Coupling-Series 4 (2004) |
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Coupling-Series 4 (2004) |
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| General | Extras | ||
| Category | Comedy |
Main Menu Animation Featurette-Documentary - From Script To Screen Outtakes-Jack Davenport (Actor) |
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| Rating |
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| Year Of Production | 2004 | ||
| Running Time | 226:47 | ||
| RSDL / Flipper | Dual Layered | Cast & Crew | |
| Start Up | Menu | ||
| Region Coding | 4 | Directed By | Martin Dennis |
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Studio
Distributor |
 Roadshow Home Entertainment |
Starring |
Jack Davenport Gina Bellman Sarah Alexander Kate Isitt Ben Miles Richard Coyle |
| Case | Amaray-Transparent-Secure Clip | ||
| RPI | $29.95 | Music |
Simon Brint Mykola Pawluk John Connor |
| Video | Audio | ||
| Pan & Scan/Full Frame | None | English Dolby Digital 2.0 (192Kb/s) | |
| Widescreen Aspect Ratio | 1.75:1 | ||
| 16x9 Enhancement |
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| Video Format | 576i (PAL) | ||
| Original Aspect Ratio | 1.75:1 | Miscellaneous | |
| Jacket Pictures | No | ||
| Subtitles | None | Smoking | Yes |
| Annoying Product Placement | No | ||
| Action In or After Credits | No | ||
This is the fourth series of the hit BBC comedy Coupling. First produced in March 2000, and with an estimated audience of 2.6 million viewers, the series is set around the lives of six individuals and their relationships with each other. It could best be described as a combination of Friends (but much sharper, sexier and funnier) and Men Behaving Badly. After its introduction, the series went from success to success and in December 2003 was awarded the best TV Comedy at the 14th annual British Comedy Awards. The main characters are: Steve Taylor (Jack Davenport - This Life, The Pirates of the Caribbean), Susan Walker (Sarah Alexander - Smack the Pony), Patrick Maitland (Ben Miles - Peak Practice, Cold Feet), Sally Harper (Kate Islett - Is it Legal), Jane Christie (Gina Bellman - Silent Trigger), and Oliver Morris (Richard Mylan).
To give the plots away would be to spoil the comedy associated with the difficult sex lives of the characters; however, a brief overview of the six episodes follows:
Episode One: Nine and a Half Minutes: The character of Oliver is introduced as a blind date for Jane. Oliver is mistaken for Jane's gynaecologist by Steve and Sally. Patrick tries to leave Sally for a boy's weekend of golf in Portugal.
Episode Two: Night Lines: Steve has nightmares about being executed. A phone call that never dies. Patrick's "cupboard of love" is further explored.
Episode Three: Bed Time: Answering the two eternal questions - why do women like to snuggle like hairy inquisitive sex octopuses, and why isn't Patrick allowed to go home? Oliver has nipple problems.
Episode Four: Circus of the Epidurals: A surprise reunion at the ante-natal class brings the lesbian spank inferno dinner from hell flooding back to Steve.
Episode Five: The Naked Living Room: Jane invites herself over to Oliver's flat. However, Oliver's living room has lost the battle with pornography. Will Jane disapprove?
Episode Six: Nine and a Half Months: Sally's determined to find out if Jane's on tape in Patrick's cupboard. Steve goes through the joys of childbirth. Jane gives Patrick a critique of his sexual techniques.
The video quality on this disc is excellent and is what should be expected given that it is taken from a digital source.
The transfer is presented in an aspect ratio of 1.77:1 and is 16x9 enhanced.
Sharpness levels are superb with strong shadow detail, and are basically flawless.
Colours are vibrant and real.
There is no grain or pixelization and no artefacts evident in this transfer.
Overall this is a transfer of high quality.
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The audio transfer is of the same high standard as the video. We are given a solitary English Dolby Digital 2.0 surround track.
As is to be expected with a comedy series the episodes are heavy with dialogue. The sound holds up very well and even conversations in night clubs with music backgrounds are clear. There were no problems comprehending dialogue, and there are no audio sync anomalies to speak of.
Surround channel usage is minimal (commensurate with a dialogue-heavy show), with little in the way of directional effects.
Subwoofer use is minimalist but adequate.
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NOTE: To view non-R4 releases, your equipment needs to be multi-zone compatible and usually also NTSC compatible.
The Region 1 version contains additional deleted scenes, an interview with Richard Mylan (Oliver) and cast biographies. On the basis of additional extras the Region 1 disc must be given the vote on a technicality. However, fans of this series who have the Region 4 Series 3 set (two discs) will already have the cast biographies, so there does not really appear to be a valid reason why you shouldn't stick with Region 4.
Fans of this series will particularly enjoy this disc. Unfortunately, word from the United Kingdom is that writer Steven Moffat has said there will be no season 5, so this disc is the final outing for the coupling gang and is a "must buy" for fans. For viewers who have not seen this BBC series prior to this disc I would expect that once they have stopped laughing they will try to obtain discs of series 1, 2 and 3. This disc is a must for lovers of good quality English comedy.
| Video | |
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| Extras | |
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| Review Equipment | |
| DVD | Pioneer DV-535, using Component output |
| Display | LG 76cm Widescreen Flatron Television. Calibrated with Video Essentials. This display device is 16x9 capable. |
| Audio Decoder | Sony HT-K215. Calibrated with Video Essentials. |
| Amplification | Sony HT-K215 |
| Speakers | fronts-paradigm titans, centre &rear Sony - radio parts subbie |