One of the grittiest, hardest hitting police dramas around. Compelling performances from Ken Stott and Marc Warren.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #28048 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-02-20
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 10
• Running time: 999 minutes

Synopsis
Police drama set in the sleazy world of the Metropolitan Police Vice Squad. Features the investigations into London's prostitution, pornography and drugs scene led by the veteran Inspector Chappel and his team. Includes all five series.

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Customer Reviews

Guilty pleasure
I agree entirely that the series falls somewhat flat after Ken Stott's departure. It's not just the acting that suffers - the stories are weaker and there is a general lack of suspense. I don't understand the need for the 4:3 aspect ratio either (except in series 5) and it doesn't help.

For all that, it's gripping and addictive television for the most part and it's easy to understand how many police officers would get wrapped up in the whole sleazy thing. Also, why Stott's character gets very personally involved. I think I would too, but not to the same extent. I finally found myself getting more and more attracted to Caroline Catz towards the end and she's miles better in this than in the more recent 'Murder in Suburbia' ITV trash.

It's an absolute bargain and thoroughly recommended.

More, more, more.
Never heard of The Vice before seeing it on Amazon, but then again, I don't keep my ear to the ground. Great series - up until Ken Stott's character leaves. Though Mr. Stott's last episode in the show is a great episode, you do miss him after that. He's a great actor (albeit 90% of the time playing a cop in anything that he does!) and lends the sort of dependability that someone of Patrick Stewart's caliber brought to Star Trek.
Even without the great Mr. Stott, the show remains quite watchable - it's just not the same.
Other than that quibble, The Vice is excellent , well worth checking out. Just no DVD extras on the Boxet, that's the only other thing.

Where have the sides of the screen gone?
The Vice was made in widescreen and you can see it that way on the regular ITV3 repeats. On this set only the final series is in the correct ratio - the others have sadly been cut down to 4:3. Some of the shots look far too cramped (remember that even on regular analogue TV the episodes were intended to be shown in a slightly letterboxed format) and the picture has been softened - not helpful when a lot of the series didn't look too sharp to begin with due to the moody style of lighting. On the plus side, the stories retain their episodic formats, which didn't happen on the old release of series 1. Only buy if you can't get ITV3.