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Rating:  - Was this the best they could do?
A poor production, both sight and sound. Rumpole, and the people who love the series, deserve better.
Rating:  - Fabulous rumpole
Rumpole is a joy. The mixture of very clever writing by Mortimer and the eloquence of Mckern in the part as Rumpole combine to rivet the viewer throughout.
Rating:  - Stellar casting, adequate scripts, only fair production values.
This set is the first two seasons of "Rumpole of the Bailey", a British series combining comedy and law. The series is based on the character of Horace Rumpole, an aging London defense lawyer. The author, John Mortimer, has written a series of novels and short stories over many years. I highly recommend the books. They are able to add texture that the television series can't capture.
There are 4 discs, each containing 3 hour-long episodes. There are no sub-titles available. Since the sound quality is not the greatest, this is a real problem because there are certain parts of the dialogue that you will never get, no matter how many times you replay. The sound quality is not horrible, just not very good - like all British based television series from the time, the production values just aren't very high. The author, John Mortimer, introduces each episode. Mortimer is a well-known author of books from Rumpole stories to his memoirs. He also has written a number of screenplays and other television series. Mortimer was also a practicing lawyer who is known for making Pornography legal in England.
Each episode is based on a short-story concerning a case of Rumpole's. Also included are side stories of Rumpole's family and co-workers. The show is almost perfectly cast, especially Leo McKern who plays Rumpole. The supporting cast is also well-chosen. The series itself is wonderful because of the casting and the stories of Mortimer. The humor of the series is its strongest point. Each episode usually brings up some social issue like presumption of innocence or trial by jury. I especially enjoy the police, prosecution, and judges who are all opposed and ridiculed by Rumpole.
Given the current state of much of television, I much prefer popping in one of these episodes to viewing the latest garbage on the networks. The set is rather pricy(> 5 bucks an episode), especially given the paucity of extra features. Consider buying all the seasons or combinations of sets to get them cheaper.
Rating: - Rumpole is a delight
Each episode captivates the viewer. Just listening to a Rumpole monologue and his quoting of poetry, in itself, is enough to justify the purchase. The character is sorely missed in today's world of television. Fortunately, I can recapture the pleasure of the program through these episodes on dvd. If you have missed hearing Rumpole speaking under his breath while being admonished by a judge in the Old Bailey, this dvd package is for you. Even "she who must be obeyed" has her endearing qualities and humor. This was especially made apparent in an episode when she believed that Horace was showing an interest in pornography. A strong recommendation from this viewer.
Rating: - Classic legal comedy
The combination of superb writing skills of John Mortimer and the living, breathing Rumpole delivered by Leo McKern make this a classic.
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