We are 2 hours into 24. The formula has begun again.
It's not right to call this show predictable. There are regularly surprises in the plot. Maybe it's predictable that there will be surprises.
The show is both entertainingly unpredictable and entertainingly predictable. When last night's show began, I was wondering how long it would be before Jack Bauer threatened mortal injury to someone in order to extract information. Remember the classic moment last season when he was ready to jam a pencil in someone's eye while screaming "TELL ME!!!"? These moments are predictable.
So there we were, 21 minutes into the first hour. Jack has a gun against the head of the informant and he screams "TELL ME!!!" I will enjoy watching the show, anticipating when the next of these will occur. I also enjoy the pauses during Jack's task of saving the world from catastrophe while he resolves some personal or family issue.
While I was watching, it seemed to me that the show is more self-aware than ever. You know, this show might benefit from a foray into camp, or at least some self-referential humor.
A unique aspect of 24 is that it has no sense of humor. You'd think that Jack Bauer and his nemeses had never watched the show.
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I tried to watch 24 when it debuted way back when and was really excited about it but after the third or fourth installment when the villain could monitor their every movement I said, "OK that's it. If the writers are gonna pull that kind of cheap manipulative crap I give up." Even though friends told me that situation was resolved pretty quickly I never watched it again.
Hi John! Sorry about your frustration. I think 24 might be designed to be frustrating. So maybe part of the fun is anticipating exactly how I'm going to be exasperated next. I''m not sure the show is really supposed to make sense.
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