Originally aired in the U.K. in late 2002, The Adventure Of English has landed on DVD courtesy of Acorn Media’s documentary line, Athena. Each 
episode is shown in its original 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen ratio. Of all the Standard Definition DVDs I’ve seen this year (and there have been a lot, trust me), I have to say that Acorn Media/Athena’s transfer of The Adventure Of English is the most beautiful by far. Honestly, I didn’t think a regular DVD could look this beautiful — it looks so good that it could easily pass as High Def. The Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack is nowhere near as perfect as the video presentation, but it comes through fine nevertheless. English SDH subtitles are included.
The DVD set includes biographical information on individuals who have contributed heavily to the development of the English language. It is the only "extra" featured on the dis
cs. But the greatest bonus in this four-disc set is a 20-page booklet highlighting the major moments in history fof the English language (and its small enough that the kids can take it to school and show up their teachers — ha, ha).
OK, so it might not be your ideal pick for family entertainment. Let’s face it: a 408-minute series about the history of a language is bound to put your average macho sports enthusiast to sleep in a matter of minutes. And sure, Melvyn Bragg’s odd manner of gesturing and tendency to look like he‘s going to start giggling at any moment may heighten the “cheese factor” for some viewers. But, at the end of the day, The Adventure Of English remains a very in-depth, well-made, and much-needed documentary that should become a staple in English-speaking history classes around the world. This series comes very highly recommended.
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