MI-5, Vol. 2
When it comes to delivering excitinganddramatic espionage stories, few do it as well as the British, as evidenced by the BBC's high-tech spy seriesMI-5(known to U.K. audiences asSpooks). And the hit show's second season, which is compiled and well-annotated in this five-disc set, serves up more international intrigue while ratcheting up the drama in the lives of its main characters, most notably team leader Tom Quinn (Matthew MacFayden). Season 2 opens quite literally with a bang, with Tom's girlfriend and young daughter are trapped inside their house with a booby-trapped laptop set to explode ("Legitimate Targets"). From there, the tension escalates in each episode, with the MI-5 team facing extremists ("Nest of Angels"), computer espionage ("Hackers"), and illegal arms trading ("Clean Skin").  But the series' most intriguing wrinkle comes in its final episodes, starting with a visit by the U.S. President, and concluding with a cliffhanger season closer that calls Tom's loyalty into question. Solid performances by the program's cast and intelligent scripting should help boostMI-5's rapidly growing and rabidly loyal viewership, who should also appreciate the extensive supplemental features in this boxed set. As with thepreviousMI-5set, all 10 episodes are uncut and presented in widescreen format, with commentary by cast and crew, nine behind-the-scenes featurettes, and two hours of deleted scenes chief among the bonus material.--Paul Gaita