I came very late to the TV show "Las Vegas". It never really interested me, I had watched the odd few minutes on Sky when it was on but never managed a whole episode. There are a few TV programmes I watch regularly this was not one of them.

Then, one night, unable to sleep, I caught the pilot episode. I have no idea how many times it had been on a quick turnaround repeat since it was first shown on Sky but I enjoyed it a lot. Maybe it was the lack of sleep that made me continue watching but I got hooked. In the end I bought the DVD box sets (Season 1 and 2)

WHAT IS "LAS VEGAS"?

The TV show "Las Vegas" tells the everyday stories of the Montecito Hotel & Casino and its staff. It is centred around the Security and Safety Staff headed by ex-CIA agent Big Ed Deline (James Caan) and his staff, mainly young and dashing Danny McCoy (Josh Duhamel), the casino pit boss Nessa Holt (Marsha Thomason), special events co-ordinator Mary Connell (Nikki Cox), whale hunter, sorry, Casino Host Sam "Samantha Jane" Marques (Vanessa Marcil) and MIT electronics graduate Mike Cannon (James Lesure) who earns more as head valet than working in his chosen field. For good measure we also get Big Ed's daughter Delinda (Molly Sims) thrown into the mix. Don't ask me but what were the parents smoking, Delinda Deline?!?!? Well, not my problem.

Watching the show on DVD makes it easier to understand and follow. In particular when you are new to the show and need the information of who's who. The pilot episodes in any new show are there to introduce everyone and they do so at breakneck speed. You might have to watch it a couple of times to actually get into the show at all. It can be a little too much information in a 43 minute episode and by the end you still don't know much about anyone. But slowly, over the first season you will get to know the characters a little better, whether or not you care for them is another story altogether. At least they didn't persue with the voice over you got in the first episode, it would have become irritating after a while.

The first season contains 23 episodes and here on the box set you will have them spread over 6 disks. Only the last disk had three episodes but it also has the two longer bonus features on so it makes up for the lack of a fourth episode.

The storylines are often similar but that is what you get when you base a show around a casino and hotel where security is the leading story line. It can be fun to watch how gamblers are trying to cheat the casinos, how they get caught and what surveillance is available to casinos now. But that is only fun the first 20 times or so and I often find myself wishing that they could do something other than show how a cheat gets caught or how Sam is trying to convince her rich clients to gamble away even more money so she gets a much higher percentage of their loss as her bonus pay. Thankfully some of the storylines take you out of the hotel and casino and into Las Vegas itself.

There are storylines that are funnier than others and can bring some comic relief when the going gets tough. A foreign chef is funny when not over-used, relationships can be fun if they show how ridiculous the whole Las Vegas scenario is. I know how easy it can be to simply forget everything, throw caution to the wind and just simply go with the flow and do silly things. So I can imagine the stories they tell have some truth in them, it can happen to anyone.

Most episodes are complete stories in themselves and can be watched without knowing much of the show. There are a few storylines where guest stars return for another episode or two and then it helps to know what's gone on before. But it's not so bad that you can't follow the episode.

The main cast work together well. I have liked James Caan since seeing him in Misery and I was surprised to see him in the role of chief of operation in this show. He plays a hard but fair man with a secret CIA past and he seems to know everyone and they all owe him favours. He is the biggest name on the payroll and I can't say that I had heard about any of the other members in the regular cast. Cheryl Ladd (ex Charlie's Angel) is Mrs Deline and she has a recurring part. I almost didn't recognise her but she is still as gorgeous as she was when played one of Charlie's Angles.

Some of the acting can be a little wooden, in particular from Molly Sims as Delinda. I don't think she had that much acting experience and she looked a little uncomfortable at the beginning but over time she got used to the acting and is improving. More wooden acting can be seen from Josh Duhamel who I didn't know at all before the show. He looks cute but can't act for toffee, I wouldn't buy anything from him if he knocked on my door and tried to sell me stuff. You can forgive him, he's the show's eye candy.

If you overlook the obvious lack of five star acting talent and take the show for what it is then you will have fun and can enjoy it. Just don't interpret too much into it, just let the bad acting wash over you and have a good laugh.

This show boasts a lot of famous guest stars and while season one was still quite calm compared to later seasons, there were a number of big names either playing themselves (Jean-Claude van Damme, the Maloof Brothers, Penn & Teller) we also had Alec Baldwin and Hugh Hefner in some episodes and even Silvester Stallone has a small recurring role.

Since Delinda's nightclub is doing good business you will find singers and groups playing themselves or promoting their latest songs. This is more the case in the second season and you can play 'guess the guest star of the week' more often. It can be a little distracting if you are trying to follow the storyline and you are constantly reminded that there are some celebrities prancing around for no other reason than being seen.

For the opening credits they used Elvis Presley's "A Little Less Conversation" which you can only get in the US original it seems. I have yet to hear it in the UK and even the DVD version has the alternative opening music that I do not even recognise.

If you have ever been to Las Vegas you will recognise a lot of the sights and places. While the Montecito is a fictional hotel/casino, the pilot episode was shot in large parts directly in Las Vegas - the Mandalay Bay to be exact. So if the valet and reception area or hotel corridors look familiar that's the reason why.

At a later stage it was decided that filming the whole show in Las Vegas would not be possible, despite the casinos and hotels being very helpful and accommodating, filming would have caused too much disruption on the casino floor so the production company moved to a large sound stage in California. But there are plenty of scenes shot in Las Vegas if you have a keen eye.

As I mentioned before, the Montecito Hotel is fictional and with the pilot episode shot at the Mandalay Bay, the producers were a little stuck on where they could place the hotel complex after that. From what can be seen on screen is that it is placed opposite the Mandalay Bay and Luxor Hotel. The area is almost empty with small houses, warehouses and adjoining McCarran Airport. This is pretty believable for anyone who knows the city, even those who don't know it.

However, if you know Las Vegas, you will notice that the Montecito Hotel has the habit of moving around and can be found a) opposite the Mandalay Bay b) behind the Mandalay Bay, c) where you would normally find the Monte Carlo, d) opposite The Venetian and Harrah's (not likely as you will find the TI - Treasure Island there). It also changes the side of the street it's on, from the left to the right, moving up and down The Stip and when you look closely, in some of the aerial shots gets completely omitted. While it might not bother most viewers, if you know Vegas at least a little, it will start to get on your nerves, or will make you howl with laughter.

EXTRAS: (Bonus Features):

One thing I always hate with TV show box sets is that there are never enough extras on them. I wish there was more but beggars can't be choosers and we have to make do with what we are being offered.

** Rumble at the Montecito **

Unless you saw the corresponding episode in Season 2, this will not make much sense to you. What you get is a short film with Jon Bon Jovi and John Elway as owners of Arena Football League teams (indoor football) and instead of fighting it out on the field they use in the Montecito Casino floor. There are some funny moment but it's basically an advert for the Arena Football League shown on NBC.

** Inside the Montecito **

The Creator of the series Gary Scott Thompson takes you on a tour of the sound stage in Los Angeles and explains how the show is produced, from the location shots in Las Vegas to the old gambling tables from the Mandalay Bay Hotel. It's interesting to watch and contains interviews with some of the cast. Although it's on the DVD season one set, I reckon it was actually shot during season 2 (at least early in season two) as some actors look slightly different in the second season - Josh Duhamel's short hair for a start.

** Las Vegas: The Big Gamble: **

I must admit, I saw this programme on one of the hotel channels when I was in Vegas. I think it was on the TCC Channel (Tourism & Convention Cannel) and explains the history of Las Vegas from its humble beginnings 100 years ago to all the corporate dealings you have now.

There are a number of episodes with audio commentary but it is only interesting if you are a big fan and while I love listening to the commentary on shows like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, here I found it very irritating and not very informative. The only bit of information that came out of the commentary in the pilot episode was that the character of Mary was supposed to be a 'working girl' but she became a special events organiser instead - not quite the same but I don't think US audiences would have taken to a prostitute as a main character in a TV show.

Tech Bits:

6 DVD Box set available at all good retailers from £14.99
Running Time: 15 Hrs 53 min approx
Bonus Running Time: 3 hrs 20 min approx
DVD area 2
Widescreen
Subtitles in English only

Las Vegas is currently in its forth season in the USA and despite the move from its Monday slot to Friday nights during season three it survived and got recommissioned. Sky TV are currently showing Season three on Sky One on Friday nights (as well as quick turn-around repeats during the week).

I love watching the episodes, not necessarily in the correct order and remember the time when I was walking up and down the Strip, gambling away my holiday money - actually I won more than I lost - always hoping to win big like some of the characters in the show and get all the complimentary treats they were given in the show. If you think it's easy to get comps in Vegas you are mistaken, unless you are a high- roller with money to burn you will not receive much in form of comps. But you can dream and this show certainly helps you on the way.

♠ ♣ ♥ ♦ Things I learnt while watching Las Vegas ♠ ♣ ♥ ♦
· Casino security staff see everything, hear everything and are better equipped than Las Vegas Police, FBI, CIA and Homeland Security put together
· Casino security ALWAYS find out what you are up to, where you live and who your first year teacher was, then chase you and punish you at the same time before the police even get wind of it, regardless of whether it's on or off hotel premises
· Ed Deline can appear out of thin air and walk straight into the path of any person the others are pursuing ready to arrest them
· Security and management staff know everyone in Las Vegas and everyone knows them - and most probably owes them a favour or ten
· Only perfect women frequent hotel pools
· Everyone is perfect, slim and beautiful - and that's just the men
· When the casino host wears a tight white shirt she will eventually end up in the pool with the shirt clinging to her perfect body showing it off just perfectly
· A gust of wind can blow an anorexic looking hotel owner off the roof and carry her at least one mile through the air

NB: This review was posted first on dooyoo.co.uk