24 Starts in a Few Short Weeks

David Mitzman | October 9, 2003
So a couple years ago, this little show called 24 appears on Tuesday nights on Fox. The previews left me a little skeptical because people have tried this "real time" concept before (remember Nick of Time anybody?). Anyway, 5 minutes into the very first episode and I'm hooked. For anyone who hasn't seen the show, here's the concept....

It takes place in a 24 hour period of time, each episode lasting exactly one hour long (that one hour includes the commercials, and they show a timer, so if they go to commercial at 8:35:00PM, after commercial the timer would show 8:39:00PM, etc). The first season was about a plot to assasinate Senator David Palmer (also a presidential candidate) on the day of the California presidential primary. CTU (counter terrorist unit) agent Jack Bauer (Keifer Sutherland in his best role ever) is assigned to the case, and almost immediately his wife and daughter are kidnapped by the bad guys. Then there's the plot twists and turns and all that fun storyline but it manages to keep you extremely engrossed. Season one went from 12am - 12am
Season 2 is a year after the first season and Jack is no longer a CTU agent (he quit). Well now President Palmer calls on him for help because there's a threat of a nuclear bomb to be exploded in Los Angeles that day. Jack reluctantly agrees to be involved with CTU again and help find out who is involved in this bomb plot. Unlike in season one where it took a couple of hours to get things really moving, the action picked up within the first hour leaving me craving for the next hour the next week (except when stupid Fox would pre-empt the show for something stupid). Even more plot twists and turns than the first season. The ending (and I won't spoil it for anyone) does leave a few questions unanswered but I'm sure the next season will answer those. Season 2 ran from 8am - 8am

Now season 3 starts up 3 weeks from yesterday (tuesday). I can't wait. This season, there's a drug lord which Jack went undercover to capture, and someone is threatening to release a virus on LA which can pretty much wipe out the city rather quickly. The catch on this one: the virus is sitting in a bag of cocaine being carried around by some dumb kid drug runner who has absolutely no idea. Now it's up to Jack to save the day again.

Why is this show so good? I think the best parts about it are the plot twists. I realize that some shows/movies overdo the twists, but even though it may seem like 24 has a lot, they all make sense and manage not to confuse the viewer (with some small exceptions to the ending of season 2 but those are meant as cliffhangers, and the ending of season 2 also ties to a rather obscure character from season 1). If you haven't seen this show before, I recommend you go to the local video establishment and rent season 1, watch it all the way through, then rent and watch season 2 before season 3 starts up.

Is anyone else as into this show as I am?

Dave Stoppenhagen | October 9, 2003
I only caught bits and pieces of the first season, mostly because of the schedule I had at the time, but I watched all of season 2 and now I am hooked on it. I bought season 1 on DVD but haven't sat down to watch it yet, hopefully I will before the beginning of season 3. It's one of the few shows that makes me want to watch every week.

Mike Eberhart | October 9, 2003
I also didn't see season 1. I started with season 2. It definately is addicting. Several of us here at work watch the show religiously. The following day after each episode, we have a 24 discussion group. It's pretty fun. However, is it just me or do you get stressed out watching this show. I hate it when I look up and see that there is only about 5 minutes left in an episode because now you have to wait an entire week just to see what happens. It kills me....:) Anyway, I can't wait for 24S3 to start up. Kim is hot.....!!!!

David Mitzman | October 10, 2003
Oh I completely agree. Especially when they pre-empt the show! It drives me nuts and one day might leave to an ulcer!I usually digitally capture the episode, edit out the commercials, and bring it to work to watch with one of my coworkers because he's hooked and doesn't always get to watch it on Tuesday nights.

David Mitzman | October 29, 2003
Holy $#17!!!! That was a great opening to the third season. I can't wait to see what happens next. Anyone else watch tonight's episode?

By the way, tonight was the yearly showing of It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. I have said and I will continue to say, today's cartoons can't even hold up to the standards of a single Peanuts cartoon, and 'Pumpkin' was made almost 40 years ago!

Mike Eberhart | October 31, 2003
That was a great first episode. I totatlly can't wait until next Tuesday... I don't buy that Kim is a computer genius in 3 years though, but hey, it's 24, they can do what they want. I totally didn't expect Jack to be drug addict... That threw a curve at me. I just thought that he was still having reactions to being tortured from last season. I still want to know where the whole attempt to kill the president was going. Hopefully they will explain that in the near future. Also, WHERE'S NINA????

Jackie Mason | November 6, 2003
[hidden by request]

Mike Eberhart | November 6, 2003
Well, if you saw last weeks, and this weeks, then you are caught up. There's only been 2 episodes so far this season. It is a pretty intense show. I think you'll really get hooked into and hopefully you'll come here and discuss it with the rest of us....

Mike Eberhart | November 20, 2003
Well, this week's episode was not as strong as I would like. Usually at this point, you have some idea of where the story line is headed. However, this time, you don't. I seriously hope the next few episodes get better.

Now for some of the story line editorials. It's pretty safe to say that Kyle is going to be dead shortly, and so is his new ex-girlfriend. With 20 hours to go, there is no way they can survive especially since there is no known cure. Kim is really starting to get on my nerves. In this episode, she was seen giving out orders and everyone just excepted them like she was the boss. First of all, how does she go from a total flake just 3 years ago, to a computer genius, and have some clout at CTU? She should just be an entry level technician if anything right now.

Chloe on the other hand is just annoying. I think that she is putting on some kind of act though and maybe a mole right along with Guiell. Otherwise, why didn't she bust him when the cell phone started ringing and she mentioned that he couldn't use that in CTU. No, she just walks off and buys his lame excuse.

Finally, the President's storyline is just boring. His brother has taken over the role that the President's ex-wife played. He's just as scheming as she was. Besides that though, the whole debate scene is just worthless. The show is only a day long, and this debate is for an election that is going to take place months from now. Who cares!!!! Just deal with the crisis Mr. President.

Anyway, those are my thoughts on the show so far. What's everyone else think?

David Mitzman | November 21, 2003
Kim is just starting to get annoying? She's been annoying since hour one, and not only that, she also has the WORST TIMING EVER.

Kim: "let's tell Dad today"
Chase: "We better not, it's a really bad day for him and there's that whole virus thing"
Kim: "I'll tell him anyway, I want to mess up something good I have going."

And I do agree with you on the whole giving out orders thing. If she gave me orders, I'd have to just give her a piece of my mind.

Also, I like Wayne a lot better than Sherry because I think his intentions are better. He's looking out for the President whereas Sherry wasn't. I think it'll come down to Palmer going against Wayne at the end because of his initial trust issues after Sherry and Mike.

Finally, Chloe is going to come out being a rather important character. She may seem shifty and somewhat insignificant, but I think she'll be the one who gets Guiell busted. I realize the whole cell phone thing, but he can be rather convincing, and she just seems gullible that's why I'm passing that off on her right now.

Anyway that's my two bits, I look forward to next week.