'24' ticks on, the tension's unbearable

Published on October 13, 2007

“24”

Don't be surprised. The still's not from the fifth season you're watching, but the first episode of the sixth season.

I won't ruin things by divulging any details of the latest run, but I will say that fifth is better, in fact the best "day" of the show so far.

The plot was superb, with exciting episodes that ranged from the assassination of the former president to the hunt for the current one.

Tellingly, I never stopped being impressed by the scriptwriters: How could they weave in so many elements, then manage to tie them all up in 24 episodes?

I have to admit, though, that having watched this series for six years, my interest might be on the wane.

First of all, I can no longer see Bauer as the credible tough guy he was in the first series. He swings from being vulnerable to invulnerable too quickly, standing up to torture in one episode, but back (literally) fighting fit in the next. Wow!

Second, I may be too old to handle the mounting pressure, mostly on the president. In any given season, the president can be seen pacing the office, face full of tension, pondering the possible scenarios constantly.

And any real-life individual who had that many meetings in 24 hours would deserve to be called a superhero. Then there's all the tough decisions, accompanied by constant pressure from advisors and secretaries.

"You've gotta make that call now, Mr President," is the kind of sentence that "24" fans have become familiar with whenever the commander-in-chief shows up. It prompts me to ask whether this is the real-life situation in the Oval Office. It must be horrible if it is.

Third, I've just about had enough of the CTU (Counter Terrorism Unit) office. Agents seem to wander back and forth willy nilly to each other's workstations. We're supposed to believe they're working hard to save the nation, but they still have time to spy on colleagues.

By the time I started watching the sixth season, I was grinding my teeth over details like this. But when I saw the preview of the seventh season, I knew I'd be watching next year.

It's no wonder the clock on this show keeps ticking. We have to carry on with what we've started - until things get just too unbearable.

Comments can be sent to e_nang30@yahoo.com.

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