Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
Bumpy start, healthy finish, 26 Mar 2006
After reading all the bad reviews I was bit worried about this season but it's a lot better than you'd think. Admittedly the series stalls to begin with; there is an influx of new "likeable" characters whilst older favourites are completely missing. Glenn and Jenny are very irritating but the season picks up with their departure, and as the series draws to a close it becomes much more like the Ally McBeal we used to know, with Liza proving a much needed injection of humour. After Bon Jovi leaves it becomes very special and the last few episodes really are great. It's excellent to see the old cast reunited for the last episode; just a shame this doesnt include Lucy Liu.
One issue with season 5 is that of disappearing characters. The only absence that really matters is Renee, whose departure is regrettable but unavoidable; however David Kelley could have provided some excuse for her total disappearance from Ally's life. As for Ally's daughter, unlikely but not impossible. She's annoying but it brings out the theme that Ally's "someone" she has been searching for wasn't necessarily a man.
High points of the series include Ally making partnership and buying a house, Ling becoming a judge, Elaine auditioning for a Broadway show and Nelle's karaoke. Overall a strong and natural ending to a great show, although there are some episodes you will have to drag yourself through (watch out for "Nine One One"). So why four stars? Well when it's bad, it's bad, but when it's good, it's excellent.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
Ally will be sadly missed..., 20 Mar 2006
After 4 fantastic, original, heartwarming and highly amusing seasons of Ally McBeal, it's a shame that the show ended with such a dismal fifth season. The series seemed to completely lose its way, and although there are still some funny lines and sweet moments, it's generally a big disappointment. The loss of John Cage (played by Peter MacNicol), who had been one of the main characters for the first 4 seasons and had lightened every episode with his sweetness and oddness, is a major blow (he appears here only as an occasional guest star). The absence of Larry (Robert Downey Jr) is also a shame, as he was one of the major reasons that season 4 was such a success. Added to the lack of Billy and Georgia who both left after season 3, and the decreased presence of Renee who now hardly appears, this means that the cast is severely depleted, and the attempts to fill the void with some irritating and insipid new characters (Jenny, Glenn etc) are failures. The focus of the series also changes - the producers obviously decided that 4 seasons of Ally-trying-to-find-a-man were enough, and so here Ally is faced with a new problem - a teenage daughter who turns up on her doorstep. This doesn't fit in with the rest of the show and doesn't really work. Also, the new man that Ally does find, played by Jon Bon Jovi, is quite likeable, but is no replacement for Downey Jr and doesn't have much chemistry with Ally. It's almost a relief when the season ends, even though the ending itelf is pretty much a non-entity and a bit of let down after all this time. Boxset-wise, there are again no special features which is a shame, and the cheap-looking white plastic case isn't a huge turn on. But the picture and sound quality are crystal clear, so no worries there. Anyway, I give it 3 stars as the acting standard is still high, and it's still a polished show. Its worth buying if you're a big fan of Ally, to complete your collection and to see how it all ends, but if you're a casual viewer then give it a miss and just fondly remember the first 4 seasons, all of which I highly recommend.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Can't compare with other seasons, 14 Aug 2007
Seasons 1-4 were and are still classics that I can rewatch over and over. I can laugh and cry, such wonderful characters, writing and acting. This season does not even begin to compare. First there is no explanation of why Mark, Jackson and Renee are gone and the show suffers. The terrible emptiness that is left when Larry goes back to Detroit is never filled. Robert Downey Jr. played such a great character that his absence kills the show, especially as the break up between he and Ally really has no closure or makes any sense. All I could think of with each passing episode is that I miss him and I can't stand these new characters, Jenny and Glenn. Jenny is just plain annoying, at least Glenn is attractive to look at but the younger "kids" ruin the show and they don't fit in at all. And of course, after John Cage leaves, it is devastating as he has always been a key character. I missed him too, and the whole show is just so drastically different that I can hardly bear to watch it. No wonder it had to end. Such a shame. I only own it as I wanted to own the complete series, but season 5 is a bust.
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