Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #838 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-11-06
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Box set, PAL, Subtitled, Dolby, Colour
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 7
• Running time: 1003 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
The adventures of Counter Terrorism Unit agent Jack Bauer have rarely been dull. Yet after four series of battling the bad guys in real time, some could rightfully wonder whether 24 had lots its edge, and its ability to surprise. The fifth season should put any such doubts to shame.

Set eighteen months after the dramatic finale to Season Four, things get off to a shocking and pulsating beginning. You won’t find plot spoilers in this review, yet it’s as if the writers realised they had some serious carpet-pulling to do to keep the show’s audience intrigued once again. Set, as usual, over the course of one single day, there’s then a slight lull in the first third, before things spring ferociously into life. Make no mistake: if you can overcome the usual need to suspend elements of your disbelief, this is the best series of 24 since the first, and as it winds near to its equally dramatic conclusions, it’s simply hard to take your eyes off it.

Joining the usual cast too is a procession of familiar names. Peter Weller (Roboocop), Sean Astin (The Lord Of The Rings) and C Thomas Howell (The Hitcher) are among those doing their curriculum vitae no harm, but the acting honours are taken by the wonderful combination of President Logan and his first lady, played by Gregory Itzin and Jean Smart.

With a denouement that sets up a sparkling sixth season, this fifth series of 24 is a genuinely significant achievement. It’s packed full of surprises, isn’t afraid to take a few risks, and as all good thrillers should, it keeps you on the edge of your seat for far longer than is comfortable. A superb show, very much on top form.--Simon Brew

Synopsis
Created by Joel Surnow (LA FEMME NIKITA, MIAMI VICE) and Robert Cochran (LA FEMME NIKITA, THE COMMISH), 24 assumes its familiar format of real-time action, unfolding over the course of a 24-hour period. This season, Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) has gone underground, working on an oil rig near L.A. under an assumed name, But a series of murders targeting the few people who know Jack is still alive brings Jack back to town, just as the president is preparing to sign an arms treaty in L.A. Suddenly, Jack finds himself the prime suspect in his confidantes' murders.

Customer Reviews

Another Great Series
This in my opinion was the best series so far, i felt slightly dissapointed by series 3 and 4, but this has got me hungry once again for 6. There is no point in me telling you any background infomation as I presume that most people reading this will have an idea what this show is all about, or like many people I would describe as "Die Hard" 24 fans. Watching this, the tension after every episode, the suspense is always there, from episodes 1-24, everyone is as nail biting as the rest.

People say that they don't enjoy it because of the fact that everything is "20 minutes away" or Jack can download the scimatics onto his PDA when ever he feels like but this does not effect the overall quality of the program, the idea of watching it is not to be critical about everything that happens, its to admire the quality of the overall series, which doesn't dissapoint.

Stunning series
Before this series of 24, I didn't believe that the programme makers could bring us another series on a par with Series 1, or even anywhere close to it. This series blew that theory out of the water.

Quite simply, it is unbelievable. The explosive opener is mentioned as one of the strong points of the series, but it is really eclipsed in my eyes by the fantastic level maintained throughout all 24 episodes.

The characters and character development is an essential aspect of the show's success this year. There are now characters you genuinely care about, truly despise or even feel sorrow at their respective demises. And Christopher Henderson is the greatest character creation in the show since Nina Myers.

And then there's that 3 or 4 episode run round about middle of the series that is by far my favourite storyline in 24 history - so dramatic and emotional at the same time. One of those particular episode is among the greatest achievements of TV drama that I have ever seen: my jaw was open for the entire hour and I actually must have cried at least twice (which is remarkable for me).

Don't have any hesitations about whether or not to buy this series. Make sure that you have seen the previous 4, then order your copy and enjoy.

Great Bonus Features, Much Improved Over Season 4
You don't need another review to tell you what a great show "24" is, or that Season 5 is a wonderful return-to-form that recaptures the conspiracy thriller style and wisely avoids many of the mistakes made in the previous year. Even better, it seems Fox Home Entertainment has done the same and learnt from its mistakes made with the Region 2 release of Season 4 (which lacked a great many of the bonus features included on the later American release).

This time around the discs seem as fully-loaded as the Season 2 box-set, including the following features:

-- 12 audio commentaries from cast and crew, including the season premiere and finale

-- 23 deleted or extended scenes running to 35 minutes

-- 5 featurettes covering the 100th episode celebrations, the music of Emmy Award-winning Sean Callery, the design of the Presidential retreat, the supporting players, and the unsung heroes of the show's camera department.

Well deserving of this year's top Emmies for Best Drama, Lead Actor, and Outstanding Directing, "24" is one of the three best shows on television. The only thing that could top off its presentation here on DVD would be with the inclusion of the Day Five Prequel (which premiered on the Region 1 DVDs for Season 4), and the addition of some form of over-arching documentary that summarises the making of the whole season.

Aside from that, F.H.E. deserve much praise for atoning for their mistakes with the previous DVDs. The artwork and packaging are great, and the distributor has re-established itself as one of the leading names in the TV-on-DVD market. This time, you wont be dissapointed in the extras department.