Well filmed, well acted, medieval who-dunnits in the vein of the equally superb 'Name of the Rose'. Each episode is loosely based on one of Ellis Peter's original Brother Cadfael books. As no doubt everyone reading this knows, English/Welsh Cadfael is the worldly wise 12th century Benedictine monk who solves murder mysteries while providing herbal remedies and medicines (so he knows his poisons). Having been on the Crusades and been disappointed in love, Cadfael is far more down to Earth and sensible than his `stay at home' snooty & spiritual monk superiors who often find him an irritation. Being Derek Jacobi he is also very nice, in a totally ruthless Miss Marple 'Nemesis' sort of way. The books and episodes are also fairly accurate historically, and include real event's like the siege of Shrewsbury by Stephen in 1138 that forms the setting for One Corpse Too Many. Like-wise all love interest is strictly between those of the same class.
The series is set in Shrewsbury Abbey, Shropshire, near the volatile Welsh border. The stories are set between about 1135 and 1145, during the civil war between the forces of King Stephen and the Empress Maud - they eventually agreed a peace where Stephen remained king with Maud (Matilda)'s son being recognised as heir to the throne (but that's not important). The thirteen episodes on the five DVDs are, most recent first: The Holy thief, The Potter Field, Pilgrim of Hate, The Rose Rent, St Peter's fair, The Raven in the Foregate, The Virgin in the ice, The Devils Novice, A morbid taste for bones, One Corpse too many, The Sanctuary Sparrow, The Leper of St Giles, and Monks Hood. This is all the seasons, one to four, that were first shown between 1994 to 1998, total run time 983 minutes and audio is English only. My favourite is `A morbid taste for bones', based around a search for St Winefride's body in Wales.
This new complete Cadfael collection is an identical release to the previous all four Cadfael seasons (brown-coloured) boxed set with an updated (Blue-coloured) cover. Now that the older 'brown' set has been obsolete for a while, it's generally this new Cadfael 'blue' set that's the cheapest to buy new. Both these 'all four season' sets offer identical extras: audio comments by Sir Derek discussing the episodes, a selection of stills, and cast filmographies. Likewise both offer: English only audio [Dolby stereo], subtitles in English [hard of hearing] only, PAL region 2, aspect ratio standard 4:3, except 'The Potter's field' that's 4:3 letterbox, and the age rating is 15. The box for this new blue set is only 2.2cm wide though, compared to the older sets bulkier 6.2cm width [as it had four full-size DVD cases in a thin slip-box].
I read that each episode cost a packet to produce (and it shows) so the whole series in one box set is very good value for the viewer. The original twenty 'Ellis Peters' Cadfael books are also a good read and add a lot more background info on Cadfael and the period (the author Edith Pargeter has now sadly died). My wife, a fan of the books and Derek Jacobi, loves both to bits. The series broadly follows the feel of the books, but some episodes have changes to the book plot to reduce the size of the speaking cast, the running time, and the need for expensive special effects. However, one episode made after the author's death, 'The Pilgrim of Hate', bears almost no resemblance to the book save a few of the characters sharing the same names. Plus Cadfael doesn't speak any Welsh the TV series, and his on-screen relationship with Sheriff Hugh Beringar seems less intimate (Cadfael is Godfather to Hugh's son). But it's a great atmospheric TV show none the less. If you like this, also have a look at Richard E Grants 'The Scarlet Pimpernel' and the Sharpe with Wellies `Horatio Hornblower' 18th/19th century TV series with Ioan Gruffudd.