February 10, 2007 11:10 AM
24 - when the left hates it, you know it ROCKS!
I became a 24 fan last year. Having never watched the show, I brought home the first season boxed DVDs and was hooked. Now caught up with all five seasons, I'm on real Jack Bauer time for his sixth bad day.
I could write a lengthy essay but I'd rather not. I just enjoy the show - especially seeing the good guys win.
Lately 24 has come under fire as liberals caught wind of the fact that a few notable conservatives are crazy about the show. That means there must be something terribly wrong with it, you see. The left objects to the scenes of violence and torture and government officials throwing out due process in order to save millions of US citizens from nuclear annihilation.
These are the same people, of course, who fight to remove filters from libraries so our children can be exposed to porn. Go figure. I guess children being exposed to bestiality and every other form of Internet excess is somehow intrinsically better than adults watching a fantasy involving hard choices in which the protagonist opts for saving millions of innocent lives.
In an ironic note, the left coming down hard on 24 is very confusing to some of the stars who are a little embarrassed to have become icons of the right. I find it all very amusing. I know the show is way over the top - the frantic pace and the plot in which the ante has to be continually increased actually reminds me of Soapdish, a hilarious spoof on soap operas. Yes, it's all too fantastic, but I confess I absolutely love the show.
If you are interested in experiencing 24, I suggest starting with the first season on DVD - which you can buy from Amazon (used sets as low as 12.23 as I write this) or rent from Netflix (free trial in my lower left sidebar) or your local video store. Watching without commercials is the best! Watch with your hubby after the little ones are in bed. I guarantee you he will love it!
Teens love it too. Yes, there's violence and torture but the kind the left hates, where the good guys save millions of innocent lives. Not the kind the sexual kind they think should be on computers.
Hey, you know if the liberals hate it so much, it must be great!
And you know it's become a phenomenon when the intellectually self-righteous New Yorker weighs in. Click below to read their take:
WHATEVER IT TAKES
The politics of the man behind “24.”
by JANE MAYER
Posted in Current Affairs | Permalink
Comments
Watching the episodes commercial free and back-to-back, several to a day is truly the way to go!
Thought I'd bless you with this:
http://fiddledeedee.net/2007/01/04/jacks-back/
Posted by: Carol | February 10, 2007 2:13 PM
You are hitting some "hot topics" in our home! First the french press, now 24! : ) My husband walked by, and said "WHO posted on 24??!" ; ) I told him the other night he'd love your site (for numerous reasons!!), and now I think he's convinced : )
Posted by: shawnda | February 10, 2007 2:36 PM
Barbara,
My dh and I are big 24 watchers as well. He got me hooked on it last year and we watched on dvd until we got caught up. My only concern this year is that I feel a "lecture" coming on.It seems like they are going to go in a different direction, kind of like they are going to criticize the current administration and that the conservatives on the show will actually be part of the terrorist plot.
Posted by: Kelli | February 10, 2007 6:09 PM
Hi,
I've been reading your blog for a while, and I really enjoy it. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!
I started watching 24 last season when the season premiere came on.. I was hooked. I've seen them all now, and love this season. My dh started watching it with me this year. We watch it at night on my computer...via Fox.com I can't stand watching it with the commercials, although the commercials give my heart rate a chance to slow down a bit!:-D
Posted by: AmyBeth | February 10, 2007 9:32 PM
I watched the first season, but after we moved, FOX doesn't come in in our cable-deprived household. I mentioned it to my beloved last night, though, as we watched the beginning of the second season of Lost. I thought he'd like it, too, and I'd like to see the "days" I've missed. He just shook his head, eyes wide, and said, "Too stressful. That guy never gets to sleep."
I don't know how these shows become politically affiliated. They're just fun to watch!
Posted by: Jennie C. | February 11, 2007 9:44 AM
24 is my absolute favorite show!! I went to Carol's link...it's HILARIOUS!!! Thanks Carol! Thank God for Tivo! If I had to wait through the actual commercials I think I would die from the suspense! I am getting the same sort of vibe as Kelli, however, during this season. It seems a lot more political this year. The whole big long argument between Karen Hayes and...whats-his-name was a little annoying...You know I am obsessed when I accurately predicted last week's episode! I KNEW Morris would be the one getting kidnapped! hehe..does anyone suspect the ever-annoying "whats-his-name" who got Karen Hayes fired to be with the terrorists?? Or somehow bad??
Posted by: Rachel | February 11, 2007 12:05 PM
whoa whoa whoa...i've had to blink past some comments here! we won't get to see season 6 until it comes out on dvd next year! being overseas we have NO tv except our dvd's. we "discovered" 24 about 4 months ago. we've watched every season and are now working on season 5. we won't get season 6 until it comes out on dvd NEXT YEAR...so THAT is why i had to scroll past a few comments lol! ACK! *chuckles*
you know you're a 24 addict when you start dreaming you're chasing "bad guys" with Jack Baur lol! (or maybe those were the pregnancy hormones jumping in? lol!) i could not imagnie watching it without the dvd's though! the commercials would do me in!
...btw, if it's real time, when does poor jack get to pee? not that i'd want to see that...but you know, we've all gotta go some time!
and anyone know anything about the rumor of them making a 24 Movie in London this summer? it's a 3 hour drive from me, but i would SO love to "see" that! can you imagine???? *smiles*
**on a side note, we also "just discovered" Lost...we are almost done with season one and BOTH dh and i are hooked! i second on putting them on after the little ones are in bed! we go all outon the snacks, turn out all lights, and it's like a "date night" in for us! having 3 kiddos ages 4 and under (including a newborn), we don't get out much lol...but we love the time these shows give us "freaking" on the couch about the latest surprise happenings lol!..."OMG! i can't believe they shot Palmer! Holy Cow!...OMG! Michelle can't be dead!!! I can't believe they did that!!!"...ROTF! *grins*
~kristy in England.
Posted by: kristy | February 12, 2007 5:12 AM
Hello Aunt! I love reading your stories about your family and seeing the pictures! Email me sometime and you can check out my pix on my myspace!
Posted by: Jae Lorette | February 12, 2007 9:22 AM
I was utterly hooked on 24 last year, to the point that we pushed visitors out of the door one night (who didn't want to watch it with us :). I loved the smarmy President's wife (Jean Smart) in her kooky/but on the right side role. And the constant twists and surprises...remember Edgar when he died!? Remember SamWise the hobbit playing an FBI guy?
My hubs is watching this year but I just couldn't get that 'hooked' again. It feels too close to home this year for some reason--my nephew is serving in Iraq and I know there's really no Jack Bauer coming to rescue everyone : ( Plus the torture...i just don't want to be desensitized to that, even though I firmly believe it must be done in some instances.
But ya'll have fun!!!
Posted by: floorplan | February 13, 2007 11:27 AM
Thanks for another link, Barbara.
I wrote a post in response to this one about 24, but the trackback feature doesn't seem to be working.
You can see it at http://deanabbott.typepad.com/notes_and_meditations/2007/02/i_noticed_this_.html
Posted by: Dean | February 14, 2007 9:56 AM
