In my last review of M*A*S*H* Season Four I provided an in depth analysis of how much money the publication of this series on DVD will save the average consumer. The figures previously stated still apply in that each season issues on DVD for about $30 is a fantastic boon to fans of the series.
It’s also good to see that Alan Alda is getting some work these days as he runs for election as next American President in the current season of The West Wing that has just come to a close in the U.S. I think I’ve filled enough space with useless M*A*S*H* trivia.
Nothing of significant note happens in Season Five in that there are no major cast changes. From memory the cast as it is this season is pretty close to the cast at the end of the final season, six years later.
Season Five mostly consists of a good chunk of character development for the major players as well as some minor events such as the M*A*S*H* having to relocate, Major Hoolahan getting engaged, Hawkeye temporarily losing his sight and Radar getting a promotion.
In the continuing release of M*A*S*H* seasons on DVD we are given the full 24 episodes on 3 discs from the fifth year of this hugely popular sitcom.
Just as the cast member list has remained the same from the previous season so has the quality of the audio and video presentation.
Season Five is presented in a full frame 4:3 aspect ratio as you would expect from a TV show that is about to have it’s 30th birthday. The quality of the video transfer is the same as previously reviewed; there is ever present grain and the occasional artefact in the picture. Even if you are lucky enough to own a projector and large screen set-up it’s probably best to watch M*A*S*H* as it was intended, on a 4:3 TV set.
The same theme but static menu system also persists from previous seasons giving us a screenshot and a limited number of navigation options on each disc.
Originally filmed in mono sound, nothing much has changed in this department. We get a Dolby Digital mono soundtrack but in a mostly dialog driven show it is good to see that the dialog is clear and sharp. As with the previous season there is also a French version of the soundtrack in which no attempt has been made whatsoever to match the original voices of the actors, I pity the poor French M*A*S*H* fans in Region 4.
There are no extras at all in this season box set.
The bonus audio track that allows the viewer to see the show without the canned laugh track also makes a re-appearance in this season.
My comments stand from the previous series that fans of M*A*S*H* will get a lot of value out of these new box sets and while it is a shame that there are no extras at all you really can’t expect too much for the price these seasoned boxen are being sold at.
