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March 13, 2007
Does Fox know Jack?
“Has '24' jumped the shark?” The question, which basically means — “Are its best moments over?” — was raised to me about an hour ago by a fellow scribe here at The Sun. My immediate, emotional response was “Yes, yes this is the show’s worst season.”
My assessment might prove true come May, but I’m still holding out hope that all of this is building up to something — something grand. I almost slept through the first boring half-hour of last night’s episode, largely because I could care less about the relationship of former President Logan and his estranged wife. I don’t agree with Fox’s promo dudes who promised last night’s episode would provide the “most shocking moment in ‘24’ history.” That, I guess, turned out to be the former Mrs. Logan stabbing her husband. Ho-hum.
The only shining moment came late in the episode when CTU forces attacked the Russians. Pretty cool stuff. The intense gun fight reminded me of a similar scene that occurred in the streets of Los Angeles in the movie, “Heat,” a Michael Mann flick that starred Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.
It looks like next week we will discover the inevitable, double-crossing mole inside CTU. This is a tired act that can be avoided with more creative writing. Or maybe we’ll be surprised and there is no leak.
Perhaps we’ve become too spoiled and criticism of the show is too harsh. Well, I guess that’s what you get for setting the TV entertainment bar so high. So high, not even Michael Jordan could clear it.
There is still hope. If the series can return to riveting, scary storylines — how about the Middle Eastern family that lives next door to you and turns out to be terrorists! — it has a chance. I’ve said it before, but making the Russians the enemy again is so 1985. How ‘bout China, North Korea or Iran? There’s still plenty of people and countries that hate America. Sleep tight tonight!
Latah,
Andy
Posted by Andy Ravens at March 13, 2007 12:32 PM