Annotation:If you’re looking for a doctor with an appalling bedside manner, absolutely no people skills, but brilliant diagnostic skills, Doc Martin is your man. A socially inept curmudgeon, he is nonetheless appealing and sympathetic (and you’ll empathize even more when you meet his parents). A top surgeon who discovers he has a phobia about blood, Doc Martin leaves his prestigious position in London to become a general practitioner in the picturesque town of Portwenn in Cornwall (where his sensible aunt Joan lives)—and becomes involved with its quirky residents (including the charming schoolteacher who falls for him, the naive and clueless policeman, and the doctor’s incompetent receptionist). All these characters provide humor and drama and make Doc Martin one of the most enjoyable and addictive series around. Four of the series have been released on DVD—I can’t wait for series five and the latest misadventures. (Laura, Reader’s Services)

Annotation:Joan Rivers was 75 years old when this documentary was made. It shows her working a schedule that would make a 25-year-old cry uncle. The film follows the comic as she does stand-up and guest appearances anyplace that will pay, sells jewelry on QVC, is roasted and toasted by fellow comedians, and is always on the lookout for her next gig. If her calendar has too much white space, she puts on sunglasses and prods her staff to fill in the blanks with more work. Her drive comes partly from two transformative experiences, the irreparable rift with Johnny Carson when she decided to do a talk show that competed with his, and the suicide of her husband after the show failed. Rather than throw in the towel, Rivers worked harder, and harder. She’s still at it, and if she gets her wish, she’ll die in the spotlight. (Mary B., Reader’s Services)

Annotation:In the mood for a gentle “watch” (akin to the gentle read--no gore, no sex, no foul language)? Let this wonderful 4-season series from the BBC spirit you away to late-19th century Oxfordshire with stories revolving around the lives of the townsfolk of thriving, forward-looking Candleford and the denizens of sleepy, rural Lark Rise, eight miles up the road. Our narrator, young Laura Timmons of Lark Rise, moves to Candleford to be assistant to Dorcas Lane, the progressive, slightly meddlesome, good-hearted postmistress. Of course, you can’t have a successful period piece like this without crises large and small, romances, jiltings, feuds, and the full complement of quirky characters. My favorite is Minnie, Dorcas’s young housemaid--innocent, selectively clever, bubbly, eager to learn, but like as not to get things wrong, and the owner of the biggest, softest heart of all. Some of the episodes tip dangerously toward the sappy, but the high quality of the acting and the top-notch production values one expects from the BBC save the day. If you liked the recent Cranford series, you’ll enjoy this, too, I’ll bet. (Barbara L., Reader’s Services)

Annotation:Equal pay for equal work is pretty much taken for granted today. But that hasn’t always been the case. Dagenham, England made history in 1968 when the women machinists at the Ford plant went on strike and demanded the same pay as the men in the factory. Made in Dagenham dramatizes this little-known chapter with humor, sympathy, a literate script, and terrific acting. Sally Hawkins shines in her role as the somewhat reluctant shop steward who manages to take on the union and the Ford execs. No surprises in the outcome, but you will cheer for the women through the entire film. Although called by some critics the British Norma Rae, Made in Dagenham is lighter in tone, yet manages to perfectly capture the 1960s working class life and times. The great cast includes Bob Hoskins as the sympathetic union rep, and Miranda Richardson as the supportive government Labor minister. (Laura H., Reader’s Services)

Annotation:Garda (police) Sergeant Jack Driscoll (Owen McDonnell) transfers from Dublin to his hometown in Connemara, where his father, now retired, was once a policeman. Jack has no desire to be a chip off the old block, placating the population and ingratiating himself with his superiors as his father did. This does not endear him to the locals, or to his family. But Jack is not dealing with the Ireland of his father. This is modern-day Ireland, with the same concerns as the rest of the world---immigration, child abuse, drugs, official corruption, etc., and Jack is determined to bring wrong-doers to justice. The acting in this series is excellent, the story lines are compelling, and the stark beauty of the Connemara countryside is glorious. (Mary B., Reader’s Services)

Annotation:Downton Abbey begins with the sinking of the Titanic and ends at the outbreak of World War One. The fabulous Maggie Smith stars as the matriarch of the North Yorkshire estate Downton Abbey, where her son (Hugh Bonneville) and his wealthy American wife (Elizabeth McGovern) live with their three unmarried daughters. It’s the future of this family that’s at stake when questions of inheritance arise: Who has the rightful claim to the estate? Will the daughters find the right suitors? Jealousies, scandals, and secrets ensue. And downstairs there’s a new valet, a scheming lady’s maid and a devious footman. A great cast and script by Academy-Award winner Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park) make this one of the best of the recent Masterpiece productions. (Laura H., Reader’s Services)