The Fifth Season

Andromeda starred Kevin Sorbo (Hercules: The Legendary Journey's) in a science fiction series created by Gene Roddenberry (Star Trek) with a variety of executive producers Robert Hewitt Wolfe (The 4400, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Majel Rodenberry (Earth: Final Conflict), Allan Eastman (Star Trek: Voyager), Robert Engels (seaQuest DSV), Jay Firestone (Mutant X, La Femme Nikita), and Adam Haight (Mutant X, Highlander: The Raven). With its diverse crew of producers with extensive experience in science fiction and drama productions, Andromeda put in five solid seasons from 2000 to 2005 and totaled one-hundred and ten episodes. The premise of Andromeda is about the adventures of the crew the Andromeda and their efforts to rebuild a massive civilization that spanned the universe

For more details about the series, refer my reviews of Andromeda: Season 1 Collection, Andromeda: Season 2 Collection, Andromeda: Season 3 Collection, Andromeda: Season 4 Collection, Andromeda: Season 5 Collection, and Andromeda: The Slipstream Collection

In season five, the series takes a much different turn in events. At the end of the season four, there was some skepticism as to whether or not the show would continue into a fifth season. Well, the series was picked up for a fifth season, but with a smaller budget. And the budget (or rather lack of) shows in the episodes. The storylines lose the grandeur it once had with the epic space battles and massive story arcs. The series, stories, and character becomes more confined and lose a lot of the appeal found in previous seasons. In a nutshell, watching season five was more of a chore than fun. While there was some decent content, it does not compare to the quality of the past seasons.

In the close of season four, the Andromeda came to the space station Arkology to warn the inhabitants about their impending doom. The Magog Worldship was headed right for them and they need to get out of there. The inhabitants were a peaceful people and believed that they could make peace with the Magog. Dylan and the rest tried to tell them peace is not an option. Of course, they did not listen. When the Magog came, the Andromeda and its crew tried its best to stop the onslaught, but they failed miserably. In the close of the two-part season four finale, Dylan took the Route of Ages in a slipstream fighter and found himself transported into an alternative universe.

The two-part episode "The Weight" kicks off season five. In it, Dylan gets accustomed to his new life in the alternate universe on a planet called Seefra-1, which is one of nine barren wastelands. When Dylan tries to learn more about where he is, he finds little help. But when he meets a mysterious man named Flavin, he begins to get more clues about his situation. He is trapped in an isolated cluster of planets in another universe. Dylan explores Seefra-1 and later runs into a very disgruntled Rhade. Rhade and the others crew members (who Dylan runs into in later episodes) are unhappy with him for leaving them to die. It was through the efforts of Trance that the Andromeda (badly damaged) and her crew were brought into this alternate reality and not left to die at the hands of the Magog. They also blame him for being stuck on Seefra-1. Dylan returns to Flavin to get more information from him. Dylan learns his place is on Seefra-1; he must help the people in the coming days. Flavin also reveals the true nature of the Route of Ages.

After the not-so-exciting season premiere, "Phear Phactor Phenom" has the majority of the season four cast back together in some form or another, Dylan, Harper, Beka, Trance, and Rhade. We learn that Rommie was destroyed and Harper had been on Seefra-1 for over three years while the rest of the crew had only just recently arrived. During Harper's time on the Seefra-1, he was able to rebuild a new android with portions of Rommie's damaged core. The new character is Doyle, a blonde robot who was initially made to think she is human. The season five episodes proceed with the cast getting reacquainted with each other and Dylan trying to get the Andromeda up and running again. Some have changed with their new situation, most notably Trance who lost portions of her memory.

In the episode "Moonlight Becomes You", Trance starts to remember who she is and the season starts to focus on the storyline hinted at in "The Weight". The Seefra system is in jeopardy and the crew must work together to save the inhabitants of the nine wastelands over the next several episodes. But the story really ties into the power that is Trance. Trance is an avatar of the Vedran sun and the actual sun is approaching Seefra-1. When it arrives, the planets in the system (except for Seefra-1) will explode. The episodes "Past is Prolix", "The Opposites of Attraction", "Saving Light from a Black Sun", "Quantum Tractate Delirium", "One More Day's Light", and "Chaos and the Stillness of It" continue to focus on this storyline (uncovering more about Trance, the council of avatars she is a senior member of, and the crew trying to save the inhabitants), which is much more entertaining than the first portion of the season, but it still lacks the same punch the early seasons had.

In the two-part series finale "The Heart of the Journey", the series come to a close by wrapping up the series story arc with the Abyss. While on Seefra-1, Harper receives a message transmission for Dylan. It is from Flavin, who had been killed by the Abyss, telling Dylan he is the last hope for the survival of the known worlds. The Council intends to destroy the galaxies of the known world in order to snuff out the Abyss. They, however, give Dylan and his crew the opportunity to return before their utter demise. Once back in their universe, they find only four days have passed since the Magog Worldship attacked. The Andromeda has to face the Nietzchseans and the Abyss. The situation that appeared dire ends with a happy ending and the destruction of the Abyss in a battle that is far from epic.

Overall, I really did not care for this season. The level of grandeur in the storylines was significantly diminished. The big flashy effects were part of what made the sci-fi series so much fun were gone. The show tended to have very isolated stories with limited character development. In the end, I did not see much in this season that made it worthwhile. Sure, there are some decent episodes, but they fail to compare to the past seasons. Despite my lack of enthusiasm, I give it a rent it recommendation on the pure basis that it concludes the series and there are a few decent episodes to follow.

Episode Guide

1. The Weight, Part 1: Upon discovering the truth of planet Seefra-1, Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) must free its people and reunite his crew.
2. The Weight, Part 2: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) and Rhade (Steve Bacic) pick up a distress signal from Beka (Lisa Ryder) only to find her scheming with a trade mogul who has claimed Andromeda for himself.
3. Phear Phactor Phenom: The crew reunites with Harper (Gordon Michael Woolvett) when they confront a scientist bent on controlling the system.
4. Decay of the Angel: Doyle (Brandy Ledford) learns her real identity with the help of a mysterious visitor.
5. The Eschatology of Our Present: Beka (Lisa Ryder) is offered a mysterious prize and a vision of her past by Seefra's elusive Virgil Vox.
6. When Goes Around...: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) is pursued by a mysterious stranger who holds the link between the past and Seefra's troubled present.
7. Attempting Screed: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) begins to learn the extent of his new powers as a Paradine.
8. So Burn The Untamed Lands: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) and Rhade (Steve Bacic) fight to free indentured slaves from a cruel labor camp.
9. What Will Be Was Not: Trance's (Laura Bertram) misadventure into Seefra-1's tunnel system exposes the guardian of an ancient Vedran secret.
10. The Test: The crew is tormented by a mysterious stranger who accuses them of murder.
11. Through A Glass Darkly: An old friend who Harper (Gordon Michael Woolvett) thought was dead returns to help the crew in a battle for Seefra-5.
12. Pride Before The Fall: A deadly enemy from the past returns with plans to create an elite warrior race.
13. Moonlight Becomes You: When Trance (Laura Bertram) becomes attracted to a mysterious young man from her past, the reunion causes her to begin regaining her memories.
14. Past Is Prolix: Trance (Laura Bertram) sun looms on the edge of the system, threatening to destroy all of Seefra unless the Vedran design can be mended.
15. The Opposites Of Attraction: A woman from Dylan's (Kevin Sorbo) forgotten past returns to claim him at any cost.
16. Saving Light From A Black Sun: The crew travels to the core of Seefra's sputtering sun on a treacherous repair mission.
17. Totaled Recall: Dylan (Kevin Sorbo) finds himself trapped after an explosion sends him into an inter-dimensional loop.
18. Quantum Tractate Delirium: Rommie (Lexa Doig) turns on the crew after she is rebuilt to help evacuate Seefra's planets.
19. One More Day's Light: The evacuation of Seefra-5 faces deadly peril when religious fanatics resist the crew's efforts to save them.
20. Chaos And The Stillness Of It: The crew scrambles to rescue Trance (Laura Bertram) and Harper (Gordon Michael Woolvett) against the ticking clock of the Vedran sun.
21. The Heart Of The Journey, Part 1: Trance's (Laura Bertram) family of avatars has declared war on the Abyss, but at the cost of every life in the three galaxies.
22. The Heart Of The Journey, Part 2: The final battle for the Known Worlds begins as the Nietzscheans move on Tarazed while The Abyss pursues the Andromeda and her crew.

The DVD

Video:
The video in this release is given in an anamorphic 1.78:1 ratio widescreen color format. The picture quality is quite good. It suffers from a slight grain, but detail remains to be sharp and clear. The grain is most noticeable during the darker scenes. In addition, there is noticeable ghosting/aliasing during high-motion action sequences. The series incorporates a lot of visual effects with computer graphics and green screen, which sometimes look real, but most of the time feel slightly out of place.

Audio:
The audio track in this release is in English 2.0 Dolby digital stereo sound. In general, the sound quality is very good and it provides an audible and clean track. The dialogue is usually a little flat while music and sound effects come fairly off rich and vibrant. The stereo capability is put to the limit with lots of scenes taking advantage of the left and right channels.

There are no subtitles included, but there is support for closed captioning.

Extras:
Each disc is packed with extras from readable text information (cast & crew biographies, information about the series) to image galleries to audio commentaries to behind the scenes featurettes to interview featurettes to bloopers. Each disc also contains other extras like TV spots, TV teasers, and trailers for other ADV Films releases. Note: the TV spots/teasers and trailers are not listed in the disc-by-disc extras breakdown.

Meet the Cast: Kevin Sorbo is an interview with Kevin Sorbo. It features Sorbo talking about the beginning of the show, his first day, memorable episodes, challenges, etc. It runs for twenty-one and a half minutes. Visual Effects: From Concept to Completion concept animatics and the related live footage. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

Behind the Scenes: Bob Engels is a ten and a half interview with executive producer Bob Engels. Behind the Scenes: Gordon Verheul is an interview with directory of photography Gordon Verheul. It runs for fifteen and a half minutes and he gives a tour of the set. Visual Effects: From Concept to Completion concept animatics and the related live footage. Bloopers is six minutes of goofs and outtakes. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

Meet the Cast: Lisa Ryder is an interview with Lisa Ryder and she talks about her character (Beka): background, personality, boyfriends, relationship with the other crew members, etc. It runs for fourteen minutes. Meet the Cast: Brandy Ledford is an interview with Brandy Ledford. Ledford plays Doyle and she talks about her history with the show: she originally tested for Andromeda and played a filler for Andromda/Rommie while she was pregnant during the filming of season five. Ledford also talks about her character and the stories she is in. It runs for twelve minutes. Visual Effects: From Concept to Completion concept animatics and the related live footage. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "Attempting Screed, Scene 9", Harper serves Rhade a drink while working at a bar and some demanding customers come in, "Attempting Screed, Scene 32", Doyle and Rhade converse while someone listens in, "Attempting Screed, Scene 44", Doyle gets paid off, and "So Burn the Untamed Lands, Scene 42", the crew lead a group of people to safety. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

Behind the Scenes: Bruce Turner is an interview with visual effects supervisor Bruce Turner and he talks about some of the effects for this season. It runs for twelve minutes. Visual Effects: From Concept to Completion concept animatics and the related live footage. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "What will Be Was Not, Scene 8", Harper nurses his black eye with a piece of meat and pours drink for Doyle, Beka, and Rhade. Bloopers is a little over seven minutes of goofs and outtakes. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

Meet the Cast: Lochlyn Munro is a five minute interview with guest star Lochlyn Munro. Behind the Scenes: David Winning is under six minutes of interview footage with director David Winning. "It's Never Easy" - 100 Episodes and Beyond! is a thirteen minute long featurette with cast and crew interviews and behind the scenes footage for the one hundredth episode. On the Slate: Filming "Pride Before the Fall" is thirteen and a half minutes of more behind the scenes footage. Visual Effects: From Concept to Completion concept animatics and the related live footage. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "Pride Before the Fall, Scene 3", Dylan is caught between a rock and a hard place, "Pride Before the Fall, Scenes 17-19", Dylan request Beka to return to the Andromeda from Peter's ship, "Pride Before the Fall, Scene 42", Trance gives Doyle advice. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

Meet the Cast: Laura Bertram is an eighteen minute long interview with Laura Bertram. Bertram plays Trance. Visual Effects: From Concept to Completion concept animatics and the related live footage. Alternate Takes & Deleted Scenes is a collection of alternative and deleted scenes: "Past is Prolix, Scene 2", Sembler has flashbacks about his bar that Harper has been running. Bloopers is under three minutes of goofs and outtakes. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

Meet the Cast: Gordon Michael Woolvett is a twenty-one minute long interview with Woolvett (Harper). He talks about his character, some of the season five storylines, and so on. Visual Effects: From Concept to Completion concept animatics and the related live footage. Bloopers is two and a half minutes of goofs and outtakes. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

Behind the Scenes: Brian Kane is an interview with production designer Brian Kane. It runs for approximately nine minutes and features Kane talking about different set designs. Behind the Scenes: Francesca von Zimmerman is an interview with make-up artist Francesca von Zimmerman. It runs for nine minutes and also features some behind the scenes footage of Zimmerman applying special effects make-up. Visual Effects: From Concept to Completion concept animatics and the related live footage. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

Meet the Cast: Steve Bacic is an interview with Steve Bacic. Bacic plays Rhade and in this interview featurette, he provides some insights to his character, role on the show, and the series in general. It runs for ten and a half minutes. Behind the Scenes: Don Buchanan is an interview with props manager Don Buchanan. He shows off some of the props used and where they are stored. It runs for four and a half minutes. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

Behind the Scenes: Toni Burroughs-Rutter is an interview with costume designer Toni Burroughs-Rutter. It runs for twenty-eight minutes. The first part is a standard interview and the second part is a tour of various costume designs. "And Night Falls: Farewell to Andromeda" Featurette is a final farewall to the series. It begins with comments from the cast, circa 2000. It continues with follow-up comments, circa 2005. It gives a beginning and end perspective. Next is footage from the 100th episode celebration, featuring cast and crew: Nancy Wenn, Sherry Gorval, Samantha McKinnon, Val Halverson, Leslie Cairns, Toni Burroughs-Rutter, Bob Dennett, Steve and Caroline Bacic, David Winning, Brandy Ledford, Michele Morand, Gordon Michael Woolvett, Brent Stait, Lisa Ryder, Ari Cohen, Bob Engels, Marco Ciccone, Terry Jarrett, Gordon Verheul, Lexa Doig, Laura Bertram, and Kevin and Sam Sorbo. The featurette also includes a behind the scenes clip of Andromeda's final scene with a speech from Sorbo. The total runtime is under thirteen and a half minutes. Image Gallery is a slide show of various stills from the episodes in this collection.

Final Thoughts:
In season five something happened to the fun and exciting tempo that Andromeda had. That something was the Andromeda Ascendant parked on a planet and the entire space adventure put on the backburner. Season five had a smaller budget, which meant less money on visual effects, sets, props, costumes, etc. Season five episodes were confined and limited development and growth of characters. But the season is not completely without excitement, as there are some decent stories that focus on Trance and the world she is from. Based upon those stories and the fact this season concludes the series, I think it is worth renting.