24: Season 8

Most reviews of this final season expressed disappointment at its rehashed plot devices and unbelievable events. But now in May 2016, if you switch between 24 and the actual news, it gets a little blurry which is which. No nuclear device (that we know of) is about to go off in Manhattan, but we are in an election year with a woman, a proclaimed socialist, and a fascist as leading candidates; with Russia, China, and North Korea openly challenging the U.S.; and with global terrorism and horrific acts continuing to rise. So which world is more improbable—ours or 24? The downside of this final 24 season was the trademark torture sequences actually ramped up from previous seasons. Then of course you have to accept the ridiculous fiction that people receiving concussions, gunshot wounds, broken ribs, etc. are fully effective in combat action a few minutes later with just a wee bit of medical tape and "suck up" attitude. But we go past all that!This final season more than any other explores a moral gray area that seems to approach the actual complexity of foreign policy decisions—where no choices are really good. An idealistic President becomes obsessed on the prize of achieving a lasting Middle East peace agreement. Then she has a terrible decision to make. Terrorists threaten to set off a suitcase nuclear bomb in Manhattan unless she gives up the visiting head of state she is negotiating the peace with for what will be his certain execution. She weighs the horrible possibility of sacrificing up to a third of the population of Manhattan (!) against caving into terrorist demands that would not only dash the current peace agreement, but perhaps invite even more terrorist acts on U.S. soil and permanently weaken the standing of the U.S. in the world.The usual "24" conspiracy against the President ensues with American special forces engaged to capture the Middle East statesman away from Jack Bauer (who is acting on the President's orders) and to hand him over to the terrorists to stop the bomb. But this time, we the audience are not so sure if Jack is on the right side. As the "day" continues, the head of state is in fact captured and turned over to the terrorists and killed; and the bomb is neutralized. The depth of the conspiracy deepens as we discover Russia has been the puppeteer behind the entire terrorist acts of the day, all calculated to sabotage the Middle East peace agreement.The President by this time snaps and loses perspective. When told of this conspiracy, she willingly acts to cover it up herself to move forward to the signing of a peace agreement at all costs—even threatening her new Mid-East partner (the daughter of the former head of state) with a total U.S. retaliation on her country if she does not go ahead and sign the agreement with the U.S. and Russia. This is of course laughable, except only "nervous-laughable" because we have seen this type of transformation in many of our Presidents. And the whole arc of this season has been the gradual transformation of a promising moral President into a completely amoral "ends justifies the means" figure. No easy choices. Not a game for amateurs or people who want to sleep at night. There were all kinds of other character arcs in this season, but it was this gradual shift to the "dark side" that offered up more than the usual entertainment of cat/mouse/revenge.

I just finished watching all 192 episodes of 24. This was a project that took a lot of time but worth it. I am not sure why I missed it when it was on TV but I am glad it is available on DVD and I have been able to watch it on my own time. Likely I would have missed episodes when it was on TV. The series had great and weak seasons. I think season 1 and 8 are great. The 5th is exceptional. They say season 6 was weak. I guess so but you can see they still put a lot into it. I can see the complaints about torture. Some of it is very violent and gruesome. I think the use of chemical torture was really uncomfortable to watch. This also reminds me of how many have been complaining that Zero Dark 30 endorses torture. I don't think it did nor do I think 24 did. But, that is my opinion. What I do think was representable was their suggestion that those who are Muslims or Middle-Eastern are terrorists. They fixed that in the later seasons, especially season 8. In any event I found Kiefer Sutherland to be electrifying throughout every season. His relentless energy and ability to emotionally and physically act at that level is astonishing. He is a great actor. There were many others I greatly admired especially the weird and wonderful Mary Lynn Rajskub. She became a important part of the show. She seemed never comfortable with herself. Her strange expressions were what made her priceless. I guess my regret is that they killed off so many and some in the same seasons. I never got why they did that. Jack had a lot of great, beautiful women but the poor guy could never get a break. Bad things happened to the three that really meant something. I thought of all of them that Annie Wersching as Renee Walker was breathtaking. I also wish to point out that back in 2001 the show had black president. Not just any black president but a commanding Dennis Haysberth in that role. Then in series 7 and 8 they had Cherry Jones as the first female president. I think that is very interesting and significant. Does anybody but me think Cherry Jones looks a little like you-know-who? Well, they say it will come back in a limited series in 2014. What will Jack be up to? Where did he go? Who will be his next female conquest only for the relationship to go wrong? I cannot wait.

The rest of the season pig were all great but I would have to reorder the 5th season again which really is disappointing.