| | |  | Other | Home » » » Dexter: The Fifth Season | | | | | | | Description: | | The Showtime Original Series Dexter™ is back with an all-new season, and this time America's favorite serial killer has gone from freewheeling bachelor to responsible husband and doting dad. Maintaining an average-guy facade while satisfying his need to kill has never been easy. But now, with wife and kids in tow, Dexter's got more to lose then ever, as he gets drawn into a deadly game with a killer every bit as dangerous — and conflicted — as he is. | | | Product Details: | | | Actors:
| Michael C. Hall | | Format:
| AC-3, Box set, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC | | Language:
| English | | Number of Discs:
| 4 | | Studio:
| SHOWTIME ENTERTAINMENT | | Run Time:
| 618 minutes | | DVD Release Date:
| August 16, 2011 | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 244 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 244 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
138 of 165 found the following review helpful:
 Pre-Release Of Season 5: A Few ThoughtsNov 29, 2010
By Rhonda Poynter
"gannon'smom"
Firstly, this is the best show on television, plain and simple. I came to it late, discovering just a little over two years ago, and so I've had to catch up - I completely agree with the many, many reviews on different sites which really go after the quality of the DVDs for "Dexter", by the way. If you can get Blu, do so. Now, a series about a serial killer didn't quite seem like my kind of trip when I first began watching "Dexter", but this show quickly pulls you in with excellent acting, writing and directing. (Trivia: Are any of you old enough to remember the geeky guy who lets his haunted car, Christine, take over his life and get even at everybody else, in the Stephen King classic, "Christine"? That actor, Keith Gordon, is the same man directing this series. Anyhow!) Michael C. Hall is nothing less than superb as the tortured title character, and he continues hitting it out of the ballpark this season, despite having spent the majority of this last year or so sick as a dog and undergoing chemotherapy in real life for leukemia. (His agent says that he's doing well, right now). As we all know from decades of anti-heroes, the audience has to like a killer (Warren Beatty as Clyde Barrow, for instance), or watching this type of show is going to leave you with a - well, weird feeling: I've seen shows, both fictional and biographical, where the 'hero' was so revolting an individual that I couldn't figure out why anybody thought he/she deserved a show, and I had to take a shower after watching the piece of garbage. This series is so well-written that even though we know Dexter is a bad man - he himself constantly describes himself as a 'monster' -, he is redeemed in our eyes by wanting a normal life, by wanting to be a good family man, even - as in this season -, becoming an avenger of sorts to another individual who is as troubled as he is, the gangrape survivor, Lumen. Lumen is portrayed by Julia Stiles, and I did not know her work before this, and she has quickly become a contender in my list of favorites - she plays Lumen with the perfect pitch, and the viewer (SPOILER) truly follows the character as she goes from victim to terrified survivor, to vigilante to trusting Dexter, et al. I found myself conflicted by this specific plotline of the season - Would our 'good' Dexter actually teach somebody else what he knows, and how to kill? It took me a few episodes to realize that yes, Dexter, with his tangled ideals of justice and self-preservation, would think that the right thing to teach a victim would not so much be revenge, but...how to make certain she is never a victim again. I think that this series is truly an example of the "What would I do?" school, rather than simple slash and trash; non-fans of the show say that we read too much into the series, but there are many, many things to think about when watching it. I suppose the simplest point to make would be that this is a thinking man's series, and it addresses the fact that we may not like having to admit it, but there are people out there who do bad things to other people, for no palpable reason other than to be evil. Then there's Dexter - admittedly, usually more on celluloid than in the real world - promising us that at least a few of those evil people will never get near our kids. In today's Armageddon-round-the-corner way of thinking, Michael C. Hall, therefore, portrays a fascinating character who both intrigues us and frightens us, and - admit it - more than a few of us are hoping that everything will, in some odd draw of the Fate cards, will work out for him. This, then is a successful antihero, and the show should be seen as more than a small screen slasher flick. It is very rough in language, there are plenty of sexual situations, etc., and so remember all that if the blood stuff hasn't been enough of a warning that this is not a show for the kids. Five stars - oh, and Michael: Get Better!!!!
178 of 215 found the following review helpful:
The Best Season YetDec 03, 2010
By Grady Harp
DEXTER Season 5 is the best of the seasons so far. While last season was dominated by the presence of John Lithgow, the shining star of and surprise of this season is the presence of Julia Stiles as Lumen, an abused victim who escapes her abusers and pledges to join Dexter in 'stabbing out' her revenge. The writing is tighter and the subplots or sidebars are far more interesting: the many different love entanglements keep your head spinning. The fellow workers with Dexter (Michael C.Hall) remain the same - Jennifer Carpenter (the real Mrs Hall), Desmond Harrington, David Zayas, Lauren Velez, CS Lee, and James Remar - all better than ever. But the added attraction characters this year include Maria Doyle Kennedy (from The Tudors) as the nanny for Dexter's son, and Jonny Lee Miller as a twisted Inspirational Coach.
The premise of following a serial killer who chooses as his victims criminals who would have otherwise not been punished is by now, after four seasons, a character we can all understand - emotionally, motivationally, and as a brilliant law enforcement team member. But the coups of the season was the addition of Julia Stiles who does some of the finest work of her career here. Enough said. The suspense is what drives this show! Grady Harp, December 10
25 of 28 found the following review helpful:
Dexters RedemptionMar 05, 2011
By John D. Rayner
I was wondering after the devastating end to season 4 of DEXTER as to just how the show could recover and carry on.
Well it has and I would rank season 5 as probaly my favourite next to season 1.
Dexters world was shattered with Ritas death and it takes a while for things to get back to some kind of normality.
Michael C.Hall is as usual brilliant as Dexter,his anguish and sense of desolation is brilliantly conveyed in episode 1 of season 5 and he shows a very "human" reaction to a creep in a boat shed,I will not reveal anything else but to me its a pivotal moment for Dexter.
Dexter has to cope with being a single dad,the alienation of Astor as she turns on Dexter in regard to Ritas passing,Astor and Cody moving out to live with their grand parents in Orlando,getting a nanny for Harrison ,Quinns suspicions in regard to Ritas death,its no wonder Dexter is having a bad time of it,let alone his own guilty feelings over Ritas horrible death.
I really dont want to give too much away but when things settle down to a degree boy do things get moving.
I will just mention a few things and not give anything away,Dexters " dark passenger" comes out to play but I think in a different way.
We have characters of good Lumen ( a fantastic Julia Stiles )we have characters of bad ( Peter Weller as a bent policeman ) and total evil (Jonny Lee Miller as Jordan Chase,a vile hideous creature!).
To say more would ruin it for those who have not seen this season,quite simply it is stunning!
And yes I think Dexter does get redemption for what happened to Rita and along the way becomes more "human" see what you think!
45 of 57 found the following review helpful:
 A bit of a letdown after Season 4.....Apr 10, 2011
By R. Recchia
"reck"
Season 5 gets off to a great start with it's first episode, which takes place immediately after the events of Season 4's finale. This is such a well written and well acted episode, and the way they have Dexter dealing with the death of _______ is brilliant. I don't believe I have ever felt as much sympathy for Dexter as I did in this episode. There is not even one wrong note here. I particularly like the humor in the one funny scene. And us Dexter fans get a chance to say goodbye to one of it's longtime, regular characters.
So, it saddens me even more to say that most of the rest of the season is a bit of a letdown. Make that a BIG letdown. Man, what went wrong here? The writing took a big nosedive. I feel that the writers had no idea how to write for the character of Laguerta. Masuka is under-utilized here and when he does appear, he isn't nearly as lovable as he has been. Some of the dialogue is outright awkward. Some story lines get abandoned. Some story lines don't make much sense. There are a bunch of loose ends that never get tied up. Captain Matthews sole purpose in the few episodes he appears in seems to be to just scowl at everybody and criticize them. I used to kind of like this guy! And...as for Julia Stiles, I have nothing against her as an actress, but I felt like I could never completely sympathize with her character.
Good points? This season still has more than it's share. I am still very much liking Dexter himself. And Jennifer Carpenter, to me, just keeps getting better and better as an actress. The season does find some kind of rhythm and/or focus about 6 or 7 episodes in. There are some very cute moments with Harrison, as he takes his first steps and speaks his first words. I like the actress who plays the Irish nanny (she was also in 'The Commitments'). Peter Weller is creepy but fascinating as an ex-cop who Quinn gets to spy on Dexter. I mean, even with it's many flaws, my eyes were still glued to the TV screen while watching it. And while the season finale is nowhere near as exciting and suspenseful as Season 4's finale (at least in my humble opinion) and has one happy moment near the end that almost felt TOO happy and a bit fake to me, I still like some of what happens in it, particularly with Quinn.
But...compared to Season 4 and the other seasons before it, I would have to say this is my least favorite season of Dexter. I am still recommending it of course, since I love this show, but proceed with caution....3 and a half stars.
(It is November 2nd 2011 as I write this paragraph and after watching the first five episodes of Season 6 on Showtime, I now realize that the show lost it's edge during Season 5, along with tension, especially between the main characters. I am happy to say that both of things are back (and how!) during Season 6!)
43 of 56 found the following review helpful:
Just keeps getting better......Dec 01, 2010
By K. Lee
"Ken Lee"
This is not a complete review of season 5 because it's not over yet, but I had to post this any way. Every time I think this show can't get any better....they prove me wrong. Season 5 is heading for a total bloodbath ending. There are a couple story lines that are heading towards a bloody conclusion in the finale. They really upped the ante with the SCUMBAG "villians" this season. Jonny Miller is the sleazy inspirational speaker , Jordan Chase, with his entourage of serial killing childhood friends. He is the MOST hatable villain yet in 5 seasons. Peter Weller is great as the dirty private detective who was working for Quinn. But season 5 belongs to Julia Stiles...... I was never a big fan of hers (except for 10 Things I Hate About You)...but she has been AWESOME and totally believable as the one surviving "victim" of Jordan Chase's psycho mob. Dexter saves her and befriends her and together they start to wipe out Jordan Chase's mob. I don't know how this is gonna all end....but I can't wait for Sunday nights !!
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