Like anyone else hooked on the show 24, I’ve got Jack Bauer on the brain. Unlike many fans of the show however, I came to the world of CTU late in the game. Therefore, I’ve been hauling in the DVDs on Netflix, recording the current season on TiVo, and racing to catch up. This means that I’m cramming in about 12 hours of Bauer every weekend. That kind of input makes you go a little crazy.
I find myself dreaming about sockets and protocols. Wondering who Division is going to send down to bust me for skipping my Advanced Trademarks seminar. When someone takes too long swiping his debit card at the grocery store, I scream, “We’re running out of time!” I’ll admit, I’ve got a problem.
However, one of the good things to come out of my daily ponderings of 24 is that I’ve stumbled on a striking similarity between Jack Bauer, CTU Agent extraordinaire, and Harry Potter, boy wizard. This may seem like an odd pairing, but just check out the evidence.
1. Both Jack and Harry are impervious to fear. Time and time again, the two heroes throw themselves into terrifying situations with no hesitation. This is probably a quality that exists in most heroic characters, but it is hard to recall any action hero running headlong into danger more often than Jack Bauer. And there is certainly no precedent for a 14-year-old old boy confronting a 50-foot basilisk, as Harry did in the second book. The only other combination of youth and bravery that even compares to that would be the time that Chunk found the strength to befriend Sloth in “Goonies.” Or any kid that made it through a stay at Neverland Ranch.
2. Signature skills. Both Jack and Harry have a plethora of heightened skills that enable them to save the day when everyone else fails. Among those varied abilities, the two heroes have signature skills that stand out and define their greatness. Bauer’s are killing, torturing, and pistol-whipping, as evidenced by websites that track his total kills and tortures every episode. Every Monday on PTI, Tony Kornheiser gleefully announces that he will be tuning into 24 later that night and keeping tabs on Bauer’s number of pistol-whippings. For all of Bauer’s stamina, decisiveness, and helicopter-piloting skill, it is his handling and use of weapons (including his hands, feet, and head) that stands out the most. As for Harry, his signature skill is clearly flying on his broomstick. That was made obvious in the fourth book (and movie), when he was nudged toward using his broomstick to defeat the dragon in the Tri-Wizard tournament. Throw in his amazing record as a Seeker in Quidditch and there is no doubt about this one.
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Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Mary K. Williams
This was awesome!
2 - Adam Hoff
Thanks!
3 - Aaman
Interesting analogy - both are survivors too:)
4 - irws
its nice you took a lot of time with this, but you could have taken any 2 heros and replaced them with the paralells you've drawn
5 - Zero
... That was just a list of any formula for any generic hero-type character in a movie or videogame.
It's so cliché.
6 - Matthew T. Sussman
Ah, but neither of these heroes made for good video games.
Make that No. 10.
7 - Adam Hoff
Um, that is the whole point. It was supposed to be a joke - comparing such absurdly opposite "heroes" yet still finding how they can still be alike given all the stereotypical qualities they possess. It was meant to be tongue-in-cheek and if the humor is missed, then I take the blame for not making it more clear. Trust me, I'm not trying to make any sort of serious statement here. Lighten up, people!
8 - Mary K. Williams
It's so cliché
Actually - it was rather clever.
9 - Mary K. Williams
Lighten up, people!
Amen Adam
Next time though, you gotta say, "Lighten up Francis"
10 - Greg Heinrich
Not my favorite article because it has very little meaning to anybody who has not watched the 24 (most of the population...thanks god). Obsession with such a TV show is not healthy. Nonetheless, it does have humor and would be fun to read had I watched 24.
11 - alexander
very very nice.
although very difrent i kinda would like to c harry figth terros and jack get ass wooping with guns gaintst them weird wans
12 - Adam Hoff
I think you'd be surprised how many people watch 24. What is more interesting though is that everyone who does tune in becomes obsessed. You can't help it. It isn't the kind of show you just turn on to have in the background while reading a magazine. Of course, when you start getting the urge to torture people, that is the time to scale back. (Disclaimer: that was a joke. Just so we're clear.)
13 - chris
AWESOME
14 - Ralph
"Killing off Dumbledore and Tony Almeida is more than enough"
bit of a spoiler for people not watching the lastest US eppisodes
15 - Mary K. Williams
I'll say it again -
Lighten up Francis!
I mean seriously. Playing the 'spoiler' card? What did you think you were going to see when you read this? Gentle hints and innuendos?
and to this comment:
because it has very little meaning to anybody who has not watched the 24 (most of the population...thanks god
You know, the show is pretty darn popular. Sometimes it's nice to read about something that you're not familiar with.
16 - Phillip Winn
I thought the funny part was when Greg (#10) mentioned people not watching 24. What about people not reading or watching Harry Potter? I watched two seasons of 24 and saw only the first HP movie, and haven't read any of the books.
Seems like a big assumption to think that 24 would necessarily be the missing piece of the formula, rather than HP!
17 - Okay.
I'm sorry, but that was absurd and stupid.
18 - yoshi987
dude u r a fag jack bauer is nothing liek harry potter n00b,
19 - SonnyD
Phillip Winn: You should give the Potter books a try. The books are so long and so much is left out for the movies that I don't know how one would make heads of tails of the movie without reading the book first.
I'm sure I've read books by the thousands, but probably wouldn't have thought to buy what seemed to be a kid's book. But someone gave me the first two books; I couldn't put them down, read all night.
20 - mark
That's a very good informative comparison! Aaman put it right ... both are survivors! :)
21 - ron
lol love the reference to dwight's hero definition
22 - Kevin
While this article is simply a description of the classic hero archetype, it was still somewhat clever.
24 is an incredibly creative and amazing series, and I would highly recommend getting into it. A word to the wise, however, try to catch it in DVD or marathon form as having to wait a week in between episodes could drive a man to drink - it's that addictive.
As for Harry Potter, I cannot say enough how imaginitive and enjoyable these novels are. I stress "novels" as while the movies are well done, they can only do so much in such a medium. A LOT is left out, butchering the Harry Potter name to many who only watch the movies and judge it as childish. I believe the movies are more geered toward children, but the novels are spectacular. Don't take my word for it, simply read the first book and I guarantee that you'll have the other 5 under your belt soon after - they're that addictive.
23 - Sterfish
Great article!
24 - Claire in Australia
I just wanted to say that although i don't watch 24 i am a massive HP fan and i thought your similarities were really good. you wrote that whole story/article thingy really well and it was just a nice brief yet long insite into the world of the heros. so thanx for a nice article thing from CLaire
25 - Adam Hoff
Thanks for all the feedback. I agree that you should certainly read the Harry Potter books and that the movies don't do the trick. You should also give Season One of 24 a try by picking up the DVD's and diving into it over a weekend.
I'm glad that someone enjoyed the Dwight nod. That was just such a classic scene. (Although we now have a new "ultimate Dwight" moment - the acceptance speech.