In Defense of 24 -- Spoiler Warning

UNIVERSAL REMOTE

First off, let me state my biases right at the top. I am a liberal, pro-Constitution, pro-Bill of Rights guy who thinks 24 is the best show on television. I think it is consistently the most exciting, best plotted show around. Does that mean I believe everything on the show is possible? Of course not. I hardly believe that so many disasters, both public and private, could befall the city of Los Angeles in so short a period of time and that only one man would be prepared to confront them. That being said, I am willing to suspend my disbelief. I do so because the plotting is believable enough. Can a terrorist really steal a stealth bomber to shoot down Air Force One by impersonating a pilot and cutting off his thumb to get past the security checkpoint? I have no idea. I like to think not. But I accept it on 24 because it is plausible within the context of the show. And I think it and a dozen other hair-brained schemes are plausible because nothing on the show goes exactly according to plan. Not for the terrorists and not for the heroes. They are always ad-libbing something and just getting away with it. It is like a boxing match; each takes his punches and lands a few good blows. And both will still be on their feet until the last round.

Yes, some of the time-related things on the show are far-fetched. (Although I believe that Jack was in a helicopter last night, speeding up his travel considerably.) I think anyone who harps on such minor details like these are wasting their time. If they are really bothered by it (and the inevitable "when do they go to the bathroom?" question) they should watch a more conventional show. 24 deserves praise for its unique format, not nit-picking. And I am not going to attempt to argue the legal points from last night's show with my esteemed colleague. Of course it is crap. But it was part of the terrorists' plan! Using our own laws against us makes us hate them more! And yeah, I know 99% of ACLU lawyers don't drive Jaguars. But I also know that lots of high-paid lawyers work on cases pro-bono. (I'm certain Chill will agree with me on this.) I will also definitely fight with him about the "football" bit from last week. I know about the "football." I know it is hand-cuffed to someone from the Department of Defense and holds information about the country's nuclear arsenal. Anyone who reads Tom Clancy or watches military thrillers would at least be familiar with it. How to open it on the other hand, I would have no idea.

I do admit, last night's episode featuring the "Amnesty Global" lawyer defending the terrorist was probably the weakest of the season. But not because of that storyline, simply because the entire show was missing the suspense and tension that make the best episodes of 24 so great. Hell, Jack Bauer was barely in last night's show until the end. Everything was too bogged down in internal politics (the new President, Tony and Michelle, Edgar, the court order). The only action sequence was the takedown of the guys at the pier and it was minimal and slightly boring. But I am positive it was simply the calm before the storm. There are something like six hours left and as an avid viewer of the the last three seasons, I know the endings are always breathless. Especially now that the bad guys have a warhead and the means to detonate it.

Now, putting the show through a Left/Right filter, do I think it is skewed one way or another politically? If you only watched last night's episode, you would think Rush Limbaugh was the Executive Producer. But if you are a regular viewer, you will know that 24 routinely ranges all over the political spectrum. The first three seasons featured Democrat David Palmer, first as the candidate for President, then as President, then as very popular President running for re-election. He was your perfect liberal role model. Strong, idealistic, intelligent, loyal, and a minority. He only left the show because of a scandal not of his making that had tarnished his reputation. Rather than deal with a dirty problem by fighting dirty, he simply quit and handed the White House to the Republicans. Cut to this year. The new President seemed to be a fine leader, if a touch less idealistic than Palmer. When Air Force One was shot down, the Vice President was forced to evoke the 25th Amendment and assume control. One can only assume he is a Republican as well. It is also obvious he is a complete wuss. So who is he going to turn to for advice? Ex-President David Palmer. The Democrat.

So I don't really think the show is biased one way or another. I guess I like to think of it as pragmatic. Jack always does exactly what he needs to do to save the world. Nothing more. He doesn't enjoy having to kill and torture people. In fact, it weighs on him heavily. But he does it because he does it better than anyone else. His whole character is built around this contradiction.

Does 24have characters violate the Bill of Rights for the greater good? Just about every episode. Did I root for Jack last night when he was breaking the guy's fingers? Hell yes. Does that mean I support the current real-life administration's policy at Abu Graib and Guantanamo? Absolutely not. I root for Jack because his problems are black and white while in reality they are shades of grey. On television, you just have to give dramatic license to the artists. Have you ever seen that other real-time show that deals with politics and fighting terrorists? It's called C-SPAN. It is really boring.