Saddam Hussein

24: Live Another Day
« on: May 12, 2014, 01:52:27 AM »
Is anyone else watching this?  I found the premiere to be really disappointing.  It's not that anything in it was particularly awful, but we've seen it all before.  All the stock character types are there - the stuffy head of CTU (they call it the CIA here, but it's still pretty much the same thing) who won't listen to reason, the sleazy presidential aide, the one smart agent who totally knows when to buck protocol and follow her gut, etc.  Every single season of the show has had a character fill each of these roles before, and it's sad to see this final season quickly just settle into this stock format.  And as for the story itself, it's incredibly predictable.  You can see almost every single twist and turn coming.  The one big exception to that I might grant is what they did with Chloe, but the reason that one's not predictable is because it's completely out of character.  She spent years working for CTU, why would she suddenly turn into a punk anarchist hacktivist?  And speaking of punk anarchist hacktivism, what's up with the Wikileaks stand-in?  Wikileaks hasn't been relevant for years!

Was there anything actually good about these episodes?  Well, I guess it was cool to see Stephen Fry and Michelle Fairley.  And I'm glad that we don't have generic Arab/Muslim terrorists as the villains this time around - not yet, at least.  I'll keep watching it, because it's still 24, but I'm hoping for some serious improvement soon.  We were expecting a big grand finale, not another season of same-old.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2014, 01:56:10 AM by Saddam Hussein »

Ghost of V

Re: 24: Live Another Day
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2014, 02:29:48 AM »
I haven't watched the series at all. I've heard that its the best series on television. I'm guessing that's an exageration? If so, convince me.

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Offline Lord Dave

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Re: 24: Live Another Day
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2014, 02:35:52 AM »
I haven't watched the series at all. I've heard that its the best series on television. I'm guessing that's an exageration? If so, convince me.
I can't imagine how it can be that good.  They have to show such boring things as eating, sleeping, peeing, requisitioning ammo, driving, etc...  I mean, what if the main character has to drive 3 hours away?
If you are going to DebOOonK an expert then you have to at least provide a source with credentials of equal or greater relevance. Even then, it merely shows that some experts disagree with each other.

Saddam Hussein

Re: 24: Live Another Day
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2014, 02:55:21 AM »
I haven't watched the series at all. I've heard that its the best series on television. I'm guessing that's an exageration? If so, convince me.
I can't imagine how it can be that good.  They have to show such boring things as eating, sleeping, peeing, requisitioning ammo, driving, etc...  I mean, what if the main character has to drive 3 hours away?

Don't be stupid.  The real-time format was one of the best parts of the show.  What dragged it down in later seasons was the writing, which was, quite simply, garbage.  Some of the worst I've ever seen on television.  And now I've discovered an article which might explain why the premiere was so underwhelming:

http://www.vulture.com/2013/05/24-will-reunite-original-writing-staff.html

They got the old writers back.  And the old writers were (and clearly still are) awful.

Ghost of V

Re: 24: Live Another Day
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2014, 03:02:15 AM »
So the old writers were awful and the new writers as well?

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Re: 24: Live Another Day
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2014, 04:23:39 AM »
I am watching it with the expectation that it is nearly the same as every other season.  And I am okay with that.

Saddam Hussein

Re: 24: Live Another Day
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2014, 01:22:49 PM »
So the old writers were awful and the new writers as well?

They didn't change the writers.  Maybe it was a bit of an exaggeration to call them "awful," but in any case, they apparently just started to run out of ideas right around the sixth season.

And the inevitable reveal of generic Muslim terrorists as antagonists raises its ugly head once again, and the whole thing turns to shit.  I probably won't bother watching any more.
« Last Edit: March 20, 2015, 02:17:04 AM by Saddam Hussein »

Rama Set

Re: 24: Live Another Day
« Reply #7 on: May 16, 2014, 01:59:08 AM »
ITT: People are victims of their expectations.

Ghost of V

Re: 24: Live Another Day
« Reply #8 on: May 16, 2014, 05:35:29 AM »
And the inevitable reveal of generic Muslim terrorists as antagonists raises its ugly head once again, and the whole thing turns to shit.  I probably won't bother watching any more.

Why is it always the Muslim terrorists? Is it lazy writing? How did this series get such good reviews to begin with?

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Offline Roundy

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Re: 24: Live Another Day
« Reply #9 on: May 16, 2014, 08:11:53 AM »
24 is TV junk food.  It is the equivalent of an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie.  It is fueled by its formula.  I just don't understand why people feel the need to overanalyze something like this.  It is not Breaking Bad.  It is not art, however much you might want it to be.  It's a commodity, like a Miley Cyrus or Justin Bieber song.  If you can't enjoy it for what it is why bother watching?
Dr. Frank is a physicist. He says it's impossible. So it's impossible.
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Offline Blanko

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Re: 24: Live Another Day
« Reply #10 on: May 16, 2014, 10:52:51 AM »
But season 5 of Breaking Bad was pretty much 24.

Saddam Hussein

Re: 24: Live Another Day
« Reply #11 on: May 16, 2014, 12:57:48 PM »
And the inevitable reveal of generic Muslim terrorists as antagonists raises its ugly head once again, and the whole thing turns to shit.  I probably won't bother watching any more.

Why is it always the Muslim terrorists? Is it lazy writing? How did this series get such good reviews to begin with?

It used to be better.  It was never magnificent, but at some point, some creativity, some actual thought had been put into it.

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Offline Roundy

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Re: 24: Live Another Day
« Reply #12 on: May 16, 2014, 04:41:16 PM »
And the inevitable reveal of generic Muslim terrorists as antagonists raises its ugly head once again, and the whole thing turns to shit.  I probably won't bother watching any more.

Why is it always the Muslim terrorists? Is it lazy writing? How did this series get such good reviews to begin with?

It used to be better.  It was never magnificent, but at some point, some creativity, some actual thought had been put into it.

You just got done complaining that they have been using the same exact formula every season since the first.  ???
Dr. Frank is a physicist. He says it's impossible. So it's impossible.
My friends, please remember Tom said this the next time you fall into the trap of engaging him, and thank you. :)

Ghost of V

Re: 24: Live Another Day
« Reply #13 on: May 16, 2014, 04:50:24 PM »
And the inevitable reveal of generic Muslim terrorists as antagonists raises its ugly head once again, and the whole thing turns to shit.  I probably won't bother watching any more.

Why is it always the Muslim terrorists? Is it lazy writing? How did this series get such good reviews to begin with?

It used to be better.  It was never magnificent, but at some point, some creativity, some actual thought had been put into it.

You just got done complaining that they have been using the same exact formula every season since the first.  ???

I guess the shots of Sutherland eating breakfast and reading were just more engaging in the early seasons.

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Re: 24: Live Another Day
« Reply #14 on: May 16, 2014, 05:13:19 PM »
I am going to enjoy it for what it is.  I binged watch the whole series last year so it isn't like I am a longtime fan.

The only thing I can't get over it Kim being a semi-badass.  I can't shake the dumb, helpless teen from season 1.

Re: 24: Live Another Day
« Reply #15 on: May 16, 2014, 10:53:09 PM »
I'll keep watching it, because it's still 24,

Correction. 12.

Saddam Hussein

Re: 24: Live Another Day
« Reply #16 on: May 17, 2014, 06:59:31 PM »
And the inevitable reveal of generic Muslim terrorists as antagonists raises its ugly head once again, and the whole thing turns to shit.  I probably won't bother watching any more.

Why is it always the Muslim terrorists? Is it lazy writing? How did this series get such good reviews to begin with?

It used to be better.  It was never magnificent, but at some point, some creativity, some actual thought had been put into it.

You just got done complaining that they have been using the same exact formula every season since the first.  ???

Okay, I exaggerated slightly.  It was really around the sixth season, like I said, when they started repeating themselves to a very noticeable degree.  Maybe it's because of all the huge cast changes they keep pulling.  Rather than stick with the characters we already know and giving them new development, they give us new characters who go through the exact same development once again.  We've already seen the by-the-book guy in charge of the CIA.  We already know that he's going to have this arc where he finally learns to trust his agents' intuition and that sometimes rules need to be bent.  And we've already seen Captain Douchebag over at the White House, who of course won't have an arc at all.  He'll just continue to be an obvious prick until he either tries to oust the president or is "shockingly" revealed to be the mole.

But even with a cast change, there's no reason why these new characters should have to be poised to go through the exact same development that the old ones did.  Why not change things up?  Here's an idea off the top of my head.  First of all, cut the asshole out completely (inb4 quoted out of context), he's literally adding nothing good to this.  Instead, make the head CIA guy more aggressive, more of a risk-taker, more of a foil to Jack.  He could be the one who's eager to catch Jack, maybe to the degree that he doesn't report his involvement to the president, and even pushing his agents to break the rules if it works out in the long run.  That's a big improvement, right there.  The character's more interesting, more time can be spent on Audrey and Heller's relationship, and the audience isn't watching a rehash of old ideas.  It's not that hard to come up with new ones!

And I shouldn't need to say what the problem with more generic Muslim/Arab terrorists is.  This is quite literally the fifth time we've seen them pop up as villains.  LAZY.

And Vauxy, What the fuck do you know about 24 you fucking Trekky Child of insist and Corruption. You who Sucks wildly from the Chode of Rushy in hopes that you might get one ounce of semen of your own fucking presence on the forum. You who would write your memiors with the opening "my story seems to be more the story of my father." You ignorant generic prick, who can only be defined by your inferiority and increasing propensity to be incorrect!
« Last Edit: March 20, 2015, 02:19:37 AM by Saddam Hussein »

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Offline Roundy

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Re: 24: Live Another Day
« Reply #17 on: June 14, 2014, 05:56:59 PM »
I love the casting in this season.  William Devane, Stephen Fry, Benjamin Bratt, Catelyn Stark, Chuck's girl, Kiefer Sutherland, Mary Lynn Rajskub, a handful of people I vaguely recognize from other things I can't currently identify... excellent.
Dr. Frank is a physicist. He says it's impossible. So it's impossible.
My friends, please remember Tom said this the next time you fall into the trap of engaging him, and thank you. :)

Ghost of V

Re: 24: Live Another Day
« Reply #18 on: June 14, 2014, 08:10:21 PM »
And Vauxy, What the fuck do you know about 24 you fucking Trekky Child of insist and Corruption. You who Sucks wildly from the Chode of Rushy in hopes that you might get one ounce of semen of your own fucking presence on the forum. You who would write your memiors with the opening "my story seems to be more the story of my father." You ignorant generic prick, who can only be defined by your inferiority and increasing propensity to be incorrect!

What the fuck did you just say about me, you little bitch?

Saddam Hussein

Re: 24: Live Another Day
« Reply #19 on: June 19, 2014, 01:36:05 PM »
I have to admit that this has gotten a lot better over the last few episodes.  The scene where Jack is trying to outrun the villains' barrage of missiles is the kind of 24 absurdity I can totally get behind.  That being said, how the fuck did Heller not get a silent clock?

Has nobody had anything to say about this since it concluded? :D  Well, I stand by my opinion that the first few episodes kind of sucked, but they made up for it pretty quickly, and the season was a lot of fun overall.  I also still think that the show would have been better off without Boudreau - I appreciate that they tried to develop him into more than a one-dimensional douchebag, but he just wasn't likable or compelling enough as a character to justify distracting from the relationships between Jack, Audrey, and Heller.  And I wish that they could have come up with better send-offs for Benjamin Bratt and not-Sansa than just leaving them hanging in custody like that.  But apart from all that, it was pretty good.

Okay, it was shit.  But awesome shit!
« Last Edit: March 20, 2015, 02:21:07 AM by Saddam Hussein »