I'll agree with the previous reviewer that this series is excellent, although I can name a few other series off the top of my head that I would consider better (like Ergo Proxy, Ghost in the Shell and Wolf's Rain)
The concept is very well thought out and complicated (much like a Ghost in the Shell story) but Light's schemes to avoid detection can get overly complicated and at times you just loose interest in the “how” because you know he'll get away with it.
Regardless, it's overdue to be released and well worth watching as the underlying story keeps you watching all the way to the end.
Unlike other animes that only get stuck with a half season, Death Note managed to get a full season so expect 6–7 dvds in this series. Don't expect to see the last one till next year though.