Woud this make 24 better?

[farmkid]

We have a new season of 24 upon us. I've watched every season so far (although I watched the first few seasons on DVD a few years after it started) and the show seems a bit over-the-top now. In the beginning, the premise was to show a national crisis in real time. They stuck to that pretty well the first season or two. However, in later seasons, they've kept the clock but it's not really in real time anymore. The time fudge factor has become a major character.

Here's where I think it went wrong: the show has turned into the Jack Bauer show. Jack is awesome and all, but it's just not believable that he's the only one who can solve the problem, and that he has to solve every problem. In an effort to keep the show fresh, they have had to turn Jack into Superman. I think they should have focused on showing everything happening in real time, but not focus on Jack. Each season should be in a new city with a new cast. They might keep one or two people who have transferred offices since the previous season, but otherwise it's a new cast. Also, give others something to do other than support Jack or question his motives. That way, the writers can use the story to keep it fresh, rather than use superpowers, badder bad guys and bigger explosions.

What do you think?

 

[Skellington]

After season 1, I thought that a continuation was unlikely and that a completely new scenario, perhaps with many of the same actors in different roles, might be on the cards.

In season 3, I thought that they might actually kill Jack and let Chase be the main protagonist.

From season 4 onwards, it is basically the Jack Bauer Show, with Jack as a superhero and everyone else expendable. This approach has been proven to have its advantages, in my opinion; Sutherland continues to excel in the role, and JB is now a pop culture icon. Changing the lead character at this stage would probably be a bad idea, as Jack Bauer is in the public vernacular by now; he's basically one of those iconic creations that are more a concept than a character per se. DC comics may have a new Batman, but Batman uis Bruce Wayne and he'll be back on the beat before long.

Anyway, what would happen to the Jack Bauer Facts?

 

[Temis the Vorta]

They've never had a character who could remotely fill Jack's shoes as a character who could carry the show. 24 just has a very limited premise, which they've now milked about as much as they should. Time for the big kick-ass finale where Jack finally dies.

 

[DWMarch]

The end of Season 7 didn't have a lot of Jack in action. He was pretty much crippled in the last episodes from the bullshit virus. Tony did a lot of the commando action in the later half of the season and Renee got to do a lot of the running and gunning that Jack would normally do. Hell, even Kim got in on the action once she figured out the overly-helpful tourists were actually overly-helpful terrorists.

In season 8, we've already had Cole Ortiz save the day (or at least the president of Fakeistan) and Renee looks like she's ready to go hardcore for 20 hours with or without Jack. Plus we had at least half an hour of plot advancement while Jack was getting the shit kicked out of him by the NYPD. The show can be an ensemble when it needs to be. But it's not the show's fault that the Keef is just that awesome.

 

[Aragorn]

I think a big problem is how world-changing the terrorist threats are now. Season one was personal -- Bauer and Palmer were involved in an operation and now someone wants them dead and their families to pay. Kidnapping. Assassination of presidential candidate. That was it. Hell, Jack even fell asleep.

Without Palmer, the President is just as much a waste of time as Driscoll's nutcase daughter, or McGill's crack whore sister, or Dana's trailer park trash ex.

 

[Aragorn]

I think a big problem is how world-changing the terrorist threats are now. Season one was personal -- Bauer and Palmer were involved in an operation and now someone wants them dead and their families to pay. Kidnapping. Assassination of presidential candidate. That was it. Hell, Jack even fell asleep.

Without Palmer, the President is just as much a waste of time as Driscoll's nutcase daughter, or McGill's crack whore sister, or Dana's trailer park trash ex.

 

[Mallet]

I beleive that when the series was first starting out (before the first episode even aired) there was talk that every second season would be a different set-up from the odds ones. For example season 1,3,5,7 would be about Jack Bauer & CTU, while season 2 might have been about 24 hours in the life of a Heavy weight boxer being blackmailed by the mob to throw a major title fight the next evening. Season 4 might have been about a person (or a small group of people) kidnapped by terrorists and threatend to be killed in 24 hours so they had to escape. Season 6 might have been about something else. You get the idea.

it was only after the show did so well right off the bat that they changed their minds and decided to keep every season about Jack & CTU. I guess they figured people might not tune in next season if it didn't have the same faces.

 

[Mr Light]

Jack is actually only in like 1/4 of the screen-time, and he gets injured/waylaid all the time. Not to mention the second half of Season 7 where he's completely sidelined the entire time.

 

[Trekker4747]

Make 24 better? I think it's fine the way it is. Sure, Seasons 1 and 2 were more personal and realistic and later seasons the "real-time" thing is greatly fudged and the personal stories are less severe and even down right aggervating (Blondie and her white-trash, van-driving, boyfriend.) But I love the show as it is now for the status Jack has become.

 

[Morpheus 02]

They've never had a character who could remotely fill Jack's shoes as a character who could carry the show. 24 just has a very limited premise, which they've now milked about as much as they should. Time for the big kick-ass finale where Jack finally dies.

i believe the first season's tag line at the beginning of the episode was something "My name is Jack Bauer, and today is the lngest day of my life."

For the last season, a trailer could start with one person, then another and another ...like "My name Alfred E. Neumann, and today was the best day of my life"...or the worst, or strangest or whatever...but end with "My name is Jack Bauer, and today is the last day of my life."

Anyone out there wanna make a YouTube video, maybe using photos, and then have the voiceovers?...as long a syou can find a credible Jack Bauer imitator.

 

[Morpheus 02]

i agree that it's the "Jack Bauer" show., when it OUGHT to be an ensemble cast, with Jack as the lead. Unfortunately, they've killed off nearly every interesting character who could be considered a "co-lead".

As for changing the cast except for a couple..it seems that's pretty much what they've done the whole time. Chloe has been in every season since she first appeared, and Aaron Pierce has been in every season ince the first (and just HAS to be in everyone till the very end. He's kinda like Jack, in beng super patriotic, except he seems to have stayed within the "rules")

What i'd like to see is like the movie "Crash"...different people's lives intersecting...some for longer reasons (like Jack), others just briefly, or at least not having to directly relate to the end of a government and/or major political figure.

They've done different cities (LA, DC, now NY). They've even done simultaneous cities, which i think would be interesting to sustain the whole show.

i also agree that that the lack of real "real time" is stupid...i think it would add some drama to know that people can't make it in time. It's a great excuse to give exposition if needed and/or focus on other characters.


I owuld also like to see, intead of a government mole working for the enemy, have the government worker covering up something...but it's due strictly to their own incompetence, rather then them selling out. This season's techie guy who's using satellite to look at babes at the beach might be that fool.

Maybe also having it CTU vs. FBI, and that even though there isn't SUPPOSED tobe competition, it's happening anyway, and the consequences of that.


One last thought (for now)...Jack is a freakin' GRANDPA...i appreciate he still has a twitch from the disease...but he can't be beaten to a pulp anymore. Save it for someone younger.

 

[knine]

They've never had a character who could remotely fill Jack's shoes as a character who could carry the show. 24 just has a very limited premise, which they've now milked about as much as they should. Time for the big kick-ass finale where Jack finally dies.

Hmmm, better put all of this in spoilers...

Spoiler: 24 Season 8

I felt like in season 7 they were setting up Renee Walker to fill Jack's shoes, or at least be an equal. And season 8 has not disappointed in that regard. Very few people can make Jack crap his pants like Renee did in hour 4.

 

[Harvey]

The only character, really, who could fill Jack's shoes was David Palmer, and the writers did a good job of destroying him as a character in the third season. With the exception of Charles Logan in the fifth season, the Presidency has been more or less completely useless as a story element.

That's why the've abandoned all realism and gone from one President to another--they're trying to find somebody to fill David Palmer's shoes. They even tried David's brother Wayne (and threw in his sister for good measure!), but D.B. Woodside, unlike Dennis Haysbert, is only as good an actor as the writing he is given. And season six was not well-written.

I thought Cherry Jones was okay during the seventh season, but so far she's been dead weight this year. She barely even had anything to do during episode four.

 

[Trekker4747]

I thought Cherry Palmer was okay during the seventh season, but so far she's been dead weight this year. She barely even had anything to do during episode four.

Cherry Palmer? Do you mean Agent Red/ Renee Walker?

She's the closest thing I think the series has came to "replacing Jack." Her actions in epsiode 4 this season certainly are in Jack's vein. But I agree that we've never really been able to replace President Palmer effectively which I credit more than anything else to Haysbert's acting.

 

[Aragorn]

Cherry Palmer? Do you mean Agent Red/ Renee Walker?

He means Cherry Jones, who is playing President Taylor.

 

[Trekker4747]

Cherry Palmer? Do you mean Agent Red/ Renee Walker?

He means Cherry Jones, who is playing President Taylor.

Ahh that makes more sense.

 

[Top41]

I agree that 24 is more or less the Jack Bauer show... but I don't think that's a bad thing. At one point, it perhaps could have been a show that changed casts each season, which I think is a pretty clever and novel idea, though it doesn't really take into account the fact that a big part of what hooks in and keeps loyal viewers is the characters. Sure you can kill some of them off, even beloved ones, but shows don't live and die by premise alone.

I think a large part of why 24 is still thriving in season eight--season eight of a show some people didn't think could go for more than a season!--is because of Jack Bauer and what a compelling/heroic character he is. I keep waiting for this show to feel tired--really tired. Season six was a big rough spot. But the show is still entertaining in its eighth season. That's pretty impressive.

 

[Trekker4747]

Season Six was rough. Good buddy of mine almost gave-up during it. The two-year break between seasons really helped build up the "need" for Season Seven which ended up pretty strong. I agree that it's just not practical to have a new cast in a series every season, the characters are what keeps people coming back.

 

[exodus]

Jack Bauer is the new Chuck Norris w/ a mix of MacGuyver, plain and simple.

You can't replace characters like that with anybody else.
It's like taking Charles Bronson out of "Deathwish".

 

[Scout101]

They've just gotta cut the crap with 2 elements they overuse:

-the MOLE. Always at least one, usually several in every organization. Just lazy writing, and who is issuing all these security clearances anyway?

-the 'Diversion' Plan. Seriously, someone needs to read the entire "plan" of the terrorists out loud before trying to implement it. The whole Marwan season was terrible that way, with constantly trying to outdo itself. THIS is the real plan! No, wait, that was just a diversion so they could steal THIS! But that's just because they're going to use it to do THIS! (on and on and on, well past the point where even a 5 year old would think the plan could work. Too many moving parts, all dependent on the one before it, and resulting in complete failure if not executed properly).

I know you've gotta fill 24 hours of tv, and have a little drama at the end of each episode, but some of these have a different national crisis every 45 minutes, all connected, and dependent on the one before. Would be better to write down the coherent plan ahead of time, and if they want diversions, have them NOT part of the success or failure of the Ultimate Goal.

-And don't know why Jack was freaking out so bad over Agent Red cutting that guy's thumb off. Maybe he's been hit in the head too many times, but he's done worse, with less cause. Was it the beginning of Season 2 where he took a prisioner out of holding, cut the guy's head off with a saw, and carried it to the bad guys in a bag, in order to establish his cover in a hurry? Rene just cut off a thumb, exact same reason, and he's freaking losing it? WTF?