24 Contortions
January 15th, 2007 at 12:29 pm by CrankyJust how many “not all Muslims are bad” qualifiers do we knuckledraggers have to be exposed to before 24 can make Islamic terrorists the bad guys?
OK, we get it. Honest.
If I knew that the 24 team would pay homage to CAIR and attack the tradeoff between freedom for security with all the subtlety of “V for Vendetta”, I would have told them to just forget it and make Eastern Europeans the bad guys again. They’re white enough and they have all that trans-Caspian oil stuff going on to keep the story safe for generations to come.
Debbie Schlussel goes maxiumum Bauer on the series and I don’t blame her. Watch her go to town on this quote:
So in addition to delivering a gangbusters contemporary thriller, executive producer Gordon aims to focus even more this season on such hot-button, post-9/11 topical issues as torture, ethnic profiling and the erosion of civil rights.
Right. So the numero-uno mission of the producer is not to entertain, but to deliver important social messages. Shall we start the meter until the first strategically-placed gay CTU agent shows up? I’m sure we can milk quite a bit of social commentary out of the harsh “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
But you know what really pissed me off?
When the good-guy former terrorist is tailing the bad guy terrorist on foot, the bad guy gets into a car and – get this – the good-guy former terrorist’s car is parked right there! On the street no less! In Los Angeles!!
Talk about stretching credibility. I don’t think I’ll be able to follow the rest of the season with any credibility. I’m serious about this.
UPDATE:
Our friends at the Swap Blog and probably Preston hisself don’t think that 24 has jumped the laser beam on the head shark yet.
That’s cool. Hey, I report and you decide. That’s fair and … um … oh I don’t know, even? Sure, let’s go with that.
January 15th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
I’m with you. I’m all about “suspending disbelief” for the purposes of entertainment, but finding coincidentally convenient parking in LA is too much for me. I think the 24 audience is stretched thin enough trying to reconcile the idea that ANY government agency can accomplish even the most trivial of tasks in a 24 hour time period.
January 15th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
I stopped watching network TV. Generally, the writing sucks. I have found one exception…I watch “Scrubs”. The writing on that show is brilliant.
I have been told by other to start watching “24″…that it was different and very well written.
Now comes your review, Cranky. Thanks for saving me the trouble.
January 15th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
Dude…
“24″ jumped the shark after season 2. Let’s be real about this. If any T.V. Show that is showcasing action based on terrorism on a good-vs-evil platform, and expects to be believed in the slightest, it had better feature fascist, Islamic, jihadi scum-bags. Why would I waste a moment of my precious idle time watching this farce, “24″, when I can watch “Sleeper Cell” on Showtime, a show that kicks the balls off of “24″, 10 days out of 10.
January 15th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Scrubs, My Name is Earl and The Office are just about the only shows I watch with any regularity.
I keep meaning to try 24, as I have always loved Keifer. It will be in reruns soon I’m sure, I’ll check it out then.
And, you’re right, no way, street parking? Why can’t they keep it at least slightly reality based????
January 15th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
Alright, Cranky, don’t ruin it for me. Mrs. Holmes and I just got into 24 last season and she’s tivo’ing tonight for me as well. Yeah, I know they’ll bend over and take it from CAIR, they’re no different from President Junior on that account. But don’t ruin the season for me before I’ve watched episode 1. Sheeesh.
January 15th, 2007 at 11:41 pm
Rent the first two seasons. After you’ve seen them, you’ve basically seen it all.
To be honest, I may be pissing and moaning, but I’ll also be in front of the TV every Monday at 9pm.
January 16th, 2007 at 7:52 am
So, does Achmed’s buddies lighting off a nuke FINALLY wake Jack’s ass out of his “I can’t do this anymore” Jimmah carter-like malaise?
January 16th, 2007 at 8:45 am
Leather, you missed the stay tuned for scenes from next week, didn’t you?
“I thought you quit, Jack.”
“Not after this.”
[Major dramatic music]
January 16th, 2007 at 9:30 am
I shared your CAIR concerns after hour 1 and 2, but I thought it balanced out nicely in 3 and 4. Bottom line this is still my favorite show, even if I disagree with the writers politically at times. I wanted to strangle President Logan ALL LAST YEAR. I like how they tied in the fact that negotiating with terrorist leads to destruction and more lies. I also liked how it showed that a non decisive president leads to problems. Got to love the FDR jab too. I am able to get around the suspension of belief – getting from downtown LA to Valencia in 15 minutes IS JUST NOT POSSIBLE!! – and enjoy the show for what it is. I have learned after a few seasons of 24 to not get too bent on one point as it is likely to shift the following week.
January 16th, 2007 at 9:38 am
[...] Others weigh in on 24 Hillybilly White Trash here and Six Meat Buffet here [...]
January 16th, 2007 at 10:03 am
You’re right, Crank, I missed that.
YAY! Does this mean Doctor Bashir–or that oily guy messing with Chloe’s ex–gets “the full Bauer” treatment?One can only hope….
There’s no time! That bloody cougar is still alive and we can’t find Kim!
January 16th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Is it just me, or is this a common Hollywood bait and switch?
1) We get an audience
2) We abandon the storyline that brought the audience, in order to preach our beliefs that we can’t get anybody to listen to.
3) We lose our audience and start over.
January 16th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
If I can believe that Bauer gets off a military transport after 2 years being tortured in China and within an hour is running around with a crewcut, barking orders and going “Get me the President!”, I can believe there’s plenty of parking in downtown LA.
January 16th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
As long as he says “I can’t do this anymore” within five minutes of kicking a$$, then sure, I can accept that.
The writers have brilliantly evolved Jack from ice cold hero who will go to the wall for God and country, to broken soul who will go to the wall for God and country and have a good cry in between.
That’s character development.
January 16th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
Bauer’s Back: A Round-Up…
‘24′ fever is sweeping the middle Tennessee area. Here’s what you all are saying about Jack Power: Flank Two Position: ‘24′ goes nuclear Creative Liberty: Where’s Jack’s bag? Rexblog: Brad Feld’s tips for 24 newbies Sarah Moore: I never watche…
January 16th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
Treach? There’s no such thing as “parking” in LA; you gotta give a wetback wearing a red jacket your keys and then pray.
Now shaddup and go smoke a cigar.
January 16th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
LOL
January 16th, 2007 at 11:15 pm
Oh, no, you di’unt.
I just finally got the chance to watch Sunday night’s episodes, and the show has definitely jumped the shark. Oh well, I’ll probably still watch. Same reason I watched Nip/Tuck this past season. It was absolutely horrible, but I couldn’t turn away.
January 17th, 2007 at 8:14 am
I wonder what the demographic is called for people who think a show has hit bottom but remain committed to see the entire season?
Preemtive Note to NIT readers: The response “idiot” isn’t as funny as you think it is – especially considering the source. Anyone else, that’s cool.
Brittney, why do you hate us so?
January 17th, 2007 at 8:59 am
Now shaddup and go smoke a cigar.
Woah, suddenly the “click that stogie” slogan makes sense. I thought it was ad for Thai pr0n.