Is 24 Actually Any Good?

I used to watch it. A long time ago. In fact, I watched every episode of the first two seasons.

I really dug the first half of Season 1. It was new, it was fresh, it was "holy shit, did Kiefer just cut that guy's finger off?" good. But by the middle of Season 1, it seemed like the writers had no idea where they wanted the story to go. The excuse was that they didn't know if the show was going to get a whole season or not so they hadn't really mapped out 24 episodes worth of material. When it did get picked up, they were left scrambling to figure it out. All I remember was a lot of Dennis Hopper overacting with some foreign accent.

Season 2: Don't remember much. Seemed an awful lot like Season 1 though. Still entertaining. I think this was the season where Kiefer was flying a plane that had a nuclear bomb in it or something?

Season 3: Watched the first half of the season. Gave up when things got out of control stupid. Don't remember the scenario of the season.

Season 4: I wrote this after watching the first two episodes.

The first hour or so of 24 was pretty good. Nothing earth shattering but it was nice to see that the producers have gotten rid of all but two of the mainstays. I had had more than enough of the shenanigans of Jack's daughter. I gave up on this show about halfway through last season but I decided to give it another shot this year.

There were some really good moments and it seems like there will be some fun plot twists on the way. But it is still the same old 24. Not only is Jack going to have to save the United States from danger but he's going to have to do it as a rogue agent. Don't expect any help for 'ol Jack from the good guys. Geez, I'm sick of that fucking plot line.

Near the end of the first hour, Jack knows that a recently brought in prisoner/ terrorist has important information. Of course, Jack's superiors won't listen to him so he has to take matters into his own hands. He knocks out the guard and promptly shoots the prisoner in the leg to get the needed information. This was shocking when it first happened back in 2001. But now that he's done this kind of thing over and over, it is so damn predictable. I thought the producers were shaking things up this year! I would have loved to have seen Jack as the head of the C.T.U. and then we would have had some different plot lines.

The information Jack was able to get was good information that his idiotic bosses neglected to get for themselves. I thought, "If his boss lets him get away with this stunt, it will prove to me that the writers have some new tricks up their sleeves. But if his boss immediately kicks him out of the office and threatens future disciplinary action, then I'm giving up on this show." Sure enough, Jack got in trouble and my finger was on the delete button.

Season 5: I watched the first episode. Thought it was pretty cool with the assasination and all. But it still seemed like the same old thing so I didn't bother.

This year, I haven't watched any of it but I do know that Kiefer had to get busted out of a Chinese prison or something. I know a few people who love this show including Stone Groove and my sister. But they didn't watch it until recently so they aren't sick of all the recycled plotlines yet.

But I wonder am I missing something here? This show has gotten so incredibly popular in the last few years. I want to know who has watched all five previous seasons but still finds the new season surprising and whether or not I should watch it. I understand that all the higherups in the Bush administration, including 43 himself, love this show. If that isn't a ringing endorsement to not watch the show, I don't know what is.

So is 24 actually good or is it simply the predictable, safe Cracker Barrel type television show? Not that I have anything against Cracker Barrel but I don't have the desire to saddle up for 24 visits there over the next few months either.