Michael GiltzFreelance writer GET UPDATES FROM MICHAEL GILTZ Read more Star Trek , UK TV , Bluray , Crime-Shows , Doctor Who , Dvds , Mysteries , Tv , EntertainmentNews2200DVDs: Ripper Street, Borgen, Foyle'sWar and More Great TV Great TV keeps flooding the DVD shelves because great TV is all over the airwaves.</p><p> Here's arundown of some recent releases.</p><p> Now if only someone could deliver some great sitcoms....(Archer excepted, of course.) Like51 Posted: 03/29/2013 5:29 pm SHARE THIS STORY Like5Send Submit this storyRIPPER STREET ($29.99 DVD; BBC) -- One of the more entertaining and frustrating showsof the past year.</p><p> Ripper Street has a strong cast and is just good enough to make you expect itto be a lot better.</p><p> Our hero is Inspector Reid (Matthew Macfadyen), a man who must deal withcrime in the East End after Jack The Ripper has taunted police and shamed them to the public.Jerome Flynn does yeoman's work as his no-nonsense sidekick but Adam Rothenberg stealsthe show as the impossibly knowledgable Captain Homer Jackson.</p><p> So what's the problem? Thecases become a little silly, Reid is constantly steamrolling over everyone by thinking thatyelling is a response to questions and Jackson really is absurdly multi-talented in a way thatwould shame Da Vinci.</p><p> Logic also went out the window at the finale.</p><p> But I did keep watching.BORGEN SEASON ONE ($49.99 DVD; MHz Networks) -- A superior drama, sort of a WestWing set in Denmark.</p><p> Borgen follows the fortunes of Birgitte Nyborg, the first female head ofher country.</p><p> Played by Sidse Babett Knudsen with immense intelligence and appeal, Birgitte isa compelling character who proves steely without sacrificing her values (too much).</p><p> She's gotan idealized husband at home but you don't begrudge it since work can be so hard.</p><p> Politicalmachinations are more fun than criminal intrigue, but the subplot of a rising TV journalist hasa lot of play and is the main reason the show doesn't reach absolute greatness.</p><p> Johan PhilipAsbaek is excellent as a spin doctor among a generally excellent cast.</p><p> I'm sure we'll be seeingmany of them for years to come.</p><p> The show has already aired three seasons and called it a day,so here's hoping we won't have to wait long for season two.VEEP COMPLETE FIRST SEASON ($49.99 BluRay; HBO) -- Well, there aren't a lot oftruly great comedies out right now, but there are some fun ones.</p><p> Watching Julia Louis-Dreyfusbalance self-effacement, raging political ambition, cynicism and caustic humor is a genuinepleasure.</p><p> Compare this to the godawful 1600 Penn and you'll never take it for granted.</p><p> It's notYes, Minister, but it is fun.</p><p> MURDOCH MYSTERIES SEASONS 1-4 ($149.99 DVD: Acorn) MURDOCH MYSTERIES SEASON 5 ($59.99 DVD: Acorn) MISS FISHER'S MURDER MYSTERIES SERIES 1 ($59.99 DVD; Acorn) A MIND TO KILL COMPLETE COLLECTION ($79.99 DVD; Acorn) -- Eventually, everycountry -- indeed every city and town and neighborhood and time in history -- will have itsown distinctive TV series.</p><p> Canada has Murdoch Mysteries, a genial crime of the week showthat is dubbed correctly as a Victorian CSI, though that doesn't quite capture the show's periodcharm, which is far lighter than the grim CBS procedural.</p><p> It wavered a bit at first with forcedreferences to the latest inventions (a telephone! electricity!) but soon found its footing.</p><p> Forthose who lean more towards British cozys.</p><p> In Melbourne Australia, Essie Davis has fun as theliberated Phyrne Fisher (you can see why they dropped her first name from the title).</p><p> She's a1920s flapper in Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries who thinks it's awfully fun to solve a crimeand right wrongs and so on, as long as you can look marvelous doing it.</p><p> Light fare, served uppleasantly and decent enough to make me want to check out the books by Kerry Greenwoodthat it's based on.</p><p> Finally, Wales has the sober, dark series starring Detective Noel Bain (PhilipMadoc).</p><p> It's a tough, brutal world Bain operates but he maintains his humanity.</p><p> The tourismboard probably isn't thrilled with it, but mystery fans will be.DOCTOR WHO: THE ARK IN SPACE ($34.99 DVD; BBC)STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE SEASON ONE ($119.99 BluRay; Paramount)JOHNNY SOKKO AND HIS FLYING ROBOT ($39.99 DVD: Shout) -- Sci-fi TV showshave such ardent fans, it's hard to let a franchise die.</p><p> Doctor Who has the perfect excuse of aDoctor who jumps into new bodies (and thus new actors) when the old one is worn out.</p><p> That'swhy it has been around for decades with no signs of flagging.</p><p> Still, Tom Baker is one of thegreat Doctors and this multi-arc adventure from 1975 shows why.</p><p> As usual, the BBC hasloaded up the release with tons of supplementary info.</p><p> But as usual I long for a complete boxedset devoted to Baker and each of the other Doctors, rather than this endless parceling out.Expensive, but they do add a lot of value.</p><p> Star Trek's many reboots have arguably topped theoriginal (TNG, obviously).</p><p> This prequel is a bit of a disappointment because it was such a freshidea to follow the team on their maiden voyages when technology was riskier -- it's like thedifference between crossing the ocean with Columbus and crossing the ocean on the QE II.Sadly, this Scott Bakula-headed show never made the most of this idea.</p><p> Finally, Johnny Sokkoonly lasted for one season in Japan but it was edited into dubbed episodes for the US andrepackaged and aired in reruns so often it seemed like it was a bigger hit.</p><p> Those who can't letgo to their childhoods will welcome this antiquated blast from the past.</p><p> Just don't show it toyour kids; chances are they're too sophisticated to enjoy its creaky charms.</p><p> THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW: THIS TIME TOGETHER ($59.99 DVD; StarVista) -- Ittook a long time but they're doing everything right with The Carol Burnett Show this timearound.</p><p> They got all the music rights and released complete uncut episodes in a massive boxedset filled with extras.</p><p> Now they're releases individual boxed sets pulled from that mammothrelease for those who'd like to dive in but aren't ready for the whole megillah.</p><p> That's exactlywhat you should do with classic shows: release the entire series and then follow it with agreatest hits or individual seasons.</p><p> Too often it's done the other way around with fanssnapping up individual seasons and then being forced to buy a boxed set to get some newextras.</p><p> This particular 6 DVD set contains 17 uncut episodes featuring guests like Lily Tomlin,Bernadette Peters and Sammy Davis Jr.</p><p> They've got solid extras though it's the skits Igravitated too, such as the "No-Frills Airline" but I remembered vividly the moment it startedplaying, along with parodies and new editions of As The Stomach Turns, The Family and soon.</p><p> Good stuff.</p><p> SHAKESPEARE UNCOVERED ($34.99 DVD; PBS) -- Six talented artists get to weigh inon Shakespeare's plays, focusing on a particular work of genre and discussing what makesthem great, the challenges and opportunities actors face and so on.</p><p> You just know it's PBS.</p><p> It'salso quite entertaining, though everyone is sure to have their favorite artist they gravitate to.Obviously, to get audiences in their seats the show features stars like Ethan Hawke onMacbeth, Jeremy Irons on Henry IV and Henry V, Joely Richardson on Twelth Night and AsYou Like It and so on.</p><p> But it's director Trevor Nunn on The Tempest that makes you hope theygo farther afield in future editions and draw upon other directors, writers, and behind thescenes talent to show how dramatically the right set and costumes and lighting can enliven awork.DANIEL DAY-LEWIS TRIPLE FEATURE ($24.99 DVD; BBC)DANIEL DAY-LEWIS: MY BROTHER JONATHAN ($24.99 DVD; BBC) -- What a treat.I think of Daniel Day-Lewis bursting onto the international scene when A Room With A Viewand My Beautiful Laundrette opened in New York City on the same day, announcing a raretalent.</p><p> But these releases show he had already been honing his craft on British television.</p><p> Thetriple feature is priced right and includes one movie written by Alan Bennett and directed byRichard Eyre and another written by J.B.</p><p> Priestly.</p><p> Clearly, Day-Lewis was spotted right fromthe start.</p><p> My Brother Jonathan is a 5-part miniseries co-starring Benedict Taylor.</p><p> Taylor playsthe golden child of his family while Day-Lewis feels ignored.</p><p> Look at that talented actor's worksince then and you can see just how hard it is to catch a break and make a career.</p><p> You'llappreciate anew how remarkable the career of Day-Lewis truly is.</p><p> THE BORGIAS SECOND SEASON ($65.99 BluRay; Showtime) -- It's tagline is "theoriginal crime family" but this soapy pleasure from Neil Jordan and overseen with grandmalevolence by Jeremy Irons is far better than The Sopranos in Rome.</p><p> Unlike Dexter and evenThe Tudors, it's been a little under the radar.</p><p> Season two improved mightily on season one andwith season three starting on April 14 and Irons destined for at least an Emmy nominationsoon, now is a good time to catch up.LOVE FOR LEON: A BENEFIT TO SAVE THE BARN ($34.99 DVD; StarVista) -- I nevermade it to upstate New York to catch the concerts at the Barn, where Levon Helm wouldpreside over a festive evening of fun.</p><p> This tribute concert is a solid substitute, with John Mayerstanding out on guitar on several tunes, Lucinda Williams on "Whispering Pine" and thegeneral warm atmosphere appropriate to the title.</p><p> FOLLOW ENTERTAINMENT Sponsored Links LifeLock® Fraud ServicesLifeLock® Credit Alerts For Fraud Protect Against Identity Fraud.LifeLock.comFOYLE'S WAR: THE HOME FRONT FILES SERIES 1-6 ($149.99 DVD; Acorn) -- Isaved my favorite for last.</p><p> It may have stumbled a little after a brilliant start and foolishlydecided to end things too soon.</p><p> But this intelligent, entertaining show has an excellent cast,the creme of the crop of guest stars and above all an unwaveringly piercing, subtle anddownright brilliant performance by Michael Kitchen as Foyle.</p><p> Three new TV movies are beingbroadcast in the UK even as we speak. (They can't come to the US soon enough.) But those areset after the WW II when Cold War tensions and communist spies are on hand.</p><p> What we havehere are Foyle's wartime adventures, serving as a crime fighter at home when he'd rather bedoing his bit overseas.</p><p> Each episode illuminates some area of life in the UK during the war,such as rationing, the black market, Nazi sympathizers and so on.</p><p> It's one of the real treats ofthe past decade and the crowning achievement of creator Anthony Horowitz.</p><p> If you haven'tseen it yet, jump.*****Most titles listed here will be available in multiple formats and in multiple combinations,including DVD, Blu-ray, digital download, video on demand, streaming and the like.</p><p> Theformat listed is the format provided for review, not all the formats available.</p><p> It is often themost expensive version with the most extras.</p><p> Do check individual titles for availability in alltheir various guises and price points.Thanks for reading.</p><p> Michael Giltz is the co-host of Showbiz Sandbox, a weekly pop culturepodcast that reveals the industry take on entertainment news of the day and features topjournalists and opinion makers as guests.</p><p> It's available for free on iTunes.</p><p> Visit Michael Giltzat his website and his daily blog.</p><p> Download his podcast of celebrity interviews and his radioshow, also called Popsurfing and also available for free on iTunes.</p><p> Link to him on Netflix andgain access to thousands of ratings and reviews.Note: Michael Giltz is provided with free copies of DVDs and Blu-rays with theunderstanding that he would be considering them for review.</p><p> Generally, he does notguarantee to review and he receives far more titles than he can cover.</p><p> Follow Michael Giltz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/michaelgiltz Like89k GET ALERTSForm an LLC in 3 StepsForm a Limited Liability Company.</p><p> Featured by CNN and Entrepreneur.www.LegalZoom.com"No Cost" Scooters?Seniors 60+ who live in New York may qualify for a free mobility scooter…SmarterSeniorLifestyles.com Buy a link here 4 people are discussing this article with 4 commentsComments are closed on this entry.Highlighted Most Recent Oldest Most Faved hlisy15 Fans Fave Share31 Mar 10:24 PMFlagI enjoyed Ripper Street much more than the author.</p><p> Sure the forensics weremore developed than was possible historically, but in CSI, lab techs can arrestsuspects and get results in 10 mins.</p><p> Loved the historical feel, the acting, theclothing(lots of plaid) and the soundtrack.</p><p> Very much a sleeper hit but better than most American TV. jtraveler149 Fans Fave Share29 Mar 7:53 PMFlaglove ripper street!!!! lenuk1130 Fans Fave Share29 Mar 6:10 PMFlag"...BORGEN SEASON ONE A superior drama, sort of a West Wing set inHolland....".Denmark.In reply to: lenuk Michael GiltzSUPER USER·149 Fans·freelance writer Fave Share30 Mar 11:41 AMARTICLE AUTHORThanks.</p><p> The publicist had also caught my mistake and I corrected it rightaway. (At least I didn't say Greenland!) Geography was never my strongsuit.</p><p> But did you like the show?
