Season Finale of "24"

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Mon May 21, 2007 at 07:59:24 PM EST
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The two hour season finale of "24" is tonight. I've mentioned before that I only began watching this season, but I got hooked pretty quickly. Media reports are that viewership is down, perhaps because it's been more relationship oriented and less action packed this season. There are also rumors that next season, the show won't feature CTU as it has in the past.

There's also been a lot of attention to the show's right wing creator and executive producer, Joel Surnow.

There's still plenty of violence, some torture, mostly under the ticking time bomb theory, and the villians are Muslim, Russian or Chinese.

I finished watching season five a few weeks ago, and now have season four on my iPod to watch while on the treadmill at the gym, it's perfect for keeping the heart rate up and making 45 minutes go by really quickly.

So, who's watching the finale? Has the show reached a dead end? Is it a wing show that endorses torture or just entertainment?

Update: If you missed it, here's a recap.

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Season Finale of "24" | 22 comments (22 topical)

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Formula (none / 0) (#1)
by mikescott on Mon May 21, 2007 at 08:11:04 PM EST

I've watched the show live the past 2 seasons, and tore through the DVD's before that in a number of months. Loved it up until this season.

I think the ratings are down because it's just the same thing. The writing and the action are expected, just going through the motions, IMO. Every time there is a large event this season, I find myself saying "Oh for god's sake." (IE Russian President saying "You have 2 hours ...")

I hope next season really can shake the formula and retain the unexpected, driving drama of seasons past.

Are you F-ing kidding me? (none / 0) (#2)
by Aaron on Mon May 21, 2007 at 08:31:02 PM EST

Jeralyn if you keep posting this crap you're going to have to change the name of this blog to Righttalk and start inviting Roger Ailes to guest blog. :-)

But seriously, all the important things happening in the world today, like people dying Israel and Lebanon, and you've got the nerve to waste valuable blog space with this rubbish.

I know it's your blog, but I'm sorry, I've come to expect better of you.

: yes, that's right (5.00 / 3) (#3)
by Jeralyn on Mon May 21, 2007 at 08:41:30 PM EST

It's my blog and I'll decide what to write about. Thanks for stopping by.

What a doink! (none / 0) (#4)
by Kitt on Mon May 21, 2007 at 08:41:35 PM EST

Adam -

Don't you do anything to relax?

Apparently - torture really does sell, Jeralyn.

"Valuable blog space".... (none / 0) (#14)
by kdog on Tue May 22, 2007 at 09:09:56 AM EST

Is cyberspace at near capacity or something?..lol

: Yeah, haven't you heard? (none / 0) (#15)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue May 22, 2007 at 09:29:50 AM EST

Get your piece now. Send check or money order, no cash, to.....

Oopss....Aaron (rather than Adam) N/T (none / 0) (#5)
by Kitt on Mon May 21, 2007 at 08:43:48 PM EST

: Ninja Warrior (none / 0) (#18)
by Aaron on Tue May 22, 2007 at 11:29:40 AM EST

Yeah baby, my new favorite TV show is Ninja Warrior , it's a positive affirming competition where even those who fail are applauded and appreciated. Everyone and anyone can do that show, it draws top athletes from around the world, celebrities, performers and your average joker from out of the woodwork to join the fun. It's genuinely exciting, and absolutely hilarious at times. It's the best stress reliever on television in my opinion.

it just got old (none / 0) (#6)
by lawstudent on Mon May 21, 2007 at 09:18:45 PM EST

i'm with mikescott on this one...24 is fading, b/c it is just a tired repeat of previous seasons. i came into the 24 game way late, but got hooked fast. i plowed through season 1; season 2 was not far behind; but i gave up halfway through season 3. it just became too formulaic.

politics aside, i think it's a great show, but became too contrived and repetitive.

yes, sadly, seems to be fading (none / 0) (#7)
by A DC Wonk on Mon May 21, 2007 at 09:47:21 PM EST

When you see season four (which I highly recommend, I think it might be my favorite), you'll see what we all mean when we say that the show is fading and getting a bit repetitive. (relative of Jack kidnapped by the enemy? check. a mole inside the WH? check. VP trying to seize power by means of 25th amendment? check. etc etc etc)

BTW, as far as torture goes . . . I recall reading that the US Army, of all places, complained about the prevelant torture scenes. . . and I also noticed that "24" seems to have stopped using them. I don't recall a torture scene over the last few months.

It's both. . . (none / 0) (#8)
by RSA on Mon May 21, 2007 at 09:52:30 PM EST

Is it a wing show that endorses torture or just entertainment?

As I say, both. I watched the first few seasons on DVD, but eventually realized that (a) it was getting extremely repetitious and (b) it's a show one watches almost solely to find out what happens, i.e., no depth or staying power.

Re-viewing (none / 0) (#10)
by Demi Moaned on Mon May 21, 2007 at 09:58:47 PM EST

Good point. I've never wanted to go back and watch a single episode (much less a season) a second time.


: I am so happy that this season is over (none / 0) (#11)
by progrocks on Mon May 21, 2007 at 10:43:18 PM EST

I watch because it is like crack, i am addicted, but i wish I was not. The last couple seasons were not as good, and I said i was not going to watch this year, but i did, and then it was all over. i will try to kick the habit next year, but we will see

Suspension of disbelief (none / 0) (#9)
by Demi Moaned on Mon May 21, 2007 at 09:55:29 PM EST

I'm one of those people that turned on Episode One of Season One the first day it aired and became an avid follower. I've seen all five of the first seasons.

I'm living abroad now and have not seen any of Season Six. My feeling is: it can wait.

What people say about the formulas is true. But what really tires me is the way it strains my credulity in so many little ways. My favorite example (but just one out of many) is how they can get anywhere in the LA area within 10-20 minutes at any time of day. I've never seen a traffic jam on 24.

I agree (5.00 / 1) (#13)
by Slado on Tue May 22, 2007 at 08:59:49 AM EST

I love the show but I find it hard to believe...

Anything can be downloaded to a cell phone instantly.

No one ever charges a cell phone after hours of talking on it.

They can find people with a sattelite some times but not all the time.

A huge terrorism unit is even stationed in LA and terrorists only seem to be concerned about attacking LA.

No computer program is too complicated to be hacked by the flunkies at CTU.

They can instantly get specs on any building. It's as if your watching the Matrix sometimes.

All that said it's a great show that harkens back to the days of the 20 minute westerns shown before the movie where you are asked to come back next week and find out if the Lone Ranger escapes.

Pure entertainment.


my feelings exactly (none / 0) (#17)
by nolo on Tue May 22, 2007 at 09:58:13 AM EST

The first season had a kind of grittiness, and the "real time" gimmick worked really well. Since then, though, 24 is a lot like the serials of yore, only with better production values. Toss your disbelief out the window and it's a lot of fun, even (especially) when it gets really over the top.


You mean it isn't true?? (5.00 / 1) (#19)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue May 22, 2007 at 01:33:14 PM EST

Darn


Sorry to break it to you (none / 0) (#20)
by nolo on Tue May 22, 2007 at 02:05:55 PM EST

That being said, I didn't truly begin to enjoy the show until I traded saying "that would never happen in a million years" for "woah, I can't believe they [or more precisely, Jack] just did that!!"


: nolo (none / 0) (#21)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue May 22, 2007 at 03:40:57 PM EST

I just wanted asprin contract.....

I saw season one only ... (none / 0) (#12)
by Sailor on Tue May 22, 2007 at 06:33:55 AM EST

... it was MustSeeTV for me, but they shot their wad there. I tried to watch season 2 but it became obvious to me it was a one trick pony.

It's a great trick, but how many times can you pull it on the same audience?

I would have thought 1, but apparently it's 5+.

BTW, I don't know whether it was hype or reality but the reports from the Hollywood press said even the military asked them to tone it down because the torture scenes encouraged our folks overseas a leeeetle too much.

et al (none / 0) (#16)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue May 22, 2007 at 09:36:39 AM EST

I was busy watching the Cy Young award winner of 2017 last night show off his fastball. Hope the old recorder did its trick....

If not I'll just call CTU and have them make it available for me to download.

24 (none / 0) (#22)
by Dymero on Tue May 22, 2007 at 03:50:03 PM EST

I don't think 24 can be defined by ideology, no matter what ideology its creator might follow. There have been things that both sides would not be happy about. There's already been a little flap about the amount of torture in the first half of the season. After that, it was toned down a lot.

However, there is also things that I'd consider direct shots at the current administration. Things like the profiling of Muslims, the whole subplot that connected this and last season about orchestrating terrorist plots so Americans could get rich on oil (the puppetmasters behind the main villains in both S5 and S6 were Americans with ties to the upper echelons of the Logan administration, who was a Republican).

There are definitely a lot of contrivances in the show, and this season wasn't as good as others have been. I hope the creative team gets the hint and gives the show some fresh blood, and a better plan of where they want to go before writing any episodes at all. Still, it's good watching, and I think is show is far too complex to just say its the mouthpiece of either party.