24: Season 5

I initially learned about "24" from watching it on the Fox channel during Sunday nights. Having only read a variety of Jack Bauer quotes and hearing much mythology related to the series, I was eager to give it a chance. Of what I saw, it pleased me greatly, but I was still only receiving an unconnected series of episodes relating to Jack Bauer and CTU (his agency).A few months later, I decided that I wanted to watch a whole season at a steady pace to get a true feel for the series. I came onto Amazon and browsed Season 5's page, as I was recommended it by many fans. Seeing it for $20, I made the purchase and eagerly awaited it's arrival in the mail.---Now finished watching Season 5, I can say with certainty that this is one of the finer shows on television and among the few i'd recommend collecting on DVD.In this season, we're presented with a masterful blend of action, conspiracy, drama, and espionage that doesn't let up until the end. It's amazing experience to compare the progression of events all the way from the first hour to the final hour.The character of Jack Bauer is given an incredible amount of detail here by scenes that illustrate to us his two sides: his professional side and emotional side. The former shows us his unwavering dedication to the United States and why he does what he does, the latter shows us that he is indeed like everyone else with his friendships and romantic relationship. When the two clash, it truly becomes relevant to the story as a whole and the growth of Jack.On the villainous side, there are two masterful performances here by actors Peter Weller and Julian Sands. Weller's "Christopher Henderson" is a man motivated by duty of his country like Jack, but in a fashion that is in all other ways antithetical to the protagonist of the story. Needless to say, they clash with explosive results. Sand's "Vladimir Bierko" maintains a chilling silence about him and manages to instill fear in the viewer without becoming an over-the-top comic book villain.The organization of CTU is given the full treatment as well - we see politics, power plays and personal relationships that formed and will form the way Jack interacts with them in Season 6.Also, I can now vouch for why this season is best for beginners: while it is five years in, not many of the previous plots and subplots have an overbearing presence on the show which necessitates being knowledgeable of past events. In short, it's an excellent way to get into the series, as well as way to spend the evening around the TV to the uninitiated alike.Finally, while there has been some dissent on the new slimmed down packaging for the DVDs, I must say that they are made well enough and damaging them shouldn't be an issue unless you place heavy objects on the empty box.

It keeps you on the edge of your seat & never fails to surprise you w/ something you wouldn't think would happen. You must get the entire series. It's addictive. You won't be disappointed.

Revel in his awesomeness!!! For he is a god amongst men and he is deserving of all praise that can possibly be heaped upon him. The one time the Emmys got something right!! Jack Bauer is as close as any fictional character has become to being superhumanly powerful, and at some times his recurrent circumvention of the bureaucratic system, assaulting his friends and co-workers, his flagrant abuse of "prisoner's rights" and his uncanny ability to fight his way out of any trap... it may require a little bit more suspension of disbelief than would normally be necessary in a lesser show, but the very core of this show is Jack Bauer, or more specifially, Kiefer Sutherland and his increasingly better performance each season of 24. When he is having a particularly emotional moment, you feel it exude from the screen.... this is just an example of the power that Sutherland brings to this show. Also standing out as always is Mary Lynn Rasjkub as the wonderfully ascerbic and wicked-tongued Chloe O'Brien. The introduction of her character is one of the best things that's happened to this show. But this season has some other stand-out characters: one that was introduced in season 4 and a brand new one. Fans of the show know these as President Charles Logan (the wonderfully slimy Gregory Itzin) and his first lady Martha Logan (the amazing Jean Smart). Their interplay and their performances are almost as key as Sutherland in this season. Another thing that came to be almost an in-joke is that three members of the cast of the original ROBOCOP film appear in different parts of the series, which as a fan of that film was just really cool to see. Whether or not that was intended, it's still a nice touch for genre fans. Julian Sands has lots of fun chewing up scenery as the evil Russian-yet-English-Accented Terrorist. The premise is per usual: Jack must defy all odds to save the country and avenge his personal losses. But the plot itself is of a higher level of complexity and tragedy this season than prior seasons. The way it begins is ALMOST as shocking as the way the season ends. And the ending of the final episode of the season... that scream you heard in the whole of the United States and parts of Canada and Mexico... that was me. January 2007 CANNOT GET HERE SOON ENOUGH!!!