About six months ago, in my first article for BC Magazine, I wrote about my disillusionment with American TV due to the current predilection for long running stories that were never allowed to reach fruition. I stopped watching US TV shows completely, going cold turkey (at the time I had a fifteen shows per week habit). But, like Michael Corleone, “Just when I thought I was out they pulled me back in”.
It’s no surprise that the series that drew me back in was NBC’s superhero show Heroes -- as a long time comic book junkie, it was impossible to resist. I also tried a few of the other new series, notably Jericho, Shark and Justice. Sadly Jericho failed to make the most of its interesting premise and Shark relied too much on the star power of James Woods at the expense of original stories and interesting characters. Only Justice grabbed my attention, with its did-they-or-didn’t-they stories that kept you guessing until the very end and Victor Garber as a lawyer who made Shark look like a goldfish. Of the three, Justice was the one that got canned, go figure.
On top of the new shows I returned to some old favourites, though not quite to the level of my previous addiction. I’m currently watching seven ongoing series and trying some others when they pique my interest. So here’s what I’ve been watching in January.
24
“Day 6: 6am-12am”
Jack’s back, cue explosive action scenes and absurdist plot twists. I don’t know why most people watch this show but for me it’s seeing how far Jack will go to get the job done and what outlandish events the scriptwriters will conspire to throw at him. Already this time we’ve seen Jack take out fellow CTU agent Curtis Manning and Jack’s father and brother tied into events that have put nuclear weapons into the hands of terrorists. Not to mention the revelation that the man behind the events of Day 5 was Jack’s brother.
If anyone else had been released after twenty months as a Chinese prisoner they’d probably need help just walking but, after a quick haircut, shave and probably a manicure, Jack is still a match for any terrorist he comes across. Hell, he doesn’t even need to use his hands, he quite literally chews up terrorists and spits them out (luckily his Chinese captors never went to work on his teeth).
The idea of a nuclear detonation on American soil is the biggest threat the show has ever presented and the sight of Jack standing looking at a mushroom cloud in the distance is one of the most memorable images I’ve seen on TV this year. It makes you wonder how they could top it for Day 7.
Article comments
1 - Marie
Totally agree with your thoughts on CSI: - the Grissom/Sara dynamic has been a lot of fun to watch this season, but it's nice that they're keeping it in the background.
If anyone is proof of why too much personal storyline exposure is a bad idea, it's Catherine "let me take off my top for you" Willows.