Braga's REDEMPTION

[Captain Mike]

Really, I've given up on it again. I've thought this season has been just as stupid this season as the previous two, which I've also stopped watching after a few eps. I want to like the show, but it just slips further away from being likeable every season. Although I have to admit this season has been slightly better than the previous 2, but still not actually good.

This sounds like gibberish to me?!?!

This is, IMO, one of the best seasons of 24; ever!

I found it boring and repetitive, and bailed on it for good this season.

I wouldn't say it's Braga's fault, tho. The premise was always pretty shallow and I've known all along this would happen eventually. This just isn't a show where fresh, new ideas are possible.

It's good to have your own opinion, but like Robert, the OP, I am still in dire consequences when that night's show is at the "end". Unlike other posters too I must say I watch it for the pure escapism most of all.

 

[D Man]

I'd say that 7 is an improvement on 6 but no revolutionary changing of the formula. I would rank them, best to worst, 3-2-5-7-4-6-1... I put 1 at the bottom because I think people tend to remember the highlights and forget that literally 50% of the airtime was devoted to Stupid Kim and Amnesiac Terri. Jack only got one quarter of the screen time. So basically 50% of the show was good and 50% was absolute filler garbage.

I agree that S1 had some real nonsense with Teri and Kim, but I think your ratios are a bit off, especially since you listed S3 as the best. President Palmer, an amazing character in season 1 & 2 (and again when he appeared in 4 & 5) was reduced to the insanely boring Malkin (spelling?) plot in S3. Palmer and Jack were the strongest characters during seasons 1 - 2, but Palmer being reduced to such nonsense in S3 means that season takes a hit IMO.

For me, 24 so far ranks more as 1-2-5-3-4-7-6. The only one truly BAD is 6, and while season 4 was off the charts with ridiculous, it was still an incredibly entertaining thriller, which S6 only managed for 4 episodes, and S7 is still working on. One of the biggest problems this show has had since the beginning is arcs that have nothing to do with the main plot, i.e. the S3 Malkin story or the Martha v. Charles story from S5 that was mostly irrelevant til the finale.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Really, I've given up on it again. I've thought this season has been just as stupid this season as the previous two, which I've also stopped watching after a few eps. I want to like the show, but it just slips further away from being likeable every season. Although I have to admit this season has been slightly better than the previous 2, but still not actually good.

This sounds like gibberish to me?!?!

What's gibberish? That I gave this season a chance, and after 8 or 9 episodes decided to stop watching, just like I did last season? Or that I didn't think this season was quite as bad as last season, but still thought that it was pretty much as stupid.
That I used to enjoy the show, and keep hoping that it'll get better, but each season it seems to slip further away from that because I find it more and more annoying that they stick to the same old formula?

 

[RobertScorpio]

Really, I've given up on it again. I've thought this season has been just as stupid this season as the previous two, which I've also stopped watching after a few eps. I want to like the show, but it just slips further away from being likeable every season. Although I have to admit this season has been slightly better than the previous 2, but still not actually good.

This sounds like gibberish to me?!?!

What's gibberish? That I gave this season a chance, and after 8 or 9 episodes decided to stop watching, just like I did last season? Or that I didn't think this season was quite as bad as last season, but still thought that it was pretty much as stupid.
That I used to enjoy the show, and keep hoping that it'll get better, but each season it seems to slip further away from that because I find it more and more annoying that they stick to the same old formula?

Ummm...if you gave up after 9 episode how can you be so sure of your facts. I like you have given up on past seasons, but even by episode 9 this show was rocking for most. So I'm not sure what your problem was by episode 9..but thats cool, thats your choice. But by most accounts, most fans of the show agree that this season has seen 24 return to the action-packed/cliffhanger glory of the better seasons; which this one definately is...thus far...

Rob

 

[Bob The Skutter]

This sounds like gibberish to me?!?!

What's gibberish? That I gave this season a chance, and after 8 or 9 episodes decided to stop watching, just like I did last season? Or that I didn't think this season was quite as bad as last season, but still thought that it was pretty much as stupid.
That I used to enjoy the show, and keep hoping that it'll get better, but each season it seems to slip further away from that because I find it more and more annoying that they stick to the same old formula?

Ummm...if you gave up after 9 episode how can you be so sure of your facts. I like you have given up on past seasons, but even by episode 9 this show was rocking for most. So I'm not sure what your problem was by episode 9..but thats cool, thats your choice. But by most accounts, most fans of the show agree that this season has seen 24 return to the action-packed/cliffhanger glory of the better seasons; which this one definately is...thus far...

Rob

OK, well I'll tell you the problems I had with it.
1. Moles, yet again.
2. FBI might as well just be CTU with a different set for all the difference it makes.
3. Why is Jack always mistrusted? He's saved the country about 50 times now, surely they should know by now he's one of the good guys.
4. One episode the President is willing to risk her being killed to keep the peace going, 10 minutes later she's ready to risk her life and the peace to go sit in the hospital with him where she can't do anything.
Those are the things that come to mind at the minute, but there are others things that I know bugged me, one of which is the forced cliffhangers, ramping up the tension every hour. Godforbbid anything could take more than an hour to solve, or esclate.
I will admit that there are things I liked, such as they at least tried to shake it up, even if they did end up falling back in to old patterns. Or the fact they're trying to make it not so cut and dried when it comes to the use of torture, even if they are coming down on the side of Jack's never wrong.

 

[RobertScorpio]

What's gibberish? That I gave this season a chance, and after 8 or 9 episodes decided to stop watching, just like I did last season? Or that I didn't think this season was quite as bad as last season, but still thought that it was pretty much as stupid.
That I used to enjoy the show, and keep hoping that it'll get better, but each season it seems to slip further away from that because I find it more and more annoying that they stick to the same old formula?

Ummm...if you gave up after 9 episode how can you be so sure of your facts. I like you have given up on past seasons, but even by episode 9 this show was rocking for most. So I'm not sure what your problem was by episode 9..but thats cool, thats your choice. But by most accounts, most fans of the show agree that this season has seen 24 return to the action-packed/cliffhanger glory of the better seasons; which this one definately is...thus far...

Rob

OK, well I'll tell you the problems I had with it.
1. Moles, yet again.
2. FBI might as well just be CTU with a different set for all the difference it makes.
3. Why is Jack always mistrusted? He's saved the country about 50 times now, surely they should know by now he's one of the good guys.
4. One episode the President is willing to risk her being killed to keep the peace going, 10 minutes later she's ready to risk her life and the peace to go sit in the hospital with him where she can't do anything.
Those are the things that come to mind at the minute, but there are others things that I know bugged me, one of which is the forced cliffhangers, ramping up the tension every hour. Godforbbid anything could take more than an hour to solve, or esclate.
I will admit that there are things I liked, such as they at least tried to shake it up, even if they did end up falling back in to old patterns. Or the fact they're trying to make it not so cut and dried when it comes to the use of torture, even if they are coming down on the side of Jack's never wrong.

I agree with some of what you said, especially the moles. But having been in the military as long as I was? Moles in intelligence was a BIG possibility and still is..

As for the President wanting to be with her husband? I totally could understand her reaction...if you cant then you need to get into touch with your inner humanity....

Jack may be mistrusted. But if you have been watching this show at all in the past then you know he breaks the law...he shoots his boss in the leg to escape capture. He brutally tortures people, totally breaking the law. All this we know. The Senator who was going after him this year (and who just shot to death) was technically correct on all those counts and YOU know it. But thats Jack and he lives by his decisions and we all know the torment. THATS why he's such a great character...

And as for forced cliffhangers..dude..come on...its a TV show. And part of 24s formula is a cliffhanger to keep you coming back. 24 without a cliffhanger would be silly and you know it.

So....while I see merit to your post I have to say, in the grand scheme of things, I don't agree with it...

Rob

 

[Bob The Skutter]

^I can totally see why the President would want to be there with her husband too, but it just struck me as inconsistent that a few minutes earlier she was willing to risk his life.
I'll admit that a lot of my problems with the show are probably just down to my frustration with the show relying on the same formula year after year and being unwilling or unable to reinvent itself as it became stale.

 

[RobertScorpio]

^I can totally see why the President would want to be there with her husband too, but it just struck me as inconsistent that a few minutes earlier she was willing to risk his life.
I'll admit that a lot of my problems with the show are probably just down to my frustration with the show relying on the same formula year after year and being unwilling or unable to reinvent itself as it became stale.

Umm..I can actually see what you're saying. But I could say that about any show..CSIs too!!! But people watch shows because of their familiarity. Even Kiefer said last year that his character should have died years ago. But it is what it is..and for this year, they are doing good. Dude, they just killed Bill Buchanon and I almost cried..I liked that dude!!!

Rob

 

[DWMarch]

Braga's influence stood out to me in the episode where Sean and Erica are sabotaging the computers in the FBI server room. Erica had dialog that was pretty much "I just need to reverse the polarity... and route it through the deflector dish."

I also blame Braga for the unstoppable computer chip of doom that can hack into anything and can be put together by a motivated bad guy in all of ten minutes. It's a shame no one told him this show has done that plot a couple of times now (season 5 with the Russian nuke chip of doom and season 6 with Morris building a functioning trigger for a nuke in 10 minutes despite having his shoulder drilled).

I also catch a whiff of Braga in the constant betrayals but that's been a part of this show since the beginning so I can't lay all the blame on him for that one.

 

[RobertScorpio]

Braga's influence stood out to me in the episode where Sean and Erica are sabotaging the computers in the FBI server room. Erica had dialog that was pretty much "I just need to reverse the polarity... and route it through the deflector dish."

I also blame Braga for the unstoppable computer chip of doom that can hack into anything and can be put together by a motivated bad guy in all of ten minutes. It's a shame no one told him this show has done that plot a couple of times now (season 5 with the Russian nuke chip of doom and season 6 with Morris building a functioning trigger for a nuke in 10 minutes despite having his shoulder drilled).

I also catch a whiff of Braga in the constant betrayals but that's been a part of this show since the beginning so I can't lay all the blame on him for that one.

And yet, to most people, this is one of the better seasons of the show. 24, like CSI and Star Trek and the Brady Bunch, has a formula. This year has been a better year at doing in; Braga and Coto are part of this and are due their PRAISE...

This is the first season of 24 in some time that is generating 'water cooler' moments. I know because this is the first time in a long time I have even discussed this show at work...

So, yeah, some of the inner stuff is the same old 24. But that would be like saying CSI didn't solve a crime with the typical mumbo jumbo they throw out...or Klinger didn't wear a dress in so as to get out of the army..or LUCY didn't find a way to muck up one of her jobs..or one of the Brady kids didn't have an issue...or a FRIEND wasn't going on and on about some dumb thing in their life...or Spongebob and Patrick didn't find some goofy thing going on in Bikini Bottom, or Xfiles didn't aliens, or SIENFIELD didn't go on a ramp, or Mcgarret didn't solve a crime with out saying Book'm Danny, or or or or...I could go on...

Its TV....

Rob