Fox’s thriller series 24 came on to the scene in 2001 with a unique concept that set it apart from most shows; each episode took place in real-time, with a clock ticking down to denote the hour in each episode, and the events of each season taking place over the course of one day. The show spawned …
“I want to believe.” This has been the motto for many an X-Files fanatic. Although there were over 200 episodes in the 1990s, a spin-off, comic books, and two films released in theaters, the fans always want more. Well, the prayers to those up above (God or aliens) have been answered. According to Deadline, the …
I don’t think we can ever win with Homeland, and we need to accept that. There will always be a frustrating polarity present, because it has always been there and it seems content to stay there. The series gives in to its best and worst tendencies on a weekly basis, thrilling in one scene with refreshing ease and then backpedalling in the next. It is a careful mediation on modern war, but it is also the 24-esque twisty action show. Sometimes, that binary opposition is entertaining and even beneficial, but other times—like this episode—it just feels disappointing.
The digital age has changed television dramatically within the past two decades. With the advent of cable channels, home video media, dish on demand and the internet, the average TV viewer has a variety of venues to access television programs. With all these ways to access television shows, the viewing audience has become more aware …
One of TV’s most beloved romances is that of Logan and Veronica (affectionately termed “LoVe” by fans) from Rob Thomas’ cult classic Veronica Mars. The romance and the series had enough power and pull to drive a wildly successful Kickstarter and a reasonably successful film. Coming back to 24 for 24:LAD, it struck me for …
Call it the calm before the storm. After a couple of weeks in which the action has been fairly frequent, the focus is narrowing as this season nears a close. This is a streamlined, effective episode that hits all the beats it needs to without much fluff. There are a few loose ends to tie up, and the wham-bam is a touch thin, but they’re necessary movements.
One of the best things about this event series version of 24 is that the narrative is more tightly scripted. With 12 episodes instead of 24, there is no room for fluff. There hasn’t been much of it so far, and the producers have been able to keep the tension high almost the entire way. It’s also difficult at this stage in the game for it to spring genuine surprises.
You got us, 24. We all fell for it, and in truth we should have seen it coming. Everyone was convinced Heller truly died in the middle of Wembley Stadium in a missile strike, but there was a major hint at his continued survival: the lack of a silent clock at the end of the previous episode. The silent clock is a 24 tradition to pay tribute to the death of a major character. It felt slightly jarring that Heller did not get that treatment, and now it’s clear why.
There is more than a scent of resigned doddering in this week’s outing. Jack’s mission is fairly rote: he needs to get Heller out of the presidential enclave without anyone knowing. But it accounts for much of the running time. He forms an uneasy alliance with Mark, who keeps almost everyone else in the administration occupied while Jack and Heller make a beeline for the rendezvous with Margot.
For decades, summer blockbusters skated by with having just one incredible set piece to implore viewers to tell their friends about, the kind of scene that you simply must see on the big screen. That’s not typically enough for moviegoers anymore (the Transformers series notwithstanding). We demand more from our entertainment, literally more bang for our buck, as we want to be told compelling stories to nestle alongside the whizzbang of CGI and explosions.
24 is a wonderfully enjoyable show at its best. At its worst, it offers the same rehashed ideas over and over. While old tropes can work when they’re given a fresh twist, as we’ve seen over the last few weeks, a mole working in the CIA is narratively constraining. There are usually only two ways for it to play out: the mole is successful (as Nina Myers so very nearly was) or fails miserably. There is a third option, that of the double agent, but we saw that wayyy back in Day 3 with Gael.
And so it is that one of 24’s top love stories enters a new chapter. Jack and Audrey have an incredible history together, even by Jack’s standards. He killed her ex-husband, for heaven’s sake. They haven’t seen each other for years, and now they cross paths once again, with Jack a suspected terrorist (which everyone with half a brain in this universe should know is hogwash) and Audrey firmly entrenched in her father’s administration. Before the star-crossed lovers finally reconvene, there is plenty of other business to get through, most of it related directly to the impending terror attacks.
One of the reasons 24’s original run came to an end is that it was no longer original. It was running out of ideas and ways to tells stories without introducing moles, double-agents, and inorganic obstacles for Jack Bauer. What 24: Live Another Day has managed to do, so far, is to use familiar elements from the show but present them in a fresh way. While it doesn’t completely revitalize the franchise, it’s brought a solidly entertaining action-thriller back to the schedule.
After a frantic two-hour premiere in which we barely stopped to breathe, the season’s third hour is a much more taut and streamlined affair. There’s plenty of action, but the focus is on pushing the plot forward. Jack is hunting the young lady who we saw take off with the drone override at the end of last week, Kate uses her interrogation nous to get closer to Jack, and Chloe has a startling reveal that explains much of why she’s an outsider.
Jack Bauer is further outside the system that made his name than he’s ever been, both literally and figuratively.
On the run for years after supposed terrorist acts that actually protected American citizens, he resurfaces in London, far away from the U.S. metropolises he saved so many times. It’s the first time 24 has left the confines of the States for an entire season, though previously took a several-episode detour to Mexico and placed Jack in Africa for the 24: Redemption TV movie.
Written by Ed Brisson Art by Michael Gaydos Colors by Josh Burcham Lettering by Shawn Lee Regular Cover by Davide Furno Published by IDW Publishing 24 Underground #1 is the first issue of a new series intended to bridge the gap between what was once the final season of Fox’s 24 and its upcoming revival …
Alphas Review, Season 2, Episode 12, “Need to Know” Written by Michael Karnow & Adam Levy Directed by Nick Copus Airs Mondays at 8pm (ET) on SyFy In times of war or impending terrorism, a predominant question asks how far authorities should go to stop an impending attack. Does the line for ethical behavior change …
Most people watch TV passively, as a way to wind down their day or relax with their family. Then there are TV fans, who sit forward in their seats, eager to be challenged and inspired as well as entertained by their favorite series. In general, whether viewed actively or passively, TV is in its nature …
Homeland, Season 1, Episode 10: “Representative Body” Written by Henry Bromell Directed by Guy Ferland Airs Sundays at 10pm ET on Showtime That point in the first season of Homeland has come in which not much is actually advancing, but all the pieces are being put into place for something big to go down. That’s …
Homeland, Season 1, Episode 6: “The Good Soldier” Written by Henry Bromell Directed by Brad Turner Airs Sundays at 10pm ET on Showtime It had to happen eventually. Homeland has not been a perfect show, not really. As good as it is there have always been tiny little things that have threatened to derail the …
Homeland Season 1, Episode 4: “Semper I” Written by Howard Gordon & Alex Gansa Directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff Airs Sundays at 10pm ET on Showtime Though it may not look this way on the surface, Homeland is quite an ambitious series. What the show does is play within the tropes of the typical conspiracy thriller …
Television, more than any other medium, allows its audience to experience a story over time. Characters grow and develop over the years and the audience shares in this. The big, life-changing moments happen, but so do the small ones, the day to day and week to week choices that shape who a person really is. …