Secret Diary of a Call Girl - Series 4 [DVD]

Wish I could say the the 'Final Season' (4) of Showtime's "Secret Diary of A Call Girl" ended with a 'bang' but (for me) it was more of a 'thud'. I really got into the whole mythos of 'Belle de Jour' - read all of her books (based on the infamous blog that launched the series) and really enjoyed the way that the TV series initially portrayed the characters and sexy situations that (the real) Belle described in her autobiography. Billie Piper was gorgeous & fresh as the liberated call-girl with a heart of gold, the tension between characters was nicely balanced, the dialog saucy, and even the 'tricks' were interesting & believable - with just enuf skin to remind you that this was an 'adult' cable show. Things moved very smoothly thru the first 3 seasons.

The 4th Season manages to chip away much that the show had working for it. Not to say that there aren't a few choice moments to be enjoyed during the 8 final episodes - but the series seems to have run out of gas (and ideas). The edgey chemistry between Belle and her 'best mate' wanna-be boyfriend, Ben, devolves into a lot of unattractive squabbling when they try to attempt a live-in relationship and a somewhat annoying new character, Poppy (daughter of Belle's temporarily incarcerated 'madame', Stephanie) is introduced to further muck things up. A new, rather un-likable, male 'detective' character is also injected as a counter-foil to Ben adding yet more aggravation to the mix. Generally, everything seems taken a bit too much to the extreme - Belle's 'clients' fetishes become comically absurd (less 'human' & sexy) and the make-up and hair styles manage to make even the lovely Ms Piper look like a trashy streetwalker much of the time. Possibly some of this is 'intentional' as much of the drama of the series is based on the duality of Belle's character struggling between wanting to be 'normal' but also loving the excitement and wealth that her escort business ensures. Thus, despite the efforts to glamorize the 'play for pay' lifestyle - the old morality creeps in and the tawdry aspects of a 'life of sin' are emphasized via the make-up... one would have to imagine that the show's producers must own 'stock' in a mascara franchise! I noted there were a couple of 'new' directors for the final season and maybe it was their 'vision' that sorta changed the tenor of the show to one of shrillness approaching outright parody - where even the beautiful & sophisticated Belle is made to appear grotesque in numerous scenes. By the time the plot concludes in a tumultuous flurry of tortured indecision and a rather haggard looking Belle stalks resolutely off into the darkness with great rivers of black eyeliner streaming down her face - I was feelin': 'Yeah, enough already - time to wrap this one up!'. Doubtless, die hard fans of the series will wish to see how it all culminates - but be prepared to be under-whelmed. I sincerely hope that the 'real' Belle/Hannah is having a happier time in her life than what was crafted for her celluloid counterpart's denouemont.

Literally this show was my favourite show on TV and I thought that the ending was absolutely superb and did the series complete justice. However disappointingly in the DVD box set on the final episode they changed the music from actual songs to made up musical interludes and it was really bloody distracting. In the final scene on TV they played Adele Someone like you and it was amazing and they even changed that! Am so disappointed I feel like I've been cheated they show one thing on TV and another on the box set. I felt like the songs for the final episode had been carefully and brilliantly selected but in the box set just used as wall paper. Great series, great ending, shame about the music.

The series itself is fine, but as a review of the DVD's they get a big thumbs-down from me as they are not complete at all. Complete means airing the orignal episodes in their intact form, instead a lot of the music has been changed in order to save on money. Part of what made the final moments so memorable was Adelle's "Someone like you" playing, I don't care to have it be replaced by some piano music instead

The DVD's don't even offer any extras either, you're better off d/l the episodes on to your computer or iphone and watching them that way as the DVD's offer nothing new whatsoever, and even change the feel of many scenes with the music replacments.