mjbryan I remember first seeing this series in January 1976, and up to that point James Bolam had always been "lazy" Terry from The Likely Lads. Here he plays friendly Jack, canny Jack, but deadly & dangerous Jack. I found the final series - released in 1981 - disappointing by comparison to the earlier series, primarily because the majority of the Seaton family & Matt were not involved; and the final story of gun-running to Spain, hardly credible. However I score the series 10, due to the excellent quality of the acting & characters. Right up until the end, you somehow hope that Jack & Jessie will end up together.Best moment, was in " Diamiond-cuts-Diamond " when Sir Horatio Manners take-over bid for Ryders Pumps fails, and Jack confronts him with his scam. " I bought a parcel of Ryders shares at 41....you bought them at 80!", and Mannners realisation that this was the plan all along.Never tire of watching the DVD set - excellent value.

j-howarth151 I loved 'when the boat comes in' it was such an excellent series,with the brilliant James Bolam in the lead role as Jack ford, who made his way up to the top under dire circumstances, and who helped his adopted family the Seatons. He battled and won against the establishment and bosses who tried to keep him and the working man down. Season 4 let the whole series down for me. We did not see the Seatons, grumpy Bill with 5 shops at the last count, and his wife who dreamed of having a nice home.Tom Seaton his friend or as geordies would say 'Marrow', and Dolly now with a successful market garden business.We did see the love of his life Jessie Seaton,apparently she had left her husband and three children, and now with her brother Billy,planned a gun running expedition into Spain, I know she was a Labour activist but surely this was out of character for both her,and Billy who's now a wealthy consultant doctor, surely they would have concentrated there efforts on the sick and needy at home. I also thought it was such a shame when Jack ford was killed off in the end, surely the writers could have come up with a better ending to this wonderful series.

louis-196 Thanks to DVD I am now watching this entire series, all the way through for the second time in 3 years. It is difficult to explain to younger people these days, what with CGI and Dolby Sound how much more believable the string and sealing wax era of TV drama was but each time I watch these programs I am more authentically taken back the 1920s Gallowshields than anything I watch nowadays. The writing, the acting, the direction - they are all first class and although James Bolam steals the show, his supporting cast are all fine actors. Personally, I find it hard to think of a better example of acting than Bolam's transformation in the final series from a man down on his luck to a successful businessman. The second episode of that series is probably one of my favourite episodes of them all and a fine example of understated but compelling acting. Until this program I doubt anyone had ever really understood the immense impact that the first world war had on individuals because we are a generation who has been so influenced by the second one. As I reach the end of the fourth series I am always saddened to think that there will be no more. Still, thanks to DVD I'll still be able to watch it all again at some point in the future.

c-povey I bought this series for my father as he watched when it was on first time round in the UK (I am too young, just!) I watched it with him and I really enjoyed it. The first three seasons are the best. With the Seatons and life just after World War one but season four just doesn't seem up to the same standard. Season four jumps all over the place there is no continuity (other than Jack Ford). There was a four year gap between season three and four, which might explain why it had lost it edge.May be they should have stopped at three. If you like good drama then definitely one to watch, just a shame about the last season!