January 17, 2007
Speaking Truth to Bauer
I stole the Headline from Sam at Kojinshugi. I have missed "24" until the new season. I recorded the four hours of premiere and have watched it all.
We have some 24 buffs around here. Is this a good place to start? Should I buy Season One on DVD and start there? Should I dig up prequels on iTunes?
I liked what I saw well enough, but I cannot say I was blown away. It's well paced and well done. The high-octane suspense and action keep the viewer focused. At the same time, Duke Ellington points out that "Music is the space between the notes" and after 30 minutes of suspense, my mind starts to wander.
It's also rather fanciful. One can suspend disbelief for a while but I need to be grounded occasionally. I could let most slide, but they used my least favorite action plotline of all times in the fourth hour: person does crime because his/her family is held hostage. I saw this in "Redeye," and "Firewall" and I just can't buy it. If you threaten someone I care for, I will park in a no-parking zone or not give extra change back to the cashier. But I am not going to help you kill an innocent family or perpetrate a terrorist plot. Left to my own, I will try to find a way to foil your plot.
Personal disclaimer: I am not an "Action Movie" kind of guy, this is really not my cup of tea. I watched because of excitement and because of strong recommendations from people I respect. What do I do Bauerites? Keep watching this season? Go back? Quit?
UPDATE: I forgot to mention, it was great to see D.B. Woodsde promoted from "Principal Wood" to "President Palmer." He is very good (all the acting was good).
Posted by jk at January 17, 2007 3:48 PM
Start with Season One, no doubt about that. The "forced to do stuff 'cause the fam's held hostage" thing is done pretty darn well through most of the first half.
Posted by: Ian at January 18, 2007 12:20 AMEmail is now two for Season One and two to just buckle down and watch the new ones.
Posted by: jk at January 18, 2007 11:07 AMAs one of the "watch the new ones" advisors I should also add that I recommend watching season 1 as well. It could be done concurrently.
The most heroic character in 24 is of course Bauer, but he was at his greatest when teamed with President David Palmer. (Palmer, now dead, is the president we all wish we had and that some of us hoped GWB would be. Umm, as a leader, not dead.) Season 1 shows how their relationship was formed and is highly recommended. If you like the first season then you'll want to go on.
We rolled our eyes more than once in the first four hours, but realize that expediency is required to move from one big theme to the next. And what about the first big theme of season 6? Ask the residents of Valencia, CA.
Posted by: johngalt at January 18, 2007 3:42 PMI too found some things in the first 4 hours that stretched my suspension of disbelief. I still like the show very much but I preferred some of the prior seasons.
However, I am a fan of action shows and movies. I can't seem to sit through a sitcom no matter how highly recommended or well-acted.
24 is unabashedly an action show. No once has suggested to JK that if doesn't like the genre he might never like the show. JK, I'm confused though. I gather you are Firefly fan and that too is defnitely an action show.
Posted by: dagny at January 20, 2007 5:31 PMI know I am tip-toe-ing around all out war here, but I am going to make one step toward the interstice.
Firefly had a lot of action sequences, as did Buffy and Angel. But I would not give any one of them the action label because that was just a component of all three: part of the entertainment. When I think of an "action pic" I think of a show where that is the main focus. 24 is "about" the action sequences; I consider Firefly to be about politics, Buffy to be about self -discovery and Angel to be about redemption.
What I am asking -- sub-rosa as to not offend the acolytes -- is whether 24 has layers of plot and substance as Firefly had.
Posted by: jk at January 21, 2007 11:41 AM | What do you think? [5]