Product Description

It is 2006 and there's a new Dr Jekyll, with an old problem - Mr Hyde. But they have a deal - a body share and an impossible life is somehow lived. What Hyde doesn't know is that Jekyll is married. There's a wife and two children he'll do anything to protect from his dark side. With all the resources of modern technology, and the best surveillance hardware, he's determined to keep his dark side in line. He's done a deal with his own devil. What neither of them knows: an ancient organisation, with limitless wealth and power, is monitoring their every move, and a plan over a century in the making is coming to fruition.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2379 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-07-30
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Formats: Box set, PAL, Colour
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 340 minutes

Synopsis
A modern update of DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE. Tom (James Nesbitt) is a descendent Dr Jekyll and also has a violent alter-ego known as Mr Hyde. However, Tom has hid the fact that he is married with children from Hyde. What neither of them know is that an ancient organisation with a sinister plan is following their moves...

Customer Reviews

Thrilling, restrained and rather wonderful.
Initially, I have to admit that I fully expected this series to be yet another poor attempt at adapting the original novel. When I realised it was set in the modern day my expectations fell even further; updating a classic story usually only succeeds in lessening it's impact.
Well, after grudgingly watching episode one I was eating my words gleefully.
This is an astounding series which has incorporated the orginal tale as part of it's internal mythology then moved forward into a totally fresh storyline.
James Nesbitt's performance is absolutely dazzling. He steals the show (particularly as Hyde) and I love the way the transformation is more about his personality than external appearance, even with the beautifully subtle physical changes.
I saw the last episode on saturday and two days later I'm eagerly buying the DVD.

I'm so glad to have been so wrong.

Highly enjoyable and completely insane
Over the years there's been a couple of different attempts at adapting Jekyll and Hyde to television, and none have really worked that well mainly because everyone already knows that they're the same guy, it's part of the public consciousness and therefore doesn't make engaging viewing. Part of what makes this series so good is that it knows this and uses it to it's advantage.
Instead of following the story of the ill-fated 19th century doctor this series follows a modern day man called Jackman (Nesbit) who we first meet strapping himself into a complex series of restraints whilst talking to a private psyciatric nurse about 'him'. Jackman has begun to transform into a very different man, he seems to have the same problem as doctor Jekyll had but this time there's no magic potion, no control, Hyde just arrives. The two men communicate with each other via Dictaphone and the nurse has been hired to act as a carer/go-between for them. Nesbit of course plays both parts and manages to make the two men so different that there's never a moments confusion who is talking.
Jackman and Hyde both look very different as well, where Jackman is aging and clearly strained by his condition, Hyde is energetic, manic, violent. They have slightly different hair and - in a very simple but extremely effective move - different eyes courtesy of a pair of creepy black contact lenses. Despite the title this is Hyde's show all the way, Nesbit gives him such charisma and energy that he steals the show anytime he's on screen.
The plot of the series follows Jackman as he struggles to protect the world and his own family from Hyde whilst being hunted by some mysterious government agency who want Hyde for themselves. Hyde isn't just younger than Jackman, he's stronger, faster, and further evolved, able to monitor his own blood stream, tap the consciousness of animals and utilize a photographic memory. The plot of the series is just plain bonkers but it's all played with such style that it doesn't matter, they're not going for realism here, they're going for entertainment.
It's flawed; they keep getting people to play Americans who can't do the accent, don't give Gina Bellman (paying Jackman's wife) nearly enough to do in the early episodes, some of the minor characters are overacted. But none of that matters because from start to finish Jekyll remains a series whose only goal is purely to entertain, and it achieves this every time.
I would highly recommend this series; it's thrilling, scary, funny, intriguing and just plain fun. Throw in an ending that just screams 'series 2 coming soon' and this is not one to miss.

Nesbitt at his best!
I have never been a big fan of James Nesbitt, but Jekyll has changed my mind. He plays both both sides of his character very well; (though the first time he became Hyde did make me jump!)The supporting cast is fantastic, especially the gorgeous Michelle Ryan as the assistant to Dr Jackman.

This is quite dark and chilling, so the 15 rating is justified.

Basic plot for those who haven't witnessed it on BBC 1: James Nesbitt plays both Dr Jackman and his evil alter ego Hyde. He struggles to keep the fact he has a family away from Hyde but struggles drastically. Michelle Ryan plays Jackman's assistant who helps him in his fight against Hyde and an agency who want to get Hyde. Confused? Don't worry when you actually watch it it's a lot simpler.