A Truth Universally Acknowledged: The Brits Make Great Television

Unlike some of the unlettered commentators and hosts on the "History Channel" who utter a profound "Wow, cool!" every time they are confronted with some architectual wonder or historical artifact, Clark's presentation, scholarly but never "stuffy," is a refreshing and welcome antidote.

Yes, the program was made on the cheap; and, yes, it does contain some outmoded opinions regarding the "place" of women and sexuality, but hey, I'd rather watch half an hour of the master, Sid James, at work than some non-entities griping on about nothing.

What is fascinating is the sheer number of character actors who appear in it.... most of which were little known then but have since gone on to become better-known. Everyone from Brian Blessed, John Hurt, Sian Phillips, George Baker, Patrick Stewart and John Rhys-Davies to lesser-known actors like Kevin Stoney, Bernard Hill, Christopher Guard, Fiona Walker, Stratford Johns, Sam Dastor, Guy Siner, Darien Angadi, James Bree, George Pravda, Simon MacCorkindale, Sheila Ruskin, Bruce Purchase and Denis Carey. They were all good, no matter how small their roles were.

OK, the shows are dated - the women are all "girls", even the professionals. Everyone smokes like a chimney. But the acting is very different from what we see today, as is the dialog, and the sensibilities of the writers. One episode ended with a long, inspirational speech about how precious our freedoms are, and what happens if we lose them, and it was not being campy or insipid but very serious.

It's one of the finest pieces of work of its kind. Yes, it's studio-based - but it's none the worse for that. Technical resources have changed in 40 years, but think of the resources on offer here: stunning costume, well-designed and beautifully lit sets, superb actors who not only look but sound good, delicious writing that captures so well the essence of this lovely book - better to see this a dozen times than an overpolished piece of slick location filming where all you end up with is pretty pictures of a supposedly 'all star cast'.

What made this series all the more suspenseful was the fact that sometimes a bomb would go off!!

This extraordinary series, thirteen fifty-minute episodes, is one of television's greatest achievements; one-half century after its completion, it has lost little of its luster.

Watch it with the lights off to enjoy all the visuals and matte painting special effects that were available in 1981 with a shoestring budget.

A wonderful presentation that is filled with fabulous performances by especially Margaret Tyzack as Cousin Bette and a very young Helen Mirren, as Valerie. A truly chilling study of evil.

A simply brilliant stretch of what-ho-what-ho comedy ("You can't be a successful dictator AND design women's underclothing") and deliciously twisting storylines. Robert Daws as Tuppy is the cherry on top of this delicious confection. Not to be missed. Ever.

The stories are great and this series had that fortunate combination of great acting, writing, music, and production value.

Although previously not interested in mysteries, David Suchet's habitually meticulous research allowed him to quickly become intimately familiar with Christie's Belgian sleuth and the workings of his little gray cells - and to slip so much into Poirot's skin that it is now difficult to pick up a Poirot book without instantly hearing Suchet's voice as that of the great little detective.

Helen Mirren is simply one of the best actresses alive today.

Jack Shepard has been described as being 'pitch perfect' in the role. And how.

Even the Prime Minister was a fan.

John Thaw was the most bankable actor in Britain - everything he did was a success. This is his best.

Robert Carlyle has enuf acting range to play the Scotty dog if he had to!

One of the best British mystery series around. A lot of this is due to rotund Richard Griffiths and the rest of the cast, and to the clever plots and dialog.

Michael Gambon a standout as the droll and humane Inspector Jules Maigret. Supporting him are a roster of some of the best of British film actors, with exceptional turns by Edward Petherbridge, Peter Barkworth, Tony Doyle and Jon Finch, and capped with a startling performance by Susie Lindeman in the series' final episode, Maigret and the Maid.

The acting is first-rate and really pulls through the excellent writing. Clunes creates in Doc Martin a character that you hate to love.

What a wonderful contrast to the emaciated girlies and Hollywood pretty boys that typically inhabit the leading roles in American crimes series.

The acting -- especially from Robert Hardy as Siegfried -- is so superb from this little ensemble. There is the stuff of greatness about the inherent tension, irony and exquisitely restrained comedy of the trio.