Upcoming DVD Releases





COMING ON 10/25:
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents – Season 1 (Universal)
$29.98 SRP DVD MOD
EXTRAS: Alfred Hitchcock Presents: A Look Back
—–Join the legendary “Master of Suspense,” Alfred Hitchcock, in all 39 original episodes of the first season of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, the Emmy Award-winning murder-mystery series that, in the words of Hitchcock himself, “brought murder back into the home — where it belongs”. Join guest stars including Cloris Leachman, Charles Bronson, Claude Rains, Lorne Greene, Joanne Woodward, Vera Miles and more in over 16 hours of the most captivating, intriguing suspenseful television ever aired. 6-disc set.
NOTE: this title was originally released into stores on DVD in 2005 and re-released in 2018; the previous releases have gone out-of-print, but this is now getting put out again as an MOD (Manufacture On Demand) item for fans who might have missed it in the past.

• Alfred Hitchcock Presents – Season 2 (Universal)
$29.98 SRP DVD MOD
—–“Good Evening ” The “Master of Suspense” Alfred Hitchcock used these simple words to introduce all of his 39 timeless episodes of horror, mystery and intrigue in Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season Two. Not only loved by millions of TV viewers around the world, this legendary season also received three Emmy awards as well as a Golden Globe for Television Achievement. Loaded with twists, turns, and things that go “bump” in the night, these classic half-hour tales of menace and mayhem feature such iconic stars as Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, Rip Torn, Vic Morrow, and many more. It’s time to tune in once more to the master storyteller as he delights viewers with some of the most deliciously wicked and chilling television ever aired! 5-disc set.
NOTE: this title was originally released into stores on DVD in 2006; the previous release has gone out-of-print, but this is now getting put out again as an MOD (Manufacture On Demand) item for fans who might have missed it in the past.

• Alfred Hitchcock Presents – Season 3 (Universal)
$29.98 SRP DVD MOD
—–The “Master of Suspense” returns with all 39 Primetime Emmy Award-Nominated Season Three episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents! Filled with tales of murder, madness, intrigue and suspense, this unforgettable series was renowned for its riveting storytelling and compelling characters. It’s no mystery why it featured some of television’s most illustrious guest stars, including William Shatner, Jessica Tandy, Jack Klugman, E.G. Marshall, Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Joseph Cotton, Fay Wray, Hume Cronyn and many more! 5-disc set.
NOTE: this title was originally released into stores on DVD in 2007; the previous release has gone out-of-print, but this is now getting put out again as an MOD (Manufacture On Demand) item for fans who might have missed it in the past.

• Alfred Hitchcock Presents – Season 4 (Universal)
$29.98 SRP DVD MOD
EXTRAS: The Thrilling Art of Alfred Hitchcock
—–Legendary, award-winning and suspenseful, Alfred Hitchcock Presents set the gold standard for all TV mystery series to come and has remained an indelible part of popular culture. Join guest stars Steve McQueen, Bette Davis, Claude Rains Cloris Leachman, Roger Moore, Walter Matthau, Brian Keith, Elizabeth Montgomery, Art Carney, Mary Astor, Barbara Bel Geddes, Denholm Elliott, Dick York, Leslie Nielsen and more as they act in stories of intrigue and murder all under the watchful eye of the “Master of Suspense” himself. Winner of 3 Primetime Emmy Awards plus the Golden Globe for Television Achievement, there’s no question why this show remains one of the most beloved classic series ever made. 4-disc set.
NOTE: this title was originally released into stores on DVD in 2009; the previous release has gone out-of-print, but this is now getting put out again as an MOD (Manufacture On Demand) item for fans who might have missed it in the past.

• Alfred Hitchcock Presents – Season 5 (Universal)
$29.98 SRP DVD MOD
—–Reunite with the “Master of Suspense,” Alfred Hitchcock, for more of the mind-boggling twists and devious thrills synonymous with one of TV’s greatest shows, Alfred Hitchcock Presents. In the fifth season, delve into 38 stories of greed, larceny, revenge and murder where every character holds a guilty secret and a misleading “MacGuffin” lurks in every corner. Featuring guest stars, including Walter Matthau, Steve McQueen, Peter Lorre, Dick Van Dyke, William Shatner and Burt Reynolds. Delicious mysteries from the icon whose highest hope for his audience was to “give them pleasure — the same pleasure they have when they wake up from a nightmare.” 5-disc set.
NOTE: this title was originally released into stores on DVD in early 2012; the previous release has gone out-of-print, but this is now getting put out again as an MOD (Manufacture On Demand) item for fans who might have missed it in the past. ALSO NOTE that the sixth season was previously released on DVD as an MOD item in late 2013, as part of the now-defunct “Amazon CreateSpace” program. We’re not sure what the reasoning is, but the above-listed re-releases of DVDs for Alfred Hitchcock Presents do not include that sixth season (nor Seasons 7-10, which have never been released in North America).

COMING ON 11/1:
• Jack Ryan – Season 1 (Paramount)
$34.99 SRP 4K UHD MOD
(as of this writing, this title is not yet available for pre-order)
EXTRAS: Deleted Scenes
—–When CIA analyst Jack Ryan (John Krasinski) is pulled from the safety of his desk job and catapulted into a deadly game of cat and mouse throughout Europe and the Middle East, he must race to stop a terrorist’s plans for a massive attack against the U.S. and her allies. From Executive Producers John Krasinski, Carlton Cuse (Lost ), Graham Roland (Fringe ), and Michael Bay, the first season of Jack Ryan includes all 8 episodes. Abbie Cornish, Wendell Pierce, Dina Shihabi, and John Hoogenakker also star. 2-disc set.
NOTE: this title has previously been released on DVD and on Blu-ray Disc; it is now being released on 4K UHD format for the first time via the MOD (Manufacture On Demand) distribution program.

• Jack Ryan – Season 2 (Paramount)
$34.99 SRP 4K UHD MOD
(as of this writing, this title is not yet available for pre-order)
EXTRAS: Deleted Scenes
—–In the second season of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, after tracking a potentially suspicious shipment of illegal arms in the Venezuelan jungle, CIA Officer Jack Ryan, portrayed by John Krasinski (A Quiet Place), heads down to South America to investigate. As Jack’s investigation threatens to uncover a far-reaching conspiracy, the President of Venezuela launches a counter-attack that hits home for Jack, leading him and his fellow operatives on a global mission spanning the United States, UK, Russia, and Venezuela to unravel the President’s nefarious plot and bring stability to a country on the brink of chaos. This collection includes all 8 episodes! 2-disc set.
NOTE: this title has previously been released on DVD and on Blu-ray Disc; it is now being released on 4K UHD format for the first time via the MOD (Manufacture On Demand) distribution program.

COMING ON 11/15:
• Why Women Kill – The Complete Series (CBS/Paramount)
$49.99 SRP Blu-ray MOD
—–AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON BLU-RAY! WHY WOMEN KILL Season ONE tells the story of three women living in the same Pasadena mansion in three different decades, a housewife in the ’60s, a socialite in the ’80s and a lawyer in 2018, each dealing with infidelity in their marriages. The series touches on how the roles of women have changed, but how their reaction to betrayal has not. Season TWO features a new ensemble cast and storylines set in 1949 that will explore what it means to be beautiful, the hidden truth behind the facades people present to the world, the effects of being ignored and overlooked by society, and the lengths one woman will go in order to finally belong. 6-disc set.
NOTE: as of today’s writing, this title has only been announced for Blu-ray Disc format

• Ultraman Nexus – The Complete Series + Ultraman: The Next film (Mill Creek)
$40.99 SRP DVD
—–Kazuki Komon joins the Night Raiders, a secret group that fight murderous monsters called Space Beasts. Komon’s life is changed after Ultraman saves his life, but is shocked to find that the Night Raiders view Ultraman as a threat. Ultraman the Next: Will Maki prevail or will the reptilian beast destroy him? And even if Maki does win, can he retain his humanity and avoid ending up becoming a dangerous monster just like the reptilian creature? 6-disc set.
NOTE: Ultraman Nexus ran 37 episodes in Japan from 2004-2005, and the film Ultraman: The Next was released into Japanese theaters in 2004. While Mill Creek Entertainment has not released details (or box art) yet for their newest Ultraman products, we expect that this item – like previous Ultraman releases from this studio – will have a soundtrack in Japanese with subtitles in English.

• Ultraman Max – The Complete Series (Mill Creek)
$40.99 SRP DVD
—–A strange visitor from space notices Kaito’s bravery. The alien gives Kaito the power to become the mighty superhero Ultraman Max, a towering red and silver giant 40 meters tall. 6-disc set.
NOTE: Ultraman Max ran 39 episodes (plus a special) in Japan from 2005-2006. While Mill Creek Entertainment has not released details (or box art) yet for their newest Ultraman products, we expect that this item – like previous Ultraman releases from this studio – will have a soundtrack in Japanese with subtitles in English.

COMING ON 11/22:
• Ghosts – Season 1 (Lionsgate)
$29.98 SRP DVD; $34.99 SRP Blu-ray

EXTRAS: Digital Copy (Blu-ray only)
—–The CBS network called the series “the number one most-watched comedy this season.” Freelance writer Samantha (Rose McIver) and aspiring chef Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar) throw both caution and money to the wind to leave NYC and convert a rundown country estate they inherited into a bed & breakfast…only to find that it’s inhabited by a close-knit, eclectic group of spirits of deceased former residents! Adding to the supernatural surprises, Samantha discovers that she can see and hear ghosts everywhere, including those with whom she now shares a home. Old-school haunting and oddball humor fuel this sharp-witted, quirky comedy series that gives new meaning to the real estate phrase, “It’s got great bones.” 2-disc set in either format.

• Peacemaker – The Complete 1st Season (HBO/Warner)
$24.98 SRP DVD; $29.98 SRP Blu-ray

EXTRAS: Making the World Safe for Violence: Peacemaker’s Team; Bad Daddy Issues: Peacemakers Search for Inner Peace; Gag Reel; Peacemaker: Under the Helmet; Project Butterfly Team Member (Peacemaker; Adebayo; Harcourt; John Economos; Vigilante; Murn; Eagly); On Set with Steve Agee; Dramatic Comic Book Readings with Chukwudi Iwuji; Unlocking the Quantum Unfolding Storage Area; Peacemaker and Vigilante: BFFs; So, What Do You Really Think of Peacemaker?; Danielle Brooks Explains the DC Universe; Keep the Tweets; Dance for Peace; How to Properly Give a F*ck; Digital Copy (Exclusive for Blu-ray)
—–Picking up where 2021’s The Suicide Squad left off, this James Gunn-created series continues the saga of Peacemaker, a compellingly vainglorious superhero/supervillain who believes in peace at any cost – no matter how many people he has to kill along the way. After a miraculous recovery from his encounter with Bloodsport, Peacemaker soon discovers that his freedom comes at a cost, when he’s requisitioned by Clemson Murn and joined by his handler, Emilia Harcourt, tech and tactics John Economos, and new recruit Leota Adebayo for an off-the-books mission, codename: Project Butterfly. But, ever the consummate professional, Peacemaker remains committed to saving the world – and all that other superhero stuff. 2-disc set in either format.
NOTE: this title was released early this month in Canada on both DVD and Blu-ray Disc; last week it was announced for release in the USA on DVD format; now the studio has issued a formal press release announcing both the DVD and Blu-ray Disc versions of it for the USA, complete with a long list of special features

• Origins of Hip-Hop (A&E/Lionsgate)
$19.98 SRP DVD

—–The 8-part docuseries ORIGINS OF HIP-HOP delves into the compelling, inspiring stories of some of hip-hop’s most celebrated and groundbreaking artists in their own words. Narrated by renowned rapper Nas and featuring never-before-seen archival footage and interviews with family, friends, and collaborators, the hour-long episodes chronicle the rise of eight culture-defining hip-hop legends across multiple generations and styles – including Busta Rhymes, Eve, Fat Joe, Grandmaster Flash, Ice-T, Ja Rule, Lil Jon, and Uncle Luke – as they share the experiences that shaped their music and made them icons. 2-disc set.

COMING ON 11/29:
• Westworld – Season 4: The Choice (HBO/Warner)
$29.98 SRP DVD; $39.99 Blu-ray; $49.99 4K UHD/Blu-ray Combo

EXTRAS: Westworld on the Road; Westworld: An Exploration of Humanity; Westworld’s Temperance: A Set Tour; Creating Westworld’s Reality Episodes 1-8; Digital Copy (Exclusive for 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray versions)
—–The fourth season picks up over seven years after the protracted war between A.I. hosts and sentient humans: humanity is finally free. Or so it seems. Maeve and Caleb soon begin to suspect that Hale and a host version of The Man in Black are seeding a conspiracy to regain control of the human race. Meanwhile, Bernard returns from The Sublime with a new power. And a young writer, by the name of Christina, begins to question the nature of her reality. Westworld continues to thrill as it deftly weaves together stories about the complicated relationship between man and machine. Features returning cast members including Emmy and Golden Globe Nominated actor Evan Rachel Wood, Emmy winner Thandiwe Newton, Oscar Winner Ed Harris, Emmy Winner Jeffrey Wright, Tessa Thompson, Emmy Winner Aaron Paul, Luke Hemsworth and Angela Sarafyan. Additional cast this season includes Oscar Winner Ariana DeBose, Aurora Perrineau, and Daniel Wu. 3-disc set in DVD and Blu-ray Disc formats, and 6-disc set in 4K UHD/Blu-ray Combo package.

• The Flight Attendant – The Complete Season 1 & 2 (HBO/Warner)
DVD
(as of this writing, this title is not yet available for pre-order)
EXTRAS: Deleted Scenes; Commentaries; Inside the Series; Invitation to the Set
—–The HBO Max original series based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Chris Bohjalian stars Kaley Cuoco as a flight attendant named Cassie, who hooks up with a passenger only to find him dead in bed the next morning, with no memory of what happened. As she attempts to clear her name, she stumbles upon a deeper conspiracy. In the second season, Cassie is framed for murder while working for the CIA, and once again sets out to solve the underlying mystery. The cast also includes Zosia Mamet, Griffin Matthews, Deniz Akdeniz, T.R. Knight and Rosie Perez.
NOTE: this show’s first season has been previously released in Canada, and below is an announcement for the Canadian release of its second season; both of those seasons are being released in the USA as one complete package, and as of today’s writing, this title has only been announced for DVD format

• The Flight Attendant – The Complete 2nd Season (Warner Canada)
CA$29.98 SRP DVD

—–Season Two of THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT finds Cassie Bowden (Cuoco) living her best sober life in Los Angeles while moonlighting as a CIA asset in her spare time. But when an overseas assignment leads her to inadvertently witness a murder, she becomes entangled in another international intrigue.
NOTE: this has been announced in Canada for DVD format only; see the listing above for a DVD release in the USA for both the first and second seasons together

• Riverdale – The Complete 6th Season (Warner)
$39.99 SRP DVD MOD

—–The sixth season of RIVERDALE begins with a special event arc entitled “Rivervale.” Things in Rivervale are much darker and creepier than in Riverdale. There are ghosts, curses, witches, demons, human sacrifices, and even a visit from everybody’s favorite witch, Sabrina Spellman! The mystery of Rivervale will be revealed in Riverdale’s hundredth episode, “The Jughead Paradox.” 4-disc set.

• Annika – Season 1 (PBS)
$34.99 SRP DVD

—–DI Annika Strandhed (Nicola Walker) has returned to Glasgow to head up the Marine Homicide Unit, where she is tasked with solving the puzzling crimes and unexplained murders that wash up in Scotland’s waters. Annika takes the audience into her confidence by speaking directly to them, sharing her wry observations on the case and her life, as she balances solving cases, managing a new team, and raising a brilliant yet complex teenage daughter. Intuitive and instinctive, Annika has a weakness for using literary and historical references to help solve her crimes, an enthusiasm that her team definitely doesn’t share, but which is often the thing that unlocks the case. The team’s cases take them from the depths of Glasgow’s Clyde River to the Isle of Bute and picturesque Loch Katrine as they solve a new crime each episode, juxtaposing Scotland’s stunning landscapes and urban beauty against the horrific realities of the murders her team must solve. 2-disc set.

COMING ON 12/6:
• Dawson’s Creek – The Complete Series (Mill Creek)
$129.99 SRP Blu-ray

—–Provocative drama about the coming-of-age of a group of teenage best friends in a small New England coastal town growing up in a rapidly changing world. Follow the relationships of this tight-knit group through high school, college, and beyond. 20-disc set.
NOTE: this title has been available on DVD format since 2009; it is now being released on Blu-ray Disc

• The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet – The Ultimate Christmas Collection (MPI)
$19.98 SRP DVD

—–Holiday-themed episodes starring Harriet and Ricky Nelson. 2-disc set.

• Magpie Murders – Season 1 (PBS)
$34.99 SRP DVD

—–A successful author of Agatha Christie-style novels dies under suspicious circumstances, with his last book seemingly unfinished. This leaves two mysteries: What happened to him? And how does his latest potboiler end? Oscar-nominee Lesley Manville (The Crown, Phantom Thread) stars as the author’s book editor, Susan Ryeland, who assumes the role of detective in the case. Meanwhile, Tim McMullan (Patrick Melrose, Cyrano) plays the fictional sleuth in the incomplete novel, whose investigation parallels Susan’s. Based on Anthony Horowitz’s (Foyle’s War) ingenious bestselling novel, this six-part series also stars Conleth Hill, Michael Maloney, Alexandros Logothetis, and Claire Rushbrook. 2-disc set.

• Bluey – Season 1 (BBC)
$19.98 SRP DVD

—–Bluey follows the adventures of a lovable and inexhaustible six-year-old Blue Heeler puppy who lives with her dad, mum and four-year-old little sister, Bingo. In every episode, Bluey uses her limitless Blue Heeler energy to play elaborate games that unfold in unpredictable and hilarious ways. 2-disc set.
NOTE: these episodes have been previously released, both as half-season “Vol. 1” and “Vol. 2” sets, and as a set with both Seasons 1 & 2 combined; it is now being released for the first time as an individual set of the complete first season

• Ultraman Kids 3000 – The Complete Series (Mill Creek)
$25.99 SRP DVD
—–4-disc set.
NOTE: While Mill Creek Entertainment has not released details (or box art) yet for their newest Ultraman products, we expect that this item – like previous Ultraman releases from this studio – will have a soundtrack in Japanese with subtitles in English.

DATE NOT YET ANNOUNCED:
• House of the Dragon – The Complete 1st Season (HBO/Warner)
$44.98 SRP DVD; $49.99 SRP Blu-ray; $59.99 SRP 4K UHD/Blu-ray Combo

EXTRAS: Digital Copy (Exclusive for 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray versions)
—–Set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, this epic series tells the story of House Targaryen, and the events leading up to and covering the Targaryen war of succession known as the “Dance of the Dragons.” Cast includes Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Emily Carey, Olivia Cooke, Milly Alcock, Emma D’Arcy, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Graham McTavish, and more. 5-disc set on DVD format, 4-disc set on Blu-ray Disc, and 8-disc set in 4K UHD/Blu-ray Combo package.
NOTE: the attached artwork is a temp image and not finalized yet; it could be subject to change



Nicola Walker stars as the dry-witted skipper of Glasgow’s Marine Homicide Unit





Nicola Walker stars as the dry-witted skipper of Glasgow’s Marine Homicide Unit in a new series on MASTERPIECE, “Annika”

Premieres on PBS Passport & the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel on April 17, 2022

Arlington, VA – March 29, 2022 – Set on a scenic river amid stunning Scottish lochs, Glasgow has an unusually high rate of slayings connected to water. At least, it does in MASTERPIECE’s gorgeous new crime series starring Nicola Walker (Unforgotten, Last Tango in Halifax) as DI Annika Strandhed, the speedboat-driving head of the city’s newly-formed Marine Homicide Unit. “Annika’s” six suspenseful episodes will have a special premiere on PBS Passport, an added member benefit which provides extended access to a digital, on-demand library of PBS programs, and the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel on April 17, 2022. The subscription rate for the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel is $5.99/month with an Amazon Prime or Prime Video subscription. The series will have a television broadcast in Fall 2022.

A police procedural with wit, “Annika” delighted critics during its recent UK broadcast. “The dialogue is so droll and the performances so charming I’m in for what fisherfolk call the long haul,” enthused the reviewer for The Guardian and The Times offered this praise, “Annika allows Walker to let loose a warm sense of humor.”

Walker is joined by Jamie Sives (Guilt) as DS Michael McAndrews, Annika’s old colleague, who resents being passed over for the DI job but performs at full throttle as her second-in-command; Katie Leung (Harry Potter) as DC Blair Ferguson, the forensic brains behind the unit; and Ukweli Roach (Grantchester) as DS Tyrone Clarke, the new cop at the station, who requested a posting with the legendary Annika. Also appearing are Silvie Furneaux (Limbo) as Morgan, Annika’s rebellious teenage daughter, and Paul McGann (Luther) as Morgan’s therapist Jake Strathearn, who develops into something of a soul mate for single mom Annika.

While other TV detectives discuss the case exclusively with their team, Annika addresses viewers directly, “breaking the fourth wall” that separates the action from the audience.

Annika’s strikingly effective M.O. is to link the crime under investigation to her obsessive reading of literature and mythology. For example, the harpoon manner of death in Episode One starts her musing about Herman Melville’s Moby Dick and its ruinous quest for a white whale, which provides an oblique clue to the murderer’s motive.

Similarly, Episode Two features the discovery of a corpse on the boat Valkyrie, linking the crime—in Annika’s mind—to the female warrior deities who gave the vessel its name. As Annika closes in on the fugitive killer, it suddenly occurs to her that Valkyries “don’t run; they fly.”

Uncannily real, Walker’s interpretation of Annika draws on the popular radio drama Annika Stranded, which aired in 31 episodes on BBC Radio 4 between 2013 and 2020. Walker was the one-woman star of that series, with scripts by Nick Walker (no relation). The two Walkers have now teamed up again to bring Annika to television in all her complexity, vulnerability, and eccentric affability.

“I’ve been Annika a long time now,” says Nicola Walker, “and if there was a chance of getting her fully fleshed out in a real-world environment, I wanted to be part of it.”

Series Description
Fishing bodies from the waters around Glasgow, Scotland, DI Annika Strandhed and her newly-formed Marine Homicide Unit face a steady stream of murders in this new series,
starring Nicola Walker as the title character. Confiding her thoughts directly to viewers, Annika juggles baffling cases and a rebellious teenage daughter. The former are easier to solve than the latter. “Droll and…charming,” praised The Guardian (London).

Episode One
Annika assembles her team to solve murders in the waters around Glasgow. Their first case looks a lot like a whale hunt gone wrong.

Episode Two
Annika’s teenage daughter, Morgan, gets mixed up with suspects in a revenge slaying. Norse saga comes to life as Annika’s team closes in.

Episode Three
Annika sees one of playwright Ibsen’s plots play out in a homicide. Meanwhile, she takes more than a parental interest in Morgan’s therapist, Jake.

Episode Four
An author who has ruined lives has her own ruined—permanently. Blair finds a friend for Morgan. Annika and Jake go to a museum exhibit.

Episode Five
Arriving at a murder scene on a party boat, Annika thinks of the Greek god of unrestrained celebration. From there, things only get more chaotic.

Episode Six
Michael’s brother is the prime suspect in his ex’s murder. Annika goes for what looks like a one-way ride. A secret about Michael comes out.

Annika is a UKTV Original Production by Black Camel Pictures in co-production with MASTERPIECE and in association with All3Media International, and Screen Scotland. The executive producers are Nicole Fitzpatrick, Jennifer Armitage, Susanne Simpson, David Swetman, Philippa Collie Cousins, and Arabella Page Croft. The producer is Kieran Parker. The series is created and written by Nick Walker. The writers are Lucia Haynes and Frances Poet. The directors are Philip John and Fiona Walton.
About PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel
MASTERPIECE has been setting the standard for exceptional British drama in the US for 50 years and the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel continues this legacy and has expanded to include award-winning TV series from around the world.

About MASTERPIECE
Winner of 83 Primetime Emmys® and 18 Peabody Awards, MASTERPIECE has been essential Sunday night viewing for millions of fans since 1971. Susanne Simpson is the executive producer and Rebecca Eaton is the executive-producer-at-large for the series. Funding for MASTERPIECE is provided by Viking and Raymond James with additional support from public television viewers and contributors to The MASTERPIECE Trust. Presented on PBS by GBH Boston, MASTERPIECE is known for recent hits such as All Creatures Great and Small, Sherlock, Downton Abbey and Victoria, and beloved classics such as Upstairs Downstairs, Prime Suspect, The Forsyte Saga and Poldark.

About PBS DISTRIBUTION
PBS Distribution is a leading distributor of public media content around the world, reaching audiences through multiple platforms and formats. The company, a joint venture of PBS and GBH Boston, operates six streaming channels —PBS MASTERPIECE (US and CA), PBS KIDS, PBS Living, PBS Documentaries and PBS America (U.K.). Other services include transactional video-on-demand, subscription video-on-demand licensing, physical products on DVD and Blu-ray, theatrical releasing, educational, non-theatrical, inflight, and international program sales and co-productions.

PBS Distribution offers consumers and educators the highest quality factual, scripted, and children’s programming including films from Ken Burns, hit series from MASTERPIECE and foreign language dramas from Walter Presents, entertaining and educational PBS KIDS series, and award-winning documentaries from NOVA, FRONTLINE, AMERICAN MASTERS, NATURE, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, and many independent producers. For over 10 years, the company has extended the reach of programming beyond broadcast while generating revenue for the public television system, stations, and producers.



Nicola Walker stars as the dry-witted skipper of Glasgow’s Marine Homicide Unit





Nicola Walker stars as the dry-witted skipper of Glasgow’s Marine Homicide Unit in a new series on MASTERPIECE, “Annika”

Premieres on PBS Passport & the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel on April 17, 2022

Arlington, VA – March 16, 2022 – Set on a scenic river amid stunning Scottish lochs, Glasgow has an unusually high rate of slayings connected to water. At least, it does in MASTERPIECE’s gorgeous new crime series starring Nicola Walker (Unforgotten, Last Tango in Halifax) as DI Annika Strandhed, the speedboat-driving head of the city’s newly-formed Marine Homicide Unit. “Annika’s” six suspenseful episodes will have a special premiere on PBS Passport, an added member benefit which provides extended access to a digital, on-demand library of PBS programs, and the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel on April 17, 2022. The subscription rate for the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel is $5.99/month with an Amazon Prime or Prime Video subscription. The series will have a television broadcast in Fall 2022.

A police procedural with wit, “Annika” delighted critics during its recent UK broadcast. “The dialogue is so droll and the performances so charming I’m in for what fisherfolk call the long haul,” enthused the reviewer for The Guardian and The Times offered this praise, “Annika allows Walker to let loose a warm sense of humor.”

Walker is joined by Jamie Sives (Guilt) as DS Michael McAndrews, Annika’s old colleague, who resents being passed over for the DI job but performs at full throttle as her second-in-command; Katie Leung (Harry Potter) as DC Blair Ferguson, the forensic brains behind the unit; and Ukweli Roach (Grantchester) as DS Tyrone Clarke, the new cop at the station, who requested a posting with the legendary Annika. Also appearing are Silvie Furneaux (Limbo) as Morgan, Annika’s rebellious teenage daughter, and Paul McGann (Luther) as Morgan’s therapist Jake Strathearn, who develops into something of a soul mate for single mom Annika.

While other TV detectives discuss the case exclusively with their team, Annika addresses viewers directly, “breaking the fourth wall” that separates the action from the audience.

Annika’s strikingly effective M.O. is to link the crime under investigation to her obsessive reading of literature and mythology. For example, the harpoon manner of death in Episode One starts her musing about Herman Melville’s Moby Dick and its ruinous quest for a white whale, which provides an oblique clue to the murderer’s motive.

Similarly, Episode Two features the discovery of a corpse on the boat Valkyrie, linking the crime—in Annika’s mind—to the female warrior deities who gave the vessel its name. As Annika closes in on the fugitive killer, it suddenly occurs to her that Valkyries “don’t run; they fly.”

Uncannily real, Walker’s interpretation of Annika draws on the popular radio drama Annika Stranded, which aired in 31 episodes on BBC Radio 4 between 2013 and 2020. Walker was the one-woman star of that series, with scripts by Nick Walker (no relation). The two Walkers have now teamed up again to bring Annika to television in all her complexity, vulnerability, and eccentric affability.

“I’ve been Annika a long time now,” says Nicola Walker, “and if there was a chance of getting her fully fleshed out in a real-world environment, I wanted to be part of it.”

Series Description
Fishing bodies from the waters around Glasgow, Scotland, DI Annika Strandhed and her newly-formed Marine Homicide Unit face a steady stream of murders in this new series,
starring Nicola Walker as the title character. Confiding her thoughts directly to viewers, Annika juggles baffling cases and a rebellious teenage daughter. The former are easier to solve than the latter. “Droll and…charming,” praised The Guardian (London).

Episode One
Annika assembles her team to solve murders in the waters around Glasgow. Their first case looks a lot like a whale hunt gone wrong.

Episode Two
Annika’s teenage daughter, Morgan, gets mixed up with suspects in a revenge slaying. Norse saga comes to life as Annika’s team closes in.

Episode Three
Annika sees one of playwright Ibsen’s plots play out in a homicide. Meanwhile, she takes more than a parental interest in Morgan’s therapist, Jake.

Episode Four
An author who has ruined lives has her own ruined—permanently. Blair finds a friend for Morgan. Annika and Jake go to a museum exhibit.

Episode Five
Arriving at a murder scene on a party boat, Annika thinks of the Greek god of unrestrained celebration. From there, things only get more chaotic.

Episode Six
Michael’s brother is the prime suspect in his ex’s murder. Annika goes for what looks like a one-way ride. A secret about Michael comes out.

Annika is a UKTV Original Production by Black Camel Pictures in co-production with MASTERPIECE and in association with All3Media International, and Screen Scotland. The executive producers are Nicole Fitzpatrick, Jennifer Armitage, Susanne Simpson, David Swetman, Philippa Collie Cousins, and Arabella Page Croft. The producer is Kieran Parker. The series is created and written by Nick Walker. The writers are Lucia Haynes and Frances Poet. The directors are Philip John and Fiona Walton.
About PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel
MASTERPIECE has been setting the standard for exceptional British drama in the US for 50 years and the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel continues this legacy and has expanded to include award-winning TV series from around the world.

About MASTERPIECE
Winner of 83 Primetime Emmys® and 18 Peabody Awards, MASTERPIECE has been essential Sunday night viewing for millions of fans since 1971. Susanne Simpson is the executive producer and Rebecca Eaton is the executive-producer-at-large for the series. Funding for MASTERPIECE is provided by Viking and Raymond James with additional support from public television viewers and contributors to The MASTERPIECE Trust. Presented on PBS by GBH Boston, MASTERPIECE is known for recent hits such as All Creatures Great and Small, Sherlock, Downton Abbey and Victoria, and beloved classics such as Upstairs Downstairs, Prime Suspect, The Forsyte Saga and Poldark.

About PBS DISTRIBUTION
PBS Distribution is a leading distributor of public media content around the world, reaching audiences through multiple platforms and formats. The company, a joint venture of PBS and GBH Boston, operates six streaming channels —PBS MASTERPIECE (US and CA), PBS KIDS, PBS Living, PBS Documentaries and PBS America (U.K.). Other services include transactional video-on-demand, subscription video-on-demand licensing, physical products on DVD and Blu-ray, theatrical releasing, educational, non-theatrical, inflight, and international program sales and co-productions.

PBS Distribution offers consumers and educators the highest quality factual, scripted, and children’s programming including films from Ken Burns, hit series from MASTERPIECE and foreign language dramas from Walter Presents, entertaining and educational PBS KIDS series, and award-winning documentaries from NOVA, FRONTLINE, AMERICAN MASTERS, NATURE, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, and many independent producers. For over 10 years, the company has extended the reach of programming beyond broadcast while generating revenue for the public television system, stations, and producers.