Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Once Upon a Time: The Complete Fifth Season Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 5, 2016

Note: Season Five is no place to start 'Once Upon a Time.' Newcomers to the series are encouraged to go back to the beginning rather than dive into this season's deeply established and interwoven worlds and characters.

For reviews of previous seasons, please click through the appropriate links below:

• Season One
• Season Two
• Season Three
• Season Four (Review Pending)

Official Synopsis (spoilers follow):

When the Savior becomes the "Dark Swan," the lines between good and evil blur as Emma begins to relish the intoxicating taste of absolute power. Terrified she'll succumb, Emma and Hook visit Camelot to find the one person who may be able to aid them: Merlin. Unfortunately. King Arthur proves treacherous, and when he joins forces with a vengeful Zelena, Emma and Hook's hopes are shattered. Now Emma and her entire Storybrooke family must embark on a chilling decent to the Underworld of Hades, where they'll try to rescue Hook from a fate worse than death...with "help" from Rumpelstiltskin. But will any of them survive the journey?

Disney's sudden craze for, and success with, transforming its heroes, villains, princes, princesses, and all variety of storied characters into living, breathing individuals -- whether on television in Once Upon a Time or on the silver screen in live-action films like Cinderella and The Jungle Book -- has helped transform the look and feel of the company as it pushes hard into the 21st century. It also shows something of a weakness, an inability to create truly new material in place of reworked and reimagined -- albeit welcome, interesting, and generally effective -- ideas that have given way to a surprisingly fast and furious rewriting of cherished history from animation to real life (with more than a sprinkling of digital magic in support). Of the studio's current course with its classics, Once Upon a Time is clearly the most ambitious. Not a simple reworking of a single animated film into a live action and CG movie, the television series, now five seasons strong and with a sixth on the horizon, has taken Disney's entire catalogue -- and more -- and mixed it all up into a fantastical realm where anything goes and the real saga behind the individual stories unfolds. Season five introduces new characters, like Brave's Merida and The Sword in the Stone's Merlin, while continuing the sprawling, magical tale of light and dark and fantastical comings and goings of the fairy tale world mixed up and reworked in what may be the quintessential example of the imagination running absolutely wild.

Indeed, Once Upon a Time is a one-stop shop for most all comers: Disney die-hards and fairy tale fanatics to be sure, not to mention fans of otherworldly oddities, magic, and mash-ups. For the most part, even with some dramatic hiccups and pacing problems along the way, the series, now more than 100 episodes old, has crafted a complexly spellbinding journey that intermixes the familiar with the fantastic, both in terms of the real world and the make-believe Disney kingdoms and characters that are thrown together in it. The show is nothing less than one of the more interesting on television, certainly not the peak of the medium's current crop of TV superstars but, for the casual watcher to be sure, a richly realized and fabulously executed conglomerate. Once Upon a Time is sort of like fan fiction given its due, and while it can't -- and won't -- please everyone in the audience, not necessarily for the whole but in how it shapes the world and intermixes stories and intermingles characters, the series has that feel of epic make-believe that's made Disney movies so popular, but here explored beyond established confines and into the realm of the imagination run absolutely wild. It all fits together very well, for the most part, though again it's worth repeating that this deep into the series it's become so complexly complicated that to begin anywhere but right at the beginning would be to do a disservice to the finely tuned and very evolved, and involved, world the series has created and molded through its run.

Season five can be a bit wild, but then so too can the entire series. It can also be a bit slow, but then so too can the entire series. There's a very real Jekyll and Hyde (literal and figurative) feel to the thing. It's sometimes grounded, sometimes high-flying, and sometimes combustible. Activity abounds, but the season seems to find itself in ruts that feel like the pacing is caught in quicksand. The positives far outweigh the negatives, though, as the season spreads its time around Camelot and the Underworld, notably. Both locations spring with surprises, both as they shift the series' and characters' dramatic arcs and as they introduce new characters who aren't always as they seem, or always as they're more widely and popularly known beyond the show's confines. Season five isn't afraid to go dark, but at the same time it can't quite maintain an edge, at least not for the duration. Occasionally compelling, mildly maddening, but almost always sorting itself into a more pleasurable middle ground, the magic remains regardless of where the story goes and who is along for the ride. Even more than 100 episodes into the run, Once Upon a Time still feels creatively unique but friendly and familiar at the same time. Season five continues to blend novelty and comfort -- dramatic and character alike -- very well. It's not perfect, but it's fun, and the season does set the stage very nicely for the sixth season to come.

Once Upon a Time: The Complete Fifth Season Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Once Upon a Time: The Complete Fifth Season's 1080p transfer dazzles. Beyond the occasional glimmer of aliasing and a smattering of very fine noise, the Blu-ray brings the program to life with impressive vigor. From the season's first moments forward, the image puts its sparkling wares on display. Radiant colors pop off the screen. Dense, and naturally varied, greens are beautiful. Attire dazzles, particularly blues and reds, which stand apart very well against some of the darker accents and support pieces, such as drab gray armor or dreary backgrounds beyond the forest. No matter the location, how bright or dark, the palette holds true and impressively so, even down to the finest accents, lipstick, and other colorful bursts that pop up throughout. Detailing is also superb. Clarity is outstanding; the image is naturally sharp across the board, again no matter the place, time, or lighting condition. Armor is impressively complex, as are any number of costumes, whether flowing period garments or more readily identifiable modern attire. Seams, fabric density, and stitches are plainly visible in appropriately up-close shots, and more than basic details can be seen even at medium distance. Facial definition is excellent as well, ditto environmental details, again no matter the setting. Black levels are impressively deep and never struggle with crush or excess paleness. Flesh tones appear accurate. This is a terrific image from Disney.

Once Upon a Time: The Complete Fifth Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Once Upon a Time: The Complete Fifth Season's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is very smartly complimentary and finely supportive of the series' needs. Music is clear and detailed, enjoying wide, practically transparent presence and space across the front. The surrounds are engaged too, though not always to seriously hefty, blaring effect. Definition is excellent, with every note revealed with ease. A healthy low end support structure is in complimentary place as well, and the subwoofer doesn't hush during some of the heavier action scenes. Effects swirl, directional details are superb, and stage transparency is excellent, with the listening area easily transforming into action-heavy environments. Ambient support details are nicely integrated as well, with natural positioning around each speaker. Dialogue is firm and clear, presenting up the middle with seamless prioritization.

Once Upon a Time: The Complete Fifth Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Once Upon a Time: The Complete Fifth Season contains supplements on discs one, two, and five. No DVD or digital versions of the show are included.

Disc One:

• Audio Commentary: For The Dark Swan: Co-Creators/Executive Producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz & Actor Jennifer Morrison.

Disc Two:

• Audio Commentary: For Birth: Executive Producer/Writer David H. Goodman, Producer/Writer Jerome Schwatrz, and Actor Colin O'Donoghue.

Disc Three:

• Tales from the Underworld: A Knight with Cruella (1080p, 4:19): Half drunk at a bar, Cruella de Vil meets one of King Arthur's knights.
• Merida in Storybrooke (1080p, 8:00): Actress Amy Manson gets into costume and discusses her character and wardrobe. The piece also looks at some of her complimentary accessories, swordplay and combat rehearsals, the series' strong female characters, and fun on the set.
• The Fairest Bloopers of Them All (1080p 5:57): Humorous moments and missteps from the shoot.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Savior Remains (0:54), Dad Duty (0:40), Trivial Pursuits (0:24), Fork in the Past (1:07), Safe & Cloud (0:14), Enchantment (1:30), Another Option (3:19), Reality Check (0:48), Unappetizing (0:53), Belle of the Box (0:42), Two Halves (0:25), Eating Feelings (1:44), Stunner's Stew (1:16), Earning Trust (0:40), Blocked Magic (3:23), Reconnecting (0:46), Writing Wrongs (1:42), and Loaded (2:30). Scenes are presented without any predefined context, so fans will have to piece them together themselves.
• Audio Commentary: For Only You: Executive Producers/Writers David H. Goodman & Andrew Chambliss.
• Once Celebrates One Hundred (1080p, 1:45): A toast to the series' 100th episode.

Once Upon a Time: The Complete Fifth Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Once Upon a Time continues to find success not only through its fan fiction-like mash-up novelty but also the TLC on display throughout, the thoughtful, though sometimes a bit far-fetched, mix-and-match live action integration of various Disney and fairy tale storylines and characters. Season five doesn't rework the formula, nor does it fine-tune it, but it's a good continuation of the show's wide, deep, and involved storyline. Once Upon a Time: The Complete Fifth Season's Blu-ray release is professional from the top down. Disney's release delivers superb video, strong audio, and a fair allotment of bonus content. Recommended, but be sure to start back at the beginning.