Vera

ITVs critically acclaimed crime drama starring multi-award winning actress Brenda Blethyn as DCI Vera Stanhope. Based on the bestselling Inspector Stanhope books by renowned writer Ann Cleeves.

• Vera - Series 1 [DVD] | DVD | (23/05/2011 from £8.49   |  Saving you £16.50 (194.35%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Introducing this major new detective franchise Vera starring Academy Award nominee and BAFTA winner Brenda Blethyn as Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope. Middle-aged Vera is an experienced not to mention brilliant murder detective. Kind-hearted but a loner she freely admits she can become obsessed with her job.

• Vera - Series 3 [DVD] | DVD | (16/09/2013 from £8.49   |  Saving you £11.50 (135.45%)   |  RRP £19.99

  ITV's critically acclaimed crime drama returns starring multi-award winning actress Brenda Blethyn as DCI Vera Stanhope. Based on the bestselling Inspector Stanhope books by renowned writer Ann Cleeves Vera and her team are faced with a series of daunting challenges.

• Vera - Series 2 [DVD] | DVD | (21/05/2012 from £12.89   |  Saving you £12.10 (93.87%)   |  RRP £24.99

  The first series of Vera may have left the show a little bit of work to do, but this follow-up run of stories improves things with considerable skill. The basic premise remains similar. Vera follows the work of Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope, a woman driven to solve crime, whilst battling a catalogue of problems of her own. So far, so conventional. Television is hardly short of detectives, after all. But Vera has a trump card, and her name is Brenda Blethyn. The Oscar-nominated actress gives a considered performance in the title role, and the lends the show the gravitas it needs to keep us hooked. Blethyn is front and centre for much of the four episodes collected together here, and it's a complex collection of cases she's presented with. For instance, she has to face the mysterious suicide of a former colleague, and the odd murder of a social worker, each of which comes with a labyrinthine backstory that Vera needs to get to grips with. There are still problems with Vera that this second series doesn't completely solve. Based once more on Ann Cleeves' novels, the wonderful Blethyn has proven to be a divisive choice amongst hardened fans of the books, and whilst her character is deepened here, more work on the writing and less reliance on the leading actress would serve the show well. That said, her adventures here are fleshed out, interesting, and intriguing to watch. And Vera continues, as it did in the second half of its maiden series, to improve. Well worth a look. --Jon Foster

• Vera - Series 1-3 [DVD] | DVD | (30/09/2013 from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £39.99

  Academy Award nominee and BAFTA Award-winning actress Brenda Blethyn OBE stars in critically acclaimed crime drama Vera based on the novels by award-winning crime writer Ann Cleeves. Blethyn plays the title role of DCI Vera Stanhope a sharp but shambolic detective driven by her own personal demons. With her caustic wit and singular charm Vera and her trusted right-hand man DS Joe Ashworth (David Leon) face a series of captivating murder mysteries set against the breathtaking Northumberland landscape. Episodes Comprise: Hidden Depths Telling Tales The Crow Trap Little Lazarus The Ghost Position Silent Voices Sandancers A Certain Samaritan Castles In The Air Poster Child Young Gods Prodigal Son

• Vera Series 1-2 [DVD] | DVD | (13/08/2012 from £26.98   |  Saving you £8.01 (22.90%)   |  RRP £34.99

  Includes Vera Series 1 and 2.Introducing this major new detective franchise Vera starring Academy Award nominee and BAFTA winner Brenda Blethyn as Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope. Middle-aged Vera is an experienced, not to mention brilliant, murder detective. Kind-hearted but a loner, she freely admits she can become obsessed with her job.