I have to admit, I didn't get into the television show 24 until there were about 6 episodes left last season. Now, I'm a junky. Kiefer and his zany undercover antics are a necessary shot in the vein on Monday nights.
When it comes to television dramas, I watch precious few - Law & Order (mainly because the 'duh-duh' noise makes Steph fall asleep), Prison Break (on hiatus until March), Lost, and now 24. Of those 4, Lost and 24 are a cut above. And of those 2, 24 is head and shoulders better. Here's why - the writers for 24 have got some balls. SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! Within 10 minutes of the latest season of 24, 3 of the series' major characters had been killed off (good thing president David Palmer has that Allstate gig to fall back on). In the second episode terrorists were shooting hostages in the head like they were turkeys. What other show has the guts to try that, much less pull it off. I've watched entire episodes of Lost where the only action is everyone trying to decide who's turn it is to stare at a blank computer screen. I'm intrigued by Lost, but they can only dangle the carrot so long before I punch them in the sack and demand some answers.
24 doesn't keep me waiting, every episode is chock-full o' action. And good action too - not the kind that makes me hurl obscenities at the television and storm off in a rage because the characters are so stupid. I can only hope that 24 can keep up this frenetic pace now that I'm onboard, because it makes Monday nights that much less miserable.
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4 comments:
I think Battlestar Gallactica should have gotten mentioned here. It's a fracking good show!
I have 24 and Battlestar on TiVo season pass. The only two shows I watch on TV with any regularity. 24 is AWESOME! Ian, if you haven't watched every episode live when it aired (like me), you need to rent the DVDs and catch up. Some of the shit they've shown has been unbelieveable.
A sample - all unedited!!!
Day 1. Jack's wife is slaughtered after the entire season by Jack's lover/traiter. Jack goes apeshit and kills like 12 special op guys in 10 seconds!
Day 2. In order to track down a terrorist link, Jack uses extreme torture. He actually kills a suspects family to make hime talk!
Day 3) Jack's partner has to saw off his own hand to get free of a bio weapon. Jack is also a Heroin junkie.
Day 4) Arabs are blatently used as terrorists. A mom slaughters an innocent girlfriend of her son so he'll go along with the plan. Real-life protests ensue by Arab Americans.
Since the series began, I have watched every episode of Lost. It is the one and only TV show that I make a special effort to see every week. But, sadly, I'm not sure how much longer I'll be saying that.
As of the 1-18-06 episode, I'm very concerned with the marked rise in the Stupid Quotient evidenced by some of the characters which, in turn, has led to a proliferation of unwelcome sub-plots and unsatisfying twists in the storyline. My patience and my credulity are being tested.
I'm getting that X-Files feeling.
Dad, that may mean that Lost has just about "jumped the shark"!
For those of you who forget, that phrase refers to the Happy Days episode when Fonzie jumped a shark on his motorcycle. It seemed like a momentous occasion at the time, but in retrospect, it marked the offical downfall of the show.
Now that phrase can be used to identify the moment when almost every other show officially hit the skids. There is even a web site devoted to this.
As far as Battlestar, the second season restarted with 2 AWESOME episodes. However, I fear that Friday's episode may mark when this great show jumped the shark. The death of the President - a plotline since the first episode - was averted with Cylon blood that magically cures cancer. Give me a break! They better bring it strong next week!
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