Overview: Dishing up Season 5 in 3 hot DVDs! Dudes! Your order for hot and fresh kung-fu adventures is ready. In 18 wicked episodes from the original series, Leonardo, Michaelangelo, Raphael, and Donatello deliver totally radical mutant action right to your door - and all the tasty extras you want are included. Cowabunga! Any way you slice it, their way of saving the day is gnarly.

DVD Verdict: On October 5, 1991, the second season (and fifth overall) of the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" debuted on the CBS network. Riding a wave of almost unparalleled popularity at that time, the series had truly become a pop-cultural phenomenon.

This DVD set contains all 18 episodes from the original fifth season series. However, for reasons that I don't understand, two episodes from the end of that season, a two-parter that aired in primetime -- "Planet of the Turtleoids" -- has not been included in this set. I am assuming that these episodes will be released in a later set (presumably the sixth season), but to not include them here is a shame. Why Lion's Gate would skimp out on these two episodes remains to be seen.

However, that minor quibble aside, there are some other assorted goodies to feed the senses. Continuing in the tradition that was set with the previous release, there are two bonus featurettes included: 'Under the Shell - Usagi Yojimbo and Baxter Stockman'; 'The Turtles - A Ninjatastic Look Back' in this set.

On a sidenote, it was interesting to note that the voice actor behind Donatello made no references to the other voice actor who sometimes portrayed Donatello in the third season. I, in particular, have always been intrigued by this; to my memory, only Donatello and Raphael of the Fearsome Foursome ever had different voice actors at certain times in the series. Donatello and Raphael had notable voice changes in some episodes of the third season (in "The Turtle Terminator," both their voices are different...in the SAME EPISODE!), and a brand new voice actor gave voice to Raphael in the show's final season. But I digress.

Any fan of this classic series (and I am one of the legions!) should run out and pick up this release ... along with a side-order of peanut-butter and pickled-beets pizza, a dish Michaelangelo would have loved! There is much to savor in this three-disc set, "Planet of the Turtleoids" not withstanding! By the way, I love the box-cover art and packaging for this release. Very clever! This is a Full Screen Presentation (1.33:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:

'Under the Shell' - Usagi Yojimbo and Baxter Stockman
'The Turtles' - A Ninjatastic Look Back