Search - Hamish MacBeth: Series 1-3 Collection on DVD

Brilliant!

Boc | US | 09/19/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A true gem. Robert Carlyle shines as the unassuming constable of Lochdubh village, surrounded by an unknown (at least on this side of the pond) yet very capable cast of richly developed and surprising characters. Quality entertainment with a charming Scottish twist of British humor.

The series is LOOSELY based upon the mystery books by MC Beaton, a few parallels can be drawn but its not a series of sleuthing police mysteries. Quite the opposite: Hamish is well aware of how competent police work brings the wrong sort of attention to his comfortable corner of western Scotland. The sort that would mean notice from the big city departments, promotions, and moving back to the hustle and bustle of urban policing.

And the townsfolk are quite anxious to ensure Hamish gets to stay exactly where he is, they remember too well The Man Before The Man Before MacBeth with the endless nuisances committed upon their fair village, they would much prefer to keep things as they are just now, thank you very much.

From the curious theft of almost a hundred-weight of table salt at the local grocery (and not a drop of whiskey was stolen, how odd) to the football match that empties the entire town (will the last person leaving Lochdubh please switch off the lights) every show is a delightful and smart spotlight on life in a small isolated community at its best.

"

Entertaining and different

Greg McCarty | Austin, TX United States | 03/26/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"We purchased this series on a leap of faith, never having seen a single episode, but having enjoyed "Ballykissangel" and "Monarch of the Glen". "Hamish" is different though. For instance, there's usually a mystery that needs to be solved by the main character, and while often humerous and lighthearted, it takes a few darker turns than the other two series I mentioned. If you're expecting the main character to be something of a Barney Fife because of the small town setting, you'll be disappointed. He's actually complex and flawed, which for me adds to the interest. The main characters are very engaging and it's fun watching them evolve. The scenary is beautiful as you'd imagine, but it's really the characters that sucked us in. We had a hard time taking breaks between episodes, always finding an excuse to watch just one more. Even our nine-year old son loves them. It's a shame the series was relatively short-lived, but they did a nice job with character development over the course of three short seasons. A word of caution though - keep the remote handy to play scenes back as the dialogue can be difficult to follow at times due to the accents, and the often complex story lines can be tough to follow if you don't understand some key exchanges. Robert Carlyle fans will enjoy seeing this example of his work prior to his starring roles on the big screen."

Hamish MacBeth

Info Tech | Ohio | 05/29/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This charming tv show about the village of Lochdoubh, Scotland is a bit like Brigadoon. If you are a big fan of the books by M.C. Beaton, you will be pleased with Hamish, played by Robert Carlyle. However, many of the characters are new to Lochdoubh and are not in the books. Two new, and quite good ones, are Lachlan McCrae and son.

Season 1: (5 episodes) The Great Lochdubh Salt Robbery, A Pillar of the Community, The Big Freeze, Wee Jock's Lament. and A Bit of an Epic.

Season 2: (6 episodes) A Perfectly Simple Explanation, In Search of a Rose, Isobel Pulls it Off, Radio Lochdubh, No Man is an Island, The Lochdubh Deluxe

Season 3: (8 episodes) The Honorable Policeman, Deferred Sentence, The Lochdubh Assassin, The Good Thief, The Trouble with Rory, More than a Game, Destiny (Part 1), Destiny (Part 2)"

The Quiet Man of Mystery

J. Alec West | Portland, OR | 01/04/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am so very very glad that this series was finally released on DVD in North America. And while I've just ordered the 3-series set, I've seen many of the episodes courtesy of a friend in Canada who sent me VHS tapes recorded off TV.

The Hamish Macbeth series is not about a law enforcement officer in a small Scottish town. Rather, it's a series about a person who lives in a small Scottish town who "happens" to be a law enforcement officer. In short, the series endeavors to explore Macbeth as a man who lives in a small town and wants to continue living there ... with the ever-present knowledge that his accomplishments as a law enforcement officer, if noticed by "upper" authorities, could lead to a transfer elsewhere.

The series, therefore, does not dwell so much on the mysteries he has to solve (though he does solve them) as much as it does on the eccentricities of small town living and the effect of these eccentricities on the man assigned to keep order there (as well as those he calls his friends and neighbors). It is a rare police-related series that is highly character driven ... with one of the characters being the fictional village, Lochdubh, where the action takes place.

Sadly, it only lasted for 3 seasons ... and even then, encompassed only 20 episodes total. But they are 20 episodes worth seeing over and over again."