| DVD Roundup October 2007
Rad in TV Land, Part 4
 More great television shows now
available without commercials on DVD:
The Last Detective (Acorn Media) ***1/2
One of the latest additions to Acorn Media’s exemplary
list of British detective shows, The Last Detective is based on the Dangerous
Davies novels by Leslie Thomas, and stars Peter Davison as Constable Inspector
"Dangerous" Davies. He’s called "Dangerous" as a joke -- when a
good case is assigned, Davies is at the bottom of the list of detectives available to work
it. His alcoholic boss, D.I. Aspinall (Rob Spendlove), tells Davies at the end of the
pilot episode that he’s called "the last detective" because he’s the
last Aspinall will ever call on. Consequently, Davies is given apparently insignificant
cases that usually end up as headline-grabbing murder investigations. He’s aided at
times by his eccentric friend, Mod (Sean Hughes), a jack of all trades who has a new job
in every episode. Davies’ sincerity and good-guy nature in an indecent and dangerous
contemporary world come across strongly -- he’s a winning character whom an audience
can root for, especially when his compatriots play nasty jokes on him. The show was
apparently shot in HD, and the widescreen image has excellent definition and color. The
sound is crisp, though the surrounds are used sparingly, if at all. Three seasons so far
have been issued on DVD, with the fourth still to be released.
Picket Fences (20th Century Fox) ****
This groundbreaking show aired from 1992 to 1996. Produced
and largely written by David E. Kelly, who was responsible for the current hit Boston
Legal, it’s set in the fictitious town of Rome, Wisconsin (though there are two
actual Romes in that state), where Jimmy Brock (Tom Skerritt) is sheriff; his wife, Jill
(Kathy Baker), is the town’s doctor. Brock’s two main assistants are his
deputies, Kenny Lacos (Costas Mandylor) and Maxine Stewart, called Max (Lauren Holly).
Though Rome would seem to be typical small-town America, it gets more than its share of
strange incidents, and the show moves so quickly that one is happier than usual to be rid
of the commercials. The Tin Man in a local production of The Wizard of Oz is
murdered, the police must apprehend a serial bather, a delusional Santa takes
hostages at the police station, a woman runs over her husband with a steam roller -- and
that’s only four episodes. Along the way, the show deals with such topics as
transsexuals, abortion, homosexuality, animal sacrifice, and the rights of Native
Americans. By deftly mixing humor and serious subjects, the scripts succeed in making
sincere points in a friendly way. On DVD, the first season boasts a sharp, color-rich
transfer and good stereo sound for the early 1990s. One hopes that Fox will soon release
the next season.
Prime Suspect (HBO, Acorn Media) ****1/2
Helen Mirren made a huge impression in the first season of Prime
Suspect, playing Jane Tennison. Thanks to six more seasons, we get to see Tennison age
and grow as a detective, and fall into a pit of alcoholism. By the final episode she has
become a Detective Superintendent while sporadically attending Alcoholics Anonymous
meetings. This tough show has never shied away from tackling the most difficult topics.
The first was, logically enough, about discrimination, as Tennison took control of what
had been a man’s world. The show went on to deal with pedophilia, racial hatred, and
alcoholism. Through the 15 years it took to get the seven series produced, Mirren
consistently gave performances that were worthy of Emmys (she won one for Season 4). The
supporting cast, inspired by their leader, also gave their best. The show was shot to look
deliberately gritty, with few vibrant colors. The sound is two-channel stereo, but you can
get a nice surround effect with Dolby Pro Logic II. This is the one detective show you
shouldn’t miss -- it’s the best. Alas, there will be no more new seasons, but
the complete set of seven is now available on DVD: the first six from HBO, the traumatic
and gripping final series from Acorn Media.
Prison Break (20th Century Fox) ***1/2
Though the plotline is different, Prison Break is
like 24 in that it ends each episode with a cliffhanger that hooks the viewer into
coming back for the next segment. Of course, viewing it on DVD, you can instantly find out
what happens without waiting, and the series is so addictive that you might finish it in
two or three nights. Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) has pretended to rob a bank so he
can be put in jail with his brother, Lincoln. The latter was falsely imprisoned when he
was used as a pawn by "The Company," a group that secretly controls the US by
getting officials elected who will comply with their agenda. An intrepid lawyer is working
outside to prove Lincoln’s innocence while Michael -- who has had blueprints of the
prison tattooed on his body -- plots their escape. The breakout crew increases its
personnel as various people find out about the plot and must be included to ensure their
silence. The prison scenes are rough, but not so violent as in HBO’s Oz. The
ensemble acting improves as the season progresses, and by the last six episodes is very
tight. On DVD, the widescreen image is sharp and clear, and the Dolby Digital 5.1 sound is
used effectively. There are abundant extras, including deleted scenes, production
featurettes (including one on the tattoos), and a documentary about the actual prison used
for location shooting. Two seasons so far have been released on DVD.
...Rad Bennett
radb@hometheatersound.com |
