Dragons' Den: Complete BBC Series 1 [DVD]

It's fascinating to revisit the early expeditions into the den in light of how it has developed & with the hindsight to see how few of the products & services have hit the big-time.

Stalwarts PJ & Duncan (Peter Jones & Duncan Bannatyne) are the only 2 dragons from the the 1st series to remain in the current lineup & were as ready to rumble then as they are now. It's enjoyable to watch the dragons posture with each other - Rachel Elnaugh & Simon Woodroffe seem particularly at odds with the others, demonstrating that there's no magic formula in business.

Comparing the contestants in series 1 with those in the current series is like comparing the first-round entrants in X-Factor to those who make it to boot-camp. Most of the first to brave the den don't seem to quite know what they're in for or how good an opportunity it is - and come out brutally savaged. But there's still gold to be panned among the silt & whether the ideas are bad or good, with pitches as varied as a personal flying machine, a hammock to replace the household sofa, a gadget to stop tables wobbling & an 'organic' supermarket where not all the products will be organic...

Disappointingly, the 'extras' are restricted to a booklet containing profiles on the dragons. This is surprising since the Dragons' Den website is packed with video profiles & interviews of the dragons & presenter Evan Davis - not to mention behind-the-scenes footage & mickey-taking sketches from Dead Ringers & Comedy Soup. The addition of just some of these would have made this package considerably more engaging. However, it's still an interesting & informative series which will hopefully inspire a whole new generation of entrepreneurs - and better that than a new generation of X-Factor hopefuls!

"Dragons' Den" is one of the few shows that I actually watch on TV nowadays & is always interesting to see what inventions the budding entrepreneurs have come up with & how bizarre some of them are! The 5 Dragons' are also quite entertaining, especially when they come face-to-face with an arrogant inventor, who doesn't take kindly to criticism of their creation! Anyway, it's a really good show, which I only got into during Series 3, so the DVD release of both Series 1 & 2 are very welcome, as it gives me a chance to finally see them in their 'proper' original hour-long episodes format, rather than the cut-up & messed about half-hour versions that the 'Dave' channel (on Sky & cable) always seem to show!

The only complaints are is the total lack of any extras, as there are er... none! They could've had a commentary by the show's presenter, Evan Davis & maybe some or all of the Dragons, or a documentary about the show for example. Also, the "Where Are They Now?" follow-up episode about the first 2 seasons would've been good to have had as an extra too. However, the booklet included with this DVD is nice though! The biggest shame is that there are sadly no subtitles on this DVD, which is a real shame, as when the series was originally broadcast on BBC2, it did have them! This is a shame for any deaf or hard of hearing viewers, aswell as some of us who just like to watch a show with the subs on, incase we can't understand what is being said at the time etc. Series 2 doesn't have subtitles either, but hopefully if/when they ever release Series 3, they'll have subs on them!

Still, aside from those minor quibbles, this is a worthwhile purchase if you're already a fan of the show! Even if you're not, give it a go, I'm sure you won't be disappointed!...

Was great to see all the old entrepreneurs, My Father is an avid fan and loved watching them all again