"Actor: Chris Black"

• The War Of The Worlds Live : Special Edition (2 disc) | DVD | (06/11/2006) from £19.19   |  Saving you £5.80 (30.22%)   |  RRP £24.99

  In 1978 Jeff Wayne composed and produced one of the most groundbreaking and best-selling musical works of all time. In 2006 after much anticipation Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of The Worlds was brought to the stage for the first time playing to sold-out arenas across the UK. The War of The Worlds - Live is a spectacular mix of live music theatre multi-media and visual arts on a grand scale. It combines the brilliance of the original performers including Jeff Wayne Justin Hayward Chris Thompson and even the late Richard Burton (In Sight and Sound) along with a brand new cast the 10-piece Black Smoke Band the 48-piece ULLAdubULLA Strings and an unforgettable fully operating 30ft Martian Fighting Machine!

• The War Of The Worlds Live | DVD | (01/12/2008) from £100.14   |  Saving you £-75.15 (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  In 1978 Jeff Wayne composed and produced one of the most groundbreaking and best-selling musical works of all time. In 2006 after much anticipation Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of The Worlds was brought to the stage for the first time playing to sold-out arenas across the UK. The War of The Worlds - Live is a spectacular mix of live music theatre multi-media and visual arts on a grand scale. It combines the brilliance of the original performers including Jeff Wayne Justin Hayward Chris Thompson and even the late Richard Burton (In Sight and Sound) along with a brand new cast the 10-piece Black Smoke Band the 48-piece ULLAdubULLA Strings and an unforgettable fully operating 30ft Martian Fighting Machine!

• The War Of The Worlds Live | DVD | (06/11/2006) from £15.38   |  Saving you £4.61 (29.97%)   |  RRP £19.99

  In 1978 Jeff Wayne composed and produced one of the most groundbreaking and best-selling musical works of all time. In 2006 after much anticipation Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of The Worlds was brought to the stage for the first time playing to sold-out arenas across the UK. The War of The Worlds - Live is a spectacular mix of live music theatre multi-media and visual arts on a grand scale. It combines the brilliance of the original performers including Jeff Wayne Justin Hayward Chris Thompson and even the late Richard Burton (In Sight and Sound) along with a brand new cast the 10-piece Black Smoke Band the 48-piece ULLAdubULLA Strings and an unforgettable fully operating 30ft Martian Fighting Machine!

• The Scarlet Pimpernel - Series 1 | DVD | (21/07/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Suspecting that the Pimpernal is an English aristocrat Chauvelin is sent to England to discover the identity of the mystery man. Once there Chauvelin meets his former lover the beautiful French actress Marguerite who is married to a foppish English aristocrat. Marguerite reluctantly gives Chauvelin information to find the elusive Pimpernel and has unwittingly betrayed him...

• Funnyman (DVD) | DVD | (04/09/2017) from £6.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  When a mysterious Englishman loses his ancestral home in a poker hand, the lucky winner, Max Taylor, has no idea that, far Irom ending - the game has just begun. For the house is an ancient shrine to the Gods of Fortune, a Temple to chance and fate, and in the depths of its soul a spirit waits. In the modern deck he is the Wild Card, The Joker. In the eyes of a child, nothing more than a Jester and Clown. But to you, Ladies and Gentlemen - he is The Funny Man.

• Stargate S.G -1: Season 3 (Vol. 10) | DVD | (26/03/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The 1994 movie Stargate was originally intended as the start of a franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin were distracted celebrating their Independence Day. Episodic TV treatment was the natural next step. In the roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr Daniel Jackson respectively are Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They're joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and guilt-stricken former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the teacher's pet primary unit SG-1 With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Chasing their heels at almost every turn are the "overlord" Goa'uld--the ancient Egyptian Gods who are none too chummy after the events of the original film. The welcome notion of a continued plot thread sees offshoots that follow the reincarnation of Daniel's wife, Sam's father joining a renegade faction of the Goa'uld, and Jack in an unending quest to out-sarcasm everyone. There's something of The Time Tunnel to the show's premise, but amid a dearth of derivative look-a-likes, Stargate has held its own with stories that put the science fiction back into TV sci-fi. --Paul TonksOn this DVD: This volume begins in confusion when the S.G.1 team discover a military camp training for "Rules of Engagement". All is not what it seems however. The same is true of "Forever in a Day", when Daniel's wife Sha're is killed by Teal'c. This episode begins an important storyline about her stolen child who is a "Harcesis", an illegal breeding between Goa'uld hosts. Then an earlier thread is picked up in "Past and Present" on planet Vyus whose people all suffer amnesia. Their leader Ke'ra (played by Megan Leitch who's portrayed Mulder's missing sister in The X-Files) is a link to the earlier "Prisoners" episode and the dangerous "destroyer of worlds". Closing the volume is a cliffhanger in which Sam must attempt to rescue her father, face Satan himself on a prison moon, and resurrect "Jolinar's Memories" from the Goa'uld she was briefly possessed by. Trapped in Hell, the team's escape seems impossible. As well as trailers for the next volume, the disc includes a 10-minute interview with Christopher Judge on his 97-year-old character Teal'c. He spends much of the time recalling plot points, but his philosophy of the show as a social allegory is refreshing. --Paul Tonks END

• The Super Mario Bros. Movie | Blu Ray | (24/07/2023) from £49.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  From the studio that brings animated hits such as Despicable Me and Sing , and starring Golden Globe Winner Anya-Taylor Joy and comedy masters Chris Pratt and Charlie Day, comes the latest fun adventure based on Nintendo's globally successful video game franchise about a mustachioed plumber Mario and his lanky brother, Luigi, in their quest to save Princess Peach from villain Bowser.

• Stargate S.G -1: Season 4 (Vol. 18) | DVD | (26/12/2001) from £6.54   |  Saving you £13.45 (67.30%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The 1994 movie Stargate was originally intended as the start of a franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin were distracted celebrating their Independence Day. Episodic TV treatment was the natural next step. In the roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr. Daniel Jackson respectively are Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They're joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and guilt-stricken former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the teacher's pet primary unit SG-1 With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Chasing their heels at almost every turn are the "overlord" Goa'uld--the ancient Egyptian Gods who are none too chummy after the events of the original film. There's something of The Time Tunnel to the show's premise, but Stargate has held its own with stories that put the science fiction back into TV sci-fi. On the DVD: Episodes: Absolute Power, The Light, Prodigy, Entity. The Harcesis child Shifu (an excellent young Lane Gates) decides Earth needs a lesson in what would happen if it acquired the "Absolute Power" its powers-that-be are greedily after. Daniel is the unwitting test subject, and by the time we see him unflinchingly destroy Moscow it's apparent just what this lesson is. Seeing "The Light" in another way, SG-1 find themselves like moths to a flame on a seemingly abandoned planet. After the shocking suicide of another team member, it takes everyone's individual talents (including the under-used Dr. Fraser) to crack the mystery of the pillar of energy from which all the trouble clearly emanates. In a rare glimpse of ordinary military life, Sam is presented with a "Prodigy" of sorts. The brilliant young Cadet Jennifer Hailey (Elisabeth Rosen) is precocious about her talents to the point of being obnoxious in the eyes of her tutors and peers. She naturally experiences quite a humbling come down when taken through the Stargate to assist on a science mission dealing with a pesky new life form. This episode is all about identifying personal flaws and what it takes to acknowledge them. In another strong show for Carter, a particularly elusive "Entity" imprints itself upon her consciousness as well as the base's computer systems. While every conceivable method of extraction is undertaken, the situation is made more complicated by the possibility that it's all been an enormous misunderstanding. Definitely the most heart-warming presentation of the life of a computer virus you'll ever see!

• Stargate SG-1 - The Best of Series 1 | DVD | (20/03/2000) from £9.99   |  Saving you £10.00 (100.10%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The 1994 film Stargate was originally intended as the start of a franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin were distracted celebrating their Independence Day. Episodic TV treatment was the natural next step. Since neither Kurt Russell nor James Spader would be able to commit, it gave the producers licence to tinker with the cast and the universe they'd explore. Replacing the roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr. Daniel Jackson respectively are Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They're joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and guilt-stricken former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the teacher's pet primary unit SG 1 With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Chasing their heels at almost every turn are the "overlord" pharaoh-like Goa'uld--the ancient Egyptian Gods who are not too chummy after the events of the original film. The welcome notion of a continued plot-thread sees offshoots that follow the reincarnation of Daniel's wife, Sam's father joining a renegade faction of the Goa'uld, and Jack in an unending quest to out-sarcasm everyone. There's something of The Time Tunnel to the show's premise, but amid a dearth of derivative look-a-likes, Stargate has held its own with stories that put the science fiction back into TV sci-fi.This peculiar chronological cut and paste from the opening year at least starts sensibly with the pilot "Children of the Gods". A year on from Stargate the motion picture, Earth's military have assembled crack units to protect against whatever might follow from planet Abydos. So naturally they make things worse discovering a new enemy on Chulak. In "There But for the Grace of God" Daniel plays out Star Trek's "Mirror Mirror" scenario in an alternate dimension. Then in "Politics" no one believes his warnings of an impending attack, instead rationalising the Gate's closure. The season's stunning cliffhanger--"Within the Serpent's Grasp"--lands the team aboard the Goa'uld flag attack ship headed to destroy Earth. This episode features some truly inspired one-liners: "We can't just upload a virus to the Mothership!" --Paul Tonks

• House of 1,000 Corpses | Blu Ray | (17/09/2007) from £12.51   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• DreamWorks Holiday Favourites | DVD | (18/11/2013) from £4.14   |  Saving you £15.85 (382.85%)   |  RRP £19.99

  All your favourite DreamWorks characters – now in one boxset! Includes the following festive favourites as well as a whole host of bonus material! Shrek the Halls 12 Days of Christmas Pop-Up Book 12 Days of Christmas Sing a long Deck the Halls Sing a long Merry Madagascar Jingle Bells Sing a long We Wish You a Merry Penguin Sing a long Santa Clause is Coming to Madagascar Sing a long Kung Fu Holiday Learn to Draw: Wo Hop Kung Fu Panda Holiday Shuffle Mr. Ping's Noodle House How to Use Chopsticks Dragons Holiday: Gift of the Night Fury Gobber's Training Secrets Deleted Scenes Spot the Difference Learn to Draw a Baby Gronckle

• Funny Man | DVD | (29/05/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  He's cheeky & he's cruel! When Max Taylor (Benny Young) wins the ancestral home of the mysterious Mr Chance (Christopher Lee) in a hand of Poker he doesn't realise that far from ending the game has just begun. As soon as the Taylor family move into their new home Max's wife (Ingrid Lacey) and two kids are brutally dispatched one-by-one at the hands of the resident demonic jester (Tim James); an evil joker with a varied and imaginative repertoire of homicidal techniques

• Just Married / Shallow Hal / Dude, Where's My Car? | DVD | (06/09/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Just Married Tom's a traffic reporter with blue collar roots. Sarah's a writer whose family is as wealthy as it is snobbish. Much to her clan's and ex-boyfriend's horror Sarah (Brittany Murphy) and Tom (Ashton Kutcher) fall in love and marry. Following their wedding they set off on what they expect to be the perfect vacation but thanks to her ex-beau and relentless bad luck the happy couple experiences the honeymoon from hell! Shallow Hal Hal Larsen is the ultimate shallow guy. Hal finds beauty only in supermodels and centrefolds. The first thing he looks for in a woman is looks. Hal won't even consider dating someone with a less-than-perfect body smile and sense of style. But after an impromptu hypnosis by self-help guru Tony Robbins Hal's view of woman makes a 180-degree turn; he now sees their true inner beauty. Enter Rosemary an overweight Peace Corps volunteer. Hal envisioning Rosemary's kindness and humour as female nirvana is instantly smitten and an idyllic romance begins. When the spell is broken Hal must now face unrecognisable Rosemary and learns one of life's most important lessons. Dude Where's My Car? Jesse (Ashton Kutcher) and Chester (Seann William Scott) got really wasted last night. The fridge is packed with pudding their girlfriends - The Twins - are ticked off and somehow Jesse's car has disappeared. So the hapless stoners set out to find the car which happens to have their girlfriends' anniversary presents in it. But they soon discover that losing the car isn't half the story. High school hottie Christie (Kristy Swanson) is mysteriously hot for Jesse Chester is a favorite customer at the local topless club and they owe a suitcase full of money to a transvestite stripper. On top of all that they're being pursued by a minivan full of geeks horny space babes and a couple of totally gay Scandinavian dudes - all trying to find the continuum transfunctioner the device that can save or destroy the universe...

• Stargate S.G -1: Season 4 (Vol. 14) | DVD | (03/09/2001) from £3.00   |  Saving you £18.25 (1,048.85%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The 1994 film Stargate was originally intended as the start of a franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin were distracted celebrating their Independence Day. Episodic TV treatment was the natural next step. In the roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr. Daniel Jackson are Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They're joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and guilt-stricken former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the teacher's pet primary unit SG-1 With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Chasing their heels at almost every turn are the "overlord" Goa'uld--the ancient Egyptian gods who are none too chummy after the events of the original film. The welcome notion of a continued plot thread sees offshoots that follow the reincarnation of Daniel's wife, Sam's father literally joining a renegade faction of the Goa'uld and Jack in an unending quest to out-sarcasm everyone. There's something of The Time Tunnel to the show's premise, but amid a dearth of derivative lookalikes, Stargate has held its own with stories that put the science fiction back into TV sci-fi. On this DVD: Picking up a week after the Season Three cliff-hanger "Nemesis", the Fourth Season finds the SG team split apart to win a few "Small Victories". Providing a nice change of scenery for the show, O'Neill and Teal'c are trapped aboard a Russian submarine fending off the remaining Replicator threat. Carter meanwhile is whisked away by Thor to come up with her best "stupid idea" to save the Asgard homeworld. Then the show respectfully broaches the subject of racial tolerance found on a planet at war on "The Other Side". The material is handled superbly by guest star Rene Auberjonois (formerly Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Odo). A little comic relief is provided in "Upgrades". When Tok'ra scientist Anise/Freya (Vanessa Angel) shows off some fabled technology the team are initially cautious. But the armbands give the wearer increased strength and speed, and in no time at all Jack, Sam and Daniel are abusing them. The fun of seeing them at a local restaurant ordering multiple rare steaks gives way to practical use when it's revealed that arch-enemy Apophis is constructing a new battleship. If the Tok'ra's duplicity is off-putting to the SGC this time, it's nothing compared to seeing Anise/Freya again in "Crossroads". O'Neill notices the "sparkage" between Teal 'c and visiting Jaffa-babe Sho'nac. When she states she has a way for the Tok'ra to obtain information about the Goa'uld from her placid symbiote, it's just bound to go bad. --Paul Tonks

• Stargate SG-1 Series 3 Vol. 8 - Episodes 1-4 | DVD | (29/01/2001) from £4.94   |  Saving you £15.05 (304.66%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The 1994 movie Stargate was originally intended as the start of a franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin were distracted celebrating their Independence Day. Episodic TV treatment was the natural next step. Since neither Kurt Russell nor James Spader would be able to commit, it gave the producers licence to tinker with the cast and the universe they'd explore. Replacing the roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr Daniel Jackson respectively are Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They're joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and guilt-stricken former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the teacher's pet primary unit SG-1 With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Chasing their heels at almost every turn are the "overlord" Pharaonic Goa'uld--the ancient Egyptian Gods who are none too chummy after the events of the original film. The welcome notion of a continued plot thread sees offshoots that follow the reincarnation of Daniel's wife; Sam's father literally joining a renegade faction of the Goa'uld; and Jack in an unending quest to out-sarcasm everyone. There's something of The Time Tunnel to the show's premise, but amid a dearth of derivative look-a-likes, Stargate has held its own with stories that put the science fiction back into TV sci-fi. On the DVD: To resolve the Season Two cliffhanger "Out Of Mind", General Hammond rounds up every conceivable ally to rescue the SG-1 team from Hathor's clutches and gets a much-needed field trip in the process. "Into the Fire " is actually a weak opening for the new year, but does boast some impressive visuals as Hammond and Brat'ac pilot a shuttle through an open Stargate (euphemistically called "threading the needle"). In the next episode, the team are troublingly advised that the ancient God of Evil--"Seth"--has been hiding on Earth for thousands of years. Daniel miraculously tracks him down in about five minutes through a quick surf on the Web! In "Fair Game" O'Neill is "beamed up" to his chum the Asgard Thor in the middle of Carter's promotion to Major. Thor warns him that the Goa'uld System Lords are miffed about his team thwarting Hathor in "Out of Mind". All manner of underhand trickery and subterfuge then follows at a treaty meeting between three representatives and the hapless Jack. "Legacy" on the other hand is a strange connection back to Season Two's "Holiday" when Daniel suffers a mental breakdown courtesy of scientist Ma'chello. Some unnerving imagery (slugs in the ear akin to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan) makes this one of the series' darker instalments. --Paul Tonks

• Cleopatra 2525 - Complete Season 1 (Digipack) | DVD | (20/05/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £29.99

  The year is 2525 and the world has been turned upside down. Monstrous airborne machines known as Baileys have taken over the surface of the earth and driven the people underground. While most of humanity has abandoned hope of ever reclaiming the surface of the earth there are those who remain fiercely committed to the cause. Among these brave souls are the female warriors Hel and Sarge. They are joined by Cleopatra a 21st Century girl who wakes up 500 years after being cryogenically frozen. They are united in the most courageous of quests: to restore humanity to its rightful place on the planet! Episode titles: Quest For Firepower Creegan Flying Lessons Mind Games Home/Rescue Run Cleo Run Choices Perception Trial And Error Double The Last Stand Hel And Highwater Parts 1 And 2.

• Stargate SG-1 - Series 10 - Vol. 1 | DVD | (13/08/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Step through the stargate with SG-1 a team of soldiers and scientists as they travel instantaneously to other planets to explore forge alliances defuse crises establish trade investigate ancient mysteries and defend Earth from such hostile forces as the Goa'uld and the Replicators. Episodes Include: 'Flesh and Blood' 'Morpheus' and 'The Pegasus Project'. Episodes: Flesh And Blood: As their battle with the Ori continues the team struggles to reunite and formulate a plan to defeat their enemy. Morpheus: On a mission to find a weapon that will defeat their powerful foe the team finds a planet whose inhabitants were killed by a mysterious illness and unwittingly fall victim to the illness themselves. The Pegasus Project: SG-1 travels to the Pegasus Galaxy and the city of Atlantis in hopes to find a clue to a weapon that can destroy the Ori. Insiders: The Team makes a pact with an old enemy to fight their common foe and the results are disastrous.

• Stargate S.G -1: Season 3 (Vol. 12) | DVD | (21/05/2001) from £4.97   |  Saving you £15.02 (302.21%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The 1994 movie Stargate was originally intended as the start of a franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin were distracted celebrating their Independence Day. Episodic TV treatment was the natural next step. In the roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr Daniel Jackson respectively are Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They're joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and guilt-stricken former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the teacher's pet primary unit SG-1. With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Chasing their heels at almost every turn are the "overlord" Goa'uld--the ancient Egyptian Gods who are none too chummy after the events of the original film. The welcome notion of a continued plot thread sees offshoots that follow the reincarnation of Daniel's wife, Sam's father literally joining a renegade faction of the Goa'uld and Jack in an unending quest to out-sarcasm everyone. There's something of The Time Tunnel to the show's premise, but amid a dearth of derivative look-a-likes, Stargate has held its own with stories that put the science fiction back into TV sci-fi. --Paul Tonks On this DVD: the first two episodes of this volume spotlight O'Neill. "A Hundred Days" is the three months he spends stranded on planet Edora by the fire rain of a passing asteroid belt. Then in "Shades of Grey" he appears to suffer a total personality switch when he steals technology from the Tollan and is insubordinate in the extreme. Both these are terrific concepts but are scarcely enough story to have stretched across more than one episode. A little more teamwork is required to break "New Ground" on a planet fighting a war of ideology. Finally, the storyline concerning the Harcesis child from Volume 10 elicits a "Maternal Instinct" in Daniel after the discovery of mystical planet Kheb. But ultimately his agenda only brings them more trouble. As well a trailer for the next volume, the disc includes a nine-minute interview with Michael Shanks on his character of anthropologist Dr Daniel Jackson. He reveals his acting career was inspired by Richard Dean Anderson. There's also seven minutes with production designer Richard Hudolin explaining how the on-location Stargate takes an entire day to set up. --Paul Tonks

• Stargate S.G -1: Season 2 (Vol. 2) | DVD | (20/03/2000) from £4.64   |  Saving you £15.35 (76.80%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The 1994 movie Stargate was originally intended as the start of a franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin were distracted celebrating their Independence Day. Episodic TV treatment was the natural next step. Since neither Kurt Russell nor James Spader would be able to commit, it gave the producers licence to tinker with the cast and the universe they'd explore. Replacing the roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr. Daniel Jackson respectively are Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They're joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and guilt-stricken former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the teacher's pet primary unit SG-1 With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Chasing their heels at almost every turn are the "overlord" pharaohnic Goa'uld--the ancient Egyptian Gods who are none too chummy after the events of the original film. The welcome notion of a continued plot thread sees offshoots that follow the reincarnation of Daniel's wife, Sam's father literally joining a renegade faction of the Goa'uld, and Jack in an unending quest to out-sarcasm everyone. There's something of The Time Tunnel to the show's premise, but amid a dearth of derivative look-a-likes, Stargate has held its own with stories that put the science fiction back into TV sci-fi. Concluding the cliff-hanger from the end of Season One, "The Serpent's Lair" is a rollercoaster of wit, plot twists, and cutting-edge special effects as the SG-1 team resign themselves to a suicide mission. Then it's a case of ignorance of the law being no excuse in "Prisoners", as the team winds up in a penal colony striking a deal with someone who will have far-reaching influence on their future. Sam is stalked by an assassin after a rescue mission all "In the Line of Duty". She saves someone in the most unique of ways--by taking over as host of their Goa'uld symbiont. This introduction of Jolinar is key to much of the continuing storyline. Dwight Schultz guest stars as "The Gamekeeper" in a garden that forces the team to puzzle their way out of re-living secrets of the past. But all is not what it seems. --Paul Tonks

• Stargate S.G -1: Season 4 (Vol. 15) | DVD | (24/09/2001) from £12.96   |  Saving you £7.03 (54.24%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The 1994 film Stargate was originally intended as the start of a franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin were distracted when celebrating their Independence Day. Episodic TV treatment was the natural next step. In the roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr Daniel Jackson respectively are Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They're joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and guilt-stricken former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the teacher's-pet primary unit SG-1. With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Chasing their heels at almost every turn are the "overlord" Goa'uld--the ancient Egyptian Gods who are none too chummy after the events of the original film. The welcome notion of a continued plot thread sees offshoots that follow the reincarnation of Daniel's wife, Sam's father literally joining a renegade faction of the Goa'uld and Jack in an unending quest to out-sarcasm everyone. There's something of The Time Tunnel to the show's premise, but amid a dearth of derivative lookalikes, Stargate has held its own with stories that put the science fiction back into TV sci-fi. On this DVD: "Divide and Conquer" presents a disturbing theory that none of us may be who we think we are. Newly recurring guest star Vanessa Angel returns as Freya to reveal that "za'tarc" technology can programme a person to be an assassin without their knowledge. This episode becomes a claustrophobic showcase for the actors to display distrust for one another. "Window of Opportunity" is the now mandatory Groundhog Day scenario episode that all franchise series must attempt. Typically the SG-1 writers make more of the material than in other shows, with O'Neill and Teal'c growing to enjoy having 10 hours to live repeatedly. Ultimately, though, there's a lesson to be learned about the fruitlessness of trying to recapture the past. "Watergate" demonstrates the excellent continuity kept up by the show in revealing what happened to the original missing Dial Home Device--the Russians have it! Not only that, they have their own Stargate, a disturbing amount of information on the SG-1 team, a mysterious link to a water planet and a scientist who bears an uncanny resemblance to Deanna Troi from Star Trek: The Next Generation (Marina Sirtis). "The First Ones" is a warm variant on the Lion and the Mouse fable when Daniel establishes a relationship with a primitive alien creature. The planet is the original home world of the Goa'uld parasites, meaning that the SG Team's rescue mission turns into a dangerous period of paranoid suspicion. Who has been compromised and what does Chaka really want with Daniel? --Paul Tonks