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Rating:  - It's a wonderful series!
I bought the whole set for my husband several years ago (the price has gone WAY up since then!), and he loved it. We had watched it in three different series (maybe on Masterpiece Theatre?), and we loved it. So when the DVD set came out it made a perfect birthday present (and we watched it all over again)! If you like the historical/period shows (and you know who you are) then you will love this one too. I'd try to get a better price if I were you--$300+ is a bit pricy! Maybe eBay? But the set is great--you won't be disappointed!
Rating: - Great for history buffs and action fans
I was first introduced to the Sharpe's series via BBC America while house sitting this past summer. OK, originally I wanted to see it because Sean Bean was in it and I am a history buff. After the first episode that I saw which was Sharpe's Gold I bought the complete set. Then I invited my 15 year old neice over to watch it on the big screen. Well, we watched from the beginning only 1 or 2 episodes a night for the rest of the summer just in time to see the August showing of Sharpe's Challenge on BBC America. Now I've purchased it as well. Her reaction was surprisingly enthusiastic. I would have expected that from her mom, but I really was pleasently surprised that she loved it as much as I did. So I would like to say that even teens would like this. (Not only did she like the series but it turned her on to history a bit more). Have fun with this!
Rating: - One of the BBC's best Period series
I highly reccommend this set for anyone who appreciates good historical based epics, of which the BBC is famous for. Bernard Cornwell is a master storyteller whose exploits of Richard Sharpe continue to thrill even the newest fans of his ongoing series of books. Whether you come in at the middle, end or beginning, you'll be captivated. This epic and ground breaking series ran for 4 years with Sean Bean bringing Richard Sharpe to life on the screen. This is by far one of his most notable roles of which he is exceedingly proud of and with good reason, and was eager to reprise his role in the newest addition Sharpe's Challenge. If you follow Sean's career, from the stage to the small and large screen, you will enjoy his portrayal in this series.
Rating: - Sean Bean Shines in Fabulous Napoleonic Adventures!
Discovering this long-running series, which first aired on British television, has been one of my great joys, and I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who loves a rousing adventure saga!
The story of Richard Sharpe (the remarkable Sean Bean), rising from the enlisted ranks to Lt. Colonel through a combination of courage under fire and luck, each episode offers action, comedy, romance, and a healthy dose of irreverence, as the more-than-capable Sharpe is often assigned under less-than-competent officers, under the eye of his mentor, Lord Wellington (Hugh Fraser, in most of the films). Accompanied by loyal Irish Sergeant Patrick Harper (Daragh O'Malley, soft-spoken and absolutely fabulous), and his 'Chosen Men' (including John Tams, Jason Salkey, and Lyndon Davies), Sharpe is given one 'impossible' mission after another, testing his resourcefulness, honor, and, often, his patience, as well!
A terrific collection of first-rate actors appear in the series, as Sharpe's allies, enemies, and distractions, including Philip Whitchurch as scarred, one-eyed Capt. Frederickson (who, despite being disgusting, grows into a quite endearing fellow), Michael Cochrane, Pete Postlethwaite and Féodor Atkine (three of the nastiest villains you'd ever care to meet) and a young Paul Betthany (as the infuriatingly reckless and incompetent young Prince William of Orange, in "Sharpe's Waterloo"). American audiences will recognize youthful, dark-haired Daniel Craig (the latest "James Bond"), as a malevolent fellow officer, Alexis Denisof ("Angel") as the nobleman who 'steals' Sharpe's wife and money, and Alice Krige (the Borg Queen from "Star Trek: First Contact") as a money-hungry Marquesa. While buxom beauties are always a part of the stories, three remarkable women figure prominently in Sharpe's saga; Assumpta Serna, portraying the doomed Spanish resistance leader who has his child; Abigail Cruttenden, as his less-than-faithful bride; and Cécile Paoli, as a French officer's widow with whom he would eventually find happiness.
Above everything else, the series succeeds because of Sean Bean, who truly brings Richard Sharpe to life. Brave, quick-witted, and ruggedly handsome, Bean's 'Sharpe' literally 'leaps off the screen', with his dazzling portrayal.
This is a first-rate collection that should NOT be missed!
Rating: - Cost?
This was an excellent British-made series, well written and well acted, with excellent photography and a sense of time and place. However, it is hardly worth the $300-plus. A more realistic price for the set may help sales and, as another reviewer stated, individual DVDs are available at almost have the price (less than $11.00 each).
It is difficult to add to what has already been stated, but for anyone who enjoys history, especially as it is portrayed by the Brits, this is an exceptional series.
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