Customer Reviews

24 Season 5

5 star:		(233)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

"24" is quite simply the greatest show to appear on television in a good long while and season five is its finest hour. Five seasons in, series creators Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran continue to spring one unpredictable surprise after another, sending super agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland, by equal turns lethally charismatic and emotionally bruised) against his most formidable foes yet that include everyone and anyone from Russian Separatists, authoritarian double agents to high ranking members of the government. Fans of the season will know exactly who these baddies are, but for those unitiated, the head-spinning surprises are best left unsaid. What can be said, is that for this fifth season the crack writing staff took a good hard look at the state of geopolitics and the authoritarian neo-conservatism championed by the Bush administration and worked in a cautionary tale about oil-lust and hubris taken to extremes. Besides Sutherland, special recognition has to go to Gregory Itzin as the weak-kneed President Logan, Jean Smart as the harried first lady and Mary Lynn Rajskub as the nerdy Chole O'Brien. For the show, this season presented a tricky balancing act between the shows' signature slam-bang action scenes (there are still spectacular) and the sobering political commentary, but Surnow and Cochran nail it, making "24" a thinking man's thriller that is far smarter and far more relevant than anything else on television.

It seems like things cannot get worse than they are before the dawn of day 5; the tragedies and catastrophes Jack has suffered from throughout the previous seasons would have been unbearable to most human beings - but Jack endured.

Comes day 5 to demonstrate that things cannot always get better - as Jack comes back from the presumed-dead to face an immense loss and immediately continue to save a nation from formidable new enemies - foreign and domestic.

At its fifth season the show is interesting, vibrant, energetic and possibly better than previous seasons; "24" is still in its development phase - it appears that there's a lot more to do and tell in the future - and it's admirable to be able to say that about a series at the point where most other TV shows are long beyond their glory days.

The series itself and Kiefer Sutherland as its leading actor finally won the Emmy they deserved this year. It came in a good time - when TV modern days' Job and probably ultimate hero show how to get over, move on and get the job done.

For sheer intensity and plot topsy-turvies, no other show comes close to 24. You'd think the premise (every hour of the 24 episode-long season is played in real-time; thus 24 encapsulates a full day) would get old by now, but, surprisingly, the producers and writers have managed to come up with another riveting, must-see season. In fact, this might be the best season of them all. The thrills and nail-biting suspense (as well as the SPOILERS alert) begin early in the season five opener, with the shocking slaying of President Palmer and assassination attempts on familiar CTU agents (one of which is tragically successful). Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) is lured out of hiding after 18 months and becomes rapidly embroiled in a devious conspiracy that goes all the way up to the White House. As he becomes the most wanted man in America (he is framed for Palmer's assassination), he must try to ferret out the true culprit(s) and again save the country from deadly Russian extremists and various domestic villains. On a personal level, he must come to terms with the deaths of personal friends, the alienation of his daughter Kim, and the fact that his former girlfriend Audrey Raines (Kim Raver) might have moved on.

There's a reason why Kiefer won the best dramatic actor Emmy and why 24 beat out the likes of the West Wing, the Sopranos, Grey's Anatomy, and House for best drama. The fifth season is fully serviced by a coming together of story and acting - from the gripping, edge-of-your-seat plot line, with its manic twists and turns, to the no-quarters-given, full speed ahead performances of the cast, but specially of Kiefer Sutherland, who gives his all in inhabiting his role. Kiefer IS the show and consistently produces such driven intensity, lying just beneath an icy cold surface, and yet his eyes reveal a vulnerability of sorts, when he's reacting to something personal to him. He makes a scene work, even without dialogue. Very good stuff. And, no, you do not want to get in the way of Jack Bauer.

There are other standouts, of course. Gregory Itzin as the shifty and weak-willed U.S. President makes you gleefully hiss, while Jean Smart as the medicated First Lady Martha Logan brings earnest soap-opera acting to primetime. Mary Lynn Rajskub (Chloe O'Brian) continues her highlight role as CTU's brilliant but cantankerous and socially-inept tech support operative. Meanwhile, James Morrison, Roger Cross, Kim Raver, Carlos Bernard, Louis Lombardi, and Sean Astin become the season's dependable, solid bedrock.

That so many of the regular cast die in this season lends an immediacy to the episodes and exponentially raises the stakes. There's no comfort level at all here, as you're never sure who would survive in the end (but, with this show, were you ever sure?). Even Kiefer Sutherland had played around with the idea of having Jack Bauer biting the dust (Please, no!).

So, the 24 - Season Five dvd box releases December 5, 2006, just in time for you to go thru 'em to prep for season six, which begins next January on Fox. Season Six, by the way, picks up nearly two years after season five's finale and will have James Cromwell with a recurring role as Jack's estranged dad, Phillip Bauer. Also joining the cast is Eddie Izzard, Kal Penn (Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle), Peter MacNicol, Regina King, and the beautiful Rena Sofer. I can't wait to own season five and, then, to see season six. Long live Jack Bauer!

After a disappointing 4th season, i wanted to continue watching because i owed it to the series some of the best seasons on tv ever, so i didn't get my hopes up much, i didn't even think there would be a creative attack, plot or anything...

I was dead wrong.

This season opened with an unbelievable first episode that blew me away, and the suspense stayed all way. Now, i have watched every season, i have watched alias, i have watched lost,blablabla..i have come to learn to predict and expect most of the twist and turns here and there along the plot. This time, they caught be my surprise every time. It is simply incredible! This season presents a complete new chapter for jack bauer. It regained all its glory from season 2 a few blocks back, and it kept going. Since the story is one of the main elements of the series, i will do my best not to reveal any of it

Here are just a few of the pros of this season:

A complicated plan and intentions from the bad guys pulling all the strings, totally passing the mediocre plot of "Kill americans and that's it" from season 4

A terrefic episode featuring a brief but great apperance by jack's daughter

Old and new characters mixing well together

Mind blowing plot twists that made my jaw drop to the floor.It is simply great, as you watch, the show totally transmits every feeling necessary to make these episodes keep you glued to your seat every week.

A clif hanger that leaves you wanting for the begginning of the 6th season.

Great acting from the cast, martha, jack, karen, secretary heller, everyone...

Overall, they totally deserved this emmy. The show had a message in other seasons: If things are bad, don't worry, they can always get worse (well, in the 4th season it was the opposite, but no matter).

This season is ground breaking, 5 Stars, 2 thumbs way up, outstanding. Watch it or buy it, you won't regret it

I miss President Palmer but President Logan is certainly the guy we love to hate. A brilliant acting job portraying such an insipid weasel.

Jean Smart is a brilliant mess in Season Five as our hearts are wrung from us for the tormented First Lady.

I am going to count Chloe O'Brien as a dependant on my tax return - she is like one of the family. Smart, tactless, sincere, and just-in-time. Besides, she is the only one who ALWAYS believes Jack.

William Devoe deserves an award for his portrayal of Secretary of Defense Heller. While no Bill Cohen, he is an earnest patriot who (usually) comes down on the right side.

I hope Michael Novak isn't Clinton's chief of staff - he is a pragmatic insider who loves being the consummate political operative.

This is an ensemble cast working as few other casts have in television history. Always at risk, never a pause, cascading crises force them to somehow work together to save the country.

Season Five is an award-winning season with a now-legendary cast - such as it is after some thinning.

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!!!

Definitely the most exciting season so far - after a rather disappointing 4th season with a new threat every 3 episodes. Season 5 is the only one that manages to keep the suspense and the excitement with a single threat.
The Emmy is well deserved, and the fact that it comes during the fifth year only proves the originality and imagination of the show. 24 is a UFO in American TV, but it is also hands down the most addicting, most enthralling show ever (sorry for Lost, but come on, there can be more twists and suspense in one episode of 24 than in an entire season of Lost).

Indeed, the fifth season of 24 is the best season thus far... And I thought the fourth season was good.... Boy was I wrong when I saw season 5... Right from the first hour onwards, you will be hooked to find out what is going to happen next... Unpredictability, suspense and great acting. This one had it all..

The fifth season of 24 was also the winning season as they dominated the 2006 Emmys... It was just a brilliant season!

Fox, bring on season 6!!!

I have watched every season of 24 and I must say, this last installment was very good indeed. The writing was very tight, the twists and turns very appropriate and there was little or no filler, just lots of well thought out action, tension and drama. I particularly liked the underlying political conspiracy theme: a very contemporary angle to the story. Also interesting the usual power struggles between CTU and the various players from the other agencies. Keither Sutherland did an outstanding job as usual as Jack Bauer, as if had been born just to play this role. And my second favorite was the actress that plays Chloe. In fact she carries a lot of the season, providing some very amusing moments with her quirky character.

Overall 24, with its one hour per episode formula, manages to still provide nail biting action and drama that keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. The show has not deteriorated in quality, as many shows do as they progress through the years, in fact this season feels as fresh as when 24 was first aired. Fabulously entertaining top notch television.

I don't know of another show that brings more power, punch and twists to a single episode, much less an entire season. "24" on Day 5 is no exception - in fact, it's definitely the best of the series to date.

Season 5 starts out with finding out where Jack is and has been for the past 18 months, while the rest of the world believes him to be dead. As would be expected, that situation doesn't last long. After some shocking events, Jack is brought back to CTU to handle the latest threat - and learn who is behind the death of someone close to him. Where Season 5 starts out and where it ends up, is as usual the best rollercoaster that television has to offer. You won't be disappointed. We watched the entire season in a matter of just over a week, watching a few episodes every night.

The DVD extras are interesting too - the Season 6 prequel hits with you a surprise of its own at the end. The "Supporting Characters" extra is full of interesting interview bits with the actors. The 100th Episode Reel is a collage of the seasons to date - it is interesting to watch just for the sheer amazement of how much has happened and changed in just five seasons.

24 is the best show on television - the Season 5 DVD release does it justice.