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In the Club (TV)
R2 - United Kingdom - Acorn Media Review written by and copyright: Samuel Scott (22nd September 2014). |
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The Show
 ***This is a technical review only. For reviews on the show from various critics, we recommend visiting HERE.*** In the Club reveals six women from very different backgrounds all of whom share one thing in common... they’re pregnant. Having been told they would never be able to conceive, Diane and Rick are expecting their ‘miracle’ baby. However a spiralling financial crisis leads Rick to take drastic measures to provide for his fast growing family. Jasmin is struggling with chronic morning sickness and feels as though an alien has taken over her body. Roanna is battling with her ex-husband over their divorce settlement but is very happy and in love with her much younger partner Simon. Kim lives with her partner Susie and Susie’s son, Jude, and writes a pregnancy blog. When a young girl calling herself ‘Fifteen and Frightened’ contacts Kim via her blog, she feels she needs to help her. Until now, the girl has hidden her pregnancy from everyone she knows, including her own father and the baby’s father, but her secret is almost out. Some of these women will find their dream come true, some risk losing theirs but all will discover that nothing’s easy when you’re IN THE CLUB.
Video
Acorn Media have released the BBC drama "In the Club" on to DVD, using the original broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The transfer is in PAL format and is anamorphic, and looks as good as you would expect to, with no surprises. I guess it would be fair to say that this release is not dis-similar to 90% of other DVD releases of recent/current BBC shows, with good clarity and natural colours running throughout. Most of the show takes place in a maternity ward at a Yorkshire hospital, and with that, clinical whites and blues are the flavour of the day. Outdoor scenes are light and vivid, with a good sense of depth, whilst blacks are deep and inky where needed with minimal crush. There is some light aliasing at various times, mainly surrounding window frames and doorways in the background, and occasionally in clothing. Details are consistent, though background details do not always get the chance to shine due to the way they have intentionally used different focus styles. For some reason, Acorn decided to split the episodes up by putting four on disc one, and just two on the second disc. The picture is ever-so-slightly better on disc two, likely due to the way the episodes have been divided. There are no issues with scratches or damage. Episode run times are as follows: DISC ONE Episodes: - Play All (236:36) - "Episode 1" (59:09) - "Episode 2" (59:09) - "Episode 3" (59:09) - "Episode 4" (59:09) DISC TWO Episodes: - Play All (118:16) - "Episode 5" (59:09) - "Episode 6" (59:06)
Audio
Acorn Media have provided the show with a single audio track; English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo. This track is representative of the original television screenings. As to be expected, dialogue is clear and easy to understand at all times, with no problematic mumbling or inconsistent volume levels. The rather formulaic score only makes itself known every now and again, with minimal channel separation. Effects show good fidelity, and have volume levels which do not overpower the dialogue (whilst never being underwhelming either). There are no issues of note such as drop outs or scratches, and I noticed no signs of background hiss. Overall, this is a technically sound track. It just isn't going to blow you away. Optional English subtitles have been included.
Extras
Disc one houses a photo gallery, but that's your lot.
Overall
The show is more about the lives of six families that intertwine, rather than pregnancy, and is a solid BBC drama. As a thirty-year-old male, it would be fair to say I was not the demographic, but I still enjoyed the strong performances from a decent British cast. There is a lot of potential for a second series, but as far as I can see, no announcement is forthcoming.
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