Posts Tagged ‘liveblog’

by Travis Harder

To start: yes, there will be spoilers. Now that that’s out of the way, I was a little disappointing that due to last minute scheduling conflicts, I couldn’t join in on the liveblog on the 24 finale, so I decided to share my thoughts about it on here.

While this season was a little underwhelming, I never reached the level of disappointment Tyler did (and I don’t even think season 6 was really that bad compared, just not as good as the others) and I’ve really enjoyed the last few episodes. While they were maybe a little far fetched, that is hardly out of line in a show where torture works 99.9% of the time, you can magically enhance images, hack any computer by typing a few words and where “open a socket” is actually a meaningful phrase. I never watched 24 for realism, I watched it because it mixed action, drama, technology and politics, and did so brilliantly. The only way to end a show like 24 is with heart-pounding suspense and an adrenaline rush of action, and the 2 hour finale delivered. For possibly the first time since Teri’s death in season one, I had no idea what was going to happen.

It was writing on a caliber that I wish they had achieved in season 6, or the rest of this season. It literally redeemed the rest of the season, and even made up for Renee’s death. I hated the characters of Allison Taylor and Charles Logan, but they were written and acted beautifully. Taylor did an amazing “strong-to-weak” transformation while Logan (throughout the seasons) managed to go from a weak, ineffective leader to a conniving, scheming, mastermind.

Like the season finale of season 7, the finale here offered a great insight into the mind of Jack Bauer. It was almost confusing to hear the man who lies, tortures, kills, steals, does whatever is necessary to get the job done state, plain and simple, that peace through political backroom deals won’t work and can’t last. While I’ve always been a fan of the show, I’ve never agreed with the politics of Jack Bauer until now. Maybe I’m wrong, but what Jack said made perfect sense. Prior to the finale, Drew and I had a few conversations where we talked about how we felt Jack was in the wrong, and how peace was worth what Taylor was doing. I hate to say my opinion is changed by a TV show, but given that my opinion was about a situation in a TV show, I have to think that he’s right.

Charles Logan’s failed attempt at recovering from his fall from grace was genius. In season 6, he was portrayed as a changed man, and even in the beginning of his appearance in this season, he appeared to be simply looking for redemption. As the storyline progressed, we got to see him become more and more manipulative, grasping harder and harder for his redemption, just out of reach. To see just how desperate he was, even in the face of defeat would have been heart-breaking, were he not playing such an evil man. His murder of Piller and subsequent suicide attempt were harsh reminders of what a desperate man is capable of. It was a little disappointing, however, that they did not have the guts to make Logan’s suicide attempt succeed.

While on the subject of falling from grace, I cannot skip President Allison Taylor. I did not expect to see her capitulate. She tried so hard to keep the peace treaty she fought for, and violated all of her principles in the process. She committed horrendous crimes in the name of this treaty, crime which I sincerely hope are never committed by our leaders, and in the end paid dearly for it. While I didn’t expect this to happen, I’m really glad it did.

That just leaves us with the fate of Jack Bauer. For the first time ever, I was actually worried that Jack would die. I know Tyler was hoping for it, I’m really glad that he lived. Maybe it would have been more realistic for Jack to die, but it would have been insulting. After all this time we’ve spent with Jack Bauer, all the situations he’s survived, and all the abuse he’s endured, it would have been a slap in the face to just kill him off. To me, it would have been like killing James Bond, or Luke Skywalker or Malcolm Reynolds, you just can’t do it.

All in all, it was an amazing two hours of television. While I said earlier that it was time for 24 to end, that doesn’t change the fact that I will miss it dearly. Also, the digitizing of the screen, followed by the final clock counting down to zero? Fucking brilliant.

You may kill Renee, you may kill Hassan, BUT YOU WILL NEVER GET RID OF US THAT EASILY ASSHOLES!

Ok liveblog time kids with House and 24 Drew and Tyler from The Wunderbar starting off with House and Travis will join in later for 24.

In case no one got the reference. Travis is unable to attend so Tyler from thewunderbar.net & @wunderbar on twitter, will be filling in. Start time will be at 10:00 pm mountain time. How many licks?

Once more with more pancakes! Travis may be unable to attend so Tyler from thewunderbar.net & @wunderbar on twitter, will be filling in. Start time will be at 8:45 pm mountain time. WHOSE HOUSE?????????

Hey gang, here we go again! Travis may be unable to attend so Tyler from thewunderbar.net & @wunderbar on twitter, will be filling in. Start time will be at 8:45 pm mountain time. SUIT UP!