The Show
Reeling from the murder of his wife in the final moments of Season Four, CSI/serial killer Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) struggles to piece back together his life. Now, in The Fifth Season, he must adjust to his single dad/step-dad responsibilities, without ever halting his quest to rid the world of its most hateful criminals, the only way he knows how.
Along the way he forms a strange bond with a kindred spirit (Julia Stiles), the only survivor of a gang of rapists/torturers/murders, with revenge on her mind and the guts to follow through, even if her ultimate target is a well-known, well-protected self-help guru (Jonny Lee Miller). Has Dex finally found a woman who can handle his dark secret?
His precinct is in a state of bedlam as well, with lots of cops behaving badly, leading to suspensions, charges, investigations and some dirty dealings that might just put an end to Dexter's clandestine second career. All in all, another riveting year.
The Picture
Shot on digital video, the 1080p/24 image displays excellent clarity, exposing the limits of the camera's focus at the edges of the 16:9 frame. We can even read the warning label on little Harrison's car seat, and elaborate prints on the characters' clothing are reproduced with great precision. Once again, the bright Miami colors really pop in HD. I noted some mild streaking/strobing across the entire season, but overall the video quality is undeniably impressive.
The Sound
The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 24-bit/96-kHz soundtrack makes generous use of the rears for the frequent environmental touches, most notably at the police station where phones seem to be forever ringing behind us to the left or right, and the elevator doors might be opening or closing off-camera. In a more unusual scene, the crackling of flames surrounds the viewer.
Dialogue is dependably clean, either the characters speaking normally or Dexter in one of his voiceovers. Everything is well-balanced against the effective music, and the clarity and punch of the audio always delivers a real you-are-there immediacy.
The Extras
As in the previous season, this new set relies upon internet connectivity to deliver its array of bonus features. All three discs offer users a BD-Live portal, with quite a list of available actor and writer interviews, as well as free access to the first two episodes of The Borgias and, well, Episodes. Additionally, all twelve Season Five episodes can be viewed in the movieIQ mode, which pushes updated actor info and behind-the-scenes trivia, particularly enjoyable in a year with such a strong supporting cast.
Final Thoughts
Paramount has delivered another fine package of another outstanding season of the popular Showtime original series, looking and sounding terrific with ample online extras.
Product Details
Where to Buy:
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