Vexed anything but vexing to watch

Acorn Media has recently released Vexed Series 1 on DVD. Previously unavailable in the United States, this single disc set contains all three, hour long episodes of the first series. (A second series recently aired in Britain).

Vexed is the story of two police detectives, but unlike many crime dramas, it is not a procedural. There are cases in each episode that must be solved, but these by far take a back seat to the tale of the main characters. This is a show about personalities, and those personalities are entertaining and engaging. Plus, it's light-hearted, making it more a dramedy than a straight drama.

DI Kate Bishop (Lucy Punch, Ben and Kate, Bad Teacher) is new to town. She is driven and smart, but not so good with her personal life, which is why her marriage to husband Dan (Rory Kinnear, Quantum of Solace) is crumbling. While at work, she plays by the rules and follows the clues. At home, she reacts erratically and jumps to conclusions. She does her best to keep it all together, but sometimes her best just isn't enough.

Enter DI Jack Armstrong (Toby Stephens, Wired, Die Another Day), a lazy, bumbling cop who would rather charm everyone than actually listen to them. Yet, somehow he manages to get the job done. He's a good balance for Kate, doing things that she would never do during the course of their investigation, and at the end of the day, he comes to care about his partner. They make an interesting, and surprisingly effective, team.

These two leads are the reason I like Vexed a lot. Punch and Stephens have great chemistry, and the focus is always more on them than the murder or kidnapping they are looking into. Punch is more toned down than in many of other roles, which works very well here, and Stephens captures that Damian Lewis-esque character, but with a much more free-style spin to it. The bottom line is, whatever the merits of this series may be, it is genuinely fun to watch.

It is supremely disappointing that Punch's Kate has been replaced by a different character in series two, though not having seen the newer episodes, I am unable to say if the show is able to hang onto what it has without her.

The only thing that didn't really work for me was Kate and Dan's relationship. When they fight, it's great, and the way she continuously injures him is amusing. But then, as they try to make up, it feels a little hollow. It's almost like two distinctly separate couples, their interactions in those two types of scenes being so wildly different. This is an important element to Vexed, but it's not so big that it can't be overlooked in favor of the better parts.

The supporting cast includes Ronny Jhutti (Ideal) as Naz, a nerdy analyst who works the crime scenes, and Roger Griffiths (Holby City, Family Affairs) as Tony, a former cop who runs the restaurant Jack works out of, as Jack claims he doesn't like for the police station. Neither Naz nor Tony get a lot to do, but Griffiths' character is especially interesting, having a mysterious past that I'd like to learn more about, and messing with Kate in the funniest of ways. Hopefully, series two will give more insight into him.

The only bonus features are promotional trailers and a photo gallery.

I would recommend picking up Vexed just because the series doesn't really feel like something we have in America. We've done versions of this sort of thing, but watered down over dozens of episodes. The short arc and terrific cast makes Vexed worth watching, and a series I won't soon forget.

Vexed Series 1 is available now on DVD.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! First posted on TheTVKing

Meet Ben & Kate

Grade: 74%

FOX’s new sitcom, BEN AND KATE, is a lightning rod for mixed feelings. One wants to admire their quirky humor, but sometimes it also seems too low-brow. The characters are sympathetic, but they take things a bit too far. The titular leads, Ben (Nat Faxon, Allen Gregory, Reno 911!) and Kate (Dakota Johnson, 21 Jump Street), have good chemistry, but it can verge into creepy territory when it skims past sibling and into slight romance. The supporting cast is fantastic, but are they well used?

The beginning of the “Pilot,” which premieres Tuesday, September 25th, and is available now on Hulu, is not an auspicious start. Kate is getting by as a single mom, and then her screw up brother, Ben, comes to town. She loves him and is happy to see him, but knows he will invariably mess up her life, which he does.

But rather than stick to that familiar premise, BEN AND KATE soon reveals that Kate is just as messed up as her brother, in other ways. And while Ben does tend to make some bad situations worse, he also comes through for Kate, such as when he stops her from sleeping with a guy who isn’t serious about her. So, suddenly the dynamic is more balanced, which does make for a better story. When Ben tells Kate she only made one mistake, and it was the best thing that ever happened to her, referring to Kate’s daughter, it’s a touching, perfect moment.

The thing is, Faxon and Johnson just haven’t pinned down their chemistry yet. They do have it, but it’s almost like they should be romantic leads, rather than playing brother and sister. Their under-the-table meetings are sweet, but you’re waiting for them to lean forward and kiss, which would be disgusting, given the established sibling bond. Raised in the household that they were, it’s understandable that they are a bit messed up. As long as the show doesn’t go too far with them, it works.

The best part of BEN AND KATE is Kate’s five year old daughter, Maddie. Or rather, Maggie Elizabeth Jones (We Bought a Zoo), the very talented young actress who plays the role. She is funny, can sell a punch line, rolls with the craziness, and is freaking adorable. Even if the leads sucked, it would almost be worth watching just for her. Luckily, the scenes in which she appears tend to bring out the best in both Johnson and Faxon, and she provides the easiest path to turn viewers into fans.

Rounding out the cast are Lucy Punch (Dinner for Schmucks, The Class) as BJ and Echo Kellum as Tommy, Kate’s friends, who also happen to be fond of Ben. Like the leads, I am torn on these two, and it may just be because the series isn’t sure how to use them yet. Sometimes they are the butt of crass, unnecessary jokes (see: BJ’s name), and other times, they do exactly what a supportive friend is supposed to do. They buy a little too much into Kate and Ben’s weirdness, but then, anyone who would be their friend would have to. Punch has proven herself as extremely talented in other projects, and Kellum does fine, too, so there is definitely something there, if only it could be tapped.

That’s the entire problem with BEN AND KATE. There’s a wonderful series hiding just below the surface, but there’s also a terrible one. Both keep popping up throughout the first episode. Many terrific shows have horrendous pilots, so hopefully the good will vanquish the bad, in time. But it could easily go the other way, as well, so this is one to cautiously watch.

Doc Martin Collection: Series 1-4 on DVD

     Acorn Media recently released Doc Martin Collection: Series 1-4 on DVD. While parts of this set have previously been available separately, this is the first time the whole series (thus far) has been released in one collection. In the set are nine discs with thirty episodes, including the feature-length Christmas special that aired after Series 2. This show is on ITV in the UK and airs on PBS in the states.

     Doc Martin stars Martin Clunes (Demob, British Men Behaving Badly) as the titular character, a surgeon who finally sees his patients as people, not just bodies, and can no longer stomach the sight of blood. As such, he packs up and moves to the small seaside town where his Auntie Joan (Stephanie Cole, Coronation Street, Tenko) resides, Portwenn, and becomes their local general practitioner. Doctor Martin Ellingham has a few chips on his shoulder, and thus clashes with the colorful locals, finding their personable ways annoying. He especially doesn't not like the nickname Doc Martin, which they bestow on him immediately upon arrival.

     Clunes handles the comedy beautifully, both physical and subtle. The character is a little like [H]ouse, M.D., though not quite as abusive, and a little more accepting of his flaws. No drug addictions here. A particularly funny recurring gag is the dog that seems to come with the house and practice that Martin does not want.

     In the first series, Martin repeatedly makes mistakes that alienates all of the locals, who in a group mentality, cut him off and refuse to deal with him. Once he solves the medical conundrum and saves some lives, they realize he's not so bad, and open back up to him. This becomes less drastic as the series goes on, and it appears the townspeople are accepting him and ribbing him as one of their own.

     The town itself is a bit like Stars Hallow from Gilmore Girls, with each recurring character having their own eccentricities and position within the larger group. They treat their town as their own, self-sustaining world, with many having little use to travel beyond its borders, as there is plenty to get out of life staying right here. That being said, it's also realistic, and the younger people do like popular music and actors, so it's not completely isolated. And the scenery is beautiful.

     Among the denizens of Portwenn are Louisa (Caroline Catz, The Vice), a school teacher who is a love interest for Martin, Bert (Ian McNeice, Doctor Who, Rome), a handyman for all occasions, Al (Joe Absolom, EastEnders), Bert's computer savvy son, Mark (Stewart Wright), the eager and sweet local cop, and Elaine (Lucy Punch, The Class, Dinner for Schmucks), his inept assistant who he cannot fire without risking being running out of town on a rail, should a rail be found. Some of these people leave, and new ones arrive, but I won't elaborate further, as I wouldn't want to spoil anything.

     It's honestly a very charming series. There is comedy, and also some heart. "Delightfully quirky" is how the Los Angeles Times describes it, and it would be hard to find a better adjective. Confident in what it does, Doc Martin is a refined formula that provides much enjoyment. The humor isn't very edgy, nor the drama too melodramatic, but it is definitely an enjoyable way to spend a few hours.

     As for bonus features, there are none to speak of. Just a few photo galleries, cast trivia, and filmographies, things easily found online, that don't really add anything to the experience. But, like many releases from overseas, it's nice enough to have the episodes to watch, that anything else isn't really necessary anyway.

     Doc Martin will return to ITV and PBS soon, but in the meantime, be sure to buy Doc Martin Collection: Series 1-4, on sale now.

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Article first published as DVD Review: Doc Martin Collection: Series 1-4 on Blogcritics.