Lovejoy – The Complete Season Three (BBC Video)
Picture:
C Sound: C Extras: C- Episodes: C+
Based on
novels of the same name Lovejoy
chronicles our main hero Lovejoy (odd, I know) played by Ian McShane. The antique dealer turned detective is set up
as a disheveled, lower class man, who has a definite predisposition to the
drink. Supposedly heavily toned down
from the original novels, Lovejoy
projects more as ‘another stuffy British series’ than anything else. The acting is wonderful and well cast, even
the story arches are intriguing as well as exciting at times; but the series
can not help from feeling oddly outdated and too reserved for its own
good. The dreary and grittiness that the
series holds throughout feels fully unintentional and is just a commonality
that is observed in many British series of the day.
Since the
series ended Ian McShane has had an excellent career that is much better than
the series being reviewed here. McShane
has gone onto to do a fair bit of voice work in such films as The Golden Compass, Shrek the Third, and even the recent Kung-Fu Panda. His film and television career have also been
excellent with his work in such films as Sexy
Beast and the HBO series Deadwood
as Al Swearengen; for which he won a Golden Globe.
So from
the above it is easy to understand that the series shortcomings are not in plot
or acting ability, it is jus the overall presence and follow through of the
series that drags it down.
You can
read further opinions on the series at the links listed below:
Season One
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/5589/Lovejoy+%E2%80%93+The+Complete
Season Two
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/6509/Lovejoy+%E2%80%93+The+Complete
The
technical features have changed little for the series in the past Three
Seasons; remaining very drab and uninspiring.
The picture is once again presented in a 1.33 X 1 full screen image that
leans heavily on the blue and gray scale, with the flesh tones being slightly
off as well. The image continues to
overall remain soft on this filmed series and needs some serious
restoration. The sound is nothing to
write home about, but it is notable that the series was upgraded in this Third Season release to a Dolby Digital
Stereo track, yet it still remains to be weak, light, and unclear.
The
extras are minimal; offering an Ian McShane Looks Back featurette, as well as
an Alan Titchmarsh interview with Ian McShane.
Both extras did not impress this reviewer and the fans are probably
looking for more than just two simple interviews on a set that has such a built
in fan base.
Love and
joy are not two words that this reviewer would use to describe his feelings in
watching this drab British series; but many hold this series as a standard and
who am I to judge? Ian McShane is great
in the series and it is nice to see how his career has evolved. Now if we could only figure out his first
name?
- Michael P. Dougherty II
