Guest Author - Pam Lawrence

Here's one for all you Ian McShane fans. If you like the dark haired rogue in Deadwood, you'll love him in the eighties classic Lovejoy. This first series originally aired in on BBC1 in 1986, but it would be five more years before the second, produced after huge public demand.

After a long wait, the first series (nine episodes) are finally available on DVD. If you've ever seen Bargain Hunt, you'll have heard mention of 'being a Lovejoy'; such was the cultural impact of the show. McShane plays a lovable scoundrel, who also happens to be a devilishly clever antiques dealer, uncannily adept at picking out the real from the fake.

The characters were based on the books by Jonathan Gash, and the character was 'degrunged' considerably by McShane to make him more acceptable on telly. He sleuths on the side, roaring around the countryside in his old station wagon, or clinging to a motorcycle sidecar. He is a righter of wrongs, and an inveterate womaniser, but the woman he really wants is the unobtainable Lady Jane, played with cool aplomb by Phyllis Logan

The world of antiques is peppered with kooky characters and unscrupulous dealers, and Lovejoy portrayed with magnetic charisma by McShane, holds his own, conniving with the best of them. He chats to the camera, offers marvellous asides and is quite the most appealing bad boy.

He is aided and abetted by his young apprentice Eric (Chris Jury) , and my favourite character Tinker, (Dudley Sutton) an old guy who's seen every scam in the book.

The show is a a perfect light antidote to some of the more heavy psycholgical Brit mysteries, and eventually ran for six series. The East Anglia countryside is a joy, the acting is great and the stories are entertaining romps. What's not to love in this 500 minutes of fun ?

Also new on DVD this month is the first series of the new Robin Hood, which many feel will become a modern classic. If you're expecting a faithful retelling of the legend of the man in green tights, forget it. This is as hip and modern as it can be, with stylised, camouflage inspired (although with a medieval feel) duds, snappy funny dialogue by Dominic Minghella and some fabulous special effects enhanced fight scenes.

Jonas Armstrong carries the show as a witty, vigorous hero, and Keith Allen as the Sheriff of Nottingham is a grand comic villain. Lucy Griffiths as Marian is an action hero herself- no sideline roles for women in this thoroughly post feminist production.

Shot in Hungary, the BBC production looks great and the production is slick; even the theme music is perfect. The whole package makes a welcome diversion for a rainy afternoon, or a dull Saturday night. It might not be history, but it's all good fun.