PLEASE NOTE: Michael D's is currently in READ ONLY MODE. Anything submitted will simply not be written to the database.
Lots of stuff is still broken, but at least reviews can now be looked up and read.
PLEASE NOTE: Michael D's is currently in READ ONLY MODE. Anything submitted will simply not be written to the database.
Lots of stuff is still broken, but at least reviews can now be looked up and read.
Father Brown (2013)

Father Brown (2013)

If you create a user account, you can add your own review of this DVD

Released 4-Sep-2013

Cover Art

This review is sponsored by
BUY IT

Details At A Glance

General Extras
Category Mystery None
Rating Rated M
Year Of Production 2013
Running Time 450:00
RSDL / Flipper Dual Layered
Multi Disc Set (3)
Cast & Crew
Start Up ?
Region Coding 4 Directed By Ian Barber
Dominic Keavey
Matt Carter
Studio
Distributor

Roadshow Home Entertainment
Starring Mark Williams
Case ?
RPI ? Music Debbie Wiseman


Video Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame None English Dolby Digital 5.1
Widescreen Aspect Ratio 1.78:1
16x9 Enhancement
16x9 Enhanced
Video Format 576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio 1.78:1 Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures No
Subtitles English for the Hearing Impaired Smoking No
Annoying Product Placement No
Action In or After Credits No

NOTE: The Profanity Filter is ON. Turn it off here.

Plot Synopsis

     The Father Brown Mysteries are a set of 50 or more short stories written by G.K Chesterton in the early 1900s. They have been adapted for television a few times including a Kenneth More series in the 1970s. The BBC has re-adapted these stories into a new series of mysteries set in the Cotswolds in the 1950s, which is obviously not their original setting. The adaption modernises the stories somewhat whilst still retaining a historic setting. It is my understanding that these episodes are not directly based on the stories.

     Father Brown (Mark Williams) is a Catholic priest in a small English village who besides caring for his flock also has a knack for solving mysteries much to the annoyance of the local police detective, Inspector Valentine (Hugo Speer). He is a gentle, compassionate and caring priest who uses logic to investigate crimes. His regular sidekicks are the parish secretary, Mrs McCarthy (Sorcha Cusack) and local aristocrat, Lady Felicia (Nancy Carroll). This series is similar in some ways to Midsomer Murders or Miss Marple with mysteries involving local residents, nuns, oddball religions and other local institutions. The excellent addition here is a sense of humour aided by the wonderful performance of Mark Williams who is a comic actor. My only criticism is that sometimes the stories feel a little rushed to fit the 45 minutes length of the episodes, 60 or more minutes may have allowed the stories to be told in a little more detail.

     The settings are picturesque and stories interesting. Roadshow is releasing the full series of 10 episodes on this three DVD set.

     Recommended.

Don't wish to see plot synopses in the future? Change your configuration.

Transfer Quality

Video

     The video quality is very good.

     The series is presented in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio which is the original aspect ratio. It is 16x9 enhanced.

     The picture was quite clear and sharp throughout. Shadow detail was good.

     The colour is very good showing off the beautiful countryside where the show is shot.

     Artefacts were restricted to some jagged edges and a little aliasing.

     There are subtitles in English for the Hearing Impaired which are clear and easy to read.

    There are no obvious layer changes during the episodes.

Video Ratings Summary
Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

     The audio quality is very good.

    The discs contain an English soundtrack in Dolby Digital 5.1 with a surprising amount of surround presence.

     Dialogue was generally easy to understand and clear.

     The orchestral music sounds great and fits the show well.

     The surround speakers are well used for a television show providing lots of immersion and atmospherics plus extra body to the music.

     The subwoofer supported the music.

Audio Ratings Summary
Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Extras

    No Extras

Menu

    The menu featured music but was pretty basic otherwise.

R4 vs R1

NOTE: To view non-R4 releases, your equipment needs to be multi-zone compatible and usually also NTSC compatible.

    This show is only available locally at this stage.

Summary

    Another entertaining mystery series from the BBC.

    The video quality is very good.

    The audio quality is very good.

    No extras.

Ratings (out of 5)

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall

© Daniel Bruce (Do you need a bio break?)
Thursday, September 05, 2013
Review Equipment
DVDSONY BDP-S760 Blu-ray, using HDMI output
DisplaySharp LC52LE820X Quattron 52" Full HD LED-LCD TV . Calibrated with Ultimate DVD Platinum. This display device is 16x9 capable. This display device has a maximum native resolution of 1080p.
Audio DecoderBuilt into amplifier. Calibrated with Ultimate DVD Platinum.
AmplificationMarantz SR5005
SpeakersMonitor Audio Bronze 2 (Front), Bronze Centre & Bronze FX (Rears) + Sony SAW2500M Subwoofer

Other Reviews NONE