DAMMIT!!!

With some ambivalence I approach the topic of "24". Not because I hate to spoil the plot to my sincere readers. The series ended quite a while ago, and really there is not much to spoil anyway, but for eight days worth of shooting and torturing. My mixed feeling are caused rather by the sudden realization that I watched most of the 8th seasons of "24" quite disengaged from the medium, reading a book or making dinner, and I would only turn my attention to the screen in vital moments, like a death of an important character or a major plot twist.


And not to brag about this rather mediocre achievement, but I predicted all the said twists but one. And just to call BS on one of such moments, I will only say: we get the silent clock after Jack buries Renee alive, when we dont really know her/care about her yet, nor have we any doubt she will be perfectly fine in the five minutes that follow? Outrageous.

But the question is, am I able to rate a television series I watched in a half-assed way?
Well of course I am. I have already expressed opinions about books I haven't read, reviewed games I haven't played and bitched about movies I haven't watched. It all comes with the trade.

But the ambivalence is still there, and to conquer it I have to quote the famous philosopher Yasushi Akimoto, who once said: "You don't have to say it perfectly, just go straight and run at your own pace". So I will be brief.

Occasionally obnoxious as he might be, Jack Bauer is fucking cool.

Tony is pretty fucking cool but Bill Buchanan in his vigilante turtleneck mode is way more fucking cool.

Chloe O'Brian is the fucking coolest of them all.

For "24" is not a statement on violence and torture in the time-bomb scenario. Nor is it a right-wing commentary on the state of the world. "24" is Nikita version 2, and just like it's much superior predecessor it raises some questions about morality and ethics in a successful counter-terrorist unit. But mostly it's about corny, yet awesome parting scenes at the end of the series.

It's all about building up silent and expressionless Michael for five seasons just to let him break down when Nikita goes her way because it's the right thing to do. (spoiler)

And it's all about building up neurotic and antisocial Chloe, so that in the end she could poignantly cry "Goodbye Jack."


(And by Nikita I mean of course La Femme Nikita, the best action TV series ever made, and not the new one that blows. Of course I have yet to see the new one. But I mean it's on CW. It blows.)