After last season’s less than stellar performance, I’ve found myself very unenthusiastic about a show I once gushed over. When it was announced that the series would go nearly two years without a new episode, I was surprisingly complacent. In the past, the eight or nine month wait would feel unbearable. What could have possibly gone so awry?
I think at its core, 24 decided to do away with all those little things that made it so clever, unique, and charming, and soon became a parody of itself. It honestly did begin to resemble those stereotypical action flicks, where nonsensical twists and turns would take place in between illogical and unnecessary explosions. Along those same lines, the stories got progressively less intelligent. Another thing that set 24 apart from most other popular series was the show’s willingness to kill off main characters. And the writers would do a brilliant job knocking them off (who could ever forget George Mason’s sacrificial death, or Jack being forced to execute his boss Chappelle, or Teri Bauer’s unexpected murder?) By the end of season six, these supposedly major deaths had become forgettable and, again, nonsensical. It seemed more about shock value than anything else.
All of that being said, I thought 24: Redemption was absolutely fantastic. I honestly believe it completely reinvigorated the series, and I truly feel like this would be an excellent way to kick off every new season. Why not do a two hour special in November that bridges the gap between the two seasons? While I will credit the writers for finding unique ways of filling us in on little details that have taken place over the past year or so, this two hour episode did a phenomenal job of filling us in on what Jack’s been doing while setting up the premise for the next season. I thought it was great, and I loved how this episode reverted to the “back to the basics” mentality. Cell phone use was kept at a minimum. No sending satellite images to palm pilots. There wasn’t any hacking into software.
I’m sure there are some people out there that find the idea of Jack fleeing the country out of character, but I disagree. If you recall, at the end of season six, Jack was so incredibly disenfranchised by the government. After all that he had sacrificed, he came to realize that in the eyes of his country, he was an acceptable loss. I believe that, deep down, he’s still deeply patriotic, but that he basically feels like a scorned lover. And, coincidentally enough, he was forced to sacrifice himself to his country once again in order to save others.
It was also great seeing the rarely seen softer side of Jack. While he’s almost always portrayed as a rough and tough, take no gruff from nobody personality, as we’ve seen many times, he definitely has a soft spot for children. His standoff with the young boy carrying a gun was an especially powerful scene.
While it wasn’t the central story, I really enjoyed seeing the transition between the two administrations. Throughout the years, we’ve followed each president at a different stage, but we’ve never really been there as one president is on the way out, and another is about to take over. In the midst of a global threat, that would undoubtedly present some interesting scenarios.
By the way, if I’m not mistaken, isn’t this the first time we’ve seen a Republican president on 24? Now, granted, this is all based on assumption, since the series seems to make it a point not to specify political parties, but follow me on this. The ONE instance – as far as I can remember – of a political figure being explicitly categorized into a party was in the first season, when Sherry Palmer refers to David as a Democrat. As we all know, Palmer ends up winning the election. He’s the President for seasons two and three. Season four features Presidents Keeler and Logan. While their party is never stated, Logan does call upon David Palmer for his assistance, which I doubt would happen if they were political opponents (not to mention that they shared an advisor in Mike Novick). Logan returned for season five. Season six featured Wayne Palmer, and I think it’s safe to assume he’s a member of the same party as his brother. And Redemption showed us that President-Elect Taylor defeated (and is thus the opposite political party) Wayne Palmer’s former VP.
Anyway, this two hour special did much more to get me excited for the next season of 24 than all of last season did. After season six, I couldn’t help but wonder if 24 could be salvaged. I now know it can. Huge thumbs up: Make it a point to see this episode.
Matt Basilo has been writing for Inside Pulse since April 2005, providing his insight into popular television shows such as Lost, Heroes, Prison Break, and Smallville. You can visit his blog at A Case of the Blog.
