Silver Spring, MD — The cult classic British cop show set in Amsterdam Van der Valk Mysteries, Set 2 debuts on DVD from Acorn Media on June 29, 2010. Popular English actor Barry Foster (Alfred Hitchcock’s Frenzy, Smiley’s People) stars as a jaded Dutch detective solving crimes in the dark dens of Old Amsterdam. Shot largely on location, this gritty drama revels in the vices and charms of its Dutch setting, providing a distinctive backdrop for its hard-boiled mysteries and hard-drinking detective. Set 2 includes all seven episodes from Series 2 (DVD 2-disc, www.AcornOnline.com, $39.99).

Nothing electrifies Amsterdam cop Commissaris Simon “Piet” van der Valk like a new murder case. Once on the trail, the dapper detective goes by his instincts, not by the book. His investigations lead him into all corners of the Dutch capital, from the immigrant bars and apartments of the low-rent district to the boardrooms and deluxe hotels of the high and mighty. Although he seems more than a little jaded, van der Valk receives assistance from the eager Inspecteur Johnny Kroon (Michael Latimer) and indulgence from his ever-supportive French wife, Arlette (Susan Travers). And while he’s more likely to be at a pub than dealing with the political fallout of his cases, there’s never any doubt about his devotion to his job, nor the lengths to which he’ll go in his headlong pursuit to catch a killer.

Inspired by the novels of Edgar Award–winning author Nicolas Freeling, Van der Valk debuted in the U.K. in 1972, aired for five seasons, and broadcast in the U.S. on public television in the 1990s.

Street: June 29, 2010
DVD 2-Disc Set: 7 episodes - Approx. 353 min.
BONUS: Biography of creator, novelist Nicolas Freeling, and star Barry Foster
SRP: $39.99

Headquartered in suburban Washington, D.C., Acorn Media distributes distinctive home video releases to the North American market with a special focus on the best of British television. Acorn’s DVD sets are available from select retailers, catalog companies, and direct from Acorn Media at (888) 870-8047 or www.acornonline.com.