24: Season Seven Blu-ray

24: Season Seven

 (TV) (2009)

Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller



Set in Washington D.C., for the first time, the season opens four years after Season Six with the Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) dismantled and Jack on trial for all his “misconduct” at CTU. Jack’s day takes an unexpected turn when the government is threatened and his expertise are needed once again.

For more details about 24: Season Seven on Blu-ray, see the 24: Season Seven Blu-ray Review

24: Season Seven Blu-ray, Video Quality

 

Bristling with rough-hewn grain, abundant and aggressive source noise, and overblown contrast, 24: Season Seven's 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer may strike some newcomers as an unattractive, uncomfortable assault on the eyes. However, fans will rightfully identify the presentation as an at-times stunning, technically sound representation of the series creators' intentions and shaky, unpredictable visuals. Watching Bauer disappear into the shadows, emerge moments later in the stark light of an overcast afternoon, then chase a suspect into a dismal underground tunnel may be a jarring (and frequent) experience, but the transfer's blacks are deep and well-resolved, its skintones are consistently accurate and effortlessly handle each episode's lighting changes, and its delineation is surprisingly natural and revealing. Likewise, the camera flicks from character to character with sudden zooms and rapid turns, but motion blur isn't a significant issue, texture clarity is crisp and reliable, and crush and ringing are kept to a minimum. In fact, compared to the show's HD broadcast, the Blu-ray transfer is a godsend; a substantial improvement upon what was already a solid television presentation. Depth and dimensionality is more convincing, detail is more refined, and the image is much cleaner. And how, you ask, does the standard DVD edition stack up? Honestly, I took one look at its murky, blocky picture and laughed myself all the way to the eject button.

Still, 24: Season Seven isn't flawless by any means. Noticeable bursts of compression artifacts still disrupt drab backgrounds and bright skies several times per episode, detracting from the integrity of the image, drawing attention away from the positive aspects of the transfer, and distracting the viewer from the story at hand. It doesn't help that minor banding and aliasing occasionally show up and spoil the fun as well. Ultimately, longtime fans will be swept away by the technical quality of the presentation, but more stringent videophiles may wish Fox had added two more discs to the set and given all twenty-four episodes more room to breathe. Regardless, I'm a happy boy.

24: Season Seven Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 

24: Season Seven may not boast the perfect video transfer I was hoping for, but I'm pleased to report that its potent, hard-hitting DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is a top-tier television revelation. Despite all the gunfire-n-splosions Bauer and company unload into the mix, dialogue is impeccably prioritized, hurried conversations are dynamic and intelligible, and muffled com chatter comes through without a hitch. As for the manic series' raining bullets and expanding fireballs, a pulse-quickening dose of LFE oomph accompanies every roaring engine, steel-rending wreck, hollow punch, and anxious shout. Moreover, the rear speakers never shut up. Gold's workspace is surrounded by a bustling soundfield of activity, cityscapes sound as crowded and chaotic as they should, and action sequences make it clear that the wizards at Fox were determined to staple your jaw to the floor. On the technical front, pans are slick and smooth and directionality is remarkably precise. Granted, the show's sound designers are a tad overenthusiastic on occasion, bombarding the listener with everything they've got, but such a heightened reality actually works well within the stylized world of 24. Make no mistake, Fox's lossless monster takes every opportunity it gets to sink its teeth into Season Seven's various trials and tribulations. Slide in any one of its six discs and prepare to be wowed.

24: Season Seven Blu-ray, News and Updates

• Seventh Season of 24 Announced for Blu-ray - April 9, 2009


• Fox Reveals Blu-ray Releases for 24, Predator 2 and The Siege - March 12, 2009

24: Season Seven Blu-ray, Forum Discussions

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