Ally McBeal, Series 5 Box Set 1 [1998]

Granted that Ally McBeal was never intended to be realistic drama, but when the programme spirals entirely off into the realms of the surreal, any possibility of the sort of identification with the characters on which the programme once relied is lost. Though not without its moments, the sudden redemption of Fish, always the best-written character, is deftly handled. Series Five will be of chief interest to adherents who stuck with it through the first four and so wanted to see how it all ends; in keeping with the central character's defining motifs of solipsism and self-pity, it does so with a whimper.

On the DVD:Ally McBeal has episode selector on each disc, and a scene selector within each of those. The final disc contains two short and desultory documentaries on the series billed, somewhat hopefully, as "Special Features". A French audio soundtrack is available, as are subtitles in English, French and Dutch. --Andrew Mueller

Customer reviews:

Season 5 is by far the worst, 2007-12-06
After watching 4 extremely good seasons of Ally McBeal I was very disappointed with Season 5. Half of the characters had vanished without any explanation and the favourite characters, such as Nell, Ling, and Elaine received very little attention.

The 2 most annoying characters ever were Jenny and Glen. Unfortunately the whole of the first few episodes were totally dedicated to them. By the end of the 2nd episode I was swearing at the tv and wishing that they would kill them off. I think many others complained of the same thing because half way through the 5th season the producer finally sees sense and disposes of the above. Ally's daughter also ruins the storyline as Ally is transformed from being a romantic, loved filled, lawyer to a rather boring housewife and mother. Unfortunately, the daughter does not vanish and the last ever episode, is dedicated to Ally leaving Boston to be near her daughter's friends in New York rather than her finding the man of her dreams and getting married.

Saying that there were a few good story lines and the series did pick up in the second half although the final episode was a little disappointing.

I wanted to give it a 5* rating.., 2006-05-22
If you're reading this, its because you love "Ally McBeal". For those of us who find its ludicrousy so lovable and appealing, we are to watch this final series regardless of any reviews - and you know it. Its been an honour to watch our favourite characters mental breakdowns, their squeaky shoes, their troubled love lives, their "bigons" and "fishisms", their huge big boxing gloves, their "Billy-girls", their knee-pits, their nose whistles and those tiny little happy moments that just show us what life is really about and how even the simplest of things can truly effect a person. It seems our duty, somehow, to watch this final series to see what becomes of the lonely, deep, neurotic woman whom we have followed for so long, the woman who may never be able to make sense of all that is life. And although it pains me to admit it, the final series is not the great ending we all want to see. Where do our favourite characters go? I certainly don't know, and you won't find out watching this series. I didn't want to watch the new characters who were simply dull and in no way match our expectations of people at cage and Fish. Series 5 will never be a part of the purely magical Ally McBeal DVD collection that sits on our shelves to be watched over and over like the others, but Ally McBeal fans like us will watch it for what it is......an ending to something unforgettable and magnificent.