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Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Must-see DVDs - "Doc Martin", "New Tricks", and Home Video Debut of a Classic ABC Miniseries on June 5 from Acorn



On June 5th, Acorn has three must-see DVDs, including "Doc Martin, Series 5", Acorn’s newest best-selling series, and a perfect alternative now that House has ended; the long-awaited home video debut of the classic, Emmy®-winning ABC miniseries "Washington: Behind Closed Doors"; and another season of one of the most-watched shows on British television, "New Tricks, Season 7."

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DOC MARTIN, SERIES 5
Debuts on DVD on June 5, 2012

Smash-hit British dramedy starring Martin Clunes; Currently airing on public television

“Sweet, stirring, and completely addictive” —Slate
“Delightfully quirky” —Los Angeles Times
“Outstanding” —The Globe and Mail
“Absolutely bloody hilarious” —London Evening Standard
“This show is just what the doctor ordered.” —TV Times


Silver Spring, MD —The huge hit dramedy currently airing on public television stations across the U.S., Doc Martin, Series 5 debuts on DVD from Acorn Media on June 5, 2012. Akin to House and Northern Exposure, BAFTA Winner Martin Clunes (Men Behaving Badly, Shakespeare in Love, Reggie Perrin) stars in the series as a misanthropic, socially maladjusted doctor forced to relocate to a rustic seaside village, where he immediately clashes with the town’s eccentric citizens. Emmy® winner Eileen Atkins (Cranford, co-creator of Upstairs, Downstairs) joins the cast in Series 5. The DVD 2-disc set includes eight episodes, plus 62-minutes of behind-the-scenes segments ($39.99, www.AcornOnline.com). Doc Martin is a huge hit in the U.K. with 10 million viewers, and its gaining momentum on public television; it’s the highest-rated program on KCET/Los Angeles. A sixth season will begin production in 2013.

In Series 5, fatherhood hasn’t softened the dour Dr. Martin Ellingham (Martin Clunes). He’s about to take a new position in London when events conspire to keep him in Portwenn. His infant son with Louisa (Caroline Catz, Murder in Suburbia) needs a name, his replacement doesn’t seem up to the job, and he receives devastating news. Like it or not, he’s stuck in the scenic Cornish village with its quirky inhabitants—most of whom have grudgingly grown rather fond of the grumpy doctor.

Although Martin has largely mastered his fear of blood, he still has no clue how to manage his life. How can he cope with sleepless nights, an aunt with issues, a flaky new receptionist, Louisa’s hippie mother, and the usual village dramas?

Filmed in the idyllic Cornwall village of Port Isaac, Doc Martin won the Best TV Comedy Drama at the British Comedy Awards. The series premiered on ITV in the U.K. in 2004 and has aired for five series. Series 5 premiered on public television in April 2012. Acorn Media previously released Doc Martin, Series 2 – 4 in individual sets (2009-2010) and a Doc Martin Collection: Series 1-4 (2011).

BONUS: Behind-the-scenes segments (62 min.), cast filmographies, and photo gallery

Street: June 5, 2012                                      SRP: $39.99

DVD 2-Disc Set: 8 episodes on 2 discs; approx. 368 min., plus bonus; 16:9 widescreen; SDH subtitles

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WASHINGTON: BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

Emmy-winning political drama seen on ABC; Starring Cliff Robertson, Jason Robards, Stefanie Powers, and Robert Vaughn

Home Video Debut on DVD June 5, 2012

“Fascinating political intrigue” —The New York Times
“Very entertaining” —The Washington Post


Silver Spring, MD —Showcasing high-stakes political intrigue at its best, the award-winning miniseries inspired by the Nixon presidency, Washington: Behind Closed Doors, debuts on home video from Acorn Media on June 5, 2012. Based on the post-Watergate novel, The Company, by former Nixon advisor John Ehrlichman, the seven-time Emmy® nominated program stars Cliff Robertson (Falcon Crest, Spider-Man, and Best Actor Academy Award for Charly), two-time Oscar winner Jason Robards (All the President’s Men, Julia), two-time Emmy nominee Stefanie Powers (Hart to Hart), and Robert Vaughn (The Magnificent Seven), who won for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series. Broadcast on ABC in 1977, the acclaimed miniseries co-stars Andy Griffith (Matlock) and John Houseman (The Paper Chase). The DVD 3-disc set includes six episodes, plus an 8-page viewer’s guide with articles on the historical background of the program ($59.99, www.AcornOnline.com).

CIA director Bill Martin (Cliff Robertson) knows that an incoming president means a new direction for the country—and another set of eyes on the top secret Primula Report. Martin tries to build a rapport with his new boss, but President Richard Monckton (Jason Robards) is more interested in settling old scores and cleaning house with the help of the FBI.

Against the backdrop of a war in Southeast Asia and antiwar protests at home, this political drama tells the story of an increasingly paranoid president, an administration under siege, and a reckless group of White House aides desperate to hold on to power.

BONUS: 8-page booklet with articles on the historical background of the program, the Vietnam War, peace movements in America, Nixon’s visit to China, and the Watergate scandal; plus brief biographies of the political figures of the period

Street: June 5, 2012                                      SRP: $59.99

DVD 3-Disc Set: 6 episodes; approx. 550 min.; 4:3 full screen; SDH subtitles

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NEW TRICKS, SEASON 7 Debuts on DVD June 5, 2012

One of the most-watched shows on British television; Seen on BBC and PBS

“Mysteries are top notch, twisty and ingeniously solved…Great fun”—PaperMag
“Well-cast cop drama” –The Independent
“Drama of the highest quality” –The Mail on Sunday
“Fresh and clever” —London Evening Standard


Silver Spring, MD — Featuring strong writing, wry humor, and a splendid cast, the long-running, award-winning series New Tricks, Season 7 debuts on DVD from Acorn Media on June 5, 2012. Amanda Redman (Sexy Beast), Dennis Waterman (The Sweeney, Circles of Deceit), Alun Armstrong (Garrow’s Law, Bleak House, Patriot Games), and James Bolam (The Beiderbecke Affair) star as a team of semi-retired and somewhat curmudgeonly detectives investigating cold cases. In this wildly popular series, aging cops and traditional sleuthing trump high-tech gadgets and modern criminology. New Tricks has run on the BBC for eight seasons since 2003 and has already been renewed for a ninth and tenth season. The series has enjoyed ongoing broadcast exposure in North America on public television, garnering fans on both sides of the Atlantic.  The DVD 3-disc set includes all ten episodes from Season 7, plus a bonus behind-the-scenes featurette and bloopers ($39.99, www.AcornOnline.com).

James Bolam, Alun Armstrong, and Dennis Waterman star as three detectives pulled out of retirement to unravel cases that stumped the Metropolitan Police. Their beautiful boss, Detective Superintendent Sandra Pullman (Amanda Redman), keeps them on track and mostly out of trouble as they follow their hunches and bend the rules. This time around, the team has its hands full with unsolved murders, an 18-year-old abduction, and a 30-year-old robbery that threatens the team’s very existence. Guest stars include Rupert Graves (Death at a Funeral), Paul Rhys (Chaplin), Samantha Bond (Downton Abbey), and Siân Phillips (I, Claudius).

Episodes: Dark Chocolate, Good Morning Lemmings, It Smells of Books, Coming Out Ball, Dead Man Talking, Fashion Victim, Left Field, Gloves Off, Where There's Smoke, The Fourth Man

Street Date: June 5, 2012                 SRP: $39.99

DVD 3-Disc Set: 10 episodes; approx. 582 min., plus bonus; 16:9 widescreen; SDH subtitles

BONUS Behind-the-scenes featurette (8 min.) and bloopers (10 min.)

Acorn Media previously released New Tricks, Seasons 3-6 as DVD 3-disc sets ($39.99).


Acorn’s and Athena’s DVD sets are available from select retailers, catalog companies, and direct from Acorn Media at (888) 870-8047 or www.acornonline.com and www.athenalearning.com.
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