The Spoils of War Series Three   Starring: David Bainbridge, James Bate, William Boyde, Anita Carey, Tony Carp, Ian Hastings, Jane How and Alan Hunter Acorn Media UK RRP: £19.99 AVNE5017 Certificate: PG Available 05 July 2010

The Second World War is finally over but its social repercussions are still being felt by two families, the staunchly Labour supporting Hayward’s and the coal mine owners, the Warrington’s. With a new Labour government in power change brings disruption to all...

The Spoils of War: Series Three (1980) is an unremittingly grim look at post war England in the 1950’s where the glue that held the social cohesion together during the war is slowly unravelling.

Poverty and rationing continue to dog the country as it tries to rebuild its economy. Beth Warrington becomes a labour MP, much to the dislike of her family when the government nationalises their business, it means the end of a family tradition and the end of her relationship with her husband John. The Hayward’s have also experienced loss with the death of their grandfather, which sends Keir off to find a new passion in journalism and an unexpected lover.

Series three represents the last in the series. It is difficult to know what to make of the show, it certainly feels more like a seventies drama, with lots of people talking and not much happening. When it was originally transmitted the show was received very favourably for its sense of realism, but then who wants to watch other peoples real lives? In this the show is certainly not escapism, tough presumably if you have bought the previous two series you will have both a fond affection for these characters and an intimate knowledge of their back story - enough to want to know how it all turns out.

The show is generally well written and acted, even if a modern audience might find the pace a tad on the sluggish side.

Series three is spread across two DVDs, disc one holds the first four episodes - A Place in the World, Echoes, Pilgrimage and Winter Wedding - there are some extras with a John Finch Biography and the filmographies of some of the major actors. Disc two contains the remaining episodes - A New Era, The Old Order Changeth and The Promised Land.

The show is presented in its original aspect ratio 4:3 and whilst the picture has not been restored it is eminently watchable, with the whole of the series running to around 361 minutes.

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Charles Packer