24 Withdrawal

[Doug Loudenback]

Is anyone here a 24 freak like me? Having watched the end of season 7 (and being really glad that there will be a season 8), I am experiencing 24-Jack-Bauer withdrawal pains.

Until I was pretty sick earlier in the spring, I'd never even heard of 24. While puttering around on the computer during that time, I went to Hulu (because of the great Superbowl commercial) and happened across 24 there.

To make a long story short, I have purchased and watched seasons 1 through 6, the prequel to this season's 7 on DVD, and season 7 on TV.

Gawd, I love those guys and gals.

Anyone else want to form a support group until season 8 begins?

[bwana_bob]

I'm with you Doug! I started watching at the beginning of Season 2 then watched Season 1 on DVD during the summer before Season 3. After that, every episode, I never miss a minute. I really liked some of the character development and twists this year... notice how the President ends up like Jack at the end of the day... essentially alone. Tony is still alive - and seething. And next season takes them to New York, in the shadows of Lady Liberty. Can't wait to see what happened in that final interrogation scene too. Won't be too soon for me!

[fromdust]

i am now caught up on all seasons except the newest one, which i hear is pretty ridiculous. i also hear next season will be based more on realism,dont know exactly what that means, and in nyc.

[Doug Loudenback]

There hasn't been a season that I didn't get completely engrossed in, including season 7. The development with Tony caught me by surprise and I liked it.

You can see the last 5 episodes on Hulu and 5 episodes from season 1 ... Hulu - Watch your favorites. Anytime. For free. ... and you can watch other episodes at Amazon for about $1.99 ... that's what I was doing before I decided that I had to have the whole shebang.

[Doug Loudenback]

I'm with you Doug! I started watching at the beginning of Season 2 then watched Season 1 on DVD during the summer before Season 3. After that, every episode, I never miss a minute. I really liked some of the character development and twists this year... notice how the President ends up like Jack at the end of the day... essentially alone. Tony is still alive - and seething. And next season takes them to New York, in the shadows of Lady Liberty. Can't wait to see what happened in that final interrogation scene too. Won't be too soon for me!

So what do you think? In the interrogation scene, will she kill the guy? Will a miraculously recovered Jack Bower prevent her?

[dismayed]

I really enjoyed this season, especially after last season which really didn't do it for me. That show really stresses me out. I've never really seen a show before that could literally have me on the edge of my seat by the end of the episode... prior to 24, that is.

So what is everyone's favorite season? For me it is a tie between season 2 (the one where there is a hit out on David Palmer and Jack has to protect him), and I think it was season 4 or whatever one was the one where there was a white powder that got blasted into a building full of people. In fact the episode when that happened just about made me lose bowel control. Hahaha.

[fromdust]

the season with the slimy president logan and omicron giving sentox gas to terrorists was really good. any season with kim bauer
season one got annoying with jacks wife, couldnt stand her, was glad they killed her off.

[Doug Loudenback]

So what is everyone's favorite season? For me it is a tie between season 2 (the one where there is a hit out on David Palmer and Jack has to protect him), and I think it was season 4 or whatever one was the one where there was a white powder that got blasted into a building full of people. In fact the episode when that happened just about made me lose bowel control. Hahaha.

This is a good question, but it's a toughie since I liked them all. I'm pasting below some wiki summaries to help the thinking process ...

• Season 1. Season 1 begins and ends at 12:00 AM, and occurs on the day of the California presidential primary. Jack Bauer must protect Senator David Palmer from an assassination plot, and rescue his own family from those responsible for the plot, who seek retribution for Jack's and David Palmer's involvement with a covert U.S. mission in the Balkans.
  
  
• Season 2. Set 18 months after season 1, season 2 begins and ends at 8:00 AM. Jack must stop a nuclear bomb from detonating in Los Angeles, then assist President David Palmer in proving who is responsible for the threat using only the weapons he has.
  
  
• Season 3. Set 3 years after season 2, season 3 begins and ends at 1:00 PM. While struggling with a heroin addiction, Jack must re-infiltrate a Mexican drug cartel in order to acquire a deadly virus being marketed underground.
  
  
• Season 4. Set 18 months after season 3, season 4 begins and ends at 7:00 AM. Jack must save the lives of Secretary Heller (his new boss) and Heller's daughter Audrey Raines (with whom Jack is romantically involved) when they are kidnapped by terrorists. The same terrorists then launch further attacks against America, and Jack is forced to use unorthodox methods to stop them, methods which will have long-term consequences for both Jack and the U.S.
  
  
• Season 5. Set 18 months after season 4, season 5 begins and ends at 7:00 AM. Former President David Palmer is killed by a shot to the neck by a sniper. Jack is believed to be dead by everyone except a few of his closest friends. Terrorists with connections to the U.S. government attempt to steal a nerve gas in order to protect U.S. oil interests in Asia, and Jack must resurface to stop them as well as dismantle the government conspiracy.
  
  
• Season 6. Set 20 months after season 5, season 6 begins and ends at 6:00 AM. Jack is released after being detained in a Chinese prison for twenty months. Terrorists plot to set off suitcase nuclear devices in the United States and Jack must stop them; later, Jack has to prevent sensitive circuitry from falling into the hands of the Chinese to prevent war between the U.S. and Russia.
  
  
• Redemption. Redemption is a television movie, aired on November 23, 2008, bridging the gap between the sixth and seventh seasons of 24. Set partially in Southern Africa, Jack finds himself caught up in a military coup while trying to find somewhere he can rest. Meanwhile, in the United States, it is Inauguration Day, where Allison Taylor is being sworn in to office.
  
  
• Season 7. Season 7 begins and ends at 8:00 AM. A major national security incident occurs when the firewall responsible for protecting America's government computer infrastructure is breached by the same people responsible for a conflict in Sangala. The season features the show's first female president, Allison Taylor, and this is the first season to take place outside Los Angeles. It also includes members from the previous seasons.

[kmf563]

Horribly disappointed Doug. I have obsessively watched 24 all the way through. I can't even put that one on the DVR, I have to be home to watch it as it airs. This season was a huge disappointment for me. I can buy the whole bit about Tony losing his mind and being the good guy and the bad guy at the same time, but to almost kill Jack for it? Nope. And the fact that Jack was the biggest baby through this entire season was just not believable. The guy was tortured by the Chinese for years, addicted on heroin, watched his wife die ... never cried like this. I have a feeling after this season that Chuck Norris took off his Jack Bauer pajamas and put his own back on.

What kills me the most, as most of my friends concur, is the fact that they had 2 years to make this season with the Keifer hiatus and THIS is what they give us?? It's like they sat around and thought about what would piss off the fans the most and then did it.

Season 8 better be a hell of a lot better since it's the series finale before the movie. And Jack better go out in blazes rather than as a crybaby or I will be almost as pissed off as I was when Sopranos ended.
(That is, if Keifer can quit headbutting people and stay out of jail long enough for them to finish it)

[Lord Helmet]

I actually really enjoyed this season...until the finale...what a waste.

[Doug Loudenback]

Oh, well ... I thought that the closing finale was great ... appropriate ending for ... the FBI lady apparently make a choice that she could live with ... Tony still alive waiting for the next turn next season ... the president, alone ... and, yes, though we all knew it was going to happen else we'd have no season 8, Kim coming back to save her daddy. Just loved it!

As for Chuck, his lack of weakness makes him a weak character, as far as I'm concerned. I'll take Jack Bauer any day.

[Luke]

I've never seen one episode. I may check into it.

[Doug Loudenback]

As I said, I'd never even heard of it until I was sick in the spring and started watching it on Hulu.com. It immediately became my favorite show and I rarely watch commercial TV ... hate commercials ... which, of course, is why I never heard of it sooner!

The general notion is that all episodes in an entire season take place within the space of 24 hours, hence the title. Each episode is one hour of that day, and all activity occurs in "real time." Therefore, one season = one story, but with lots of plots and subplots during the 24 hours which a season covers. It's not really well suited for beginning in the middle of a season, even though a brief recap starts each episode. Common themes involve trusted co-workers not being, plots in government agencies, corruption in government including the presidency (or vice-presidency, sometimes involving removal of the president), as well as the usual suspects in terrorist-oriented activity, which is the one theme running through the whole thing, together with the principal star, Jack Bauer aka Kiefer Sutterland. Here's a wiki description: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24_(TV_series)

You can see a limited number of episodes either commercial-or-almost-commercial-free at Hulu - 24 as well as several other video clips. Available full episodes rotate weekly in and out of 2 particular seasons ... right now, season 7 and season 1 are playing.

This just past season saw the White House and President being taken over by a terrorist group from an African country, aided and abetted by a group of private businessmen in the United States, some of whom become known, others not. There's just too much to tell beyond what I've said, though ... I love every minute of it and want more!!!

[Doug Loudenback]

Just picked up season 7 from Suncoast at Quail Springs, $36.99 (regular DVD, I don't have Blue Ray equipment, but that version was also available). Walmart at Belle Isle Station didn't have it yet. Just finished watching a couple of special features.