24

[Brad Mercer]

Any fans of "24", the TV series? It's on Fox at 8pm on Mondays. We're 3 or 4 episodes into season 5. Each season is a single, 24-hour day, during which our hero, Jack Bauer, a federal government agent with the Los Angeles division of the "Counter Terrorism Unit" or "CTU", deals with a terrorist attack or similar threat to national security. Each one-hour episode is one hour in his 24-hour day confronting the crisis.

I only discovered it at the beginning of season 4. You have to suspend disbelief regarding Jack's omnicompetence, omnescience and omnipresence, and regarding the relative incompetence of everyone else in the federal government. Once you've suspended disbelief on certain key premises, though, it's just a load of fun.

24 is the most intense, exciting, nail-baiting, baited breath, edge-of-your-seet action thriller in the history of television, by a wide margin. By the end of every episode, my 14-year-old son and I are just giggly/hysterical with excitement as confronts one outrageous threat after another. He's been brought back from death 2 or 3 times in 5 seasons. We're just 5 hours into this 24 hour day and he's made it past a huge security detail into the study of an assasinated ex-president within an hour or two after the murder, tracked down and killed the assasin after extracting a confession, led the successful rescue of a whole airport terminal full of hostages and the killing of all the hostage takers, and killed another assasin who made it past all the security into the CTU offices, extracted a confession from the inside man who helped him, and exposed the fact that the president's chief of staff is working with the terrorists.

Pure, wild-eyed action/adventure, suspense-thriller fantasy escapist television at its most addictive. Utterly without redeeming value.

Brad

[Gary Swartzlander]

Sounds like an up to date version of MacGiver. Nate watches it everyweek, I haven't got involved in it.

[Stan Hall]

I just got into it at the end of last season. I was at church when they did the first two hours of the season opener so I taped it. Then I didn't want to watch the second half on Monday before seeing the first half so I taped it too. Then last Tuesday my wife and I sat down and watch all four hours together (well, maybe 3.5 hours, we ff'd through the commercials!) Just finished tonight's episode. Loads of fun!

[Jenny Mitchell]

Confession time - my 17 year old son and I watch it, too. I watched it most of the first year, but while at NTS I just didn't have enough free time to watch much of anything, so I gave up. Last year, though, Ted and I rediscovered it. I have to admit that the way Brad describes it makes it seem absolutely implausible, but it doesn't feel that way when you watch it (although I have wondered where all the LA traffic is). As a long time fan of Tom Clancy novels, this is the closest thing I've ever seen on TV.

[Stan Hall]

By the way... the new character who came in last week and took over the CTU operation... Is that Sean Astin?

[Andrew Henck]

Yes, the new character is indeed Sean Astin, of the Lord of the Rings fame. I myself am still becoming a 24 fan. I had bought the first season on DVD on sale a few years ago and got hooked then, but it was when the 2nd season was just ending. So I missed Season 2, was off and on watching last season, but did watch all four hours of the 24 Season Premiere and tonight's episode.

As an original "Alias" fan, I'm sad about the news that this will be the last season, so I'm in the process of finding a new show to watch each week. I think 24 is the new one...

[Wilson L. Deaton]

I like it, and my wife is REALLY into it. She's the kind who talks to the characters on the TV during exciting scenes. "Turn around! Look out! Etc." She adds to the excitement.

We also enjoy trying to figure out which characters will be "short-termers" or turn out to be bad guys, etc. You really can't trust anyone!

My biggest annoyance: it drives me crazy the way the president cocks his head sideways when he is listening to people!

Wilson

[Jeremy D. Scott]

I find myself watching less and less television these days...but we watch 24. This is the first season that I have actually watched on television. My wife and I "caught ourselves up" with the DVDs though.

I find this season a bit less captivating than in the past. The president bugs me. I realize that this is the producers' hope, but his actual character bugs me too. I just don't enjoy disliking him as much as I have others (like Shappelle (sp?) and others). This could also be due to the fact that this is the first time I've been forced to wait for the next episode. The time in between may diminish the story line for me. It also could be due to the fact that there's only so much they can do with the show. Plots are repetitive. We'll keep watching though.

[Brad Mercer]

I like it, and my wife is REALLY into it. She's the kind who talks to the characters on the TV during exciting scenes. "Turn around! Look out! Etc." She adds to the excitement.

We also enjoy trying to figure out which characters will be "short-termers" or turn out to be bad guys, etc. You really can't trust anyone!

My biggest annoyance: it drives me crazy the way the president cocks his head sideways when he is listening to people!

Wilson

I'm the same way as your wife about interacting with the TV. My wife hates when I do that. ;-)

I agree that I don't like the president. I always hate when a show thinks it has to have an irritating character just for the sake of being irritating. I loved Dennis Haystert, the actor who played President David Palmer. Man, I'd vote for that guy for president in real life, without even knowing his positions on any issues. He just came across as sooo presidential. ;-) I really hated that they killed him off. It seems like a shame to see such a good actor stuck doing stupid insurance commercials.

Brad

[Jeremy D. Scott]

...I loved Dennis Haystert, the actor who played President David Palmer. Man, I'd vote for that guy for president in real life, without even knowing his positions on any issues. He just came across as sooo presidential. ;-) I really hated that they killed him off. It seems like a shame to see such a good actor stuck doing stupid insurance commercials.

Brad

Yes, David Palmer was quite the character...steadfast, but even with downfalls. I hated the involvement with his ex-wife last season. It was really his only moral downfall in the show.

Anyway, he is now doing a new show (on NBC?) that looks interestingly similar to 24...

[Brad Mercer]

Yes, David Palmer ....is now doing a new show (on NBC?) that looks interestingly similar to 24...

Excellent! I hadn't heard about that.

Brad

[Jeremy D. Scott]

Excellent! I hadn't heard about that.

Brad

Actually, I guess I got it wrong. It will be on CBS and it's called "The Unit"

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/the_unit/

[Jeremy D. Scott]

And it was pointed out to me recently that he plays "Cerano" (sp?) in the Major League movies. I'll have to watch one again knowing that it's him.

[Brad Mercer]

Actually, I guess I got it wrong. It will be on CBS and it's called "The Unit"

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/the_unit/


Cool! They've got a video clip preview. Good for him. I'll definitely check it out when it airs.

Brad

[Stan Hall]

I thought that was Sean Astin. I remember him playing Mikey Walsh in Goonies. He's Patty Duke's son.

[Charlene Clevenger]

We watched the first couple of episodes of 24, but decided to stop watching, knowing that we would miss some eps. It sounds like the kind of show you can't miss, even once. You make me want to start watching again, though.

I watch very few new shows. I like Monk, CSI, NCIS and Cold Case. Almost every night I watch Boy Meets World, which I taped off ABC Family in the afternoon. It ends my day with a smile.

[Wanda Van Winkle]

Brad, my 26-year-old son is a BIG fan. You can rent the first seasons at a video store and watch them without commercials. Nick says we WILL be addicted :)

[Wilson L. Deaton]

OK, 24 fans:

My wife was pretty "teary" as this week's episode came to an end. However, after a short time she decided that Edgar isn't really "totally" dead. She says that next week we'll discover that he fell on the floor and put on a mask or something.... She wonders if anyone else supports this theory.

She made me go on record with my prediction. I told her,
"He wanted Chloe to be his lass,
but instead he breathed the gas."
I say, he's dead.

Wilson

[Wanda Van Winkle]

"Any fans of "24", the TV series?"

Not yet, but my 26-year-old son has been nagging us to rent the first season. He insists we'll be hooked. :-)

[Jeremy D. Scott]

OK, 24 fans:

My wife was pretty "teary" as this week's episode came to an end. However, after a short time she decided that Edgar isn't really "totally" dead. She says that next week we'll discover that he fell on the floor and put on a mask or something.... She wonders if anyone else supports this theory.

She made me go on record with my prediction. I told her,
"He wanted Chloe to be his lass,
but instead he breathed the gas."
I say, he's dead.

Wilson

Wilson-

Interesting theory.

My recollection tells me that when they play the final seconds ticking away with no sound (silent to the hour), it's only when someone important has passed. But I suppose they could be leading us to think that way.

My wife was upset too...I love to remind her that it's just a TV show and quite unrealistic at that.

[Stan Hall]

I too noticed the absence of sound in the final seconds of the episode. I agree, I think Edgar is dead. We don't know whether Lynn made it yet. Did anyone see him in the sealed up room?

Stan

[Jeremy D. Scott]

WOW...Tony's gone. Now, by my count, only Jack, Kim, & Mike are left from the initial season. Is that correct?

Why didn't they give Tony the respect of a silent countdown? :basic03

[Jenny Mitchell]

Ted and I had a discussion about whether Tony is really dead. I'm guessing not. After all, I thought the stuff that got stuck into Tony was supposed to kill Henderson only because he'd had so much of it, thus the dose only knocked Tony into a coma...Ted wonders if Tony picked up something more lethal. We'll see....

[Jeremy D. Scott]

Ted and I had a discussion about whether Tony is really dead. I'm guessing not. After all, I thought the stuff that got stuck into Tony was supposed to kill Henderson only because he'd had so much of it, thus the dose only knocked Tony into a coma...Ted wonders if Tony picked up something more lethal. We'll see....

I think you guys could be right. I wasn't sure what Tony was going to give the guy. Jack sure seems to think that Tony's gone though. But there certainly was something odd about it. Like I noted, there was no silent countdown, and the overall feeling just wasn't nearly as emotional as it was for Edgar, who hasn't been around as long as Tony.

Okay, no more 24 talk for me until next week. :fav18

[Stan Hall]

Okay, just watched 24 tonight. What's the opinion? Did Audrey sell out? Or is someone setting her up?

And that German agent. Isn't that the guy who played Jesus in The Gospel of John?

[Wilson L. Deaton]

What's the opinion? Did Audrey sell out? Or is someone setting her up?

If Audrey sold the info she didn't have any idea that it was going to be used for something that bad.... I, however, don't think she did it.

Wilson

[Brad Mercer]

I agree with Wilson. I can't imagine that she did it. They certainly haven't prepared us for that possibility in any way.

Brad

If Audrey sold the info she didn't have any idea that it was going to be used for something that bad.... I, however, don't think she did it.

Wilson

[Wilson L. Deaton]

So, has President Logan been faking cowardice and incompetence all this time?

Wilson

[Brad Mercer]

So, has President Logan been faking cowardice and incompetence all this time?

Wilson

That was a very surprising twist. I can't wait for the next episode to see how they make it work.

Brad

[Thomas Cook]

That was a very surprising twist. I can't wait for the next episode to see how they make it work.

Brad
Brad I predicted about the second episode or so that the Pres was crooked and somehow involved.Who knows,however what the next twist will be?Maybe this president will go out and the former presidents brother,Wayne, will go in!
Tom

[Brad Mercer]

Brad I predicted about the second episode or so that the Pres was crooked and somehow involved.Who knows,however what the next twist will be?Maybe this president will go out and the former presidents brother,Wayne, will go in!
Tom

I certainly never doubted he could be corrupt. He just hasn't seemed decisive and big-thinking enough to lead a huge, horrible conspiracy.

Brad

[Jeremy D. Scott]

I thought I'd give all you 24 fans the "intel" that I came across:
Season 6 Intel (http://www.tvguide.com/News-Views/Interviews-Features/Article/default.aspx?posting={586CCFCE-8A3F-4503-BD9E-969BFF57A319})

[Brad Mercer]

Maybe this president will go out and the former presidents brother,Wayne, will go in!
Tom

Tom,

You called it! They've announced that Wayne Palmer will, indeed, be the president in the new season! Good work!

Any other insights?

Brad

[Jeremy D. Scott]

Brad - where did you find that info (about Wayne Palmer)?

Someone(s) have too much time on their hands to create this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g6KIOuE6YY

[Brad Mercer]

Brad - where did you find that info (about Wayne Palmer)?

Unfortunately, I don't remember. It was a news article I read somewhere online within the last couple of weeks or so. They said last season's president and first lady would be in the new season as former president and first lady, and Wayne Palmer would be the new president.

Brad

[Jeremy D. Scott]

Unfortunately, I don't remember. It was a news article I read somewhere online within the last couple of weeks or so. They said last season's president and first lady would be in the new season as former president and first lady, and Wayne Palmer would be the new president.

Brad

I guess this prequel-trailer pretty much says it all:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHypzEF8Fyo&mode=related&search=

The season definitely doesn't look like what I imagined it would.

[Mike Schutz]

Greetings!
Has anyone else had this "24" experience?
First, my 16 yr. old son and I started watching it. Then, my 18 yr old daughter got into it. Then my wife, who did not understand why we liked it, sat down for a few minutes and was "brought in."

Then, one weekend we were visiting my 70s- something parents. My family and my brother's family both started talking excitedly about the show. My parents looked at us like we were insane, but they sat with us for one show and now they are hooked.

Why is it easier to turn people on to a TV show, albeit a great one, then it is to Jesus?

Grace and peace,
Mike

[Gord Evans]

Any fans of "24", the TV series?

Although I stopped watching TV with any regularity about 5 or 6 years ago, every once in awhile I'll flop down on the couch and have a look at a show to see if there really is anything on TV worth watching these days ... on the 100+ channels that are currently available.

I have now watched most of a "House" episode that Katie told me was a really neat program, as well as nearly a complete episode of "24". I was intrigued, on both occasions, by the lead actors.

I remember, in 1983, walking into a house party in Scarborough (a suburb of Toronto) with my wife of six years, Katie. The party was in honour of my brother, Jeff, and his very soon to be wife, Cheri. It was a "Jack & Jill" for them, just prior to their wedding.

I recall standing shoulder to shoulder with this redheaded young man for a few minutes, listening to the party chatter. I eventually broke the silence by saying to him, "You look an awful lot like Donald Sutherland ... you know, the actor." He really did! Startlingly so ... hence my comment ... I don't usually say dumb stuff like that. The young man, turned and smiled and quietly said, "That's probably 'cause he's my Dad." This didn't seem to thrill him, and he had nothing more to say about his family.

I had gotten to know Tommy Douglas, a Canadian socialist politician, a decade and a half before, when I was just finishing university. I actually played some music for Mr. Douglas' political campaign road-tour TV advertisement. I had no idea at that time that I'd be schmoozing with his grandson just as he was getting his acting break.

Kiefer had just signed to make a movie called, "The Bay Boy." It was his first 'real' acting role, though he'd done some acting in school before he dropped out. He was about 16 at the time. He was a gentle, quiet young man, but I sensed an edge lurking just under the surface that might leap out and take over at any time. He smiled easily, though he seemed somewhat withdrawn. Even then, he had kind of a steamy, intensity about him that I compare with Sean Penn, or Dustin Hoffman, and even (yes) his Dad.

I remember watching some of his movies over the ensuing years and smiling, remembering him as a 16-year-old. I enjoyed his role in Stephen King's, "Stand By Me", a few years later. He was fun as Athos in "The Three Musketeers" in the early 90s. I was blown away by the uniqueness of his "caller" (http://www.kiefer-rocks.com/media/sounds/phone_booth/i_never_kid.wav) role in "Phone Booth", a few years ago [another: "talking to myself" (http://www.kiefer-rocks.com/media/sounds/phone_booth/oh_hello.wav)].

I have thoroughly enjoyed many of his roles, and thoroughly despised many others. But I guess that speaks very highly of Kiefer's versatility, and the variety of characters he has played during the nearly quarter century since that evening in 1983.

Jack Bauer is an excellent role for Kiefer Sutherland, and the show is one that I just might decide to watch somewhat regularly. A similarity between the TV series "24" and the film "Phone Booth" is the real-time aspect in which both were filmed. The timespan in which the episode/film takes place is as long as it takes to watch it. I kind of like that. And, the intensity (http://www.kiefer-rocks.com/media/sounds/season5/still-conscious.wav) is still there. :basic07

As an aside, both he and his father have marvellous and distinctive voices, which have been used in many TV ads, without their celebrity faces appearing.

[Brad Mercer]

Why is it easier to turn people on to a TV show, albeit a great one, then it is to Jesus?

Well, it probably isn't easier if we're willing to settle for the same level of commitment in return for the same level of excitement and we've got the same budget to produce that excitement.

We have to work with a smaller budget but that's okay because we're willing to spend more time producing a much deeper impact with an excitement that will be less "on-demand", but more real.

I think I'm okay with that bargain. I don't think we'd really be satisfied as a church producing only the effect that 24 produces. That's kind of what the critics of anything new in worship format accuse the new thing of producing. And even 24, of course, still only attracts a small percentage of the total population, and they never have to leave their home to be its spectators.

And as much as I love 24, I'll tell you for sure I've laughed more and shouted more and cried more over the things of God than I ever will over that great, incredible TV show.

Brad