PTU: Police Tactical Unit (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)PTU (Police Tactical Unit) is the handiwork of award-winning Hong Kong director; Johnnie To(Full-time Killer, Exiled, Breaking News). I've always read that Johnnie To is the epitome of hard-boiled cool, his films usually have that dark, gritty style with sly humor and stylized, intense gunfights. PTU's screenplay all happens in one evening, and while its premise is quite simple, with a script not as polished as "Infernal Affairs", To's signature style is still represented quite proudly.
Synopsis derived from the dvd back cover:
Set against a TsimSha Tsui that never sleeps, a stolen police sidearm triggers a suspenseful chain of events. Tracking down the missing gun before dawn, police inspector Lo (Lam Suet, Dog Bite Dog) gets his car vandalized, then he gets beaten up by street thugs. Suddenly, he is wedged between two gangs on a brink of a bloodbath. While staving off investigations by both the anti-vice squad and homicidal unit embroiled in a turf war. His only lifeline is a maverick team of Police Tactical Unit headed by a cop named Mike Ho (Simon Yam, Exiled) who helps him search for his missing gun.
PTU stands for Police Tactical Unit, the film itself uses a very simple premise. But the film is full of the usual Johnnie To signature. Characters, all threads collide in one night, high contrasting light versus dark. A natural minimalization versus a deep sense of dark humor. The film has a very cool and precise timing in its proceedings that the film is a gritty visual ballet.
The delight of watching To's films is the way the scenes unfold; questions are answered and more questions arise. Although the film does leave some questions unanswered, a clever script, great acting, humor smartly dispersed in its proceedings and the film does have a few surprises in store for the viewer; makes for very powerful cinema. There's really a very slim chance that the viewer will figure out the climax that is the beauty of Johnnie's films. Also, the magic of his film-making is that the director always finds the right actors for the role. Lam Suet hardly plays a lead role and that adds to the feeling of unknown and the viewer will have no difficulty connecting with his eccentric character. Simon Yam fits the role of over-the-top policeman Mike Ho, his methods are a bit extreme and unorthodox at times, but he does have his own sense of loyalty and camaraderie that is very effective.
PTU, truth be told, is another "buddy flick" because Johnnie likes to emphasize friendship in his films, but he adds nasty and dark characters to balance the shades of gray, black and white, good and evil. The supporting characters are given a purpose in the film's direction. No wasted opportunity, as Johnnie To maneuvers the proceedings to ultimate irony. There is a lot of dialogue and the film balances out with its excellent cinematography, which brings us to its strongest point. The film is mostly shot at night, and the awesome use of lighting gives the film a dark, atmospheric feel. In a way, the film is presented almost like a stage play, the members of PTU move around in the rain and uses simple street lamps to emphasize attention to what is happening, that under the spotlight; something relevant that may affect the lives of others is going on. I rather thought that the spotlights were meant to represent the underworld, its dealings and the rules that apply.
However, on the minus side, the film's pacing suffer a bit because there are quite a few "slow" moments and the action is almost non-existent until the climax. Now, don't take this as negative comments, the film is great the way it is; a police drama that makes a really good effort in engaging its audience that even though the film is slower paced than most of To's films, the style is immersive as the story unfolds. That is one of Johnnie To's strengths; he has a great feel for storytelling.
PTU may not be as explosive as his other films such as EXILED, The Mission and Full time Killer, but the film is definitely worth a watch. PTU is a clever return to Hong Kong crime drama, that even with its rather slower pace, the film can stand on its own as one of Johnnie To's greats.
RECOMMENDED! For fans of cop/triad films [3 ½ stars+]
Note: I own the Hong Kong release by Mei-Ah entertainment, the Dragon Dynasty release should carry an English dubbed track.

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Follows a police tactical unit during one dangerous night on the streets of Hong Kong.The tough, single-minded team has until dawn to recover a cop's stolen gun and clean upthe accompanying mess, but things take a deadly twist when their mission intersects with a web of gangland crimes.

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New Tricks: Season One (2009) Review

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New Tricks is the best British cop show since the legendry 'Sweeney'. Like that great show what New Tricks has, but most British Cop shows lack is humour. This is not to say that is it is either a comedy or a 'light' detective series in the manner of say Pie in the Sky. The crimes in New Tricks are real, violent often messy.
The concept is not new, three retired detectives are called back to look at unsolved cases. The premise being that as old coppers they will be aware of the police procedures at the time when the crimes were carried out. The first Jack Halford (James Bolam)was the most senior and the most level headed even though he spends most evenings talking to his dead wife who is buried in his back garden. Jack has a violent and brutal side which from time to time slips out. He does however appear to have the respect of everyone who knew him as a serving police officer.
The second is Gerry Standing ( Dennis Waterman). We get the impression that Jerry was not above taking the odd bribe from criminals but as he tells his boss 'Sandra I'm a bad boy not a bastard'. He has a number of ex wives and host of children all of whom are girls. Collectively he calls them 'The Covern.' Of the three he is the one who refuses to grow old. An early scene has the three compairing medication. The other two have pills for blood pressure, heart, depression etc. Gerry has viagra. He also struggles with the modern no smoking rules.
The third, Brian Lane (Alun Armstrong). Brain suffers from mental health problems and is a recovering alcoholic. He also has an encyclopedic knowledge of criminal cases and various police officers hence his knickname og 'Memory Lane'. Alone of the three he has a wife (Susan Jameson) who struggles to cope with his bizzare behavour.
The three are managed by Sandra Pullman (Amanda Redmond)who is the only serving police officer in the team. She is torn between defending her team from those higher up and frustration at the old school antics of the three, such as secretly taping suspects, this is defended by Gerry who points out he is no longer a copper and only the police are bared from secretly tapping suspects.
Each of the five is perfectly played. Class drama, well written undemanding but does not treat you as an idiot.


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Studio: Warner Home VideoRelease Date: 08/25/2009Run time: 351 minutesRating: Nr

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St Urbain's Horseman (2007) (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)I watched a portion of this series on Canadian TV recently during a trip to Montreal and am looking forward to seeing how everything ends (I never read the prize-winning book) when I get the DVD. From the first-half I watched, this is an extremely well-made film, with terrific acting and a quite interesting story. Lead actor David Julian Hirsch may well remind you of Hugh Grant. I always enjoy watching Elliot Gould's performances and Andrew Martin (whom I fondly remember from SCTV) fits her part very well, too.

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Based on the acclaimed best-seller by Mordecai Richler, winner of the prestigious Governor General's Award
Growing up in an anti-Semitic neighborhood, Jake (David Julian Hirsh) has always been terrified of conflict. But when his rebellious cousin Joey (Jacob Tierney) arrives, he finds in him an unexpected role model. Inspired by Joey\'s exploits and adventures, Jake leaves behind his oppressive youth and becomes a successful film director. After marrying the girl of his dreams, he has everything he ever wanted – until a scandal threatens to ruin it all.

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Blue Murder: Set 3 (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Blue Murder, Set 3,"debuts on DVD, available on this side of the pond for the first time. The show, a crime drama/police procedural, leavened with some sly humor, and a domestic side, is made by the British firm Independent Television (ITV)and is a ratings hit in the U.K.,where it consistently ranks #1 in its primetime slot.
Caroline Quentin ("Jonathan Creek," "Men Behaving Badly,"), an award-winning actress, plays Detective Chief Inspector Janine Lewis, and reveals that she's got solid dramatic chops, as well as comic ones. She supervises a squad in the contemporary English midlands city of Manchester; but she's also a single mum of four, who finds it equally difficult to supervise goings-on in her own home. Ian Kelsey ("Casualty") plays her handsome lead detective, source of some romantic and professional stress. Nicholas Murchie stands out as Detective Schapp.
The series inevitably will be compared to Helen Mirren's "Prime Suspect," although the mysteries in this series are lighter than, not as powerful as, some in the other series. However, the three new mysteries are set in Manchester, and filmed there: it's a bustling town we don't often get to see. And it's been filmed with a liberal hand, no shortage of cars and people in the streets, bars, police station. The actors have been encouraged to use local accent and slang, which add greatly to the pleasure of the production, and the distributor, Acorn has been kind enough to give us - unadvertised - subtitles, thank goodness.
Episode 1, "Not A Matter of Life and Death," concerns the murder of black footballer Duane Kent, a rising star in the local youth league. Investigation seems to indicate that he led a - puzzling--double life.
Episode 2, "Desperate Measures," concerns Dr. Donald Halliwell, shot dead outside his office while in the midst of a much-publicized malpractice suit. Then a disgruntled intern in his practice turns up missing. Investigation shows irregularities in Halliwell's life, and practice, motives for murder.
Episode 3,"Crisis Management." We learn that DCI Lewis tells strangers-- in this case, a handsome army man met at a pub--that that's what she does. But there's almost immediately a vicious murder on his regiment's base, only a week before its deployment to the Persian Gulf. This episode has some strong character arcs, and traction.
If you like a lighter, female-headed, female-oriented mystery, with a domestic angle, and a sly streak of comedy, check it out.

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A single-mom cop who brooks no nonsense at home or on the job. When strangers ask Janine Lewis what she does for a living, she tells them, "crisis management." And she’s not kidding. As detective chief inspector, she supervises a squad of cops investigating some of Manchester’s most brutal, highly publicized crimes. As a single mom, she wrestles with soccer practices, field trips, and schoolwork for her four children. She handles her daily crises with energy and aplomb, protecting her kids as well as the detectives under her command with a fierce maternal affection.Award-winning actress Caroline Quentin (Jonathan Creek, Men Behaving Badly) portrays Janine with the perfect combination of toughness and tenderness.And Ian Kelsey (Casualty) brings a subtle vulnerability to his role as DI Richard Mayne, the lead detective on Janine’s team. These tense, tightly plotted mysteries show the everyday trials and triumphs of a woman balancing career and family. DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE behind-the-scenes documentary and cast filmographies.

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New Tricks: Season Two (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)My husband and I really enjoyed season one and preordered season two on Amazon. We were not disappointed and as a matter of fact, found this series even better than the first. A female police officer has been disgraced and sent to run a cold case unit. She is able to bring on board some retired police detectives to help her as consultants. The batch she is finally able to persuade to join her are some very quirky former and now retired coppers. The chemistry between the actors is very good and the mysteries are well plotted. This is a 'light' set of mysteries. The second season allows for further character development which only increases the viewer's pleasure. This series is highly recommended.
****We are hoping that BBC will soon release the other seasons on dvd.****

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The second season of the BBC's comic whodunit, New Tricks, arrives on DVD 1/19! They might not look like a team of crack detectives, but once veteran coppers Lane, Standing, Halford, and their bullish boss Pullman get their (false) teeth into their cold cases, things heat up pretty quickly.With old-school detective work and a little state-of-the-art forensics, the veterans unearth a range of baffling crimes including the murder of a lawyer, a racially motivated attack on an Asian bride, and a mysterious unidentified human torso.Will they succeed where others have failed?Or will the burden of all the years begin to weigh down on them?After all, we all have to grow old sometime.

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Foyle's War: Set Five (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Foyle's War, Set 5" is now being released to coincide with its Public Broadcasting Service television debut. It is the last of a British historical drama/police procedural series, created and largely authored by Anthony Horowitz (Agatha Christie's Poirot: The Definitive Collection; Midsomer Murders Set 12, for which he deserves our unstinting praise and thanks. It's been just superb, as each episode has combined a mystery, most of them reasonably strong; and solid history, insights into the little-known problems and domestic scandals of the British homeland during the years of World War II. This set of three all new feature-length episodes brings the story to 1945, as the war finally winds down, and Foyle and his team do their best to prepare for uncertain futures. And, thank goodness, the set has been closed captioned.
Michael Kitchen (Out of Africa;Reckless) has played the title character, police detective Foyle, with distinction since its premier on PBS in February, 2003. It has been Foyle's burden, although he would have much preferred to be more actively involved in the war effort, to investigate civilian crimes in the small, historic English seaside town of Hastings; a town obviously directly in the German line of fire. Kitchen has been quoted as saying he could see no future for a series to be entitled "Foyle's Peace:" thus, the series comes to an end.
Kitchen has received strong support from Anthony Howell (Shadowlands) as detective Paul Milner, and Honeysuckle Weeks (Falling) as his driver Samantha Stewart. Julian Ovenden (Cashmere Mafia - The Complete Series) has played Foyle's son. The three, approximately 100 minute episodes are:
Episode 1, "Plan of Attack." set in April, 1944. Milner's unyielding investigation of a transportation fraud has far-reaching consequences. They are most noticeable at a nearby, secret mapping facility; and an ecumenical religious conference, held at Hastings, that is considering the historical question of the morality of the continued Allied bombing of Germany. Featuring Michael Jayston (Nicholas and Alexandra); this is an estimable episode.
Episode 2,"Broken Souls," set in October 1944. At a nearby psychiatric clinic treating troubled soldiers, a doctor's murder turns up a satisfying amount of skullduggery among patients and staff. It also complicates Foyle's friendship with Dr. Josef Novak, the Polish Jewish refugee who heads the clinic; illuminates the situation at homeland German prisoner of war camps, and considers the problems of soldiers returning home after years away. It features Phyllida Law (The Winter Guest; and Graham Crowden (Waiting for God - Season 1). Some may find this episode slow, but I found it very emotionally fulfilling.
Episode 3,"All Clear," set in May, 1945, as all Britain waits for formal announcement of war's end. Foyle is pressured into joining a high-level local committee to keep public order during the celebration to come. But that end comes too soon for two men; the one, a victim of a stabbing, the other, apparently a suicide. As has sometimes happened during this series, the villain is rather overt from the beginning. Still, a shameful, covered up wartime incident is exposed, and the problems of returning soldiers are considered, as are the problems of everyone wondering what they'll do in peacetime.
All good things must come to an end. Still, this series has been highly acclaimed and popular, on PBS and DVD. If you've been a loyal viewer, you might want to get your order in.


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Combining uncompromising historical accuracy with compelling mysteries, this acclaimed PBS series continues with three feature-length episodes. Michael Kitchen (Out of Africa) stars as DCS Christopher Foyle, investigating wartime crimes in an English coastal town.With the end of World War II slowly but inevitably approaching, Foyle and his fellow citizens learn the price of victory and face a peace that will transform their lives in unexpected ways.Also starring Anthony Howell and Honeysuckle Weeks, and featuring Nicholas Day, Malcolm Sinclair, Nicholas Woodeson, Duncan Bell, Julian Ovenden, Mark Bazeley, Julian Wadham, and Phyllida Law. THE MYSTERIES:
PLAN OF ATTACK-With the Hastings police force suffering attrition and low morale, Foyle comes out of retirement to probe the mysterious death of a cartographer from the Air Ministry office.
BROKEN SOULS-The murder of an ambitious young doctor at the local psychiatric clinic produces no shortage of suspects among the staff and patients, many of whom still experience the war’s horrors.
ALL CLEAR-With final victory expected any day, Hastings looks ahead to a radically different post-war life. But the end comes too soon for two men-one a murder victim, the other an apparent suicide. DVD SEPCIAL FEATURES INCLUDE making-of documentary, cast member reflections, notes on a real-life Foyle, and cast filmographies.

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The Last Detective - Series 4 (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)"The last detective. That's what you are, Dangerous -- the last detective I'll ever think of, unless it's a crap job, see? Then you'll be the first." -- Rob Spendlove as Detective Inspector Aspinall, The Last Detective: Series 1
The Last Detective is a very popular television series in England, and the first volume of the fourth series is just being released tomorrow. Peter Davison plays Constable "Dangerous" Davies, the lowest man on the totem pole inside the detective division of the Willesden constabulary.
Davies is the British Rodney Dangerfield, getting no respect from anybody, neither his colleagues, his wife, nor the people he meets in the course of his duties. The series title comes from Dangerous' boss at the cop shop, whom all call Gov, or Governor. Gov is arrogant, quick to criticize Davies, and just as quick to give Davies' colleagues the better assignments. Gov and Dangerous are constantly at loggerheads because, although Dangerous is the office's patsy, he's also usually the one who picks up on the clues that the others miss, and who follows up on things that should have been followed up on, but weren't. He's also inevitably the one who figures out the perpetrator of the crime of each of the episodes. But Dangerous still gets no respect.
It doesn't come up in the five episodes on this DVD, but there's a good chance that Dangerous got his name because he's dangerous mainly to himself, constantly getting into embarrassingly funny situations at least once per episode. In the opening episode, "Once Upon A Time On The Westway," less than five minutes into the action Dangerous is nearly impaled on the top of a fence he's trying to scale. One of the pointed iron bars manages to tear into his trousers and get him hung up, while the trio who broke into a produce warehouse pelt him with tomatoes, then run off, leaving him hanging there. Sixties and seventies rock music fans will recognize Roger Daltrey of The Who as one of the bad guys, a member of a criminal gang that Dangerous is investigating in connection with a diamond heist. The heist is overtaken by the gang boss being murdered in his own home, then the two cases merge into one.
The second episode, "Dangerous Liaisons," is the story of what seems to be an accidental death. It quickly becomes a murder investigation, which leads to a two-decades old snuff film that everybody is quick to label a fake. Of course it turns out otherwise, drawing Dangerous even deeper into the mystery when he discovers a body buried in the cellar. Dangerous, in spite of his sometimes apparent fecklessness, rapidly narrows the field of suspects. The investigation takes still another turn when the primary suspect quickly becomes the next victim.
The third episode, "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Willesden," opens with a vaudeville type act on stage in a seedy little club. As they're going through their routine, one of them falls dead onstage. Again, it's thought to be a natural causes death until Dangerous takes the time to read the autopsy. The list of suspects is long because, in spite of being into his sixties, the dead comedian had an address book full of women's names in every city on his circuit. Not only does he have a string of girlfriends of all shapes, sizes, and colors, many of them are married, which only broadens the suspect list. Since the method used in the murder was poisoned wine, which he drank onstage, the field narrows somewhat. But it isn't until the last few minutes of the show that somebody who hadn't been a prime suspect is uncovered, again due to Dangerous's efforts.
Episode four, "The Man From Montevideo," opens appropriately with Dangerous walking the small horse that he calls a dog, and being offered a new suit for a great price from the trunk of a man's car. When he shows his cop shop ID, the man takes off running. Dangerous gets his man, but during the chase the man's trunk is being picked clean, thereby blowing the arrest.
The real case for this episode begins right afterward, when the owner of a small fleet of limos gets his throat cut with a broken bottle. The episode closes with Dangerous and his buddy Mod chasing a sheep. In between is an attempted bribe, a bent cop, a threatening boss, and a secret about Mod. How we go from a slit throat to chasing a sheep on a football pitch is a story you'll have to watch. This particular episode was my favorite of the five.
The final episode is "Dead Peasant's Society," and it opens with Dangerous doing a good deed, getting called a pig by the woman he helped, and getting his coffee and sandwich pinched in the process. A typical day for our fearless hero. The real action begins with the very next scene, which takes place in the same type of venue as the last episode closed: on another soccer field. Blood is spilled again, this time by a ceremonial dagger; there's a secret society; Dangerous sees his wife suspiciously leaving the house early, then meeting a strange man on two occasions; and Dangerous's boss is stabbed, as well.
Overall this series is well written, imaginative, and with the right degree of comedy and confusion mingled in. Highly recommended. Special features include an interview with Peter Davison, a Leslie Thomas biography and booklist, and cast filmographies.


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Britain’s most bumbling but beloved detective Things are looking up for Detective Constable "Dangerous" Davies (Peter Davison, Doctor Who, At Home with the Braithwaites). Sure, he still gets the least promising cases in the Willesden constabulary. And he still gets little more than mockery from his colleagues. But his wife Julie (Emma Amos) has taken him back - even though she has to share a house with his quirky, freeloading chum, Mod(Sean Hughes, The Commitments). These five full-length mysteries feature first-rate guest stars, including Kenneth Cranham (Rome), Roger Daltrey (McVicar), and Leslie Phillips (Chancer). Each one rewards you with the gentle humor and captivating intrigue that you’ve come to expect from North London’s most doggedly unglamorous detective.DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE interview with Peter Davison, Leslie Thomas bio and booklist, and cast filmographies.

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The Mentalist: The Complete First Season (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)This TV show, in its first season, is, like "Life," a police procedural with lots of flavor--in this case, a former phony psychic who, years ago, talking insultingly about a serial killer on his psychic TV show.
The killer was watching the show, apparently, took offense, and proceeded to murder the guy's entire family.
After much soul searching, our hero quit his pseudoprofession and now works with a police agency doing for crimes what Gregory House does for his hospital--solving the cases no one else can solve. He uses his ability to read people and situations that stood him in good stead during his stint as a phony psychic.
Of course, like the cop in "Life" his merry, mischievous exterior conceals an iron core of permanent, near-psychotic rage. The Mentalist works with the police agency he works for in order to find the serial killer to killed his family, and he has told his boss there, in merry seriousness, that if/when he finds the guy, he will take him apart in a way Dexter (as in the HBO series) would admire.
All this is backstory. No spoilers, as I promised. There's considerable interaction with his boss, her boss, and the three person team that also works with the boss, and they're all competently played, seemingly pretty much credible as detectives.
So both this and "Life" have:
1. fine actor in the lead role--with "The Mentalist," Aussie heartthrob Simon Baker, who every woman appears to find irresistable (according to my wife).
2. multilayered plot, with an ongoing story arc on top of the case du jour, and evolving relationships among the team members.
3. light and shadow--lots of comic moments alongside very dark stuff indeed. In painting this would be called chiaroscuro (think Rembrandt paintings of interiors illuminated by candles).
If you like "Life" I'm certain you'll like "The Mentalist" even if the more run of the mill procedurals (all the CSIs for example) don't appeal to you. I'd also put "Bones" in this category FWIW.
And this is about as good as we can expect until Joss Whedon's next show shows up (presumably "Dollhouse" with Eliza Dushku, herself a master of chiaroscuro).


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"A mentalist is a master manipulator of thought and behavior." The mentalist is Patrick Jane (Simon Baker in an acclaimed performance), a celebrity psychic whose wife and child are viciously murdered by an elusive serial killer called Red John. Devastated, Patrick admits his paranormal act is fake, renounces his earlier life and uses his astonishing skills of observation and analysis – talents that made him appear psychically gifted – to bring killers to justice. At crime scenes across California, Patrick now helps an elite team of detectives break their toughest cases. But no matter how many criminals he catches, Patrick never forgets his central goal: Find Red John. And bring him down.

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Waking the Dead: The Complete Season One and Pilot Episode (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)I first saw this show on BBCAmerica about 6 years ago and was instantly a fan. I am a fan of shows such as CSI:, CSI:Miami, and had seen some of the Cold Case episodes. I do agree with the reviewer above that the episodes are a little slower than the shows here in the US, but Waking the Dead has such great actors and the characters really drive the storylines. Trevor Eve and Susan Johnston play off each other very well. Claire Goose, Will Johnston and Holly Aird who make up the rest of the team are equally compelling. Looking forward to more of this series making it to DVD here in the states. A little disappointed that there were no commentaries or extras but I'm not going to complain because it seem to take forever for British shows to make it on to Region 1 DVDs. Hopefully BBC/BBCAmerica can make that happen a bit more quickly.

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The Cold Case Unit, led by quick-tempered, no-nonsense copper DS Boyd (Trevor Eve), have assembled to re-examine "unsolvable" crimes with cutting-edge detection techniques. But the pressure is on for this mix of forensics, psychology and detective investigation to yield results.

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The Last Detective - Series 3 (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)I wrote a review for this set previously, but as I'd already gushed about season 2, I felt that was enough and I deleted my review (thanks Amazon for this feature). However, I've decided to re-post a review. This show started as a light detective series about a put-upon detective who was the last detective his boss would assign to an important case. The show has progressed nicely, though, to the point where, in season 3, Dangerous Davies, the Last Detective, is now the backbone of his department. His antagonistic co-workers and goofy buddy Mod have slid to the side, his boss is facing personal demons, and his wife is beginning, perhaps?, to see the strength in Peter Davison's character. No longer really a laughingstock, Dangerous in this season shows himself a capable detective and a strong character upon whom others may rely. Good shows keep getting better in their early years, and the Last Detective is such a show. It is a gratifying tonic to the increased violence and explicit nature of cop and detective shows now appearing in both the USA and Britain. Great stuff, and on my short list of favorites, along with Rumpole, Due South (seasons 1 & 2), Dead Like Me, Wonderfalls, Briscoe County, and Yes (Prime) Minister. Shows about good people doing the right thing and finding strength inside their fallible selves.

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Beleaguered by life and belittled by his colleagues, "Dangerous" Davies (Peter Davison, Doctor Who, All Creatures Great and Small) cracks four all-new cases in the detective series that has delighted legions of loyal fans. These newest full-length mysteries find Davies still slogging along in the Willesden constabulary, with promotion no more than a pipe dream. He’s still sharing a flat with Mod (Sean Hughes, The Commitments), the oddest of odd ducks. And he’s still trying to rekindle a romantic spark with his estranged wife, Julie (Emma Amos). On the job, Dangerous always gets the cases no one else wants-and no one notices when he eventually succeeds. You’ll surely notice, though, as you chuckle at the foibles of the screen’s most endearingly disrespected detective.DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE Leslie Thomas bio and booklist, and cast filmographies.

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Blue Murder: Set 2 (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Blue Murder, Set 2,"a crime drama/police procedural, chronicles the doings of a Manchester-based contemporary female British detective who's both a top cop and a single mum to four. It was made by British Independent Television (ITV), and is a ratings hit in the United Kingdom, but has not yet been broadcast here. It is, inevitably, reminiscent of Helen Mirren's Prime Suspect 1; though the mysteries tend to be somewhat kinder and gentler.
In the lead role, DSI Janine Lewis, Caroline Quentin(Jonathan Creek - Season One, Men Behaving Badly - The Complete Collection (The Original British TV Series)) gets a chance to prove herself a substantial actress, as well as a talented comedienne. In her job, she faces drive-by shootings, abducted children, and police corruption; at home, the, praises be, no longer all that young, nor all that slim, detective interviews nanny candidates, and attempts to comfort her bullied young son. Ian Kelsey ("Casualty") co-stars as her second in command, handsome DI Richard Mayne; he provides romantic and sometimes professional tension. And as Detective Schapp, Nicholas Murchie turns in particularly flavorful performances. The series is filmed on location in Manchester, a busy Midlands city that we don't get to see much of here, and it looks good. Enough extras have been hired so that the city bustles as it should, too. The actors have been encouraged to trot out their Manchester accents, which add a lot of atmosphere to the productions, and, thankfully, Acorn Media has added unadvertised subtitles, so that we can actually follow what's happening, local slang and all. However, the series' direction could be tightened a bit; the actors sometimes tend to stand around, posing.
In Episode 1, "The Spartacus Thing," we meet a fairly dysfunctional family. Mrs. Hickson has killed her husband's dog: he has strangled her with a dog chain, and served only eighteen months for it. Upon his release, he is strangled in strikingly similar fashion. Fifteen members of his dead wife's family confess to the murder. This episode piles up the most unlikely events to reach a conclusion.
Episode 2, "Make Believe," concerns three-year old Sammy Wray, who apparently vanishes into thin air from a neighborhood playground. Soon, the body of a child of similar age turns up nearby, wrapped in a sheet in a drainage tunnel. The plot's tight, has some good twists and turns, is emotionally involving, and will keep most viewers' attention.
Episode 3, "In Deep," follows a group of four college friends who used to fish together at a nearby lake, where the body of a man eventually identified as Mickey Day, small-time crook and drug dealer, is found. Now someone's picking off the college friends, one by one. This episode, too, must pile up the most unlikely events to reach conclusion.
Episode 4, "Steady Eddie," tells the story of Eddie Carter, popular copper's cop, who preferred walking the beat to climbing the slippery ladder of departmental promotion. When a jewelry heist goes wrong, and Carter is killed in a drive-by shooting, Janine and her team are forced to investigate him, and find out some things about him that they'd rather not have. Again, an absorbing mystery, with plenty of twists and turns.
Now, I'm not sure who's been asking for kinder, gentler British mysteries; surely, not me. I find Hetty Wainthropp Investigates - Complete Collection acceptable, because, after all, the title character is played by Patricia Routledge, better known as our Hyacinthe Bucket, from the hilarious Britcom Keeping Up Appearances: The Full Bouquet. And Rosemary & Thyme - The Complete Series works, because you've got those lovely gardens to look at, and the female leads are both, also, apt and talented comediennes. However, if you like female-headed, female-oriented, mysteries, and prefer them softer-edged, this may just be your cuppa.


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A top cop dedicated to her job and devoted to her family. On the job, Janine Lewis deals with drive-by executions, decomposed bodies, and abducted children. At home, she interviews nannies, schedules parent-teacher conferences, and bolts breakfast on the run. Such is the life of a Detective Chief Inspector on the Manchester police force who also happens to be a single mum raising four kids. Caroline Quentin (Jonathan Creek, Men Behaving Badly) brings sensitivity, passion, and wry humor to her role as a woman balancing the demands of a high-risk, high-profile profession with the need to nurture her high-maintenance family. Ian Kelsey (Casualty) co-stars as DI Richard Mayne, Janine's sexy second in command - a source of romantic and sometimes professional tension on their tight-knit team.In four taut crime dramas, Blue Murder realistically depicts the everyday toils and triumphs of police work alongside the insistent tug of family life for a single mother. DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE text interviews with stars Caroline Quentin and Ian Kelsey and cast filmographies.

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Rebus - Set 3 (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Rebus Set 3," as seen on BBC America, is newly-released. It was made by Britain's Independent Television (ITV), although it's being seen on the BBC channel on these shores. Like the others in this superb series, it's a police procedural excellently filmed in Edinburgh, though not the bits of it with which tourists are familiar. Furthermore, scenes, whether on the streets or in the police station, are crowded with people and cars, of correct-looking vintage, rushing around. The people have also apparently been encouraged to speak in the local dialect, which adds immeasurably to the engrossing "foreign" flavor of these productions; although the dialog might be impenetrable to those of us on these shores without the unadvertised subtitles thoughtfully provided by Acorn. The series is, of course, based on the Inspector Rebus novels, also set in Edinburgh, written by prize-winning, best selling Scottish author Ian Rankin. He's tipped by such of his colleagues as best-selling American crime novelist James Ellroy, as the progenitor and #1 practitioner of "tartan noir,"the Scottish adaptation of noir fiction: bloodier and more bloody-minded than the usual, boasting that scorching Scottish humor.
This series features four more taut offerings from the hit British series of crime thrillers, including "Resurrection Men," based on the Edgar-Award for Best Novel-winning book of the same name; and "The Naming of the Dead," based on the book of the same name that won the British Book Award for Crime Thriller of the Year. Also"Knots and Crosses," based on an earlier book, the first Rebus novel, published in 1987 to great critical acclaim. And "The First Stone," apparently an original screenplay using Rankin's characters.
These characters continue to be played by the excellent cast assembled for post-John Hannah productions: admired television actor Ken Stott, man of a thousand faces, in the title role, that of Detective Inspector Rebus. Claire Price as his earnest, ambitious partner Detective Sergeant Siobhan Clarke. And Jennifer Black as Detective Chief Superintendent Gillian Templer, Rebus's boss, and one of his many former lovers. Black's character appears to have beefed-up parts in this series -- and good for her -- though it looks to me as if she and Price are having trouble with the wardrobe department: the ones they've been given are dowdy, and quite meager. It's a good thing they're not making "Sex and the City."
"Resurrection Men" has been just about totally rewritten from the book; that's probably just as well; as many people complained the latter was confusing. "The First Stone," an original script, is a riveting, gutsy attack on the Church of Scotland. "The Naming of the Dead" has also been largely rewritten from the book; also, undoubtedly, just as well, as many readers complained about that book,too. Finally," Knots and Crosses" is excellently done. It features actor Nicholas Farrell, who's virtually grown-up on TV and movie screens before us, as its villain.
In "The First Stone," when Templer is asked how she sleeps at night, with the things she's been forced to see as a cop, she answers, "a wee dram." If you're watching this exciting series at night, you just might need similar help.


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As Seen on BBC America Four gripping mysteries:
Resurrection Men
The First Stone
The Naming of the Dead
Knots and Crosses In Detective Inspector John Rebus, the hero of Ian Rankin’s bestselling crime novels, Ken Stott (Charlie Wilson’s War, Casanova, Messiah) has found what critics call "a role he was born to play."Incorrigible, insubordinate, and deeply troubled, the hard-drinking Scottish detective plays by his own rules, hounding down murderers in modern-day Edinburgh with a single-mindedness that his superiors barely tolerate. Rebus’s partner, Detective Sergeant Siobhan Clarke (Claire Price, Poirot: The Hollow, Twelfth Night), learns from him even while she covers for him.These four grim, hard-boiled mysteries-including those based on Resurrection Men (Edgar Award®, Best Novel) and The Naming of the Dead (British Book Award, Crime Thriller of the Year)-show Rebus at his wiliest and most willful. DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE Ian Rankin biography and cast filmographies.

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