Dear 24
(Note: This is a repost of the original).
Dear 24:
I never thought we’d get to the place where I would have to do this, but I’m breaking up with you. It shouldn’t come as much of a shock, we’ve barely seen each other in the last year or so, and neither of us seem every interested in staying together. Between my lackluster interest in you, and your refusal to change, or try anything other than the same old tired tricks, well, it’s inevitable.
When we first got together, I was in awe of you. Your smart, choppy style, your boundary pushing narrative devices, the way you showed me what everyone was doing the last few seconds of each hour. And when our second year together started, I was shocked at the ferocity you showed.
But after 3 or 4 years, the tricks wore off, and you showed me what was at your heart, and that was some pretty horrible formulaic crap. I loathe the way you try to excite me off the top, and then fall into a boring pattern of introducing some minor characters I don’t give a rat’s ass about. You follow the same pattern of getting a lead, having that lead move towards another lead, etc, until midseason, when you introduce a pretty obvious “game changer!”, which you then don’t act on until the very end of the season.
Your acting has never been your strong suit, and your logic often falls apart. The further I get from loving you, the more I wonder how I fell for you in the first place. But then I remember, it was all about Jack. Because he was awesome, and powerful, and everything we wanted in a leading man. Of course, as the years go on, he becomes more predictable, and shouty, and he keeps running out of time, and shouting that into whatever phone is closest.
So, I think that it’s best if we go our separate ways, you into more of the same old thing, with new characters that I won’t even bother to care about, and me back to my true love: “LOST”.
Thanks, it was fun.
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Comments (36)
RD Murphy said on 05-02-2010
RD Murphy
While I agree with many of your points, for a “LOST” fan to even mention logic in a storyline falling apart is utterly comical.
admin_rock said on 05-02-2010
admin_rock
I disagree. LOST has been very consistent in its internal logic. Also, we’ll have a better idea of what that logic is at the end of the season. It seems a bit premature to say LOST doesn’t make sense until they’ve had a chance to show us the rest. 24 doesn’t have the same kind of multi-season arc logic.
thadumas said on 07-02-2010
thadumas
There’s only ever been one thing laudable about “24″ and most people who’ve ever seen the show know who she is. Otherwise,the show is solid crap,made for stupid people by stupid people. As for “Lost,” I’d be ashamed for anyone to think even for one moment that I could possibly have time in my life for that idiotic show. The only thing its perpetrators did right was to have named it properly. “Lost” is for the lost. It doesn’t matter what its fans think about it,because it couldn’t matter what its fans think about anything.
admin_rock said on 07-02-2010
admin_rock
-hates everything, check.
-bothered to stop and tell us, check.
-insults people who like things he doesn’t, check.
Folks, we have us an Internet Tough Guy!
Gilette said on 11-02-2010
Gilette
Rock- Your article is stupid. That list you just made? GHEY! You are a total idiotik! Nobody likes you and I intercourse your mother! And guess what- my uncle own the internet. I’m going to tell him about you POOFACE website is the gheyzor and he will totally take it down. HA!
See you at the rodeo on Friday, thadumas.
Matt said on 05-02-2010
Matt
I think the comical nature of that comment was intentional.
Matthew Brown said on 05-02-2010
Matthew Brown
24 has been stupid for a long time now.
Jason said on 05-02-2010
Jason
I had to have this same talk with Heroes a few seasons back. Imagine her surprise when I said I was leaving her for Chuck.
Jack Bauer said on 05-02-2010
Jack Bauer
I am going to punchercise your face, for free!
docilej said on 05-02-2010
docilej
“Archer” on FX (Thursdays at 10p)
Mick Russom said on 05-02-2010
Mick Russom
Took you this long to get tired of this hackneyed concept? Wow, you must be a patient sort of person.
jon said on 05-02-2010
jon
>LOST fan. Opinions on quality TV are suddenly invalid.
WYD said on 05-02-2010
WYD
A fan of LOST is biatching about plot lines and acting? Wow that’s just …. wow …
(checks bio of writer)
OOOOOHHHH!!! God bless you you goofy little bastard! You just keep mashing that little helmet into those keys!
Steve W said on 05-02-2010
Steve W
24 jumped the shark in season 1 – the whole car crash, mountain lion, amnesia thing. If you couldn’t see what was coming then, I can’t say I feel sorry for you 5 years later. I stopped watching then, and haven’t looked back.
Chris said on 05-02-2010
Chris
I have to agree. The writing was on the wall in season 1. Everyone told me to watch it and so I rented the first season on DVD. I admit I was liking it — then, the wife got amnesia and I checked out of the whole thing. Never even saw how that season ended (but I assume it worked out as they are on season 6 or something). I’ll just watch reruns of The Wire and wait for next season’s Mad Men.
Lee451 said on 05-02-2010
Lee451
The first couple of seasons of “24″ were fun and original, at least. Kim Bauer being kidnapped every hour, Jack’s wife putting out so her daughter wouldn’t have to, that bitch Sherry Palmer, it was different. Then it started the slide into formula. The season that started off with Jack as a heroin addict back on the CTU job…completely unrealistic. Nothing like chancing your top agent going into withdrawal during a prolonged case. (I never did find out if he was truly addicted or playing an addict for some reason). I faded away then and never went back. Jack Bauer was a hero for the 21st Century. It is a shame the writers were dragging up formulaic plots from the 20th Century.
jacked up said on 05-02-2010
jacked up
I stuck with 24 as long as humanly possible. My love for 24 started in high school, when we’d get together on tuesday nights and yell at the TV. It continued in college, when I was able to find cute ladies who also shared my passion for fist pumping whenever Jack Bauer shot down a helicopter with a pistol.
however, my love has faded and i’ve moved on as well. I was totally feeling this article, until this joker professed their love for LOST.
True 24 fans know 24 and lost used to be in competing time slots… theres no way i’m going back to season 1 and starting that ridiculous show from the beginning
admin_rock said on 05-02-2010
admin_rock
I’m that “joker”, and i’m not sure I follow. I was quite capable of watching both shows, with this magical device that records both shows so that I can watch them at my leisure.
And I guarantee you that LOST is ultimately more satisfying and the more solid show of the two.
CHLOE said on 05-02-2010
CHLOE
I have really enjoyed this season, other than the Dana Walsh plot line.
Jim said on 05-02-2010
Jim
While 24 has lost some punch this year, I remain a fan. I dont like their choice in villans this year.
U. R. Adouche said on 05-02-2010
U. R. Adouche
It is just a tv show.
jim said on 05-02-2010
jim
I agree. I was in love with the show for the first 3 seasons. In fact, I didn’t start watching until Season 3 and my wife and I went back and rented all the previous seasons and would spend 8 hours on a Saturday & Sunday watching. We were addicted. But after awhile “Trust me” and “I promise you” ad nausem gets old. I may drop off. The last episode didn’t hold me at all. Sad, really.
Mo said on 05-02-2010
Mo
I loved 24 till last year. Gimme a break “Evil right wing corporate bad guys”? Then those stupid “Green” commercials. Screw 24. I say we go to Hollywood and torture the fucker who ruined a great show to death. We’ll do it this way: We’ll make them watch “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”. Every episode. All of them. Yes, it will take heavy chains to tie down the bastards and in come cases those being forced to watch Dr Quinn may have some internal organs jump out of their bodies through various bodily orifices, but that’s the price that has to be paid………….
Henry said on 05-02-2010
Henry
I agree with Heroes. I used to watch that show for the first season and then into the second, but then it got too weird. Chuck is a great show.
tom said on 05-02-2010
tom
Agree. I barely lasted through the first season before the repetition became tedious and predictable.
RIP, 24
Tom
Alex S. said on 05-02-2010
Alex S.
Aw come on man. Suspend your disbelief. Jack is the biggest badass on TV (aside from Bear Grylls of Man v. Wild). I know 24 is hokey and formulaic but hey this is TV. I still watch it and I will keep watching Keifer save the world one hour at a time.
1/4 20 said on 06-02-2010
1/4 20
wow … i tip my nipple to you Admin_rock, not since the superhero smackdowns have i seen a nipple create such a nipple on the correctness. you have a wonderful nipple here but ultimately everyones nipple fails because firefly is the besteststst tv show. nipple nipple nipple.
Ash said on 06-02-2010
Ash
My whirlwind romance with 24 last 3 years, the fourth was a falling out, but it took another year to finalize the divorce. I fell in love when Jack’s ex wife was killed as I thought it was a daring thing to do for a tv show and it showed 24 was willing to be different. No character was expendable… except Jack… but even he died once. I was willing to mock the show for the silly stuff as one would mock a close friend, until season 4 when it started to get serious. I actually enjoyed watching season 5 but that was only because I spent the entire time chortling over the ridiculous plot contrivances and “whatever technology” wizardry that I could no longer ignore. The relationship being done now, I have no interest in it at all. I turn off the tv once House is done.
KooKyGuY said on 07-02-2010
KooKyGuY
Some people take fictional TV shows just a little to serious.
People with negative personalities constantly think about and complain about things they don’t like. If you don’t like it, don’t watch it. If you are thinking about not liking it enough to post about it on the internet, you definitely have a negative personality.
I prefer to spend time thinking about thing I like.
admin_rock said on 07-02-2010
admin_rock
Wow, you picked the wrong site, then.
1/4 20 said on 08-02-2010
1/4 20
nothing wrong with complaining about things you dont like, in fact it is probably healthier than bottling up all those negative emotions. i am quite a well adjusted, reasonably positive person and i think about how shitty things are all the time. AND I THEN COMPLAIN ABOUT THEM. murder, rape, child abuse all suck big time, SO I COMPLAIN ABOUT THEM. does this make me a bad person for thinking and writing about things that i dont like? if so i will refrain from ever complaining about you getting your ass kicked.
peace love and vicious insults.
Vince said on 08-02-2010
Vince
Last season was weak at points but I think I would like to see where this is going. I am still committed. Maybe it’s because there are only three other good shows but I am still a fan.
dwroberts said on 09-02-2010
dwroberts
All right. I’m running out of time. TELL ME WHO YOU’RE WORKING FOR! Is it NBC? CBS? WHO??? You don’t WANT me to do what I’m about to do …
juan said on 10-02-2010
juan
Did he died?
omega_man said on 10-02-2010
omega_man
24? Lost? House? We are all being fed shit by the government to keep us dumb and stupid while the government takes our freedoms and takes control of out lives.
