Superb UK vampire series ULTRAVIOLET to be re-released on DVD

Ultraviolet, probably the finest vampire-based TV series of all time, is to be re-released on DVD next Monday.

The six-part series originally aired in 1998. It stars Jack Davenport (Pirates of the Carribean, This Life, Coupling) and Idris Elba (The Wire, Luther), with a very young Stephen Moyer (True Blood) providing able support. Susannah Harker and Philip Quast round off the recurring cast. The premise is that vampires (never called that in the series, only 'leeches' or 'Code 5s') are real and a secret government organisation - part-funded by the Vatican - is fighting them. The tone is serious and grim, with an emphasis on the scientific ramifications of the existence of vampires. It's also extremely well-written (by BAFTA-nominated UK writer-director Joe Ahearne, who later worked on Doctor Who) and superbly acted, with a nice twist in the final episode.

This edition features a new documentary about the series. However, disappointingly, it is only being released on DVD, as the series has not yet been remastered for Blu-Ray. At the moment it appears to be a UK-only release, although the previous edition is still available in the USA.