DVD Review - Under the Hammer

Under the Hammer is the British drama version of Pawn Stars. Each week, the people on Pawn Stars receive some pretty neat old stuff, but they have to know whether it's real or not. They call in experts to look at it, and usually they're able to tell if the object in question is legitimate and something they can sell. Under the Hammer (on DVD from Acorn Media 6/21) is much of the same story, except entirely fictional.


Under the Hammer tells the stories of a few key figures in a British auction house. Both Ben Glazier (Richard Wilson) and Maggie Perowne (Jan Francis) work in the paintings department of the auction house. Ben obtains the paintings and makes sure they're not fakes, and Maggie auctions them off. There's a bit of a romance developing between the two, though Maggie tries to stifle it by being in a relationship with the delightful sleazeball Nick Roper (Michael Siberry, easily the most intriguing actor on the show).


Of course, the art world is full of strange stories, but oftentimes in this series, a lot of the rhyme happens with very little reason. Characters have strange motivations, and random events occur without much bearing on the overall plot. The show's nice enough, but often it feels like there are elements thrown in just to make it seem stranger. It's a little disorienting, though not totally off-putting.


You'll like Under the Hammer if you're a fan of shows like Midsomer Murders or the more classical British shows. Even some fans of Pawn Stars might dig this set. After all, Pawn Stars doesn't have to have a coherent to be enjoyed -- and neither does Under the Hammer.Order Under the Hammer from Amazon

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