Lotus Eaters - Complete Series 2 [DVD]

Not having seen this series (and Series 1) since they were shown in the 1970s, we bought them to give us someting to watch other than Olympics! What a joy it was to see again. There were some great performances from some of our best TV actors of the time. It was good to have longer scenes with real acting, rather than the flitting around we get now with 30 sec scenes to cater for modern viewers' short attention span or TV/film actors' inability to learn lines! And with indoor scenes being studio based one could hear what people were saying with none of the poor sound quality location filming we get now. It was also an excellent story. Series 2 was really what The Lotus Eaters was all about. Series 1 was more separate stories about the ex pats frequenting Sheppard's Bar. If you were indiffreent to that and don't know whether to bother with Series 2, do get it. You won't be disappointed!

Even though produced in the 70s and with a pace that is slower than we are used to now, I can wholeheartedly say our family enjoyed this series. You do have to take into account that it was done in the 70s and give it a bit of slack that way. There are many scenes obviously done in the studio, but ignoring this fact and enjoying the other scenes done on location and above all appreciating the excellent acting and at times unexpected twists in the story line makes this definitely a five-star for me. I wish in some ways there were more seasons, but it would have been difficult to keep the same atmosphere elsewhere than Crete. But you do have to know I am a Michael J Bird (writer) fan, so my view might be a bit biased. I did see the series only this year (2013) for the first time, so that gives also some indication. :-)

I don't know if you remember the coal miners dispute nearly 40 years ago, but during this time the Lotus Eaters was on, but the electricity went off when the last episode was on, so I didn't know what happened at the end. As far as I could see they never re-showed it, which I think is bad. Well, when I realised you could rent television series videos, I searched for this video, on a rental site and I am glad to say it was there. They sent me the first series, but again I was dissappointed, as the second lot was not available straight after. I was incensed at first, but then I looked it up on Amazon, and bought the second one. I was not willing to wait until it was available. Not again. So, I at last know how the Lotus Eaters ends. We have now bought the first series, so we have them all now. In todays violent film culture, it is nice to watch something easy and peaceful. It is interesting the difference between Crete then and now. I think we should all go and live there.

This series of 6 episodes continues the storyline of the previous series but concentrates on the incident that ended with Ann shooting the agent Culley. This caused repercussions at British secret service headquarters in London and the situation is resolved with Ann and Eric leaving Crete for an unknown destination and a new life.The series is well done but not as interesting as series 1 because other characters, except for the police chief, are not involved in the main story. It is , however, an interesting look at a Greek island village before the dreaded development of the Mediterranean coastline took place in the ensuing years.Graham Lewis

The first series seemed to have a really nice 'episodic' style which told the story of a different cast member's reasons for being in Ag Nik week-by-week. The frankly absurd 'secret agent' subplot nicely hidden in the background for most of it's run (until the last episode really).But...blimey...they go for it all-out in this second season. The result is a barely-watchable mish-mash of ridiculous Brit-Russo-Greek-Chino espionage story (as daft as it sounds) and kitchen sink drama (watching poor old Ian Hendry play an alcoholic, while visibly struggling with being one, is not pleasant at all). Don't even get me started on the 'trippy' dream sequences...absolutely awful (and no, it's not just the fact it was made in the 70's, it's just plain bad...this was the BBC, amateurish doesn't even begin to describe it...it was bad then, and it's bad now). I waited for a while for the price to come down to around £20, and in the end 'gave in' to see what happens in S2...if you're that interested, don't pay more than a tenner, that's all it's worth.Doesn't even have the nice views S1 had...makes the beautiful island of Crete look like one big dreary open-cast mine from the North of England...

Having just watched the 1st series I just had to get the second and I have to say I did enjoy it, gripping story line, studio filming scenes would be as you would expect from the 1970's but this did not take away from the storyline, had no problems with the picture quality that others seem to mention maybe I just accept that reproduction to dvd will never out shine an origional of todays standards, so if you can accept this then you will enjoy this from start to end.

Series two, is shorter in length then series one. The quality of the production is top notch.While series one was more about other characters associated with the Tavern. In this series the plot concentrates on the owners, and the espionage plot line comes to the forefront. Excellent drama regardless of which decade it's seen in. Yes the transfer from film to DVD leaves a lot to be desired. Could there have been more in terms of extras? Yes there should be.Still well worth watching.