Product Details

• Actors: James Nesbitt, Hermione Norris, John Thomson, Robert Bathurst, Helen Baxendale
• Directors: Declan Lowney, Mark Mylod, Nigel Cole, Paul Kousoulides
• Writers: Mike Bullen
• Producers: Andy Harries, Christine Langan, David Meddick
• Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
• Number of discs: 3
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Acorn Media
• Run Time: 351 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0006HBLEG
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #86,391 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Cold Feet - Pilot and Complete First Series" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

• This is item 1 in The Cold Feet Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Before Cold Feet, there was sitcom and there was drama. This 1997 newcomer straddled both worlds effortlessly and singlehandedly seemed to create a new genre for British channel ITV. Set in Manchester, the action revolved around three couples at different stages of the relationship-development continuum. In the pilot, Adam and Rachel (who dominated the plot) were barely a couple at all, Pete and Jenny were desperately trying to conceive their first child, and their friends David and Karen were married with a toddler called Josh. This is one of those rare but delightful examples of a sharp-witted and sassy script being wedded in perfect bliss to the actors' performances (as long as Helen Baxendale, who is decorative but lacks timing, didn't grace the screen for too long).

Mike Bullen's comedy drama was about the human condition writ large, but although its six characters go through a life's worth of emotions in each season and the action consistently draws on elements of farce, Cold Feet never strays too far from the bounds of credibility. Initially James Nesbitt (Adam) and John Thomson (Pete) provided the comic core but, as the series developed, Fay Ripley (Jenny), Hermione Norris (Karen) and Robert Bathurst (David) all proved they had comic capabilities worth exploiting.

The first series begins with Adam and Rachel celebrating an anniversary of sorts. Adam, revealing a propensity for slushy romanticism, decides to make a song and dance about it with fairly disastrous consequences. It's this same romanticism that gets him into trouble as a charming but incorrigible womanizer in later episodes. But not before the couple moves in together, explores their sexual fantasies, and then watches as the shine of love gets tarnished by petty irritations and Rachel's intolerance of Adam's bad habits. Meanwhile after all their struggles to conceive, Jenny gives birth to baby Adam, leaving her and Pete exhausted and wistful about their long-gone social life. By the end of the series David and Karen have gone one stage further and tried marriage counseling after David started having problems in the bedroom department. This takes some feats of persuasion on Karen's part--one of David's defining characteristics is his constant worry about what other people think--but the yuppie couple will see some of the benefits in series 2. Like all good drama, the series ends with a cliffhanger in the form of some bombshell news from Rachel, who is last seen boarding a train for London. --Emma Perry

Product Description

From its award-winning pilot through five hit seasons, this fast-paced, cutting-edge series—dubbed "the British Friends"—captivated U.K. audiences and critics alike. This is how it all began.

Three Manchester couples at different stages of settling down become entangled in love and friendship. As poignantly true to life as it is hilarious, Cold Feet has been hailed for its superb scripts, inspired editing, and trend-setting use of fantasy and flashbacks. The heart of the drama is the up and down romance of Adam and Rachel, played by James Nesbitt (Waking Ned Devine) and Helen Baxendale (An Unsuitable Job for a Woman, Friends). Also starring John Thomson, Fay Ripley, Robert Bathurst, and Hermione Norris. "Britian’s coolest drama" —The Sun (U.K.). "A brilliant, quirky, sexy, funny, warm, unmissable ratings monster"— Daily Mirror (U.K.).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent TV Series from the UK, November 25, 2004

By	Martin Anderson "Martin" (Santa Ana, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This is an excellent TV series from the UK. It follows the life of three English couples, one newly dating (Adam and Rachel (played by the same actress who played Emily in Friends), who meet in the pilot), one newly married and trying for a child, and one that already has a child and seems destined to end.

The show is great because of the dialogue and the story, and was also compelling to me because the scenery is quite different from anything that we would see in the U.S. (either on TV or in the real world).

The show won an award from the British Academy of Film and Television. It deals with real life issues, including sex, and is probably too open with these issues to air in the U.S. without some censoring. There's actually only one or two scenes in the entire 5 seasons that actually shows any nudity, and its very brief and contextually appropriate (i.e., one involves a woman giving birth and the other a woman who takes a night job at a strip club).

If I had it to do over again, I'd watch series 1, 2, and 3. The show stalls a bit in series 4 and I hated the way the series ended in series 5. But, series 1, 2, and 3 are well-worth buying if only to watch once.

Although I'm writing this review before the release of this DVD, I have actually watched the entire series. I bought them from www.amazon.co.uk and watched them on a DVD player that is capable of playing Region 2 disks. If you are so inclined, there are a number of other good shows that have not been released here, including Teachers and Black Books, which you can buy at amazon.co.uk. In fact, this title is much cheaper (and you can get all 5 seasons) if you buy it on amazon.co.uk. However, in order to view UK DVD's, you must buy a region free dvd player.

You can find one by searching the web for "Region Free DVD Players." Amazon also sells the Gateway DVD Recorder and the LiteOn DVD Recorders, which are capable of being made Region Free (check out www.dvdrhelp.com for instructions) and can play the UK versions without any trouble.

If you like this show, you will also like Teachers and Black Books, which are also available at www.amazon.co.uk.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Thoroughly Enjoyable British Comedy-Drama!, June 7, 2005

By	Tiggah "the Anglophile" (Calgary, Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews

Set in Manchester in the late 90s/early 2000s, Cold Feet is a brilliantly written, impeccably acted, and very creatively directed comedy-drama about relationships. In particular, it draws attention to the differences between the sexes, and it does so in some very creative ways. For example, rather than relating the story in strict chronological order, pivotal scenes are often presented through the use of flashback as the characters relate incidents to their friends. In this way the male perspective is hilariously juxtaposed with the female, fantasy is juxtaposed with reality, and so on.

The series chronicles the lives and relationships of three couples. Firstly, there are Adam and Rachel--who aren't actually a couple when we first meet them. With an eye for the ladies, Adam (James Nesbitt--Ballykissangel's Leo) is a flirty, cocky, self-assured system's analyst--whatever that is--who is positively full of himself. Rachel (Helen Baxendale--An Unsuitable Job for a Woman), on the other hand, is overall much more serious and reserved--not to mention mature--than Adam. Adam is so upbeat, good-natured and playfully charming, however, that he brings a lightness into Rachel's life and, despite his inflated ego, it's not hard to see what she sees in him.

Adam's best friend is his mate Pete, an overweight, easy-going bloke from a working-class background whose two favourite pasttimes are watching football and downing a pint at the local pub. He's saved from having the life of a slovenly couch-potato by his marriage to Jenny, a laid-back, fun-loving, vivacious woman who's nobody's fool.

Rachel's best friend is Karen (Hermione Norris--Wire in the Blood), who despite being quite sophisticated with a cultured accent has a bit of a rebel streak. She has a baby and a posh home, but she's far from contented. Part of the problem is her husband David, who is a wealthy, high-flying management consultant. He's an extremely serious, anal-retentive, work-obsessed snob who was, um, born with the Financial Times up his arse (or so it's been said!). Being a connoisseur of fine wine with no interest in football and no noticeable sense of humour, he couldn't have less in common with either Pete or Adam.

This boxed set contains the pilot (1996) and all six 50-minute episodes that comprised the first (of five) series (1998). The first series is the lightest, with the humour often being of the comedy of errors variety. Though it is a very modern series (definitely one for mature audiences--this isn't family entertainment), it's not dirty; and though sex is often at issue, it is neither gratuitous nor drawn out and pornographic.

In conclusion, Cold Feet is a well-acted, well-written, and well-directed series--and that goes for all five series. It is witty, insightful, and funny to the point of being hilarious. In short, it is a thoroughly satisfying show to curl up with--one which becomes more dramatic and increasingly more addictive as the series progresses. Like the best British productions, it is a series that can be watched and rewatched. I personally have seen the first few series so many times that I've lost track; still, I never tired of rewatching it. The element of surprise may be gone with multiple viewings, yet somehow it just doesn't seem to matter. This is, without question, one of my all-time favourite series (of any genre), and it is one which I highly, HIGHLY recommend!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another smash hit from across the pond!, January 23, 2005

By	Travis Goss (Savanna, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Like most fans of this show, I first watched this show on Bravo. During the past few years, I've been hoping that the day would come that it would be available on DVD for us American couch potatoes to add to our video collection.

Now, after all these years, it's finally here! I was absolutely floored when I saw it available on amazon.com. Now, I can watch the first series unedited and uncut, and enjoy it all over again.

Now, I'm patiently waiting for further seasons of the show to become available in the future.