Customer Reviews

Monarch of the Glen - Series One

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Beautiful series. Magical scenery, deeply evocative musical score, characters you can actually care about, and often-sentimental scripts which, even so, are well on the safe side of mawkish or cloying. This is classic "mood" television; even when you become sick of the storylines, the scenery and the music will bring you back to your favourite episodes time and time again. From episode one onwards, it's clear that this is a programme made with heart, as well as style.

Whilst it is true that, currently, Series 1-4 are available in the UK on DVD and Series 1 is also available in Australia, this US Region 1 DVD release is the only edition worldwide to give viewers an anamorphic widescreen image. The UK and Australian discs crop/zoom the original 16:9 image to a 4:3 screen, thereby cheating viewers of the full beauty of the cinematography of this series. Even the possible issue of PAL-to-NTSC conversion artefacts with a R1 disc of a BBC series seems a risk well worth taking, and in the event the picture here is beautiful, sharp, clear and very watchable.

Nice one, BBC America. Let's see the rest of the show soon on your DVD schedule, because you're the only ones in the world doing it 100% right where it counts. I've paused my "Monarch" collecting to wait for you. :)

Monarch of the Glen is one of the more charming television series to come out of the UK. It follows the troubles and tribulations of the MacDonald clan, who's young laird, Archie, has been put in charge of leading the family estate out of debt. It's not as easy as it sounds, as Archie not only tries to balance the wishes of his mother and father with the agendas of the the estate's workers, but most also choose between his life in London with restaurateur business partner Justine, or live in Glenbogle with the mysterious Katrina.

The locations are beautiful, the writing top-notch, and the performances are a delight to watch. Alastair Mackenzie is the center of the ensemble as Laird Archie, but is nicely rounded out by the other performers, the most outstanding in this first series being Dawn Steele as the feisty cook, Lexie, and Hamish Clark as the bumbling handyman, Duncan.

The 2-Disc DVD presentation of the first series is just as well-produced as the program the discs hold. The picture is spot-less with little noticeable PAL-to-NTSC conversion artifacts, and is presented in 16x9 enhanced wide-screen looking far better than the show has aired on BBC America or PBS. The 2.0 sound mix is clear and dialogue is always intelligible. There is little in the way of extras, simply cast biographies and a six minute excerpt from BBC series "Holiday" about the locations that Monarch uses and brief interviews with the actors.

If you're looking for an American program to compare this to the closest that I could point you to is "Ed," but even then, Ed is never as good-natured and beautifully produced as this fine Scottish gem. Most definitely recommended.

Television shows that can truly warm the heart are hard to find nowadays yet, thanks to the BBC, we now have a stunning example of one that most certainly can. Monarch of the Glen, whilst technically a drama, is actually most memorable for its clever humour, not the American sit-com style (no offence), but rather that distinctly British, charming comedy, with ready wit and an acute sense of irony. This style of comedy is Britain's gift to the world, and is in stark contrast to many American comedies which, though amusing in their own way, tend to be more formulaic than the subtle word-play inherent in the British, Irish and Australian sense of humour. Nevertheless, the show is very well written, and its comic undertones should easily be spotted by most viewers.

The show itself centres around Archie MacDonald, Laird of Glenbogle (and, in the second series, Chief of Clan MacDonald), who abandons his London lifestyle to return to his ancestral home in the West Highlands of Scotland. This lifestyle change forms the basis of this first season and, although Archie ultimately chooses to stay with his kinsmen in the glen, he at times seems to yearn for his former life on the Thames. This homesick-whist-at-home contradiction serves to make Archie a complex yet accessible character, at times unsure of where he truly belongs. Add a dash of romance and some memorable and truly lovable support characters, and you have in essence the simple brilliance of this show. Of these characters, for me the standouts must surely be the ever bushy-tailed Lexie, the delightfully dotty Molly (Susan Hampshire at her most winsome), and that dependable old highlander, 'Golly' McKenzie.

As a series, Monarch of the Glen possesses a genuine character rarely found in modern television and, whilst the mood is for the most part light and humerous, some scenes are surprisingly moving. The emphasis on clanship, ancestry, and the call of the homeland are unashamedly sentimental, and the ruggedly beautiful highland landscape is simply breath-taking. Conversation between the characters is cleverly constructed and, beneath the pleasantries and somewhat misleading appearance of landed gentry, viewers glimpse the reality of a simple, kind-hearted folk, bound together by loyalty and love for one another.

A witty, charming, and heart-warming show, Monarch of the Glen stands as a rare gem in comparison to the rigidly structured nature of modern television. It is also presented here on a brilliant DVD, with the flawless widescreen transfer showing the vast landscape of the Scottish Highlands in all its haunting beauty. The Dolby Stereo soundtrack is also well mastered and proves more than adequate - as well as being a vast improvement over the audio transfer on the original UK Disc.

There are too few words in the English language to describe this show. The scenery is gorgeous, the cast is top-notch, the plot is engaging, the music is inspiring...and best of all, the show has been recorded to DVD in its entirety, not cut down as it's been to air on BBC America to allow for commercials. If you've ever seen the show on BBCA before, would you believe they hack out about 14 minutes worth of the show ON AVERAGE for commercials? There are many precious scenes -- some essential to your understanding of the storyline, some just plain funny or touching -- that you WILL see if you spend the money on this DVD collection. Disc two has all the extras on it: cast bios, British trailers for the show and a short "Making of Monarch" documentary filmed for British TV. If you even remotely enjoy the show, this set is worth the money.

My only complaint is the ENORMOUSLY long waiting period fans have had to endure before the release of the show on DVD...Series One was filmed back in 1999. Over in the UK, they have recently enjoyed the release of series FOUR on DVD this past year.

Waiting (not so) patiently for the release of Series Two in May.....

I had never heard of Monarch of the Glen until a friend recently loaned me his DVD set and am I glad he did. This is a wonderful series. The scenery alone will keep you spellbound long enough to get to know all the characters. The show is so well written that all the players are real, complex people.

Archie MacDonald has just opened a restaurent in London with his girlfriend when he is called back to his home in the Scottish highlands. His parents tell him that he is now Laird of his ancestral home of Glenbogle and it's in trouble, 300,000 pounds in debt. Archie must decide whether to just sell the land that has been in his family for 400 years or stay and try to save it any way he can.

Archie's conflict of wanting to save the estate but also feeling like he never belonged there in the first place drive this first series. Along the way family secrets and tragedies are revealed that explain some of Archie's feelings and especially the behavior of his irrascible and slightly loony father Hector. The series is essentially a drama with humor and romance thrown into the mix. It is so well done that everything blends together perfectly. Monarch of the Glen is a confluence of a good story, great writing, acting, and beautiful scenery.

Back in Oct.'05 I had broken my foot and was in bed with a cast; I happen to catch an episode of this series; fantastic! 'Monarch of the Glen' has everything going for it: the breathtaking photography, the lovable characters(Duncan's my favorite),the theme song and the lovely music all contribute to make one great series. I was very disapointed to learn it was no longer on the air. I have already purchased Series 1-3 and have preordered Series 4. Highly Recommended!

Like many who have written reviews here, I, too, found this gem on the library shelf and I'm now considering buying it for me & my husband who is totally hooked...probably more than I am.

The stories are fun even if you've seen them before, but it doesn't matter because the actors truly bring the characters to life and you forget about it. They're all wonderful.

The location is beautiful, too. It's another character all together.

Monarch of the Glen is an utterly charming, if no doubt somewhat fanciful, depiction of modern life in the Highlands. Each actor plays his/her role to perfection with never a wrong note. While poking fun at Scottish life and customs, it is never mean. The scenery, both natural and human is quite lovely, indeed. My only complaint is that we are unable to get the other seasons in the US at this time! Bring on more Monarch of the Glen.

I came across this wonderful series by noticing Amazon's the "Those who bought this DVD also liked..."

So, blindedly I bought this DVD, (and later series 2-5) and instantly loved Glenbogle and its residents. The other reviewers on this page were right!!!!!! My husband even inched his way into the family room to sneak a peak and now is a regular viewer. The scenery is breathtaking and the relationships between those who live in Glenbogle are endearing and funny. Don't overlook this wonderful series!

I stumbled across this show on our library's DVD shelf, and I'm hooked. It's a winner in every way. The scenery of the Scottish highlands is unbelievably gorgeous (the first-rate cinematography will do wonders for the Scottish tourism industry!). The characters are layered and REAL ... no cardboard sitcom types in sight. Like all great TV shows, the characters find their way into your heart and stay there, so much so that you feel you know them. Even Justine, Archie's chilly London girlfriend, eventually earned a place in my affection (though not nearly so much as the feisty Katrina and the effervescent Lexie.)

Best of all, the scripts are terrific. They can best be described as comedy, though there are moments of real pathos woven throughout (as in the third episode, when a family tragedy from the past is revealed). The parent-child relationship between Archie and his parents, especially his addled and irascible father, is so authentic and well-developed.

Some episodes on the DVD are more memorable than others; the episode in which Archie's sister comes home, for example, didn't have quite the same sparkle as the others. But it's all relative, and even the least memorable of the eight episodes is leagues beyond what you'll find when you switch on an American sitcom. I've never laughed so hard at a TV show as I did in Episode Two, when Duncan did his Braveheart-style attack on the banker who was trying to muscle in on his girl ... but I'll stop there. Do yourself a favor, pay a visit to Glenbogle, and see for yourself.