Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

I knew almost nothing about 24 when I sat down to watch it. I knew it’s about terrorism, that it plays in real time, and that in some way it has something to do with Bosnia. It was my wife that wanted to see it which is why we got it.

I didn’t have my hopes up because I don’t do political intrigue much. I enjoy the occasional James Bond or Tom Clancy movie but have few in my collection. 24 will be the exception. If the following seasons are as good as #1 I will eventually buy the full set. It’s like a book you can’t put down. What happens next? Got to watch one more episode, just one more, that’s all. Can’t stop, must see more!

The continuity is more like watching a really long movie divided into equal chapters rather than individual stories like most TV shows. Episodes are more likely to end on a cliffhanger than any sort of wrap-up. The very end gives closure to the main events, but even that is a set up for the next season. They don’t even take the time for a theme song at the beginning. There are a few seconds of exposition, “Right now terrorists are plotting to assassinate a presidential candidate…” and a short blurb about the time frame of the episode, then you’re in the middle of the action..

I don’t know why some people make a big deal about opening credits. In the information age it’s incredibly easy to find out who does what in what episode of what show. Opening credits are not as vital to a professional’s visibility as they once were. Yet some people are particular about where their names appear in the credits. The reason I mention that is because 24 would be better with nothing more than a title card at the beginning. We have to watch the opening action in smaller frames to make room for the names.

There are 3 elements that make this series exceptional. First is the concept. Events occur in real time. An hour worth of show is an hour worth of viewing. The exception is time for commercials. A few minutes are built in for commercial breaks set up so that it feels like the action is still happening, just nothing we need to see during that time. That doesn’t translate as well to TVD since we essentially lose that time (12:33 becomes 12:38 in just a few seconds).

Keep in mind that you’re not watching one man’s actions over a 24 hour period. Scenes jump back and forth between different events unfolding at the same time. Basically, whatever is the most important thing happening during those seconds or minutes of time is what’s on screen with the occasional use of frames to show simultaneous actions in different places. The continual change of scenery makes the commercial breaks seem as much like a plot device as an interruption and can actually be a welcome breathing time during the more intense periods.

Real time is not a brand new concept, but it is rare. I guess it’s a plus because it’s different. I might have a different opinion if it becomes as common as “reality” TV.

Second is the writing. Some things I predicted, others caught me completely off guard. There isn’t just one twist at the end to surprise you, there are numerous twists and turns to keep you on your toes. Who’s the bad guy? Who’s the good guy? You might be able to guess, but you’ll never know for sure until the end. Likewise, who will live and who won’t? You can pretty much bet that the big star of the show will live, but that doesn’t mean he will come out with his career or sanity intact. Other than that you can’t be guaranteed that anyone will make it to the end alive.

Because of the thrill that the uncertainty gave me I recommend avoiding spoilers as much as possible. Don’t do so much as read a summary of season 2 before you finish 1. I spoiled the end by doing no more than that. The less you know about what will happen next the more you will be excited to see that next episode.

Third is acting. The two male leads, Kiefer Sutherland and Dennis Haysbert, are tremendous. Kiefer in particular has to show a wide range from intense rage to hopeless breakdown. His reactions to certain events may well put a lump in your throat. I have it on good authority that some of the Bosnian dialogue lacks. I couldn’t tell, though, and it is so minor that it didn’t cause my wife, a Bosnian native, to lose any interest. Everybody else does a good to excellent job with their roles. Xander Berkeley and Penny Johnson Jerald probably stand out the most after the male leads for screen presence if nothing else. Lou Diamond Phillips and Dennis Hopper make guest appearances that I enjoyed.

I don’t want to give much away about the plot, but I feel I should give you some insight. Jack Bauer is head of the Counter Terrorist Unit in California. David Palmer is a black senator running for president. Terrorists have targeted Palmer for assassination and drag Bauer into it in ways other than the duties of his job – they put his family in danger. To make matter worse someone inside CTU is on the terrorists’ payroll. If Jack fails everyone dies. From there it’s a rush of kidnappings, assassinations, fights for survival, and rescue attempts. One thing I will give away is that there is an amnesia arc. A lot of people have called this the weak point of the season. I guess it does seem a bit like a soap opera, but it’s rooted in reality. It actually makes sense that stress levels this high would cause someone to crack. I thought it was more realistic to have someone flirting with insanity whereas most shows like this leave no noticeable lasting effect on their characters.

In every way this is an outstanding series. We would get so into what was going on that we would watch 3 or 4 episodes at a time and have to force ourselves to stop and go to bed. We would be so wound up that we would have to watch something else before we could even think about going to sleep (my favorite wind-down show is Futurama). It’s rare for anything to have that intense an effect on either of us, much less both at the same time. When I review TV shows I normally say catch a few episodes on air to see if you like them, but this one you need to see from beginning to end and everything in-between to get the full effect so I say read a few other opinions to see if they line up with what I’m telling you then go get season 1.

Content:
This is definitely an adult show. The intensity and subject make it more for adults right from the start, but there is some questionable content some parents may want to consider. There is some language though not really anything worse than the average show. I’ve definitely heard worse. There is some partial nudity in at least 2 episodes I can recall off the top of my head. It’s the kind of thing where an arm or well-placed prop barely covers the areas on the body that technically constitute nudity. There is also some sexuality (including implied rape) and violence, some of it disturbing.

DVD:
While the show is exceptional the DVD is mediocre (the original relase, anyway. I've seen a new package out but don't know anything about it). The packaging is standard, a folder with 6 DVD trays and a pocket that fits inside a box. The insert is a book listing each episode, directors and writers, and plot summaries that I found more confusing than helpful.

Put the disc in and you’re treated to a short bit of animation then some music with the interface. Since each episode’s name is the time that they cover (12:00 A.M. – 1:00 A.M. is the first title) it would have been helpful to have an animated frame to give a clearer indication of which episode is which. I often found myself unsure of which was the last one I watched particularly if there happened to be a few days in-between viewings.

The biggest disappointment is the lack of chapters. Each episode is on 1 chapter. I hate it when half-hour shows do that much less something this long. There is no reason not to include at least a couple of chapter breaks. Anything else that may be a disappointment, this is the one thing that’s truly annoying.

On a better note, audio and video quality are good. 5.1 surround would have been great, but the 2.0 surround still sounds nice. The ratio is 1.78 Anamorphic which owners of widescreen TV’s should appreciate.

EXTRAS:
Extras are lacking. The best of them is the alternate ending. I read that 3 endings were shot, but only 1 is included here. There is an optional commentary for it that is fairly interesting.

The other extra is an intro to season 1 by Kiefer. It’s short and doesn’t really provide any new information. Ironically the intro is the last thing on the last disc.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
I don’t see how anyone cannot like this show, but I have run across a few surprisingly bad reviews. Granted the worst of the reviews aren’t anywhere near as detailed and helpful as the positive ones, but I don’t get why it elicited such a strong, negative response from some people. It’s true that not every moment of this show is nail-biting bliss, we did find ourselves saying “I wish this or that story arc would wrap up soon and move on to the next event,” but at no point did we ever get disinterested. I guess it depends on which little nuances stick in your mind as bothersome. Some might say that an exploding car is too cliche-Hollywood while others will forgive a single instance of such a plot device. I debated my rating because of the strong emotional response from both my wife and me verses the lacking DVD package. Ultimately I decided that since season 2 appears to have a bevy of extras I should leave room to rate it higher than its inferior predecessor (assuming I enjoy the story as much). If I were rating the show by itself it would get 5* all the way, but the DVD is at best 3* which results in a final 4* rating.

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age