I know I’m not alone in being a little bit sad that 24 is done after this season but what’s more disappointing to me about the series’ conclusion is that, as it stands right now, this may just be the series’ weakest season to date. So while we might be able to argue that it’s for the best that Jack Bauer finally get to retire from terrorist fighting (either through actual retirement or else, through a more permanent means of the putting the character to rest), it’s a little bit frustrating watching now and knowing that this is what’s left of the show.
One of the biggest problems with this season is the story arc of newcomer Katee Sackhoff’s character Dana Walsh. Entertainment Weekly’s Michael Ausiello posted an update on the series, which includes creator Howard Gordon commenting on the Dana-backlash.
“I understand how it appears [to be] tiresome and lazy storytelling, but I really would betray anyone to try to sit in our chair and figure out how to do 24 continuous, real-time episodes, without using certain devices,” Gordon stated. “I would implore people to be more patient with Dana.”
I think he means “defy” as opposed to betray but then again, betrayal seems to be something the series has relied heavily on from the beginning. And yeah, it seems Dana has inherited the Kim Bauer “seriously?” reaction from fans of the series and for good reason. Still, it’s kind of hard to be patient with her when it’s more than halfway through the season and her story only seems to be getting worse and less believable. Not only did she somehow manage to weasel her way into the anti-terrorist government organization under an alias, but she spent part of the day helping her ex-boyfriend commit a crime, which resulted in some guy getting killed. Then after taking time off from her responsibilities in fighting terrorism, she got herself even further mixed up in the mess. Hey Dana, next time your deep-dark-past rears its ugly head and demands your attention, try the words “Can you call me tomorrow? Now’s not a good time.” After that fiasco with her ex led to her murdering her ex-boyfriend’s parole officer, we learned that Dana is in fact, in cahoots with the very terrorists she’s supposed to be trying to stop. Because it wouldn’t be 24 if there weren’t moles planted everywhere and in this case, the CTU mole is someone we were still just getting to know (and dislike).
In Gordon’s defense, I’m sure he’s mostly right about the device limitations when it comes to trying to write a day-long drama that ties the White House, CTU, a huge terrorist plot (and some decoy plots) and our hero, Jack Bauer. That said, maybe if they hadn’t killed or written off some of the best characters in the series (RIP Edgar, Milo, Michelle, David Palmer, Curtis. Farewell Wayne Palmer, Aaron Pierce, Tony Almeida, and a few others I’m forgetting right now), they’d have more to work with. I’m not saying I’m opposed to new faces or letting go of characters once they’ve served their purpose. After all, if that never happened on 24, where would the suspense be? Instead, it’s like the writers tried to clear the slate by re-casting and in the process, aside from Jack it’s become very difficult to remain invested in the personal side of the show. So the emphasis lies heavily on the plot, which lets face it, has become pretty stale.
Ausiello states that Gordon’s busy overseeing the series finale episode and we can hope they’re planning a big conclusion that might help make up for the otherwise lackluster season. My own personal request, Mr. Gordon if you’re reading this: Bring back Mandy! Fans of the earlier seasons might remember Mandy, the evil-for-hire chick who showed up once in a while, did her part to make Jack Bauer’s day worse, collected her fee and disappeared. She’s been M.I.A. since season 4 and I’d love to see her make a brief reappearance.
