Search - Lovejoy - The Complete Season 2 on DVD

The splendid British antiques/mystery series in its 2nd seas

Mike Birman | Brooklyn, New York USA | 12/18/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The long overdue US success that Ian McShane enjoyed as Al Swearengen in the HBO series Deadwood may be responsible for the equally long overdue release of Lovejoy, the superb British series seen on A & E back in the early 1990s, on DVD. In Deadwood, McShane took his penchant for playing lovable rogues and darkened his portrayal by several orders of magnitude, while simultaneously investing a three-syllable expletive with an almost Shakespearean eloquence. But the seeds of that brilliant performance can be found here, in a charming, slightly corrupt but never mean character, whose talents as a 'divvy' or diviner of the true identity and worth of obscure antiques, makes him highly sought after by those on both sides of the law who are 'collectors' of the objects of Lovejoy's obsession.

What makes the Lovejoy character so interesting is his authentic love for things old and beautiful. His passionate concern is with their true value and not their mere monetary worth. It is only when he engages in a rare bit of forgery now and then, of which he is also a master, that monetary considerations are paramount. Of course, Lovejoy invariably winds up giving the proceeds to some needy soul, one usually fleeced by the more nefarious characters who populate the darker realms of the antiques world, including the obnoxious Charlie Gimbert (Malcolm Tierney), an unscrupulous antiques dealer who is the anti-Lovejoy. Lovejoy's unrequited love for Lady Jane (Phyllis Logan), his fiercely loyal friendship with his gone-to-seed partner, the usually tipsy Tinker (Dudley Sutton), his tolerance for his resentful apprentice Eric (Chris Jury), provide the skeletal structure around which numerous clever and well-written scripts are constructed.

The show hits its stride in the second season, first broadcast in 1991, five years after the 1986 premiere of the truncated (10 episode) first season. That delay was caused by lengthy contractual difficulties. The twelve 1991 episodes include:
1) Just Desserts
2) The Italian Venus
3) Bin Diving
4) Montezuma's Revenge
5) Who Dares, Sings
6) One Born Every Minute
7) National Wealth
8) Sugar and Spice
9) Raise the Hispanic
10) Lily's Pearls
11) Riding in Rollers
12) The Black Virgin of Vladimir (the last two a two hour episode)

This is a superbly entertaining and intelligently written television show. If mysteries leavened with light comedy, as well as a healthy dose of the fascinating world of antiques and art, interest you, then you will love this show. Most strongly recommended.

Mike Birman
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Lovejoy continues - or in the US Begins

Movie Mania | Southern Calfornia | 01/16/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For American audiences, this is the first season of Lovejoy. This show premiered on A&E in 1991 with The Black Virgin of Vladmir. This was probably done as a tie in to Dallas. In 1988, Ian McShane joined the cast of Dallas as movie producer Don Lockwood to become Sue Ellen's love interest. The end of the season, both characters left the show to be together in London. Two years later Linda Gray returned the favor by doing a guest on his television series Lovejoy.

The following are the episodes on this set:

Just Deserts - Lovejoy has returned from doing time after being set up. Now he has returned home to find out who really did it.

The Italian Venus - Jane asks for Lovejoy's help to get the inheritance a friend of her's is due from his brother. Lovejoy does this with a fake statue.

Bin Diving - (That means looking in trash bins for salvagable items.) Once again Lady Jane gets Lovejoy in trouble. After Jane has Lovejoy value the goods of an elderly widow, the antiques are stolen and of course, Lovejoy is the police's prime suspect.

Montezuma's Revenge - When Lovejoy is asked to sell a pre-Columbian solid gold, two murders occur. It's upto Lovejoy to solve the mystery.

Who Dares, Sings - Lovejoy and Lady Jane are hired to decorate pub but Lovejoy finds out you can't even trust the police.

One Born Every Minute - Lovejoy is hired to find a local lothario, who paints pictures of homes and uses this to seduce the lady of the house. But once again, everything is not what it seems.

National Wealth - Lovejoy is hired by a former film star, who Tinker has a crush on, to arrange an auction. But her house is robbed, just like a number of other country homes. It's Lovejoy to the rescue.

Sugar and Spice - This time it's Lovejoy's daughter who gets him in trouble. We get to meet his ex-wife, too.

Raise the Hispanic - Lovejoy is hired to furnish a house as a wedding present from the bride's father. But nothing is that easy for Lovejoy, when he finds the groom in a suit of amour - well the dead groom.

Lily's Pearls - Lord Felsham has a new partner but as usual, nothing is as it seems. Lord Felsham's partner has secrets including his wife Lily's pearls.

The Black Virgin of Vladmir - (the best episode) - American widow Cassandra Lynch is swindled by Harry Catapodis and Lovejoy decides not only to get even but teach Harry a lesson, in one of the series most complicated and funny cons.

Ian McShane is great as the rougish Lovejoy and Phyllis Logan is the perfect unattainable love interest. Add to this Chris Jury and Duddley Sutton as the perfect accomplices and you have a great cast.

This series is a cultural icon in Britan. The name Lovejoy is synanamous with the antiques trade. If you watch any of the BBC antiques show (Cash in the Attic or Bargin Hunt), you will hear people referred to Lovejoys.

If you enjoy witty well written shows with a cast that is obviously a great time, this is your show."

Double-Dip of a Divey!

Deborah MacGillivray | US & UK | 09/06/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the second series of Lovejoy episodes. While the first still retained a heavy flavour of Gash's books, in series 2, McShane began to flesh out the dotty character and make it his own. I think these episodes are some of the best of the whole series. These were just so GOOD!

1) Just Desserts
2) Italian Venus
3) Bin Diving
4) Montezuma Revenge
5) Who Dares Sings
6) One Born Every Minute
7) National Wealth
8) Sugar and Spice
9)Raise the Hispanic
10) Lily's Pearls
11) Riding in Rollers
12) The Black Virgin of Vladimir (double episode)

You also get the second part of the interview with McShane talking about his character.

It just does not get any better than this. Again, super BBC transfers and a nifty price."

Lovejoy finally on dvd?

Hellion Zephreid | Pittsburgh | 04/20/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I picked this up from Canada, Series two on 3 discs. This was a great British mystery show that aired on A & E in the early 90's then just completely disappeared. I never understood that. The only way to enjoy this show was to buy the 4 episode VHS set for a rather high price. Now, the shows can be enjoyed on dvd with the great English countryside as a backdrop for Lovejoy, Tinker, and Eric to do what they do best. The episodes are:

Just Desserts
The Italian Venus
Bin Diving
Montezuma's Revenge
Who Dares Sings
One Born Every Minute
National Wealth
Sugar and Spice
Raise The Hispanic
Lily's Pearls
Riding in Rollers
The Black Virgin of Vladimir

This also includes part 2 of an exclusive interview with Ian McShane. If you enjoyed this show when it aired over a decade ago, you must pick this up, great stuff. Over 600 minutes!
"