MI-5: Volume 4

Befitting its reputation as a more cerebral version of 24—minus the hairbreadth escapes and flamboyant cliffhanger endings—this superbly written fourth season about the workings of Britain's intelligence division offers up the usual quota of realistic scenarios. What MI-5 does have in common with the adventures of Jack Bauer and friends is a diverse group of principals in whose lives—and deaths—the viewer becomes caught up as each season progresses, and the 10 episodes from 2005 collected here are no exception. The two-part opener, which begins with the funeral of agent Danny Hunter (killed in the line of duty in the third season finale), finds London under attack by bombers linked with an American extremist group, “Shining Dawn.” Joining the MI-5 team to combat this menace is Juliet Shaw (Anna Chancellor), an acid-tongued, right-wing, partially paralyzed agent who has a troubled history with head of counterterrorism Harry Pearce (Peter Firth). She'll become an integral part of future exploits, one of which has Adam Carter (Rupert Penry-Jones) infiltrating a far-right political group suspected of making mischief when the public turns sharply conservative in response to terrorist attacks. And in a particularly harrowing but effective episode, one of the team's most valuable undercover agents, Fiona Carter (Olga Sosnovska), is killed while poking her nose into Syrian-sponsored intrigues. Must-see TV for fans of gritty, hard-edged spy dramas, DVD extras here include audio commentary for each episode, cast and crew interviews, and a “making-of” documentary. Highly recommended. (E. Hulse)