24 Finale

I've never liked a TV show as much as 24, I guess it's pretty obvious from my blog site and my message alert tone from way back. The show is also proof that product placement works. I searched high and low for the exact Palm that Jack was using then.

I was deeply saddened after watching the final episode last night. Jack's message to Chloe was also one of the most touching.

“When you first came to CTU I never thought it was going to be you that was going to cover my back all those years. ... Thank you.”

As if I still needed affirmation about how much I liked the series finale, I checked twitter and saw a tweet from Kevin Williamson, creator / writer of Vampire Diaries.

@kevwilliamson Just finished watching 24. Sobbing.

Here are the best scenes from the final 2 episodes:
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10. Kiefer Sutherland’s Nod of Appreciation to Fans
Tonight started with an appreciative (and bearded) Kiefer Sutherland expressing his gratitude for the legion of fans that made 8 seasons of the show possible. It was a fitting start to the end and set the tone that this would be an emotional night.

9. Logan In His Sights
Just as Charles Logan finally thinks he’s in the clear, Jack lets the disgraced politician know that he’s been recording his incriminating phone conversations for the past hour. It’s a satisfying display of the conniving and cunning Logan once again thinking he has outwitted Jack Bauer, only to discover he’s no match for the crafty adversary.

8. Chloe Shoots Jack
Jack’s been tortured in just about every imaginable way. He’s been clinically dead, stabbed, shot and even been addicted to heroin. But no one would’ve ever guessed that Chloe would one day shoot Jack at point blank range. Good thing though that the writer’s weren’t done using one of their most tried and true cliches - “the bullet missed all vital organs.” This gunshot concluded one of the most tense moments of the finale as Jack commanded his long-time friend to kill him and use the distraction to get the conspiracy evidence in the hands of the press.

7. President Taylor Comes Clean
In the final moments of the peace treaty process, President Taylor intercepts Jack Bauer’s message to his daughter and realizes that it’s time to come clean. In fitting 24 fashion, she does so right before signing the treaty and makes an announcement that heinous crimes preceded the peace treaty. Noble move yes, but her actions in the last 6 hours still easily clinch David Palmer as the show’s best and most honorable president.

6. Logan Takes out Pillar
Before turning a gun on himself, ex. Pres. Logan decides to kill Jason Pillar. For fans of the show, this was payback to all the weasels over the years that have gotten in Jack Bauer’s way. It was a completely unnecessary move on Logan’s part, but it sure was a satisfying end to the easy-to-hate character of Pillar.

5. Dalia Hassan and President Taylor Square Off
It was a predictable outcome that Dalia Hassan would eventually discover the truth behind President Taylor and President Suvarov’s lies. Her confrontation with Taylor was chilling, but not more so than President Taylor’s psychotic about-face. When Hassan threatens to abort the peace treaty signing, Taylor responds with a resounding threat to invade Hassan’s country with the military. It was a great standoff between the two characters.

4. Taylor Stops the Hit on Jack
There were a few moments tonight that made the movie rumor seem like a cleverly concocted red herring to make Jack’s possible death all the more shocking. One of these was at the end, where Jack’s medical transport to CTU is ambushed and he is taken hostage by Logan’s people. Right before the would-be killer can put a bullet in Jack’s head, President Taylor calls off the hit. She lets Jack know that he has some time to escape, despite the fact that he will be hunted by the Russians as well as the US. It was a nod to (and almost carbon copy of) the end of Season 4: Jack Bauer and President Palmer exchanging goodbyes as he’s warned to disappear for good.

3. “Shut It Down” and Reverse Clock
Our last shot of Jack Bauer is from a CTU satellite, as he once again attempts to disappear. The final seconds of the last episode ticked off with a reverse-countdown, a departure from the forward counting one that ended every episode before. The clock ticking down to zero truly signified the end.

2. Jack and Chloe say Goodbye
Not many characters from the early seasons are still alive, but, next to Jack, Chloe is about as beloved as a 24 character can get. So it was a poignant moment to see her and Jack say their goodbyes. Serious kudos go out to Mary Lynn Rajskub, who nailed this scene by seemingly channeling real, heartfelt emotions one would feel from saying goodbye to the show.

1. Jack Bauer is Alive!
There was never a 24 villain worthy of the honor of killing Jack Bauer. Not Nina Myers, not Philip Bauer, not Charles Logan and definitely not some random government agents. Jack Bauer is one of the greatest action heroes of this time and he didn’t need to die. Not for all the good he’s done. The show didn’t attempt to dress up the finale and it didn’t have to. There were no gimmicks (like the finale to The Sopranos), just good ol’ 24 sticking to its format. It thankfully didn’t end with a silent clock, it went out with hope that Jack could somehow find some peace in his life.

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Kiefer's series finale interview:

Time's Up for Jack Bauer
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HE'S survived being tortured, poisoned, electrocuted, stabbed and shot. But time has finally run out for Jack Bauer. The special agent hero of 24, played by Kiefer Sutherland, will be seen on television for the last time later on Monday (Tuesday morning, Singapore time) when the landmark action series wraps up after eight seasons, 192 episodes and countless terrorist plots foiled.

In the nine years since the first season debuted in November 2001, the show has been hailed as a landmark in US television which paved the way for other unconventional dramas such as Lost and Heroes which aired elsewhere. '24 is so much more than just a TV show - it has redefined the drama genre and created one of the most admired action icons in television history,' said Peter Rice, Chairman, Entertainment, Fox Networks Group earlier this year.

The show format broke new ground by playing out in real time: each season represented a single day, spread out over 24 hour-long episodes. That in itself was unheard of at the time, according to co-creator Joel Surnow, because conventional wisdom decreed that audiences were unlikely to stay hooked for the entire run. 'You can't syndicate it, and you can't ask audiences to watch all 24 episodes,' Surnow told USA Today in a recent interview. 'But people got so connected to the show, they watched all 24 episodes of the season.'

The ticking clock dimension of each season's storyline also paralleled the ongoing legal debate over 'enhanced interrogation techniques' sanctioned by the Bush administration during the years after 9/11.

For conservative admirers of 24, Jack Bauer's readiness to subject terrorism suspects to torture, provided a useful cultural reference point. Former Justice Department lawyer John Yoo, who drafted the legal memos which advised on the use of techniques widely regarded as torture, even cited 24 in his book, War by Other Means. 'What if, as the Fox television programme 24 recently portrayed, a high-level terrorist leader is caught who knows the location of a nuclear weapon?' Mr Yoo asked.

Even Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia referenced the show during a legal symposium in 2007. 'Jack Bauer saved Los Angeles - he saved hundreds of thousands of lives,' Justice Scalia said. 'Are you going to convict Jack Bauer?'

V

While the season finale of V left most viewers curious as to what will happen now that Anna is seeking for vengeance and has turned the skies red (from the previous series, this apparently is a red dust bacteria), her daughter has now chosen sides and Joshua is revived, I was left more curious as to how they really look like. I couldn't believe that I have to wait for a few more months so I did some searching and found out...

...well, almost. 

On a side note, I hope when they return for the 2nd season, they come up with a better production design or effects or whatever it is responsible for making the ships look real. 

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The latest episode was exciting and Logan quivering in his bullet proof car, I believe is one of the best scenes of the episode. It has in fact generated a lot of fan videos in YouTube. 

I did, however, also feel that everything seems a bit rushed that  my suspension of disbelief has been rattled and shaken that I can no longer help but see how totally impossible everything is. Take for instance the fact that Chloe and Arlo managed to track down Jack's friend Ricker in just a few minutes when he has gone off the radar and that no government agency was able to locate him for years. Likewise, the fact that Jack was able to plan and successfully kidnap Logan in only a matter of minutes. This fact so absurd that the writers thought it better to confront it openly by having Arlo say something like "How did he do that?". My last and final beef is Jack going totally bonkers over Renee! He goes on a murderous rampage and kills Dana, the entire Russian delegation (but he lets the guard outside live) and anyone else who gets in his path. Did he forget that he was able to move past the death of his wife, Teri? 

Back to back series finale airs next week and I can't wait to see how they tie everything together and get Jack out of the mess he's in. 

More observations here. 

Glee The Music: Volume 3

Looks to be a very interesting mix. 

1. Hello Goodbye
2. Gives You Hell
3. Hello (featuring Jonathan Groff)
*4. A House Is Not A Home
5. One Less Bell To Answer / A House Is Not A Home (featuring Kristin Chenoweth)
6. Beautiful
*7. Home (featuring Kristin Chenoweth)
8. Physical (featuring Olivia Newton-John)
9. Total Eclipse Of The Heart (featuring Jonathan Groff)
10. Lady Is A Tramp
11. One
*12. Rose’s Turn
13. Dream On (featuring Neil Patrick Harris)
14. Safety Dance
15. I Dreamed A Dream (featuring Idina Menzel)
*16. Loser
17. Give Up The Funk
*18. Beth
*19. Poker Face (featuring Idina Menzel)
20. Bad Romance

Phuket: Days 3 & 4

Our third day was spent touring Phi Phi and the neighboring islands. We were picked up at exactly 7:30am and we headed to the port. We waited for a few more minutes for the other guests to arrive.

We then settled comfortably in the speed boat. We fought the excitement to sit upfront thinking that it will be too hot by mid-afternoon which turned out to be a perfect decision.

It was quite a lengthy boat ride taking about 2 hours to reach the first island.

I was already dozing off by the time we reached our first stop, Phi Phi islands, the tour guide mentioned that parts of the movie "The Beach" were shot here. The sights were truly breathtaking. This first stop alone is worth the entire trip.

We were given just about 40 minutes to enjoy the waters and the island. The place was a bit too crowded since there were simultaneous trips all over. It's important not to bring any valuables since there's no place to stash your stuff. 

We then went to a couple more islands, I forgot which ones. We were not allowed to step out of the boat but we took all the scenery in. 

We also made a quick stop at Monkey Beach where we fed the monkeys. 

After that, we stopped for about half an hour for some snorkeling. There was really nothing much to see though so we quickly headed back to the boat to pass the time.

We were then taken to another island for lunch. It has quite a few establishments but we didn't explore. The heat was already getting to us and the three of us were feeling quite sluggish. Heck, we couldn't even get up to go to the boat to get our money so we can buy ourselves some ice cream. 

After a few hours of waiting, we then headed to the last island where we're supposed to stay for a couple of hours. It was a stretch of powdery white sand with rows and rows of beach chairs which you have to rent at around 150 baht so you can relax. The tour operators provided us with abundant supply of water, soda and fresh fruit to make our stay a bit more enjoyable. 

Em-J and I excitedly headed out to swim only to find out that it's really not conducive since the are dead corals which can hurt your bare feet. We didn't get ourselves some flippers at the port, the water was likewise not clear so you really can't see what you're stepping on. We decided to just sit back and enjoy the view.

At around 4:30pm, we started our trip back. Good thing that it took only about 15 minutes to get back to the port where our transpo was waiting for us.

When we got to the hotel, we continued enjoying the sun by swimming. 

We then called it a day by ordering in. There was really no place to go to and we were all too tired to still head to town plus I was also feeling a bit feverish. 

Our last day was pretty simple and quiet. For the first time, we stayed in bed and woke up a bit late. I then headed out to the pool after a quick breakfast. By lunch time, Em-J and I started packing to head to town. 

We checked out soon after. The front desk staff, Tatar, knew that our flight is not until later that night so she graciously offered to allow us to shower after spending the day out but we told her that we'll head straight to the airport instead of returning. The gesture was very much appreciated though.  

When we got to town, we looked for a cheap room to leave our luggage and our other things. We ended up checking in at a cheap room, quite literally.

Em-J didn't want to head to the beach anymore since he was already burnt so we spent the day relaxing by having a facial and a massage. We then met up with our cabbie at 7:45pm, he took us to the airport for the same price as that of our room, still a bargain though. As with any vacation, we were both reluctant to leave but we had to. 

Phuket: Day 2

The following day, Eli and I woke up early to get our discounted breakfast coupons at the concierge. We were told that there were only a limited number available. It turns out that we really had no reason to rush as the resort was pretty quiet that day.

Breakfast was about 18sgd / 550php. It was pretty reasonable for a hotel but selections were pretty limited. They had an assortment of pastries, cereals, an open kitchen for pancakes and eggs and finally for something heavy, Thai noodles and fried rice. 

Here we are ready for the day. 

After breakfast, we all headed out to tour the grounds. The Marriott properties were pretty big so they had to  provide us with a buggy. 

We then decided to head to the beach via bicycles. It took us about an hour and a half to circle the area. 

The beach was very quiet with only one visitor bathing in the sun. 

After enjoying the sun, we headed back to the hotel. We asked their super friendly staff as to what else we can do for the day and they recommended for us to go to Phuket town and then Patong later at night. 

A local taxi stand is stationed right outside our hotel and they all have fixed rates. A trip to Phuket town cost 800 baht (36sgd / 1200php). The driver didn't understand much English so he couldn't tell us where to go best. He dropped us off near a Robinson's supermarket and left. 

We had lunch at a local fast food place then we checked out the grocery for things that we still need and since there wasn't really much to do, we decided to go to Patong. We hired a cab and we were able to negotiate a 300baht (13sgd / 400php) cab fare. 

We checked out the area and then we headed to the beach. 

We then went back to the busy area of Patong where we had a massage and dinner. There were a lot of places for massage and we had to circle more than a couple of blocks searching for a suitable place till we reached the mall Jungceylon. Good thing we explored since we didn't know that it was there. 

Their KFC has sundae and chocolate roll while Dairy Queen's ice creams were pretty cheap. I so wanted to have one but I was too full. We then went to the mall till closing. 

We were still planning to go to a few bars but by this time we were all weary so there was really no choice but to head back and rest.