Numbers S5

I started watching Numb3rs a couple of seasons ago after my mom convinced me to give it a shot. I was afraid that it was going to be just another police procedural or CSI-like copycat following in the footsteps of other popular primetime broadcast crime dramas. While Numb3rs is similar to these dramas, it's just not the same. The show has fun characters, interesting plot lines, and puts a good spin on the police procedural; really, who thought that math could be so much fun to watch?

Numb3rs follows the unorthodox adventures of by-the-book FBI Agent Don Eppes (Rob Morrow) and his mathematician brother Charlie (David Krumholtz), a professor at the fictional California Institute of Science (CalSci). Charlie works with his brother as an FBI consultant, using complex mathematics to help solve crimes. The series also focuses on the unique dynamics and relationships between Charlie, Don, and their father Alan (Judd Hirsch).

Season five picks up three weeks after the end of season four, with pending issues about Charlie's security clearance to work with the FBI. Charlie gets his clearance reinstated, and new Agent Nikki Betancourt (Sophina Brown) replaces Megan Reeves (Diane Farr) after Megan's departure at the end of season four. Liz Warner (Aya Sumika) turns down a promotion while Alan finds himself coaching CalSci's basketball team. As the season goes on, Charlie focuses more on his FBI consultation work, and after his colleague and girlfriend Amita (Navi Rawat) is kidnapped and rescued, Charlie proposes to her.

The characters of Numb3rs are fairly well drawn and feel complex and real. For me, the most enjoyable part of this show is watching Charlie use his nerdy skills to help Don and other FBI agents solve crimes. Charlie is such a well-played, fun character -- even when he goes off on mathematical tangents I sometimes have trouble understanding, Krumholtz makes the math flow naturally while still discussing key plot points in a way that makes sense (well, much of the time). While the other characters surrounding Charlie do a good job, they tend to feel like cardboard and seem more stereotypical for the genre and don't stand out as much. Honestly, if it wasn't for the added element of Charlie's unexpected (and sometimes exaggerated or unbelievable) mathematics, the series would fade into the mass of CSI rip-offs.

Numb3rs: The Complete Fifth Season includes all 23 episodes in a six-disc set. The audio is available in English in 5.1 or stereo. The aspect ratio is 16:9, and is presented in gorgeous high-definition.

The special features include: cast and crew commentaries on a handful of episodes, "Crunching Numb3rs: Season Five" which gives a comprehensive discussion and overview of the season, "Celebrating 100" wherein the cast and crew discuss "Disturbed," the 100th episode of Numb3rs, a hilarious blooper reel, and deleted scenes.

While Numb3rs isn't the best crime drama/police procedural on TV, it's still a different take on the CSI-style show and has enjoyable characters running through pulse-pounding, tightly knit plots that keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Fans of the police procedural will enjoy the thrill ride that is Numb3rs.

Season 5 may be the most in depth of any of the seasons. After a shortened season 4 (for the same price), this full season is worth the money. Between the off the wall, but always helpful remarks of Larry, and the interactions between Colby and David, this season is at the top. If you are a Numbers fan, pick this season up, you won't be disappointed. The one change that some fans may not like is Meagan left the show, and is replaced by a somewhat irritating (in my opinion) former LAPD officer. The transition works. It allows the LAPD to become a slightly more important (and different) aspect than it once was.

A former math teacher, I love to see a show that illustrates the usefulness of math and people actually enjoying math. This show does just that. I hope it never goes off the air. I buy every season when it comes out and watch it in a marathon - no commercial breaks, no missed episodes. BLISS!

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