Since I am fortunate enough to write a weekly review here about the television drama 24, I was contacted by Scott Collins of the LA Times and asked what my feelings were about this sixth season of the series. I thought about it for a while, and this was my response to him. One paragraph of my response did appear in his article.
Season 6 of 24 has been a roller coaster ride to be sure. The first four episodes were fast-paced and led to a mini-climax (in terms of the season story) with the explosion of the nuke in Valencia. After that we slipped into a soap opera like zone where Jack confronted his phantom family. While this worked for me, it was a bit of a stretch to discover that Graem (the seemingly evil mastermind behind last season's action) was Jack's brother. It was also equally difficult to deal with the new father, nephew, and sister-in-law that just happened to be Jack's old flame.
Still, there was the pressure of finding the rest of the nukes that kept the pulse racing more times than not. Jack is always under the gun because of the clock, and it seems never more so than this season. There were a few weird subplots, especially one involving the autistic man, but in general the action raced forward until Episode 17 when Jack killed Fayed and recovered the last two nuclear suitcases. Of course, this is when he learned that Audrey was alive and a prisoner of the evil Cheng Zhi, so now the rest of the season is about how this will be resolved.
As a fan of 24 since day one, I think the writers have recycled some plots this season that are glaringly obvious: a recording, an almost removed president, an assassination attempt on that president, an attack on a Middle Eastern country, an impending nuclear strike, a person close to Jack kidnapped, etc. Many of us who are longtime fans see this as inevitable, but those who have jumped on board recently either don't realize that the plot is recycled or don't care.
I think the bottom line is that we still care about Jack Bauer. Kiefer Sutherland has infused this role with grit and humanity. Despite all the horrific things Jack has had to do, there is a sense that he is on the right side, thus we are satisfied going along for the ride in order to see him survive and defeat evil and maybe find a path to some kind of happiness.
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Article comments
1 - TV and Film Guy
Congratulations! This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States.
2 - Victor Lana
As always, I greatly appreciate when my pieces are selected for recognition. Thank you.
3 - Montana 21
Just wanted to say that I really enjoyed your article and think you're right about the direction of the show. I think the verbal attack by Audrey's father tonight (albeit I think we've heard it before) gives us a clue as to where the show is going and it's obvious that someone is going to die soon.....
4 - Victor Lana
Thanks, Montana! Yes, there is a great deal of ominous foreshadowing going on here that makes it clear that somehow this season will be littered with corpses like after the last scene in a Shakespearean tragedy.
I just wonder if Jack will be able to rise from the ashes after this one. I think he will, but then at what cost?
5 - SomeDude
I know that the reason that I and my friends are not watching "24" this season is because we are still very annoyed that Tony Almeida, Michelle Dessler, Edgar Stiles, and President David Palmer were removed from the show.
It is our collective feeling that these fine actors and characters were removed not to further the story line, but to save money.
Jack has always been the main character, but it was the Team that made it possible at the end of the day. The team is nearly gone (careful Chole!!!) so it just isn't the same show now.
Greed is an ugly thing and it seems like greed killed "24".
6 - Victor Lana
I do understand these feelings and share them in a way. It was pretty devastating to lose these integral characters in such a swift (and some would say inconsiderate) manner.
I still am watching though because of Jack, because he has always been the reason I've watched since the first season.
7 - handyguy
I have wondered whether the Mike Doyle character played by Ricky Schroder was introduced to bring a plausible replacement for Jack, leading to a season-ending cliffhanger that could leave Jack dead, missing, or just retired. Sutherland is just one-third of the way through a 3-year, $40-million contract, so I guess this is unlikely. And 24 without Jack is hard to imagine - but not impossible. As long as we still have Chloe, one of the best supporting characters ever on TV.
At any rate, what keeps some of us watching is the endless absurdity of the plot developments and the dialogue. Although the high-voltage suspense is often effective, there are several big laughs in every episode too - not all of them intentional.
8 - Mary
I agree with your view of season 6. Jack is still trying to save the world, but is having a more difficult time trying to save himself. It is a personal turmoil that shows itself in many ways. Jack, a chronic low talker, is even more so this season...unless he is using his volume to convince someone to answer him. Physically we know that he has been tortured and it shows in the scars on his back and hands. You also see a difference in his posture, perhaps a reflection of his physical and emotional torture. When he does connect with certain people (Chloe, Brady and his nephew) there is a sadness and vulnerability that we didn't see in the character before. At first I was waiting for the "old Jack" to shake it off and get back to work. Now, with only three episodes to go, I am desperate to have him find healing if not happiness of some kind. I like the idea of the chess game to bring the story and the character full circle, but don't see many peaceful evenings in store for Jack just yet.
9 - Victor Lana
Jack is never going to be the "old Jack" again, almost playfully shooting darts at George Mason (Season 1). Too much has passed and there has been an unrelenting pressure on Jack to save everyone but himself. Will this change? Not this season, but perhaps next year. Perhaps.
10 - Christopher Rose
The original premise of "24" was that it was to cover the events that occurred in twenty-four hours. It was a great and innovative treatment.
The network should have stopped there and not spun out a good idea into an ever thinner plan to keep milking the concept for more money. It's been boring and laughably implausible ever since.
11 - Mary
12 - Christopher Rose
As opposed to needing some honest politicians? Fictional characters from a tired TV show as the new heroes? Ohmigosh, we are in big trouble!
13 - Victor Lana
"Honest politicians" kind of remind me of jumbo shrimp, but what do I know?
I never lose sight of the fact that Jack is not a "real" person, but sometimes there is a blurring because he is easy to identify with as a frail human being whose ribs (and heart) break, he gets angry and frustrated, and he even fails.
I don't know if Jack Bauer is a "new" hero or not, but he is damn fun to wathc.
14 - Angie B
This was a very good article and it's good to see someone defend "24" for a change instead of bashing it. I'm still watching because I care about Jack Bauer too and that's because Kiefer Sutherland plays this part to perfection. Thank you for writing this!
15 - Mary
I don't know if Jack Bauer is a "new" hero or not, but he is damn fun to wathc.
First of all, let me second that sentiment! I do realize that Jack is a fictional character yet he does allow viewers to imagine how one person can indeed make a difference. Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating people taking things into their own hands exactly as Jack does...the steely glare, the authoritative bark, the well chosen "damn it!s" are OK. I think a line should be drawn at chewing someone's carotid for perhaps having more than 10 items in the express line at Safeway.
My license plate is WWJBD24 and I have been pulled over twice by law enforcement to have them tell me exactly what Jack would do. It leads me to believe that there is a little Jack even in those who have to play the game by the real rules.