SHERLOCK HOLMES

Sherlock Holmes, the creation of novelist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of the world’s greatest and most popular fictional detectives, as famous for his deerstalker and pipe as his legendary powers of observation and deduction. He is an aloof and private man driven by a fierce intellect that gives him astounding brilliance and unfathomable eccentricity in equal measure. The late Jeremy Brett, the definitive Holmes, stars in these beautiful adaptations taken from the classic ITV1 series and as ever Dr Watson is on hand as his indispensable assistant. Featuring guests appearances from stars such as John Thaw (Inspector Morse), Robert Hardy (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets), Natasha Richardson (Maid in Manhattan), Joss Ackland (Lethal Weapon 2), Peter Vaughan (Remains of the Day) and many more. This 16 disc boxset contains the entire Sherlock series.
Sherlock Holmes - Complete Collection [DVD]

OUT OF TOWN

Out of Town was a hugely successful series from Southern Television that ran for twenty-five years, each episode presented by Jack Hargreaves who, with his relaxed and amiable style, offered viewers a fascinating insight into the ways of rural life of years gone by, as well as the dwindling traditions and values of the people who inhabited a world devoid technology and who quite gratefully distanced themselves from the rat-race of modern life.
Out of Town - Vol. 9 [DVD]

COLDITZ

This classic series deals with Allied prisoners of war imprisoned at the supposedly escape-proof Colditz Castle during World War II, and their many attempts to escape captivity, as well as the relationships formed between the various nationalities and their German captors. One memorable episode portrays the attempts of a prisoner, Wing Commander Marsh (Michael Bryant), to get out of Colditz by feigning insanity. He succeeds, but is pushed to the limits of his sanity in the process…
Colditz - The Complete BBC Collection (with 5 Limited Edition Art Cards & Collector's Booklet) [DVD]

NEW TRICKS

A motley crew of retired police officers re-opens troublesome cases that were never laid to rest. Starring Alun Armstrong, James Bolam, Amanda Redman and Dennis Waterman, series two sees Lane, Standing, Halford and their bullish boss Pullman taking on more half-forgotten cases. Mixing nose-to-the-ground, old-school detective work with a fresh take on troublesome cases, the veterans investigate a range of unsolved crimes from the apparently racially motivated attack on a young Asian bride to the mystery of the unidentified torso found in a wood populated by wild boars. Will they succeed where others have failed? Or will the burden of all the years begin to weigh down on them? After all, they all have to grow old some time.
New Tricks : Complete BBC Series 1 [2003] [DVD]

STEPTOE AND SON

An absolute treasure trove for fans of classic British comedy, Steptoe and Son: Complete BBC Series Box Set unites every single episode from series one to eight of the show, along with a pair of Christmas specials too. That amounts to over 50 episodes of pure comedy gold, just waiting to be rediscovered. The situation of the sit-com is, of course, a father and son running their scrap metal business. But the ‘com’ comes in droves, starting from the wonderful pairing of Wilfred Brambell and Harry H Corbett in the leading roles. It’s hard to think of a finer piece of comedy pairing in a British television programme of this ilk, and their relationship is very much the core of what makes Steptoe and Son great. Is Steptoe and Son the best sit-com in British television history? Well, that’s open to debate. But what isn’t up for argument is that it’s certainly one of the very best, and thanks to this comprehensive boxset, it’s one that continues to live on and find its audience.
The Complete Steptoe & Son [DVD]

ASHES TO ASHES

This series is a spin-off to the time-travelling cop show Life on Mars. In Mars present day cop Sam Tyler, who is used to relying on offender profiling and forensics, finds himself in 1970s Manchester as the new officer on hard-man Gene Hunt's team. The past turns out to be a simpler time for cops when crimes are solved with big fists, fast cars and a copper's instinct. This led to plenty of entertaining stories that mixed drama and comedy in a seemingly effortless way that could have lasted for years, but sadly the series ended after two years and so Ashes to Ashes was born. A new character of Alex Drake goes back in time to join Hunt's team, this time in the 80s and in London. She again faces the problems Sam did of a culture clash between modern day policing methods and old style non-pc bluster.
Ashes to Ashes - Complete BBC Series 1-3 (New Packaging) [DVD]

SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM

Making its debut on ITV's opening weekend in 1955, Sunday Night at the London Palladium swiftly established itself as one of the weekly televisual highlights for the British viewing public. Gaining average viewing figures of 14 million and Top Ten placings almost every week, it is undoubtedly one of the main shows that helped establish commercial television in the UK. This DVD set released to celebrate the London Palladium's centenary - contains some of the best of what remains in the archives for the original run from the 1950s and '60s, with hosts including Tommy Trinder, Bruce Forsyth and Hughie Green. It also includes the special two-hander show from December 1961 that featured only Norman Wisdom and Bruce Forsyth.
Sunday Night at the London Palladium - Volume One [DVD]

CALLAN THE MONOCHROME YEARS

Unseen for nearly 40 years, the late Edward Woodward gives an electrifying performance as a reluctant professional killer working for British Intelligence in Callan The Monochrome Years, the drama that made him a household name and which won him a BAFTA award for Best Actor.
Callan - The Monochrome Years [DVD] [1976] [1967]

HANCOCK'S HALF HOUR

The label ‘comedy legend’ is, sadly, banded about with frequent abandon now, often rewarding those whose body of work hasn’t yet earned such words (if at all). Yet there’s little doubting the pedigree of Tony Hancock, one of Britain’s greatest comedy talents. And there’s no better place to enjoy his work than in The Tony Hancock BBC Collection. The set brings together a goldmine of Hancock’s television work, with the 37 episodes of Hancock’s Half Hour still in existence brought together. It should be stated that The Tony Hancock BBC Collection has little extra to entice those who have bought all the previously released Hancock DVDs. But for those with just a handful of those, or looking to start their collection, then this set is simply superb. A treat for fans of classic comedy young and old.
The Tony Hancock BBC Collection (8 Disc Box Set) [DVD]