10.12.04
HIGHLANDER: 
SEASON 5
DVD Boxed Set Review

Suggested Retail Price: $89.98 
Online Price: $78.28 
Costco:  Not Available

OFFICIAL HIGHLANDER WEBSITE 
HIGHLANDER MAILING LIST

DETAILS: 
* Region 1 
* 8 Discs - 18 episodes w/bonus cdrom disc.
* Fullscreen
* English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
* Subtitles: English, French, Spanish 
* Studio: Universal TV Distribution/Anchor Bay
* Unrated 
* Format: Color w/closed caption

Stars: Adrian Paul, Jim Byrnes, Stan Kirsch, Elizabeth Gracen, and Peter Wingfield

I enjoyed the original 1986 Highlander film and found the features that followed hollow shells of the original. Luckily for fans the series was able set the franchise on a new course. The selection of Adrian Paul, to play Duncan MacCloud, was an excellent choice to continue the franchise on the small screen. Paul brought a unique charisma as well as some acting ability to the role. For a syndicated series Highlander was top notch, creating a way to expand on the immortal theme. 

I first saw Adrian Paul in an episode of Beauty and the Beast, and later as a regular in the second season of War of the Worlds. He's a handsome guy who can actually act. At one time he was even mentioned to take on the metal of James Bond. During the fifth season Paul returns to his roots, sort of, and does an episode with Ron Perlman (Hellboy), who portrayed Vincent in the series Beauty & the Beast. 

Highlander ran an impressive seven seasons in syndication and is still shown today all over the world. The DVD sales have been incredible for the series and the season 5 boxed set should be just as good. 

"There can be only one." 

PACKAGING 

Anchor Bay is using a six section fold out style holder with a box insert. This slides into a very nice silver half box. It's cardboard and subjective to easy damage from scraping or denting a corner if dropped. What's a collector to do. Most boxed sets are made of cardboard. 

VIDEO 

The video for Highlander is superior to even that of season 4. There's is very little debris and no pixelation problems in the episodes. The images are sharp and the colors vibrant through out the boxed set. 

AUDIO 

The audio isn't anything that will blow the doors off your surround sound system, but Highlander, season 5 does sound good non the less. 

EXTRAS 

Included with the set is a bonus disc which features all 18 scripts for the fifth season. Bios, trivia, Production Schedules and Production Notes. Also included are the interviews and commentary with cast and crew. There's outtakes, watcher chronicles and never-before-scenes. The boxed set is loaded with extra material. For the $89.98 price tag it better be. 

What is missing from the disc set is auto play. After each episode you have to go back to the main menu and select the next episode. From there you end up with another menu for chapter selection or play. If available on the episode, audio or video commentary can be selected. 

SUMMARY 

Anchor Bay has done an excellent job with the audio and video of the Highlander series.  As I stated before the boxed set is missing the auto play feature but it's nothing to ruin purchasing the disc set. Fans of the series, and the franchise, are treated to an excellent boxed set. The entire Highlander series on disc has to be one of the best on the market today. Anchor Bay has ensured fans are getting everything they want. 

Excellent.

DVD GRADE:  "A" 

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