STACK NZ Mar #60

DVD & BD

BRITISH TV

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That's new in UK TV?

Release Date: 12/03/15 HINTERLAND

Format:

Nordic noir has been particularly popular in the UK so it’s not surprising that its influence has started to seep through to their own crime shows. Although this new BBC series sticks to the usual formula of standalone feature-length episodes, Hinterland certainly owes a debt stylistically to Scandinavian crime classics like The Killing . Much of that is down to the moody cinematography and fact that it is set in and around a small Welsh provincial town, which provides a (usually) bleak and windswept backdrop to the murder investigations (it was also shot simultaneously in Welsh and English, so it sort of counts as a foreign language series!). And the crimes

Although the Brits are more commonly associated with genteel whodunits, their crime shows are becoming increasingly darker. Here's five edgy police thrillers worth checking out. 5 Line of Duty The darker side of British policing comes under the microscope in this terrifically twisted thriller about a charismatic detective (Lennie James) under investigation by the anti-corruption unit. 4 The Fall The presence of 50 Shades of Grey ’s Jamie Dornan will be a big draw for many, but this unsettling serial killer thriller is Gillian Anderson’s show. Less a whodunit and more a chilling study in the banality of evil; both series are essential viewing. 3 Happy Valley English telly favourite Sarah Lancashire plays a smalltown cop whose quiet life is turned on its head by a kidnapping that rapidly spirals out of control. A compelling blend of gritty human drama and police procedural. 2 The Shadow Line Chiwetel Ejiofor and Christopher Eccleston head the cast of this mesmerising conspiracy thriller about drug-running and establishment corruption; writer Hugo Blick's latest The Honourable Woman is also well worth a look. 1 Broadchurch Tapping into the brooding atmospherics of Nordic noir, this haunting series about a community tearing itself apart over the murder of a young boy is one of the best crime TV shows ever made, period.

themselves are firmly rooted in reality: the body count is low and the killers tend to be ordinary people driven to desperate acts, not diabolical master criminals committing extravagantly-staged killings. There are no big names in the cast, but the performances can’t be faulted, with Richard Harrington excellent as the troubled DCI Tom Mathias back in the homeland after a stint in London. This first volume features four cases; a new season is due later this year.

Also out:

S ticking with police procedurals, this month also sees the welcome return of Foyle’s War , which has been running so long now that the Second World War is actually over. However, the makers have succeeded in breathing new life into the series by turning our deceptively mild- mannered hero (once again played with great subtlety by Michael Kitchen) into a spook.

a farewell at Avalon. As usual, there is an impressive roster of guest stars, plus a cameo from one-time regular Anthony Head. And there’s also fun to be had in spotting some familiar faces from Game of Thrones . The irreverent kids' series Horrible Histories remains one of the jewels in BBC’s crown, being both very funny and educational. The latest DVD brings together

With the Cold War in full swing, MI5 realise that some cases require good old- fashioned police work rather than Bond heroics, so the reluctant Foyle and his longtime aide (Honeysuckle Weeks) are co-opted into the secret service. Series 8 features three cases

some of their best specials, including Horrible Christmas , Ridiculous Romance and Frightful First World War ; if you’ve never seen the show before, this is an ideal introduction to its delights. Finally, BBC has assembled a starry collection of sci-fi icons

The Adventures of Merlin

for the splendid four parter The Real History of Science Fiction , which explores key genre tropes such as artificial intelligence, space exploration and robotics. Narrated by Mark Gatiss ( Sherlock ), the talking heads include TV favourites (David Tennant, William Shatner, Edward James Olmos), genre stars (Peter Weller, Keir Dullea, Rutger Hauer), directors (John Carpenter, Paul Verhoeven, Joe Dante), showrunners (Stephen Moffat, Ronald D. Moore) and writers (William Gibson, Neil Gaiman). A must for all sci-fi buffs.

involving Russian spy rings, double agents and Nazi war criminals; make the most of it as this looks as if it will be Foyle’s final outing. Also bidding farewell this month is the popular King Arthur and the Roundtable reboot The Adventures of Merlin , which put the young wizard (Colin Morgan) at the centre of story. Although the show has always played fast and loose with the legend, traditionalists will be pleased to discover that Series Five boasts a climactic showdown with the evil Morgana and Mordred, and

MARCH 2015 JB Hi-Fi www.jbhifi.co.nz

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