Rating: 
Summary: Rumpole Rules!
Review: After several years of wishing that Rumpole would come back to pbs, I finally noticed this DVD set and immediately bought it. This turned out to be a GREAT investment. I can only hope that there will be more Rumpole DVD collections to follow as I would love to own them all. If you like courtrooom mystery and a lot of fun then Rumpole is for you. I highly recommend this collection.
Rating:
Summary: O Frabjous day!
Review: As someone else here noted, a Rumpole fan needs no urging to buy this set. For the uninitiated, however, be aware this may well be an acquired taste -- all the best things in life are.Here's a litmus test: see if you find this story amusing. A judge had before him an elderly con who's been convicted so many times they are on a first name basis. He sentences him to 20 years and the man looks up and says "But, your honor, I'm a very old man and don't have too many years left. I don't know that I can do 20 years." "Well," says the judge, "you just do as much as you can." That's one of the stories that Rumpole loves to tell, and it's typical of the kinds of scenerios this barrister finds himself facing. One of the best things about having these episodes on DVD is you can quickly skip back and reply scenes -- every single reviewing will reward you with new treats. Leo played a part written especially for him, and it's almost impossible to tell where he leaves off and Rumpole begins. The Rumpole series has never been collected in this organized a fashion before (previous releases came in a bewildering array of assorted sets that mixed years willy-nilly) and this is a perfect place to get aquainted with the most erudite and witty barrister the other side of the Big Pond. Nothing can replace Mr. McKern, but this set at least preserves his best performances for all time.
Rating:
Summary: The gang's all here--on DVD at last
Review: By far, one of the more popular series that came over the Atlantic to our PBS television stations was the six-season "Rumpole of the Bailey" with Leo McKern as the craggy-faced barrister. Few of us realized that there was once a single Rumpole teleplay, "Rumpole and the Confession of Guilt," now available on an Acorn Media DVD (AMP-6684), that inspired the series and is a Must for fans of what followed.
While all six seasons have been long available on video tapes, about a year ago HBO finally came out on DVD with the first two seasons. After a wait for the rest, A&E has suddenly put out not only the first two seasons as a redone boxed set (AAE71659)but at the same time has given us seasons three and four (AAE71664). Added to the format are introductions to each episode by Rumpole's creator, John Mortimer; but I am afraid all he talks about is the plot and reveals too much of what follows. Better to skip them on first viewing.
So now we have the first 12 episodes with all the amusing characters, most of whom drive Rumpole up a wall, the leader being his wife "She Who Must Be Obeyed" Hilda Rumpole, played first by Peggy Thorpe-Bates, then by Marion Mathie. Most of his fellow lawyers are pretty incompetent chaps: Guthrie Featherstone (Peter Bowles), Claude Erskine-Brown (Julian Curry), and "Soapy Sam" Ballard (Peter Blythe). Even worse than these are the judges-from-hell: Graves (Robin Bailey), Bullingham (Bill Fraser), and Oliphant (James Grout).
The professional women are far more competent: Elizabeth Probert (played first by Samantha Bond, later by Abigail McKern) and Rumpole's favorite "Portia," Phyllida Trant and later Mrs. Erskine-Brown (Patricia Hodge).
Other than the humor, the insight into the British legal system, the high quality acting, and the immortal family of villains, the Timsons, we have the double plots. Each episode develops a theme that is the basis of both the trial in question and of the events of the framing device. For example, the trial of a neo-fascist who wants a purely white England takes place after Hilda has commented on the number of non-white faces in London lately.
An added inducement to purchase the first boxed set of seasons 1 and 2 is the inclusion of the feature-length story "Rumpole's Return." Seeing him stretched out by a pool in Florida is worth the price alone.
Grab these and wait with me impatiently for seasons 5-6 to appear shortly.
Rating:
Summary: Even better the second time around
Review: Enjoyed it the first time -- perhaps largely for its quirkiness and polished acting. But this is not your run-of-the-mill courtroom drama. It is much more subtle than I had remembered it. See for yourself.
Rating: 
Summary: Bittersweet, poignant...
Review: Great to have these on DVD after all this time. Not the traditional comedic-fare available from Britain, but instead a somewhat bittersweet and somewhat jaundiced account by a barrister in the course of his life & daily work. (Unlike the US, in the UK it isn't possible to have your solicitor or lawyer represent you in court. Instead, you need to retain a barrister, which is what Rumpole does for a living). Interesting courtroom procedures are on view, most notably the fact that (a) the prosecution & defense counsel stay-put in one place and aren't allowed the theatrics of playing to the jury and (b) the prosecution isn't the district attorney, but instead a possible company colleague of the defense). Certainly not for everyone, primarily because of the lack of real obvious humor (in this respect these episodes aren't exactly like Mortimer's "Rumpole" books) and because each episode's lesson in Rumpole's work-life is somehow directly mirrored by events taking place in his personal life. Very enjoyable drama.
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Collection
Review: HBO Home Video has done a nice job of presenting the first two Rumpole series in this initial DVD collection. The set contains twelve one-hour episodes (six per series) and the two-hour film, "Rumpole's Return". The picture is sharp overall, particularly in the indoor scenes originally recorded on studio videotape, while the outdoor scenes done on 16 mm film are as well as can be expected (the production values of the Rumpole episodes improved considerably over time. These episodes are from the late 1970s). The DVD menus are good and provide about six scene selections per episode. There are also a few extras, such as bios of John Mortimer and Leo McKern, and some information about the British legal system. I have looked forward to seeing Rumpole on DVD for several years and am pleased with this set overall. Presumably, there will be two more sets like it to complete the Rumpole collection, and I would certainly buy them too. If I could have made a suggestion or two to the people in charge of the packaging, I would have liked to have seen the collection in a hard case rather than a paper one, and I would have tried to find more flattering photos of Rumpole than those used on the outside of the box. Also, the photo used to illustrate the episode "Rumpole and the Younger Generation" is from another episode in which Phyllida (Trant) Erskine-Brown appeared (she was not in the Younger Generation). Otherwise, a good job and I hope to see the other two sets soon.
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Collection
Review: HBO Home Video has done a nice job of presenting the first two Rumpole series in this initial DVD collection. The set contains twelve one-hour episodes (six per series) and the two-hour film, "Rumpole's Return". The picture is sharp overall, particularly in the indoor scenes originally recorded on studio videotape, while the outdoor scenes done on 16 mm film are as well as can be expected (the production values of the Rumpole episodes improved considerably over time. These episodes are from the late 1970s). The DVD menus are good and provide about six scene selections per episode. There are also a few extras, such as bios of John Mortimer and Leo McKern, and some information about the British legal system. I have looked forward to seeing Rumpole on DVD for several years and am pleased with this set overall. Presumably, there will be two more sets like it to complete the Rumpole collection, and I would certainly buy them too. If I could have made a suggestion or two to the people in charge of the packaging, I would have liked to have seen the collection in a hard case rather than a paper one, and I would have tried to find more flattering photos of Rumpole than those used on the outside of the box. Also, the photo used to illustrate the episode "Rumpole and the Younger Generation" is from another episode in which Phyllida (Trant) Erskine-Brown appeared (she was not in the Younger Generation). Otherwise, a good job and I hope to see the other two sets soon.
Rating:
Summary: A Long Time Coming
Review: I agree whole-heartedly with the other reviewers. Rumpole on DVD has been a long time coming. Great series; can't wait for the other seasons.
Rating:
Summary: COME ON -- Get the rest of the Series out on DVD!
Review: I bought these for my husband's birthday. We sat right down and watched all the disks over the period of a week. We enjoyed it on PBS, but found the DVDs even better, mainly because we could go back and pick up the dialog that our American ears/brains didn't process the first time through. PLEASE, please get the rest of the series out on DVD for us!
Rating:
Summary: When Will the Remaining Rumpoles Appear on DVD?
Review: I have long been a great fan of Rumpole and She Who Must Be Obeyed. This set has just 12 of the 42 episodes. I am eager to know when the remaining 32 episodes will be released on DVD. Can anyone tell me?
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