The Champions: The Complete Series Special Edition

The look of the DVD isn't particularly remarkable, considering the series is nearly 40 years old. Fullscreen 4:3 with a Dolby Digital 1.0 mono so don't expect anything special from your nice new HD TV and sub-woofers!

The wide variety of extras available on the box-set, however, will prove to be a big selling point for modern audiences. The documentary We Were The Champions was released in 2006 and finds cast members William Gaunt, Alexandra Bastedo and Stuart Damon joined by writer Brian Clemens and Director Cyril Frankel in a look at the making of the series and its consequent cult success.

The documentary will give a moving jolt of nostalgia to anyone who watched the show when it was initially aired and it gives an interesting look at the cast and crew and their thoughts and memories of the series. The documentary is a highlight of the box-set and gives a real sense of what a sadly short-lived phenomenon the show actually was.

In addition to this the box-set also includes The Legend of the Champions, a feature length film released by the studio in the 1980s. It's essentially episodes The Beginning and The Interrogation edited together with some extra footage but makes for enjoyable viewing and is a must if you're an avid fan and completist.

It's clear from looking through the remaining extras that a great deal of time and effort has been put in to providing a comprehensive and highly modern selection of features including audio commentaries on The Beginning and the episode. Alongside this there is also a gallery of trailers for the show with both US and UK soundtracks and a comic strip of the show that ran in Joe 90 Top Secret Comics.

All in all, the box-set provides a thorough array of goodies that will keep anyone busy for a long Sunday afternoon. The commemorative booklet included in the box also includes an in-depth essay on the making of the series by Mike Richardson which makes for very interesting reading.