Silver Spring, MD — Likened to Foyle’s War and Midsomer Murders, George Gently, Series 1 debuts on Blu-ray on January 17, 2012 from Acorn Media. Award-winning actor Martin Shaw (Judge John Deed, The Professionals) stars as the principled detective George Gently in these three feature-length mysteries based on the long-running series of novels by Alan Hunter. Shot in stunning high-definition, these powerful dramas boast clever writing, stylish direction, and strong casts and unfold against the beautiful backdrop of rural Britain during the tumultuous 1960s. George Gently premiered in the U.K. on BBC1 in April 2007 and has run for three series, with a fourth series in production. The Blu-ray 2-Disc Set features the first three feature-length episodes that were originally released on DVD in 2008 at the same price ($49.99, www.AcornOnline.com).

Tony® nominee Martin Shaw stars as Commander George Gently—an incorruptible, uncompromising cop transplanted from London’s Scotland Yard to England’s North Country in the mid-1960s. Gently’s reputation for honesty and relentlessness makes him almost as feared among his colleagues as he is among criminals. But he finds an odd ally in John Bacchus (Lee Ingleby, Nicholas Nickleby, Ever After)—an overeager, opinionated young sergeant who plays fast and loose with police procedures. Together the two tackle cases involving murderers, drug dealers, gun runners, and more. Series 1 guest stars include Richard Armitage (Robin Hood), Phil Davis (Vera Drake), and John Kavanagh (The Tudors).

Feature-length episodes: Gently Go Man, The Burning Man, and Bomber’s Moon.

Street Date: Jan. 17, 2012 SRP: $49.99
Blu-ray 2-Disc Set – Approx. 265 min. – British mystery – SDH subtitles
Special Features: Text interviews with Martin Shaw, Lee Ingleby, and writer/executive producer Peter Flannery and a biography of Martin Shaw.

Acorn Media previously released George Gently, Series 1 and 2 as DVD-3 and 4-Vol. Boxed Sets ($49.99-59.99), and Series 3 as Blu-ray Single and DVD 2-Vol. Boxed Sets ($39.99).

Headquartered in suburban Washington, D.C., Acorn Media U.S. distributes distinctive home video releases to the North American market with a special focus on the best of British TV. 2011 releases included Upstairs, Downstairs: 40th Anniversary, Brideshead Revisited: 30th Anniversary, and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Early 2012 releases include a bonus packed collector’s edition of I, Claudius; the Blu-ray debuts for the first three series of Agatha Christie’s Poirot; the first Blu-ray of Acorn’s top-selling series with Midsomer Murders, Set 19; the U.S. debut of Lynda La Plante’s Above Suspicion; complete collections of Poldark, The Brief, Northern Lights, and French Fields; and more episodes from Single-Handed, New Tricks, and Murder Investigation Team. Acorn’s DVD sets are available from select retailers, catalog companies, and direct from Acorn Media at (888) 870-8047 or www.acornonline.com.