Heartbeat - Series 1 and Series 2

Review by David Woodward

Heartbeat was a long-running UK drama series that became a British (and Australian) institution between 1992 and 2010.

For six years, the show pushed TV star Nick Berry’s career through the stratosphere (he even sang Heartbeat's theme song).  But then the series outstripped Berry’s personal popularity by surviving another 12 years after he had left the show!

Although Heartbeat seems to be almost continually rescreened on our TV screens, it is only recently that the series has become available on DVD in Australia.  As I have always regarded the first six years of the show (the Nick Berry years) as the very best, it is fantastic to be able to watch the show from its beginnings and view the episodes in sequence.

A key component to Heartbeat’s success was the use of 1960s pop music to form the soundtrack to the show.  Songs from the 1950s were also heard.  It’s often like walking down memory lane as British pop songs from these eras are played behind scenes of motorbikes and the Yorkshire countryside.

The creative British TV writer Johnny Byrne wrote quite a few episodes for the first series and one for the second.  It is these episodes in particular that flesh out the storylines for the main characters.
Series 1 dealt with a young married couple, PC Nick Rowan and Doctor Kate Rowan, who arrive in a small Yorkshire village after living in London.  

The 10 episodes in this first series focus almost entirely on these two characters.

It is interesting when viewing Episode 1.6 to realise that it was actually to be the very last episode as Heartbeat was initially considered to be a 6 part drama series.  

However, another 4 episodes were quickly developed to build on the success of the show and expand the length of this first series.

A surprisingly popular character in Heartbeat - Bill Maynard as Claude Greengrass - emerged from this first series as a comic favourite.

Series 2 is more of the same with another 10 episodes (watch for the tombstone of a dead girl in Episode 2.2 which is dated 1965 confirming the setting for the series).  Episode 2.4 introduces Tricia Penrose as Gina and she would remain with the show for its duration.

Heartbeat was an iconic TV show that remained popular throughout its long run.  It is hoped that future DVD packages of this show become available over time.

DVD & Blu Ray Special Features

The DVD release of Series 1 features segments from a short "making of" featurette that was originally screened on 15 December 1992 which has a relaxed interview with Nick Berry and some behind-the-scenes shots.  

It is broken up so that it precedes several of the episodes as an introduction.

The Series 2 DVD boxset includes the full 25-minute documentary "On Location with Heartbeat" from 15 December 1992 screened prior to this second season. 

It includes interviews with most of the major cast members, the producer and director, and footage taken for Episodes 2.1, 2.5 and 2.6.

Also included is the video of “Heartbeat” by Nick Berry released in June 1992.

Conclusion: Movie 90% Extras: 70%