Stargate Universe - First Season (out 05 July 10, Cert. 15)

Robert Carlyle, Ming-Na, Justin Louis, David Blue, Brian J. Smith, Elyse Levesque, created by Robert C. Cooper and Brad Wright, originally aired in the US between October 2009 and June 2010, cert. 15

Monkey Score: 78%

A group of soldiers, scientists and civilians, fleeing an attack, find themselves stranded billions of miles from Earth on an Ancient ship known as the Destiny. Locked on an unknown course, they must fight to survive and find a way home. The danger, adventure and hope they find on board the Destiny will reveal the heroes and villains among them.

Episodes list: Air part 1, Air Part 2, Air Part 3, Darkness, Light, Water, Earth, Time, Life, Justice, Space, Divided, Faith, Human, Lost, Sabotage, Pain, Subversion, Incursion Part 1, Incursion Part 2 (runtime: 850 minutes)

This brand new offshoot of the successful Stargate franchise is a very pleasant addition to the series. It stars a suitably intense Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty, Trainspotting) as the driven Dr Rush, constantly clashing with Justin Louis' Colonel Young, and keeping his protégé Eli (David Blue) under close observation. There are plenty of opportunities for the crew to feel the heat, from inside the mysterious ship, outer space and even Earth. The Earth bit is quite cool: communication takes place through a process that allows people on board Destiny to swap places with someone on Earth, by borrowing their bodies. It's a bit confusing at the beginning of the series but allows the writers to explore the crew's relationships back home, and their motivations. Intelligent sci-fi? You betcha. Clever stuff, entertaining and no pointy ears in sight.

The Avengers - The Complete Series 4 (out 05 July 10, Cert. 12)

Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg, originally broadcast between September 1965 and March 1966, cert. 12

MonkeyScore: 85%

A quirky spy show following the adventures of John Steed (Patrick Macnee), an eccentric British agent, and his female partner, the iconic Emma Peel (Diana Rigg.)

Episodes list: The Town Of No Return, The Gravediggers, The Cybernauts, Death At Bargain Prices, Castle De'ath, The Master Minds, The Murder Market, A Surfeit of H2O, The Hour That Never Was, Dial A Deadly Number, Man-Eater of Surrey Green, Two's A Crowd, Too Many Christmas Trees, Silent Dust, Room Without A View, Small Game For Big Hunters, The Girl From Auntie, The Thirteenth Hole, Quick-Quick Slow Death, The Danger Makers, A Touch Of Brimstone, What The Butler Saw, The House That Jack Built, A Sense Of History, How To Succeed at... Murder, Honey For The Prince (runtime: 1295 minutes)

The Avengers need no introduction - the iconic British series exudes charm and for most of us is epitome of Sixties television. With its clever mixture of whodunnit, sci-fi and humour it is one of those rare programmes that stands the test of time - despite the dated artefacts and b&w picture the show still feels fresh 40-odd years down the line. This new DVD edition is loaded with extras that fans of the series will not want to miss: the seven discs are loaded with commentaries, interviews, alternative credits, image galleries and many, many more. The purists will appreciate the crispness of sound and picture, restored to today's exacting standards. Series 4 was the last to be filmed in black&white, which somehow seems more fitting to the John Steed / Emma Peel duo. The chemistry between Macnee and Rigg is faultless, giving the show an extra layer of magic to boot. Classic television at its very best.

Cargo (out 05 July 10, Cert. 12)

Anna-Katharina Schwabroh, Martin Rapold, Pierre Semmler, directed by Ivan Engler and Ralph Etter, 2009, cert. 12, in German with English subtitles

Monkey Score: TBC%

2267. Earth's environment is near the point of total collapse and many have fled to live on Rhea, a beautiful planet with an atmosphere and ecosystem similar to our own. But Rhea is in a distant solar system and space travel is expensive. Laura Portmann (Anna-Katharina Schwabroh), a doctor trying to raise the money to relocate to Rhea, takes a job with Kuiper Enterprises aboard the Kassandra, a battered space freighter making a run to a far away space station. It takes eight years to travel from Earth to the space station, and most of the crew spends their time frozen in artificial hibernation, with crewmen taking turns working an eight and a half month shift while conscious. As Portmann watches over the ship alongside security marshal Samuel Decker (Martin Rapold), she is convinced something is alive and making trouble in the Kassandra's cargo hold. With Decker she wakes Captain Lacroix (Pierre Semmler) and his men from their artificial slumber. While Lacroix is certain Portmann simply has an overactive imagination, in time it's revealed someone on board the Kassandra possesses a dangerous secret.

REVIEW COMING SOON

Doctor Who - Series 5 Volume 2 (out 05 July 10, Cert. PG)

Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, written by Stephen Moffat, BBC, 2009, cert. PG

Episodes list: The Time Of Angels, Flesh And Stone and Vampires In Venice

MonkeyScore: 80%

New Doctor Matt Smith, together with Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), and her loving but slightly clueless fiancé Rory (Arthur Darvill) encounter a new batch of enemies - old and new.

Matt Smith confirms his ability in the title-role in this second instalment of Series 5. Why the BBC persists in releasing full TV series in dribs and drabs makes little sense: fans of the Tardis and his wacky pilot have to make do with another measly offering of three episodes. All three are crackers and rather brilliant, but still: it's only three episodes! No doubt a Season 5 Complete boxset will be made available in time for Christmas with added bells and whistles in an attempt to make it buy it again?!? IN the meantime real fans will have no doubt captured the entire run on their Sky+ boxes, but the more casual adepts will welcome this release. Matt Smith confirms his tenure in the role of Doctor Who .

Beyond The Pole (out 05 July 10, Cert. 12)

Rhys Thomas, Stephen Mangan, Alexander Skasgad, Lars Arentz Hansen, Helen Baxendale, Mark Benton, Rosie Cavaliero, directed by David L. Williams, 2009, cert. 12

Monkey Score: 43%

Brian (Rhys Thomas) and Mark (Stephen Mangan) are setting out on the first Carbon Neutral, Vegetarian, and Organic expedition ever to attempt the North Pole. As a world first they have high hopes of getting into the Guinness Book of Records and, if all goes well, of saving the planet from Global Warming. Unfortunately they have never done anything like this before, nor had they reckoned on polar bears, or competition from a couple of cocky gay Norwegians (Alexander Skarsgard and Lars Arentz Hansen.)

The mockumentary genre, from the genius Spinal Tap to TV's legendary The Office, takes very special writing to work.The first thing on the list ought to be an interesting premise, full of comedic potential as well as a strong enough storyline to carry through the documentary pretence. Beyond The Pole, admittedly, looks the part on paper. Hapless, inexperienced, vegetarian Brits on their way to the North Pole with no other training than hanging out in the local slaughtering house walk-in freezer. So far, so good. However you need characters that the audience can care about to allow the mockumentary to crystallise, even if said characters are not very nice people. This is a tricky one, and is a rare mix of attributes - just think back to David Brent, in The Office, or Spinal Tap's Nigel Tufnel. Unfortunately for Beyond The Pole, Brian and Mark come across as really annoying, with very few redeeming features between them. So much so in fact that it makes for difficult viewing. Some of the sequences in the film could have been funny, but genuine laughs are unfortunately in short supply. Beyond The Pole doesn't quite live up to the expectations.