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List Price: $59.98 | | Label: Fox Network
Salesrank: 1181
Released: December 5, 2006 |
| Our Price: $20.98 |
| Used Price: $16.95 |
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MPAA Rating:
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Twenty-four hours of an agent's attempt to stop a terrorist plot while caught up in a conflict between government agencies.
Genre: Television
Rating: NR
Release Date: 5-DEC-2006
Media Type: DVD
Description of 24 - Season Five (Slim-Pack):
Arguably the series' best season to date, season 5 of 24 literally starts with a bang and never lets up, with an intricate executive-level conspiracy to control Central Asia's oil supply. Piling crisis upon crisis in an escalating series of deceptions, twists, and deeply hidden agendas, the day-long ordeal begins with a devastating political assassination connected to a disgraced former CTU agent (Peter Weller) and a radical group of Russian separatists (led by British actor Julian Sands) threatening to release lethal nerve gas in Los Angeles to protest a U.S./Russian treaty about to be signed by President Charles Logan (Gregory Itzin). As Logan's unstable wife Martha (Jean Smart), Secret Service agent Aaron Pierce (Glenn Morshower), and chief of staff Mike Novick (Jude Ciccolella) gradually uncover the conspiracy, CTU maverick Jack Bauer (series star Kiefer Sutherland) emerges from self-imposed exile to aid his CTU colleagues in a life-threatening quest for the truth. Meanwhile, CTU chief Bill Buchanan (James Morrison) is thwarted by an inexperienced, overbearing superior (Sean Astin) and an executive takeover of CTU led by Homeland Security chief Karen Hayes (Jayne Atkinson), forcing Bauer and his CTU loyalists to "go dark" and work independently to honor the memory of a slain friend and leader. Also figuring in are CTU's resident hacker-nerd extraordinaire, Chloe O'Brian (played to perfection by Mary Lynn Rajskub)
, Bauer's estranged daughter (Elisha Cuthbert), and his beloved CTU colleague Audrey Raines (Kim Raver).
Pivoting on a declaration of martial law and a mysterious cabal of unnamed conspirators, "Day 5" shocked even loyal 24 fans with a high body count including several important supporting characters. It all adds up to an exceptional season that earned Sutherland a well-deserved Emmy (for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series), equally deserving Emmy nominations for Itzin and Sharp, and an Emmy win for co-executive producer Jon Cassar's direction of the riveting season premiere. And while the breathtaking twists of 24 don't always hold up to intense scrutiny, these 24 episodes (running about 43 minutes each) are tightly written and flawlessly directed with an involving emphasis on thriller plotting and dramatic focus on the complex and operatically tragic relationship between President Logan and his traumatized wife. Add it all up, and you've got an addictive reason to look forward to season 6. --Jeff Shannon
On the DVDs
Discs 1-6 contain four episodes each, with several episodes including optional viewing of extended or alternate takes of selected scenes. A total of 12 full-length episode commentaries are provided by 24's primary cast and crew, allowing listeners a comprehensive appreciation of the series' extended "family" of talent, along with a wealth of production anecdotes, revealing observations about plotting and character, and a welcome overview of individual personalities and contributions. Disc 7 is packed with features, beginning with a season 6 prequel that offers a tantalizing glimpse of things to come, with an interrogation and escape scenario set seven months after the events of "Day 5"; by comparison, the season 6 trailer offers little more than a recap of season 5. The featurettes are all well-crafted and worth a look, beginning with a "Supporting Players" profile of 24's extended cast (including some surprising glimpses of their off-screen hobbies and activities); a detailed documentary about 24's innovative and hard-working camera crew; a profile of music composer Sean Callery, who demonstrates his versatile mood-setting techniques; a detailed exploration of the "Presidential Retreat" set with production designer Jonathan Hodges and colleagues; a "100th Episode Reel" with tightly-edited clips from seasons 1-5; and a sampling of cast and crew photos from 24: Behind the Scenes, a picture book published in November 2006. Kudos to Sparkhill Productions for continuing to provide 24 bonus features as well-made as the series itself. --Jeff Shannon
Beyond 24: Season 5
More "Edge-of-your-Seat" TV DVDs | 
24: Seasons 1-5 | 
24: Behind the Scenes (Paperback) |
Stills from 24: Season 5 24 - Season Five (Slim-Pack) Reviews:
Jack is always good 
2008-10-05 - 24 is such a good series -- it is so exciting! And you NEVER know what is going to happen. I like the fact that Jack always tries to do right even at his own personal cost. I think that is what I like best about 24.
24 - Season Five 
2008-09-19 - Delivery was real fast. It was a gift so I cannot rate quality. Price was decent.
Just as good as all other seasons
2008-08-25 - If you liked season 1, season 2, season 3, & season 4,then you'll like this one too. Each season gets better, but its the same old CTU redtape, ,mavrick jack, tourturing, turning against CTU and jack saying "you'll just have to trust me". The ending wraps up nicely, but with a cliff hanger, so you'll want to get season 6.
24 Wasted Hours 
2008-07-30 - I love the genre, and the production values are always well done, but this season of 24 is a waste of time. It's hard to blame the creators as they do fine with what they have, but the very nature of a one-day serial is fatally flawed. Jack Bauer, and the disaster(s) he alone can stop, must NEVER be resolved until the final (24th.) hour. Every trick in the book is used to prolong the story, and to keep Jack alive. This leads to LUDICROUS plot devices, which make watching it often painful. If this doesn't matter to you, then I'm sure you will enjoy it, but if a plot or story needs to make sense to be pleasurable, this season will drive you mad. Obviously, a LOT of care, talent, and clever ideas went into making this, but at the end of the day, I knew that I had thrown away a entire day, watching smoke and mirrors signifying nothing.
Pretty solid stuff
2008-07-28 - While I had kind of given up on 24, this is a good return to form for the series. It starts with the assasination of previous president Palmer and as the season advances we see how Jack, who has come back from the dead for many, is confronted with a group of russian separatists who have gotten some nerve gas. The way the story unfolds gets slightly too straightforward from the middle of the season on but it is still quite exciting stuff. Kim comes back for a short period also.
