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Rating:  - Cadfael dvd Collection
First delivery was damaged, replacement was sent out right away and arrived without and protective packaging but the product was intact. Excelent color but the volume varies during scenes and from disc to disc. Overall satisfaction is good.
Rating:  - A beautiful period work
Cadfael is a delight on so many levels - the history, the mystery, the life story of this singular monk. So much of the detail is accurate to time and place. i bet most don't know that the story of cadfael's life is also a very typical theme for period litereature - warrior returns from foreign wars to retire into the monastic or hermetic lifestyle. Ellis Peters did an outstanding job. too bad she passed before writing another dozen or so...
Rating:  - I Really Want to Give 5 Stars ... but I Just Can't
This series should have been a great success except for the dreary settings, weak supporting cast, and slow plotting. Derek Jacobi is a phenomenal actor and extremely watchable but he can't carry this series alone. I have not read any of the Cadfael books.
In I Claudius he was a stunning success. Unfortunately, as this Medieval detective he just doesn't shine as brightly. Playing the former warrior, now a monk, Jacobi has much more sense of the world outside his village than do almost all of the other villagers. Others come to him for advice and guidance and, of course, when murders occur he is right there with his logical mind and insightful reasoning.
But the series falls short as the political intrigues and personal conflicts seem overly petty and excessive in their results. I understand that the Middle Ages were probably not very much fun, but it's difficult to sit through plodding episodes just to watch Jacobi do his thing. He's a wonderfully talented actor, but the writing and plotting just aren't up to snuff. My husband and I joked that this was a medieval "Murder She Wrote".
Rating: - Indeed, Brother Cadfael does not disappoint!
Having somehow missed this series during the 1990s, I recently stumbled on the complete collection and the 5-star reviews it got were right on. Narration by Jacobi would have been nice but not essential to the tales. Hint: look for the set on amazon.co.uk. If you have a multi-region player, you'll save a bundle on the cost!
Rating: - Get this collection!
Originally brought to the United States by PBS, the BBC series is on par with Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett) and Hercule Poirot (David Suchet). Whoever is selecting the actors for the main character has a penchant for selecting the right person for the right part. Derek Jacobi IS Brother Cadfael. Just the right blend of self-assertion, self-effacement (with difficulty), curiosity, and tenacity, Jacobi helps transport us to a time long ago when life was cheap and justice could be too blind and too swift.
Superlative technical direction. Well designed sets. Outstanding acting by Jacobi and his supporting cast. For period pieces and murder mysteries, a must for the afficionado of the genres. The only disturbance in the entire series is the change of actors playing Hugh Berringar, the sheriff. Other than that minor interruption in continuity, a most excellent series that is worthy of anyone's collection. These episodes can be watched and rewatched with increasing enjoyment over the years. Enjoy!
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