356 replies to this topic

[LadySylvia]

It's to the point where I'm pretty much just focusing on the Jack Bauer scenes since they seem to be the only ones written with some semblance of high quality. It's so bizarre, the same writers on an episode and yet it feels like only one plot line gets the grade A treatment. Still, can't wait to see what they pull out of their butts next week and t he weeks to come.

I think the series needs a major overhaul, no CTU or White House stuff, no endless double crosses, no terrorists, just a real good action/thriller scenario to dump Bauer into.

Since when has "24" lacked any endless double crosses, CTU or White House staff interactions or terrorists? What you want has never existed on "24".

Granted, Season 6 is not the greatest, the show hasn't really been the same since Season 3 for me.

"Considering that last year's 24 run was one of TV's best, this year's collapse is a more shocking twist than any the plot has provided so far. After a strong opening, the show almost immediately lost its way, lurching from one unsatisfyiny set-piece to another, with plots and characters that range from the recycled to the ridiculous...If Jack's Bad Dad never shows up again, will it really matter to the plot's resolution or to viewers?"

Season 5 of "24" was one of TV's best? I beg to differ. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't that great, either. Personally, I feel that the glory days of "24" were from Season 1 to Season 3, with Season 2 being the best season ever.

Edited by LadySylvia, 03 April 2007 - 06:05 PM.

[killkenny kid]

I think the series needs a major overhaul, no CTU or White House stuff, no endless double crosses, no terrorists, just a real good action/thriller scenario to dump Bauer into.

indeed.

[dinovelvet]

I heard the baying of the hounds last night: this season is 24's DAD, imo. For the first time in this great show's history, I glance at my watch now and then to see how close I am to the end of the hour. I watch out of loyalty and gratitude for past years. But I no longer give a hoot where Logan, Martha or Bad Dad have gone. I don't expect a semblance of plausibility. I haven't the ghost of a hope that the old magic will come back this year. Great show, bum year. Suggestions for next year? Get rid of the zero charismas: Blad Gray Head of CTU...Prez Palmer Junior...Milo...Come on with a smashing, new, unrecycled story line...Give us an unforgettable villain...Play with the time structure: 24 hours don't necessarily have to be all in one day: e.g., it could be split into two half days, with time in between them. To our surprise, the story seems to have ended at the twelfth hour...but then something astonishing happens that takes us off in a new, but related, direction. Why do exactly the same thing each year?

Whatever. Just stop them dogs from barkin'!

The DAD comparison is interesting, but I'd say this season is like a Brosnan Bond film in general...assembled from parts of earlier, better films/seasons, with pretensions of "peeling back the layers" of the main character that go nowhere.
Of course this could mean that season 7 will be the CASINO ROYALE of 24?!

[shady ginzo]

interesting to see Season 6 likened to Die Another Day - I think I can agree.

The impression I get is that 24 has outgrown itself by pushing the boundaries of plausability, this is not particularly unwelcome, even season 1 had plastic surgury, lesbian assassins among other things, but nothing which "upset" believability, now nuclear bombs going off in urban areas is convincing but overtly excessive when not coupled with a compelling and ON GOING plot, which season 6 has lacked since episode 5 onwards (since jack got "back to work" and got over his traumas in china in an instant)

now I am part of the camp who think Season 5 was among the best and I say this because Jack's pain at palmer's assassination and on-going struggle to clear his name / seek revenge came right back round from the first episode to the last when he confronted Logan. this ongoing drama carried some of the biggest shock plots and set pieces of the franchise's history and did not play back seat to them. on the whole, the series was well put together and left only a few, and deliberate, loose ends. it just makes me sad to see how clumsily those ends have been picked up by the following season.

Now, I have not avoided spoilers and I have reason to believe Season 6 will wrap up in much stronger form than it has done since the 4 opening episodes - and there's an interesting concept rumoured for the season's clif-hanger (rollover for spoiler: at the moment - writters are reportedly planning that the final scenes of Season 6 will feature jack driving away in the back of a car, in the company of a character who has been considered dead by viewers since a prior season!). many of the stories currently considered carelessly thrown asside WILL be returning to be addressed.

anyway, I agree that Season 6 is the Die Another Day of the series, and I hope that season 7 will be a down to earth equivilent of Casino Royale

[Professor Dent]

I've been a fan from the very beginning so, much like LadySylvia, I think the earlier seasons were the best with the very first season being my favorite. It seems that people who picked-up the show in the later seasons, gravitate to Season 5 (or Day 5) as the best. Don't get me wrong, I definitely enjoyed season 5 a lot but season 1 had this great energy of something totally new & different than anything else on TV at the time. Now, the show is fighting it's legacy but I still think it's the best hour of TV out there. For me, it's still appointment TV. I TiVo everything else & watch it days or even weeks later.

On this week's episode, Wayne continues on his streak of great episodes & Lennox is no longer someone I want to toss off of a tall building. Doyle had an interesting out of character moment when he covered for Milo. The previews for next week's episode look great.

[hcmv007]

I personally hated and still hate Season 4. I will not buy it on DVD-BUT it did not pay off until the end of season 5. I have seen the spoiler about the end of this season-but there is more to this season, and we have yet to see it. The stories are always in layers-take the first season-which i just finished (And was available at Target for a whopping $19.99-I could not find a used one for that price!), First you have Ira Gaines that lead you to the Drazens, who want Jack and David dead. This season you have Fayed who takes you to Gredenko. Now Gredenko is shark food, and Fayed is in custody. There is something more to this season-not every character has shown their cards yet (I'm looking at you, Sorenson). This is going to be a good, not great season, after all, who really saw Charles Logan as THE bad guy last year?


Bottom line-the show is still addictive, and it is very to hard to duplicate last season, which IMO is the best-but I admit to liking season 2 as the best.

[dodge]

interesting to see Season 6 likened to Die Another Day - I think I can agree.

The impression I get is that 24 has outgrown itself by pushing the boundaries of plausability, this is not particularly unwelcome, even season 1 had plastic surgury, lesbian assassins among other things, but nothing which "upset" believability, now nuclear bombs going off in urban areas is convincing but overtly excessive when not coupled with a compelling and ON GOING plot, which season 6 has lacked since episode 5 onwards (since jack got "back to work" and got over his traumas in china in an instant)

now I am part of the camp who think Season 5 was among the best and I say this because Jack's pain at palmer's assassination and on-going struggle to clear his name / seek revenge came right back round from the first episode to the last when he confronted Logan. this ongoing drama carried some of the biggest shock plots and set pieces of the franchise's history and did not play back seat to them. on the whole, the series was well put together and left only a few, and deliberate, loose ends. it just makes me sad to see how clumsily those ends have been picked up by the following season.

Now, I have not avoided spoilers and I have reason to believe Season 6 will wrap up in much stronger form than it has done since the 4 opening episodes - and there's an interesting concept rumoured for the season's clif-hanger (rollover for spoiler: at the moment - writters are reportedly planning that the final scenes of Season 6 will feature jack driving away in the back of a car, in the company of a character who has been considered dead by viewers since a prior season!). many of the stories currently considered carelessly thrown asside WILL be returning to be addressed.

anyway, I agree that Season 6 is the Die Another Day of the series, and I hope that season 7 will be a down to earth equivilent of Casino Royale

One helluva post there, my friend. Bravo. I'm with you on Season 5. Week after week, I would sit before the screen thinking, Man, this is what film magic is all about.

Your hope re Season 7 is inspired. Not a ripoff of CR, but the same smaller scale getting back to the roots. Bring new writers on board, get rid of the cast dead weight and grab us by our throats again.

[Nimsworth]

Season 5 of "24" was one of TV's best? I beg to differ. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't that great, either. Personally, I feel that the glory days of "24" were from Season 1 to Season 3, with Season 2 being the best season ever.

Interesting that you rank #2 as being the best season. The ridiculousness of Kim's storylines killed that season for me.

Day 5 ranks second to the original season 24 purely for the fact that we got Jack Bauer out of his element. He's no longer chums with the President and all of his "Get Out Of Jail Free Card" associates like Tony and Michelle are gone. This is Bauer and to an extent Chloe fending for themselves. Day 5 was a Jack Bauer we havent seen before. Something which Day 6 has been promising since the start.

It's also that point in time of the season where everyone in the first few hours start to dissapear. I mean Fayed's still around and not forgotten (think of Ira Gaines's relevance in the closing hours of Season 1. Zilch) towards the end and Boris The Blade is dead.

[hcmv007]

Season 6 finale News!

Spoiler

Phillip Bauer returns, as the Chinese and the Russians are in the middle of a potential war. Jack has supplied Cheng Zhi with a chip needed to break Russian protocols, and we learn Phillip, not Jack, is Josh's father. Phillip has made a deal with Cheng Zhi, who is the mstermind of the day's events. Jack and Doyle go after Phillip to rescue Josh, and stop Phillip from giving Cheng schematics about the US Nuclear arsenal. Doyle gets hurt, but not life threatening. Jack sees Cheng kill his father, then admit his role in everything, including Audrey Raines 'altered' state. Jack tells Cheng that he was never broken in prison, and kills him-but not before having Chloe record the conversation. President Palmer gets the information, and it is implied that China is in some serious trouble. Jack is left with nothing-Audrey is in a state that he cannot be with her anymore, and Marilyn and Josh need to come ot grips with what has happened. Jack gets a phone call, the person on the other end of the line tells Jack he can explain everything, and that this was just the first test-there are more conspirators out there. Jack agrees to meet the person, a car pulls up, and once the door is opened, it is none other than former President John Keeler-who survived the crash of Air Force One (he was never officially confirmed dead). Keeler offers Jack a new direction, and Jack gets in and the car drives off.

5:59:57
5:59:58
5:59:59
6:00:00

[Nimsworth]

So.. tempted... to read... spoilers...

Well this has to be a record for longest Act I in 24. Cool episode I thought, did not see the fake rescue coming at all and of course Jack Bauer vs. a warehouse full of terrorists gets my solid approval.

Wayne Palmer though... that sneaky little bugger! Doyle's "Oh, Jack..." reaction when he saw the carnage of Bauer was fantastic.

7 hours to resolve the Audrey situation... could be interesting.

[HawkEye007]

Last nights episode once again proves that Jack Bauer is a bad mother shut your mouth. I look forward to seeing how this Audrey and the Chinese thing turns out. Does anyone else want to see next season take place somewhere other than LA?

[sharpshooter]

No. LA CTU is traditional 24. If it gets the "samey" feeling then it is up to the writers to make it new and different somehow.

[dodge]

Once again they rocked us. Just when we thought we couldn't stand too much more of the nuke scenario...BLAM! Total shift in structure. I tip my hat to the writer. Go, dudes!

[killkenny kid]

indeed, what a kick episode. And nice one, Mr. President. No, you aren't David. But, you made a name for yourself last nite.

[LadySylvia]

Why on earth are you all praising last night's episode of "24"?

They just changed the main storyline of Season 6 . . . in the middle of the damn season! If the writers and the producers are going to do this, why in the hell should they bother to continue calling this show, "24"? They just changed the series' format . . . and no one seems to notice, because everyone is busy praising Jack Bauer's "kick*ss" attitude in getting the bombs and killing Fayed. Good grief!

[dodge]

Why on earth are you all praising last night's episode of "24"?

They just changed the main storyline of Season 6 . . . in the middle of the damn season! If the writers and the producers are going to do this, why in the hell should they bother to continue calling this show, "24"? They just changed the series' format . . . and no one seems to notice, because everyone is busy praising Jack Bauer's "kick*ss" attitude in getting the bombs and killing Fayed. Good grief!

No, they didn't change the format--though I've been suggesting for ages that they do just that (two twelve-hour story arcs or something of the sort). They changed the structure of the story, while continuing within the same 24-hour day. Obviously, this has upset you, but the time frame hasn't been altered and the show's still "24." And, for some of us at least, this shifted signaled a welcome return to creative writing.

[LadySylvia]

No, they didn't change the format--though I've been suggesting for ages that they do just that (two twelve-hour story arcs or something of the sort). They changed the structure of the story, while continuing within the same 24-hour day. Obviously, this has upset you, but the time frame hasn't been altered and the show's still "24." And, for some of us at least, this shifted signaled a welcome return to creative writing.

I don't care if the same time frame is being maintained. They haven't changed the structure of Season 6's story. They have changed the storyline. Period. Unless the Chinese has something to do with Fayed and the bombs. Is that it? Do you know for a fact that Chinese have something to do the incidents of Episodes 1-17?

[Tarl_Cabot]

last night's show rocked. I really think this is the best season of '24' ever-and I just don't get all the complaining!? And so much more to be resolved.I hope Jack gets ghetto on the Chinese guy.

[LadySylvia]

last night's show rocked. I really think this is the best season of '24' ever-and I just don't get all the complaining!? And so much more to be resolved.I hope Jack gets ghetto on the Chinese guy.

I'm complaining because the show ended the season's main storyline in the middle of the season and started on a new one. Which has never been done before. It seemed as if the writers had ran out of gas on the Fayed/bombs storyline and decided to end it early. That's why it didn't . . . "rocked" for me.

Surnow and Grazer might as well change the series' name and format, if they're going to do this. For me, this change in storyline tells me that the writers don't have what it takes to maintain the same major storyline throughtout one season, anymore.

[dodge]

No, they didn't change the format--though I've been suggesting for ages that they do just that (two twelve-hour story arcs or something of the sort). They changed the structure of the story, while continuing within the same 24-hour day. Obviously, this has upset you, but the time frame hasn't been altered and the show's still "24." And, for some of us at least, this shifted signaled a welcome return to creative writing.

I don't care if the same time frame is being maintained. They haven't changed the structure of Season 6's story. They have changed the storyline. Period. Unless the Chinese has something to do with Fayed and the bombs. Is that it? Do you know for a fact that Chinese have something to do the incidents of Episodes 1-17?

No, I don't know yet. And neither do you. And why not get off your high horse and see what next week brings? They have no obligation whatsoever to tell a single story in a 24-hour day. They have a narrative obligation to tie the two parts up--and I'm confident they will.

Edited by dodge, 10 April 2007 - 05:57 PM.

[LadySylvia]

Season 6 finale News!

Spoiler

Phillip Bauer returns, as the Chinese and the Russians are in the middle of a potential war. Jack has supplied Cheng Zhi with a chip needed to break Russian protocols, and we learn Phillip, not Jack, is Josh's father. Phillip has made a deal with Cheng Zhi, who is the mstermind of the day's events. Jack and Doyle go after Phillip to rescue Josh, and stop Phillip from giving Cheng schematics about the US Nuclear arsenal. Doyle gets hurt, but not life threatening. Jack sees Cheng kill his father, then admit his role in everything, including Audrey Raines 'altered' state. Jack tells Cheng that he was never broken in prison, and kills him-but not before having Chloe record the conversation. President Palmer gets the information, and it is implied that China is in some serious trouble. Jack is left with nothing-Audrey is in a state that he cannot be with her anymore, and Marilyn and Josh need to come ot grips with what has happened. Jack gets a phone call, the person on the other end of the line tells Jack he can explain everything, and that this was just the first test-there are more conspirators out there. Jack agrees to meet the person, a car pulls up, and once the door is opened, it is none other than former President John Keeler-who survived the crash of Air Force One (he was never officially confirmed dead). Keeler offers Jack a new direction, and Jack gets in and the car drives off.

5:59:57
5:59:58
5:59:59
6:00:00

Thanks for giving me the rest of Season 6's story. Now I'll know to avoid it.

No, I don't know yet. And neither do you. And why not get off your high horse and see what next week brings? They have no obligation whatsoever to tell a single story in a 24-hour day. They have a narrative obligation to tie the two parts up--and I'm confident they will.

"Why don't I get off my high horse?" Are you trying to tell me that I'm not allowed to complain about last night's episode, because everyone else loved it? What? I have to follow the crowd? If the name of the show is called "24" and we're told that each season represents one major storyline . . . then yes, I believe that the series is obliged to stick to one major story for the entire season.

Please don't tell me whether I can complain or not. My complaints may annoy you, but you telling me how I should react to any story annoys me.

Edited by LadySylvia, 10 April 2007 - 05:52 PM.

[dodge]

last night's show rocked. I really think this is the best season of '24' ever-and I just don't get all the complaining!? And so much more to be resolved.I hope Jack gets ghetto on the Chinese guy.

Welcome to the club of those who enjoy the fine art of bloody surprise!

[LadySylvia]

I hope Jack gets ghetto on the Chinese guy.

Jack is paying the price for his mistake when he broke into the Chinese consulate, causing the death of its consul.

[Tarl_Cabot]

last night's show rocked. I really think this is the best season of '24' ever-and I just don't get all the complaining!? And so much more to be resolved.I hope Jack gets ghetto on the Chinese guy.

I'm complaining because the show ended the season's main storyline in the middle of the season and started on a new one. Which has never been done before. It seemed as if the writers had ran out of gas on the Fayed/bombs storyline and decided to end it early. That's why it didn't . . . "rocked" for me.

Surnow and Grazer might as well change the series' name and format, if they're going to do this. For me, this change in storyline tells me that the writers don't have what it takes to maintain the same major storyline throughtout one season, anymore.

Season 3 they ditched the Mexican cartel thug storyline half way through and went in another direction so it *has* been done before. Besides, Don't assume the crisis has been totally resolved-bad guys have a way of escaping CTU, especially with inside help.

And I was getting enough of that story. I wanna know where Logan is, where Audrey and her father are...etc. This is a great change of pace.

[Johnboy007]

Not real excited about the end of the season now.

Hopefully there will be more to it than "Save Audrey". Otherwise I might not bother to watch.

[killkenny kid]

Come on guys, this is 24. We know there is more to this.

[dinovelvet]

Season 3 they ditched the Mexican cartel thug storyline half way through and went in another direction so it *has* been done before. Besides, Don't assume the crisis has been totally resolved-bad guys have a way of escaping CTU, especially with inside help.

They change the storyline, or divert it in another direction in pretty much every season:

Season 1 - The first half is about Jack trying to find and resuce his kidnapped wife and daughter. The second half is Jack hunting the Drazen family who are out to kill him and Palmer

Season 2 - The first half has Jack trying to stop a nuclear bomb from going off in LA. The second half is about trying to uncover the "Cyprus recording" or whatever that was

Season 3 - As mentioned earlier, 1st half - Mexican drug cartel. 2nd half - British lunatic Stephen Saunders holding the USA to ransom with nerve gas

Season 4 - 1st half - Jack must find the Override Device that can control all the nuclear power plants in the US. 2nd half - Habib Marwan unleashes a wave of secondary attacks including taking out the president.

Season 5 is the only season that didn't do the change direction bit, it was pretty much the same linear plot all the way through, with nutty Charles Logan and even nuttier Julian Sands & Peter Weller

So, S6 changing direction is par for the course, and honestly, the Fayed and his suitcase nukes plot was getting a bit old, it had already been stretched out an hour or two too long. Bring on the Audrey rescue! My God, who doesn't want to see that Chinese ambassador have the life throttled out of him? (In what may or may not be a FOX-related coincidence, Prison Break also featured a sinister Asian shady government character who was thankfully whacked in the season finale).

[Matt_13]

Last nights episode was amazing! Jacks killing of Fayed was the best kill of the season (yes, imo it topped the juggular kill) and the gunfight was top knotch. Best line of that episode was when the CTU guys arrived at the scene and one of them saw all the bodies (I don't remmeber the guys name but it's the guy Mylo hates...as well as myself) and after looking he says "Damn Jack". I also liked Wayne Palmers approach of the nuke, firing an unarmed weapon was genius, kudos to the writers for thinking that up. Can't wait for next weeks episode.

[dinovelvet]

Last nights episode was amazing! Jacks killing of Fayed was the best kill of the season (yes, imo it topped the juggular kill) and the gunfight was top knotch. Best line of that episode was when the CTU guys arrived at the scene and one of them saw all the bodies (I don't remmeber the guys name but it's the guy Mylo hates...as well as myself)

Ricky Schroder! I like his character, I think they're developing him into an even more extreme and rule-breaking version of Bauer, he could slot into the void left by Tony Almeida. We need at least one fellow badass at CTU now that Tony and Curtis are gone!

[Professor Dent]

That was an enjoyable episode. The nuke story seemed to be running out of steam & last night's episode explained exactly why there wasn't much left in it. I welcome this "change" in the story because this season was originally billed as something that had personal implications for Jack. The whole nuke plot didn't seem very personal to Jack. Maybe we will see the plot with his father wrap somehow into the Chinese storyline. I wouldn't mind seeing Jack kick that Chinese dudes butt. On the President, Wayne is like a fine wine -- his performance seems to get better every week. His deception on the nuke was magnificent.