Blog Post: Great Father's Day Gift Ideas on DVD–The Best in British Television

With Father's Day around the corner, here are some thoughts for the man (or woman) who enjoys the best of the British imports that television has to offer.  These are some of my picks in DVD sets - all available from Acorn Media (www.AcornOnline.com):

FOYLE'S WAR

While WWII rages across the Channel, police detective Christopher Foyle (Michael Kitchen) reluctantly remains on duty in his quiet English coastal town, investigating crimes related to the conflict: murder, espionage, treason. This award-winning British series blends mystery with history, moral complexity, and period atmosphere. Complete collection of Sets 1-5 includes all 19 episodes seen on Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery! With Anthony Howell and Honeysuckle Weeks. Approx. 32 hours on 19 DVDs. CC. EXCLUSIVE ($127.99)

The huge hit dramedy currently airing on public television stations across the U.S., Doc Martin, Series 5, debuts on DVD from Acorn Media on June 5. From Akin to House and Northern Exposure, BAFTA Winner Martin Clunes (Men Behaving Badly, Shakespeare in Love, Reggie Perrin) stars in the series as a misanthropic, socially maladjusted doctor forced to relocate to a rustic seaside village, where he immediately clashes with the town’s eccentric citizens. Emmy^® winner Eileen Atkins (Cranford, co-creator of Upstairs, Downstairs) joins the cast in Series 5. The DVD 2-disc set includes eight episodes, plus 62-minutes of behind-the-scenes segments. Doc Martin is a huge hit in the U.K. with 10 million viewers, and its gaining momentum on public television; it’s the highest-rated program on KCET/Los Angeles. A sixth season will begin production in 2013. ($39.99)

I, CLAUDIUS

Winner of an Emmy® and numerous other awards, this riveting tale of ambition, debauchery, and intrigue remains one of the most popular and acclaimed dramas in Masterpiece Theatre history. The celebrated BBC series spans the history of the Roman Empire from Augustus through Claudius, a stuttering scholar who learns early to play the fool and stay alive. The DVD 5-disc set includes the complete 12 episodes, along with a bonus disc, featuring two feature-length documentaries, extended original versions of the first episodes, a new Derek Jacobi interview; SDH subtitles, and much more. ($59.99)

BATTLEFIELD DETECTIVES

Offering the secret history of 9 historic battles investigators re-create the conditions of history’s major battles using 3-D computer models, maps, artifacts, original footage, and dramatic reenactments. From the muddy fields at Hastings to the sweltering jungles of Vietnam, a variety of experts offer compelling new evidence on the wars that shaped the modern world. Produced in 2003, Battlefield Detectives aired on the History Channel. The 3-volume boxed set includes a 16-page viewer’s guide and biographies of major military leaders, among other bonus features. ($59.99)

Sandi Berg is also a freelance journalist and writes about television for several magazines including "Written By" (Writer's Guild of America), "Life After 50" and "Whole Life Times Magazine."