New to Blu: TV > January 14-20

Season two of Banshee goes on sale the same week season three starts on Sky’s SoHo.

The four-disc set comes with a host of novel extras, from audio and Twitter commentaries to “origins” prequels and deconstructions of the opening credits.

“Like its first-season release, The Complete Second Season boasts an excellent 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation courtesy of Cinemax parent company HBO, whose reputation for top tier Blu-ray releases is almost entirely unblemished.

“The series’ palette once again shifts from warm and lifelike to cold and desaturated from scene to scene; sometimes from shot to shot.

“There’s a slick, stylised consistency to the inconsistencies, though, all of which falls in line with the showrunners’ intentions.”

“The DTS-HD MA soundtrack features crystal clear dialogue, robust dynamics and a subtle, yet enriching surround sound mix.

“I was pleased with its use of spatial dimension and directional cues to create an apropos and occasionally immersive sound field.”

Also new are From Dusk Till Dawn (S1), Vikings (S2) and Farscape (S3).

“From Dusk Till Dawn: Season One comes with a good 1080p HD transfer presented in 1.78:1 aspect ratio.

“The picture itself on a whole looks very good. Clarity and crispness are prevalent throughout.”

“Post-production grading has lent a yellow hue to a number of scenes, rendering the image sort of sickly looking. It’s an odd stylistic choice.

“Otherwise, colours look natural and well saturated. Black levels are spot-on, with no crushing or haze issues during scenes set in darkness.”

“The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio presentation is one of the more dynamic sounding presentations I’ve heard for any television series.

“The separation between the speakers is quite impressive and works on the same level as one typically expects from high-production-budget films.”

“Fox delivers a fine Vikings: The Complete Second Season.

“All ten episodes look fantastic in 1.78:1/1080p (AVC-encoded), a high-definition treatment worthy of the beautiful on-location cinematography and down and dirty shield wall slaughter; and for sound, a rich DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track delivers a great mix of an atmospheric score and harsh sword clangs.”