Review for Dominic - The Complete Mini-Series

‘Dominic’ may be a fantastic nostalgia blast for anyone who has fond memories of the series from 1976 (or its predecessor ‘Boy Dominic’) but it’s also a fantastic series in its own right.

Murray Dale (Jim Dale’s son) reprises a role from his role a couple of years earlier in ‘Boy Dominic’ (also available from Network) and this time he’s sixteen and already in training to become an officer in the British Navy. Dale was 15 years old at the time of filming and is playing the part of 16 year old Dominic who, following the murder of his mother and father in the first episode, is about to set off on a fantastically exciting period adventure across the course of eight 25 minute episodes.


Set in nineteenth century Yorkshire (well, it’s a Yorkshire Television production after all) it’s a really great story well told, mixing studio shot video with plenty of exciting location footage shot on 16mm.


If you recall, the original series, ‘Boy Dominic’ saw Dominic and his mother left destitute in London, forced to sell their London house when his father’s merchant ship sinks at sea, losing them their fortune. He and his mother move to Yorkshire where they open a guest-house but soon get a message that Dominic’s father, Captain Bulman, is still alive and is fighting his way back to London.


In ‘Dominic’, 'Nick' Bulman, now 16, hopes to follow in his father's footsteps and begins his naval cadet training. But when his parents are killed on a highway, seemingly over possession of a valuable watch, he is determined to avenge them. But who can he trust?


His estate is left in the controlling hands of the head of the small academy he attends, Captain Beever, but when he suggests that the house should be sold, Dominic suspects him of foul-play. After all, if he was a beneficiary of his parent’s death, maybe he had something to do with it. But it transpires that things are not that simple. Just who are the brotherhood? What is the significance of that watch with its engraved coat of arms? What did his Father mean when he whispered ‘The Eight Bells’ on his death-bed?


This complex and occasionally violent story unfolds over eight episodes and, for older kids, is absolutely up there with tales like ‘Treasure Island’. Dominic gets kidnapped and almost killed (on more than one occasion) and just when you think you have a twist figured out, there’s a new one to let you know you were wrong all along.


It’s sophisticated stuff, carried through by a great cast which includes Murray Dale who showed great promise here but promptly left acting shortly afterwards. He is ably supported by great performances from the other kids on the cast as well as stand-out performances from John Hallam as Captain Beever , Thorley Walters as Lord Stainton (more a feature in the latter chapters) and the indescribably brilliant Gordon Gostelow as the almost schizophrenic landlord of ‘The Eight Bells’.


The whole series rattles along from the off and although I viewed the series over several evenings, I’m sure this is excellent binge watch material that could easily be watched in a single sitting if you were of a mind to do it. It’s also the sort of series you’ll probably want to return to; I enjoyed it tremendously as a fully grown adult though it could be a good one to share with the kids or grandkids, as long as they’re over ten years of age. (It’s actually rated 12 ).



Picture quality is sort of what you might expect for a TV series of this vintage with some slight signs of wear but nothing that will spoil your enjoyment. All eight episodes are housed on a single dual-layer disc which seems fine. The only extras included are a stills gallery.

Highly recommended retro TV of the highest order. Well worth picking up.