DVD Review: Reno 911! - The Complete Fifth Season

Unlike Cops, the members of the Reno sheriff's department swear a lot, which means that the dialogue is filled with a chorus of beeps when each episode runs on television. Reno 911! - The Complete Fifth Season is completely uncensored, so you'll get to hear everything they all say. With Reno 911!, nothing is off limits-- jokes about race, sexual orientation, drug and alcohol abuse, rape and bodily functions are all in a day's work.

The cliffhanger from last season found Deputy Weigel (Kerri Kenney-Silver) giving birth and Deputy Garcia (Carlos Alazraqui) confessing his true feelings for Lieutenant Dangle's (Thomas Lennon) almost-life-partner. Season Five picks up right after with the mystery behind Weigel's baby's father's identity settled as well as other lingering mysteries.

During season five, the hapless crew at the Reno sheriff's department gets into all sorts of trouble and ridiculous situations. The deputies volunteer to build a section of the wall at the Mexican border, but end up on the wrong side, the deputies raise money by going door to door selling snacks, Junior finds a job as the Commissioner for Animal Carcass Removal, and the Reno Sheriff's Department brings in a Hollywood acting coach to teach them how to act more like criminals and meth-heads.

Guest stars are everywhere too, from Diedrich Bader as a TV bounty hunter to Ryan Stiles as the acting coach, Seth Green as the oppressive fast food boss, Michael Ian Black in a brilliant bit about a dying man revealing his sexual exploits to his mother before he passes on, Patton Oswalt as the victim of a horrifying car crash and George Lopez as the scandal-ridden mayor.

While Reno 911! remains one of the funniest shows on the air, I thought season five was a little more uneven then previous years. The episode-length stories felt a bit flat. The show works better when the rapid fire dynamic and pace is kept in place. Having a couple of storylines each episode, makes the series "cook with gas," so to speak, so hopefully next season those involved will stick to that format.

The episodes are presented in full frame, 2.0 stereo. Extras include several cast audio commentaries:

Ep. 3: Cedric Yarbrough and Wendy McLendon-Covey
Ep. 6: Kenny-Silver, Lennon, Yarbrough, Garant and Carlos Alazraqui
Ep. 7: Yarbrough and McLendon-Covey
Ep. 9: Kenny-Silver, Lennon, Yarbrough, Garant and Alazraqui
Ep. 10: Kenny-Silver, Lennon, Yarbrough, Garant and Alazraqui
Ep. 16: Kenny-Silver, Lennon, Yarbrough, Garant and Alazraqui

There is also over 40 minutes of deleted scenes, and a "Cop Psychology" feature focusing on the deputies and their interaction with the department psychologist.