc DVD collection. The only disappointing discovery is the lack of special features, which is oddly out-of-character for a “Doctor Who” release.

     

            The plot in “The Enemy of the World” also varies slightly from what fans may expect from “Doctor Who,” and it would seem that the success of the James Bond film franchise in the 1960s had an impact on the direction of the storyline. Rather than the typical creatures, aliens and robots often featured in the stories of this science-fiction series, we are given dictator with evil plans for world domination. When the Doctor, Jamie, and Victoria arrive by TARDIS on an Australian beach in the (then) distant time of 2018, they discover a world threatened by the evil Leader Salamander.

     

            As luck would have it, Salamander is the Doctor’s doppelganger, producing the expected espionage plot development. This role also gives Patrick Troughton the opportunity to play dual roles, stretching his acting skills with a villainous performance. With all six episodes to feature this performance and a bit of action to make up for missing creatures, the only thing missing from this collection of episodes are the special features.   

     

    Entertainment Value: 6/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 6.5/10

    Historical Significance:  9/10

    Special Features: 0/10

     

     

         Format: Multiple Formats, Box set, Color, NTSC
  • Language: English
  • Number of discs: 3
  • Rated: NR (Not Rated)
  • Studio: BBC Home Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: May 20, 2014
  • Run Time: 584 minutes




  •  
    Waking the Dead: Season Nine

           

            “Waking the Dead” first aired in 2000 and ran for nine seasons, with the final episodes aired in 2011 and available now on DVD. It is a typical cold case detective drama in many regards, comparable to many American counterparts aside from the unique aspect of the two-part episode for each mystery. This allowed for a cliffhanger to be resolved in a second episode for each of the stories, allowing for more in-depth narratives. This is a double-edged sword, especially for the stories which are less compelling and seem to drag on incessantly. But when it does work, there is twice as much to enjoy from every criminal conundrum.  

     

            The final season of “Waking the Dead” introduces a new team member to join Detective Superintendent Boyd (Trevor Eve) and his team. Inspector Sarah Cavendish (Eve Birthistle) is forced on Boyd by his superiors after an incident working with a counter-terrorism unit left her with post-traumatic stress. This new team member being an equal to Boyd in rank makes his unorthodox procedures come into question. This all builds to a climax of the overall narrative which ends with a twist typical of the series. Fans of the show should be rather pleased by the way things have been wrapped up.

     

            This is certainly a series meant for die-hard fans of the crime drama, lacking the trappings of comedy relief or too many relationship entanglements. Instead, the crime is focused on with near tunnel-vision. This makes for somewhat dreary viewing, however, and I found myself in need of escape from the dark vision of the series after each episode. I can understand now why they have been separated into two hour-long episodes, because a TV movie may have asked for the audience to endure too much depressing content in one sitting.

     

            There are five storylines in the ninth season of “Waking the Dead,” which means ten hour-long episodes. All are included in this three-disc set.

     

    Entertainment Value: 5.5/10

    Quality of Filmmaking: 7.5/10

    Historical Significance:  6/10

    Special Features: 0/10


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