Timothy Spall: Somewhere at Sea—The Complete Series

Burly British character actor Timothy Spall may be best known for playing Peter Pettigrew in the Harry Potter films, but as this charming BBC series confirms, Spall is equally entertaining at being himself. Over the course of this series' three-season run from 2010-12, Spall and his wife, Shane, sail their 52-foot Dutch barge, Princess Matilda, along the British coast, while also taking a side journey over to the neighboring Channel Islands. Spall is a self-described “idiot mariner” and he spends much of his time proving his case, as the Spalls make extremely slow progress, puttering down rivers with no great rush and spending oodles of time waiting for the weather to be perfect. Needless to say, the British weather doesn't cooperate very often, but Spall would rather not venture too far into choppy waves. “If in doubt, don't set off,” he insists, perhaps with tongue firmly in cheek. Indeed, much of the series is played for laughs, as Spall melodramatically transforms mildly inclement weather conditions into a Poseidon Adventure-worthy storm. Mrs. Spall is delightful in her own right, offering good-natured support to her husband's clowning while exhibiting more than a little patience over his maritime dithering. The Spalls also cede screen time to the British Isles' beautiful coastal scenery, which will certainly appeal to Anglophile travelogue fans. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (P. Hall)