New to Blu: November 3-9 (TV)

It’s an epic week for TV-on-Blu-ray releases, with the WWII mini-series, The Pacific, leading the charge.

US critics were blown away by HBO’s HD specs.“The Pacific comes to Blu-ray with a stellar video presentation, and an audio presentation that is unparalleled,” Hi-Def Digest raved.

“Fine detail is some of the best I’ve ever seen. During close-ups on the actors every fleck of dirt, every smudge of mud can be seen in stunning clarity. The rigid texture of their uniforms pop off the screen.”

Concurred Blu-ray.com: “Magnificently resolved textures bring every sweat-streaked face and grimy uniform to startling life, razor-wire edges are crisp and clean (without any significant ringing to report), skintones are lifelike and precisely saturated, daytime delineation is impeccable and nary a brightly lit scene goes by without something of note to offer its wide-eyed audience.”

While there were misgivings about scenes shot at night or in low-lit interiors not being nearly as dazzling, not so the audio. Predicted DVD Beaver: “The Pacific looks great and will likely become a benchmark for sound reproduction.”

Also new from Wednesday are Doctor Who: The Complete Specials, season two of Packed to the Rafters and the second movie spun off Sex & the City while Thursday brings the documentary series, Into the Universe With Stephen Hawking and Monday, WWE Summer Slam.

Inexplicably AWOL from this week’s Blu-ray releases are seasons one of Modern Family and four of Dexter, DVDs of which go on sale Wednesday.