BLOOD TIES
Season 1 & 2 (episodes 1 - 22)
DVD Review by Nigel A. Messenger

UK DVD: Contender Entertainment
UK Release Date: 28 January 2008
UK certificate: 15
Stars: Christina Cox, Gina Holden, Kyle Schmid, Dylan Neal

BLOOD TIES is a Canadian supernatural crime series that has more in common with THE DRESDEN FILES than BUFFY or ANGEL.

Vicki Nelson (Christina Cox) is a private detective who makes the mistake of taking on a case with supernatural overtones when she is hired by pretty goth Coreen (Gina Holden) to look into an unusual case, during which Vicki unwittingly gets a set of mystical tattoos which have hidden powers.

She meets 470-year-old vampire Henry Fitzroy (Kyle Schmid) while on the case who, by the end of the pilot episode becomes her detective partner. Also at the end of the pilot Coreen takes on the job of Vicki's receptionist / secretary. To complete the team Vicki's ex-partner Mike Celluci (Dylan Neal) from her days as a police detective becomes her inside source in the Vancouver police department.

In each episode of BLOOD TIES Vicki and her team tackle a new case all featuring a different supernatural force including a type of werewolf, other vampires, ghosts and various demons.

In some ways BLOOD TIES could be viewed as following a fairly cliched formula but it's actually very entertaining and Vicki's relationship with the two male leads is very much part of the show, giving the story more depth than you might expect from what otherwise might be viewed as a monster of the week type deal.

Coreen (Gina Holden) isn't just a pretty face to decorate the screen either as she is very much involved in some of the stories.

BLOOD TIES is based on the bestselling 'Blood' book series by Tanya Huff which has sold in excess of 5 million copies worldwide and if I had the time I would probably check these out after watching the show.

This DVD boxset contains all 22 episodes made to date and so as not to confuse you too much this seems to have originally played on TV as two separate seasons and with no particularly dead (excuse the pun) episodes, that can't be bad.

BLOOD TIES drew me in and although at the time of writing (January 2008) the series seems to have finished, the rumour is that it could still come back with a new season. I for one hope it does, but in the meantime at least I have the DVDs!