twentyfour

I've been a great fan of 24 since its first season, years ago. I've thoroughly enjoyed the first season, and also the second and the third. However, the show has been moving towards full improbability with the latest seasons. I think I also watched season 4, and then I don't remember anymore; maybe I've also seen season 5, but maybe I slept through some of the episodes -- I honestly don't recall. And then I didn't even know they made yet another season (number six), and now I can't be bothered finding out more about it even less watch it.

I suppose that's very bad for a show that started out so well and got me gripped for all the 24 episodes of its first season; I do remember long nights watching six or seven episodes one after the other.

And then something broke. These twenty-four episodes began to seem like a drag: and I actually fell asleep while Jack tortured yet another terrorist. Compare to the Sopranos or Dexter; twelve episodes for seasons, characters that are interesting and evolve through all these seasons and when there's nothing else to say then stop it for chrissake (the Sopranos rule here; Dexter goes on its 4th season now, I hope it won't be disappointing).

Note: I wrote this in August 2009, when season 7 was just announced. I also wrote: "So here comes season 7; will there be a change in 24 ? Will it grip me once again ? I don't know, but for now I really enjoyed the debate about the use of torture in the series". And about this last point, there are two really good documentaries that are worth watching: HBO's "Abu Ghraib" and Errol Morris' "Standard Operating Procedure".

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