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:
source

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.

24

Kiefer's series finale interview:

Time's Up for Jack Bauer
source

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?'

24

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. 

24 Season 8 Ep 15, 16

I had a full day yesterday. After work, I needed to go to the embassy to pick up my renewed passport and get myself an OEC. On top of that, I had two back to back calibration sessions from 8pm - 10pm, and of all days, today is the day that 24 decides to air a 2-part episode mid-season. How am I gonna squeeze that in?




Thanks to uber fast internet, I managed. I downloaded the first episode in less than 5 minutes. 
Hassan willingly sacrifices himself. Jack informs Chloe that the general ordered a covert operation. The general and Rob Weiss are both apprehended. CTU manages to track down Hassan and Tarin's vehicle. Dana alerts Tarin that CTU is on to them. Tarin transfers Hassan to another vehicle and crashes his car. Jack finds his cell and traces Dana as the mole. Dana is apprehended. She wishes to talk to Jack in exchange for valuable information.
Dana tells Jack of Samir's location in exchange for her immunity. She wants Jack to handle the operation to avoid any more screw-ups. Hassan refuses to follow Samir's orders. They start uploading the feed of Hassan hostage via internet. Jack and Renee arrive on the location but they're too late. Hassan is already dead. 
My recap is very elementary. I just have to say, I loved the episodes!

24 Season 8 Ep 14

With CTU's systems up, thanks to Chloe, they manage to track down the cab that Samir and Tarin took. Dana, however, causes the systems to malfunction for a few seconds allowing the terrorists to blend in to Manhattan's cab traffic and make their escape.

Jack is then called off by President Taylor from the assignment to supervise President Hassan's transfer from the UN to the Maguire Airbase.

Meanwhile, Samir contacts President Taylor and tries to negotiate a deal with her. If she turns over President Hassan to him, he won't set off the nuclear rods. She addresses her staff and is adamant that she won't negotiate with them. (This is a great moment for President Taylor, finally!)

General Brucker has other plans. He talks to Rob Weiss and proposes a covert operation for them to kidnap President Hassan as he is being escorted out. Ethan then walks in on them. As they were discussing, Ethan suffers a heart attack. The general tells Weiss to seek for medical help later as Ethan may jeopardize their plan.

Ethan managed to dial Jack's number. After trying to call him back several time, he gets suspicious and tells the team to head back. The general's men opens fire and this time we see Jack in top form. Jack then manages to get the truth out off one of the men.

Samir, not hearing from President Taylor back, orders Tarin to set off the device.

24 Season 8 Ep 13

Jack and Cole manage to track down the hostiles at a nearby port. (Who says they need CTU?) They engage in a shoot out but Tarin manages to escape. This shoot out goes on until the end of the episode. Really??? Come on, 4 hostiles against Jack should have been no match. Jack keeps shooting and hits no one. 20 minutes into the episode and I was already in a state of disbelief, they had to inject drama where the newbie agent is hit and Jack spends a good ten minutes trying to hold his neck.

Anyway, the saving grace of the episode is Chloe. NSA is contacted to help restore all the technology at CTU but their method would take forever. Chloe has a risky idea but is quickly dismissed. She threatens the NSA prick, does it her way and saves the day.

Meanwhile, Renee is back ine the picture arriving just in time to help Jack and Cole finish off the hostiles. Dana already had it with the Kevin's probation officer and strangles him to death. It is then revealed that she is working with Tarin.

24 Season 8 Ep 12

Tarin is tipped off by Samir that his identity may have been compromised. Looking out the hotel window, he sees the authorities closing in on him so he forces Kayla to come with him and they head out to their headquarters. Samir contacts President Hassan and demands for file 33 in exchange for his daughter. The file in question is later revealed to contain weaknesses in the U.S.defense.

Meanwhile, back at CTU, in the middle of the crisis, Kevin's parole officer shows up and questions Dana. She makes up a lie but he is adamant. He wants to talk to her some more otherwise he would go to Hastings. Dana asks him to stay put. (I have to say that this plot seems to have been way off. It just doesn't gel with the 24 pace.)

Tarin and Kayla escape and he instructs her to contact CTU as they can help her out. He gets shot. Back in CTU, upon reviewing the surveillance footage, they see Tarin very much alive. They put two and two together and realize that there must have been a bomb in Kayla's getaway car but they are already too late. She arrives with only about 17 seconds. The bomb goes off. CTU is destroyed...again.

The Clock is Ticking

By: Michael Schneider

20th Century Fox TV and Fox appear ready to end the long-running hit after this season, the show's eighth.

Studio and network execs declined comment -- but it's believed that the final decision will be made in the next day or two. Move is not a huge surprise, but still reps the end of an era for Fox.

"24" helped usher in Fox's ratings surge in the 2000s, as the franchise -- along with "American Idol" and "House," among other series -- led the network to the No. 1 spot in the adults 18-49 demo.

But the cost of producing "24" has continued to increase, while ratings have dipped. A one-time critical darling, "24" has also received its share of knocks from critics this season.

The studio is said to be considering shopping "24" to other nets -- but given the thriller's age and pricetag, it's believed interest from other outlets will be limited.

Yet even as the bell tolls for "24" in primetime, the franchise is far from dead. Sutherland and the "24" team have been keen on adapting the show as a feature film, and have made major strides in recent months toward making that long-term goal a reality.

Twentieth Century Fox's film side recently hired scribe Billy Ray ("State of Play," "Flightplan") to pen the script for the feature version (Daily Variety, Feb. 8.)

Ray's pitch, which takes Jack Bauer to Europe, was a hit with Fox execs and producers of the high-concept television series.

Script is said to have come through "24" star Sutherland, who's also an exec producer on the series.

Such a move into the features world was considered impossible while production continued on the TV series -- given that "24" takes much of the year to produce, with its feature-like shooting schedule. But with the show expected to end its run, the ability to focus on a movie could now finally be in sight.

"24" was created by Robert Cochran and Joel Surnow, while exec producer Howard Gordon runs the show through his Real Time Prods. banner.

Brian Grazer's Imagine Entertainment produces the show along with 20th Century Fox TV.

Sutherland has starred throughout all eight seasons as Jack Bauer, a federal agent and member of the Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit (and who has saved the world several times over). "24" made noise for its real time format, in which all 24 episodes take place as consecutive hours in the same day.

Although it was developed before the attacks of 9/11, the show, which bowed Nov. 6, 2001, in many ways began to mirror the changed world, given real-life fears over terrorism and debates over torture methods. Skein's depiction of an African American president was seen as a ground-breaking precursor to the 2008 election of Barack Obama.

The show has won the Emmy and the Golden Globe awards for drama, while Sutherland has scored both an Emmy and a Globe for actor. "24" has also received Emmy Awards for writing and directing; last year, Cherry Jones won an Emmy for supporting actress in a drama.

This season's edition of "24," which takes place in New York, stars Sutherland, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Jones, Anil Kapoor, Annie Wersching, Katee Sackhoff, Mykelti Williamson, Freddie Prinze Jr., Chris Diamantopoulos and John Boyd.

Source: Variety

24 Season 8 Ep 11

Dana and Cole head back to CTU where they are confronted by Hastings. Since they are the best in their respective fields, they are allowed to work back. Dana gets demoted and now has Chloe as her superior. She then gets a call from Kevin's probation officer who insists on meeting up with her at that ungodly hour.

Meanwhile, Marcos manages to arm the bomb again and refuses to listen to Jack until his mother is threatened. He informs Jack that Tarin is involved before exploding into bits.

The episode was really a bit boring until I think the last 2 minutes of the show where Kayla finally answers the call from her mother while Tarin is in the shower. She is informed that she is in danger as Tarin is indeed a traitor. She manages to tell her of her whereabouts only to be informed by Tarin that they are leaving. She manages to keep her calm and locks herself in the bathroom under the pretense of cleaning up.

I am, however, very excited for next week:

24 Season 8 Ep 10

Cole and Dana disposes of Kevin's body in the swamp.

President Taylor talks to Hassan and asks for the roster of covert operatives so Farhad can identify the men behind the impending attack.

En route to the embassy, Tarin escapes. Kayla meets up with him at a hotel where they wait for an American attorney to arrive who will help him out. They then rekindle their passion until the end of the episode.

President Taylor then orders the UN be evacuated as a safety precaution. President Hassan refuses to do so since his daughter is nowhere to be found. He calls his wife who is already about to fly out of the country to try to get in touch with Kayla.

Before getting a chance to save him, Farhad is killed. Jack uses his body as dead bait to lure one of the Kamistan covert operatives to finish him off.  His plan works and they quickly identify Marcos. Chloe is able to disarm the body bomb but before Jack gets a chance to apprehend him, he escapes by jumping out the window. He then quickly traps himself inside what seems to be an oxygen chamber.

Apparently, the Kevin Wade story is not over:

24 Season 8 Ep 9

This episode has got to have the most betrayals ever.

Joseph agrees to hand over the rods to CTU for his immunity but is betrayed by Farhad and killed. Farhad later learns that his friends have a different plan and wants to attack New York. Farhad manages to escape, contacts CTU to tell them of the plan and asks them to help him out.

Meanwhile, Dana follows Kevin and his friend to a forest / swamp. With the help of Arlo, Cole gets there in time before Dana gets the chance to shoot them. She tells him of her past. Cole then confronts the two and tells them to leave Dana alone. Kevin agrees but his friend refuses to do so. He stabs Kevin and goes after Dana and Cole. He gets shot and dies.

Director of CTU, Hastings gets a call from the White House. Somebody needs to take the blame for the failure of the mission. Their obvious choice is Renee. The White House sends somebody from the Justice Department to get a confession from Renee. Jacks learns about this, throws a tantrum and tries to talk to Hastings about his lack of moral character. Hastings doesn't budge.

With Cole nowhere to be found to head the retrieval of Farhad and the rods, Jack offers to help in exchange for Renee's freedom. Hastings agrees on the condition that Jack helps him out till the entire thing is over.

Next ep's preview:

24 Season 8 Ep 8

Dana tries to tell Cole about her past but was not able to do so. She decides to take matters into her own hands and heads to the girlie bar where Kevin is with gun in tow.

Jack is tortured by Sergei's men, he manages to escape, contacts CTU and has Sergei arrested. In exchange for the information as to where the fuel rods are, immunity is granted to Sergei and his son, Joseph.

Joseph betrays his father, steals the rods and pushes through with the deal. Cole and his team arrives at the scene a bit too late.

Here's the trailer to next week's ep:

24 Season 8 Ep 7

We finally start to see some action. Most of the characters were pushed to the brink and we see what they are capable of doing.

Dana guides Kevin and his friend to steal money from an NYPD warehouse. The small time crooks get greedy and in spite of the small window given to them to escape, they still find the time to search for a plastic gun to entertain themselves.

President Taylor shares some top secret information to someone from the UN only because she was told that they share a long history of protecting each other (or something to that effect), really a bit ridiculous as you can expect this to bite her in the ass in the coming episodes.

President Hassan gets all the more paranoid and orders to have his aide taken into custody and tortured when the latter advises him to go easy on torturing people.

After coming up with nothing, Renee forces Vladimir to call his contacts again. Vladimir gets irritated and hits her. She finally hits the roof and stabs him to death. She then accidentally stabs Jack as well which as expected doesn't hurt him at all.

Sergei, after being contacted by Vladimir, sends his men to find out how much Vladimir knows about his operation. His men find Vlad dead and takes Jack with them for questioning.

Brian Hastings, the new CTU head, isn't a joy to watch. He's neither here nor there. There seems to be something lacking in the way he delivers. 


Here's what to expect next: