Randall and Hopkirk [Deceased]: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

Randall and Hopkirk [Deceased]: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov September 21, 2019

"Randall and Hopkirk [Deceased]: The Complete Series" (1969-1970) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British label Network Releasing. There are no bonus features on the release. In English, without optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The detectives

My introduction to Randall and Hopkirk [Deceased] occurred only because a couple of years ago I picked up Network’s set of Department S. I had seen different episodes of the latter and liked it, so when the folks at Network put the newly restored episodes of the show’s two seasons in a box set, I ordered it. I had a great time with it. It blends elements from a couple of different genres and has a very heavy retro vibe that I find most attractive in these types of vintage shows. At the same time, Network had also restored Randall and Hopkirk [Deceased], but I was completely unfamiliar with it. I had not seen a single episode of this show, and I did not know if it would be something that I would like. (I have very limited time to view any TV content, so my decision to skip it was very easy to make). However, earlier this year, a friend visited my place, somehow noticed the Department S set, and casually mentioned Randall and Hopkirk [Deceased]. As soon as I told him that I didn’t know anything about it, he offered to loan me his set, and I accepted. However, I must confess that I wasn’t planning to spend a lot of time with it. At best, I was going to test a few episodes and then return the set to him. On the night when I viewed the first episode, which was so strange that I was instantly convinced I had to see more, I ordered my set of Randall and Hopkirk [Deceased]. This happened in July. It is September now, and last week, I finished the last episode in the set.

Here’s a summation of my experience with Randall and Hopkirk [Deceased]:

The first episode, which introduces private detectives Jeff Randall (Mike Pratt) and Marty Hopkirk (Kenneth Cope), and then the latter gets killed, wasn’t a one-off head-scratcher. (And I mean this in the most complimentary way). So, Marty comes back as a ghost and then resumes his working relationship with Jeff, who is the only one with the ability to see him. Not even Marty’s heartbroken -- well, actually not really that heartbroken -- wife Jeannie (Annette Andre) can see her dead husband when he pops up. Much later, efforts are made to reconnect her with Marty, but the entire experiment turns out a lot more complicated than initially advertised, and Jeff remains the main beneficiary of his partner’s surprising resurrection. Needless to say, I quite liked what I was seeing, because each new episode was essentially another wild story with plenty of odd twists and turns.

The crimes that are at the center of most episodes are not just necessary distractions, either, which is why the show maintains a pretty good balance between the supernatural and natural material. I hesitate to say that it remains grounded in reality because of Marty’s presence, but he is basically what skews everything. In other words, there are plenty of legitimate new characters and authentic relationships that prevent the show from entering the same territory that the likes of The Twilight Zone: and The X-Files visit.

How about the quality of the comedy material? I think that it has a ‘swinging’ flavor at times, but anyone expecting it to match the wit and playfulness of the humor that legitimized the likes of Bedazzled and The Party as timeless classics will be seriously underwhelmed. The humor is just one of many layers that give the show its identity.

The twenty-six episodes of the show were directed by Cyril Frankel, Ray Austin, Jeremy Summers, Leslie Norman, Paul Dickson, Roy Ward Baker, and Robert Tronson.

BOX SET CONTENT

DISC ONE

1. My Late Lamented Friend and Partner
2. But a Sweet Little Room
3. For the Girl Who Has Everything
4. A Sentimental Journey

DISC TWO

5. You Can Always Find a Fall Guy
6. Who Killed Cock Robin?
7. The Smile Behind the Veil
8. It's Supposed to be Thicker Than Water

DISC THREE

9. The Trouble with Women
10. Whoever Heard of a Ghost Dying?
11. That's How Murder Snowballs
12. All Work and No Pay

DISC FOUR

13. When The Spirit Moves You
14. Never Trust a Ghost
15. Money to Burn
16. The Man From Nowhere

DISC FIVE

17. Vendetta for a Dead Man
18. When Did You Start to Stop Seeing Things?
19. Just for the Record
20. Could You Recognize the Man Again?
21. A Disturbing Case

DISC SIX

22. The House on Haunted Hill
23. The Ghost Who Saved the Bank at Monte Carlo
24. Murder Ain't What it Used to Be!
25. Somebody Just Walked Over My Grave
26. The Ghost Talks

Randall and Hopkirk [Deceased]: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.33:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Randall and Hopkirk [Deceased]: The Complete Series arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Network releasing.

Randall and Hopkirk [Deceased]: The Complete Series was fully restored by Network Releasing and what is currently on the label's Blu-ray release is undoubtedly the best home video presentation that the show has ever enjoyed. It looks spotless, vibrant, and very stable. Depth and detail usually range from very good to excellent, while fluidity is simply terrific. The grading job is fittingly solid -- the primary colors are lush and stable, while the supporting nuances always look healthy. My one minor criticism again pertains to the grain management work that was done when the restored master was finalized -- I don't think it is needed at all. The restoration is outstanding, and had it been left untouched, it could have looked magnificent on Blu-ray. The end product still has strong organic qualities, but it could have looked even more impressive. My score is 4.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location. For the record, there is no problematic PAL or 1080/50i content preceding the discs' main menus).

Randall and Hopkirk [Deceased]: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English: LPCM 2.0 (48kHz, 16-bit). Optional English SDH subtitles are not provided for the main feature.

On the first episode of the show, My Late Lamented Friend and Partner, there are some noticeable traces of aging anomalies. Indeed, there are a couple of different areas where the audio becomes 'thin' and has a slightly 'raspy' quality. These are limitations that are most likely inherited from the original materials, and at least the 'raspy' areas, I think, are actually related to some type of serious deterioration. The good news is that these limitations are not distracting, and clarity and stability remain excellent. Elsewhere, there are some sporadic dynamic fluctuations, but the overall quality of the lossless audio remains very nice.

Randall and Hopkirk [Deceased]: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There are no supplemental features to be found on this box set.

Randall and Hopkirk [Deceased]: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Network Releasing has been restoring and bringing to Blu-ray various vintage TV shows, and Randall and Hopkirk [Deceased]: The Complete Series might be the most unpredictable one in the label's catalog. I was not familiar with it but ended up liking it as much as I did Department S: The Complete Series. (Both were done by the same core group of British directors). The box set that we have reviewed has all six discs (volumes 1-6) that were previously available as standalone releases. All of them are Region-Free and perfectly playable on North American Blu-ray players. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.