We watch very few network TV "comedy" or "drama" shows since Hollywood often seems incapable of telling a joke or delivering a dramatic scene without offending those of us not of the liberal persuasion. Around Monkeydart Plantation our satellite dish is usually pointed to sports, history, science, or movies made before 1968. Many folks over the past few years have touted "24" as a good respite from the far left drivel. We tried to watch the first few seasons on DVD so we weren't hopelessly behind. It had its moments, but when watching them in rapid succession, the idea that all of this stuff was getting done in 24 hours became unintentionally humorous. Jack's wife tumbles down the hill behind the Hollywood sign in a fall that would leave anyone laid up for a minimum of a couple weeks and yet, an hour later, she's running and jumping like a young gazelle. Suspension of disbelief is easier if "24" is seen in a one hour chunk separated by a week of your regular life.
Still, it was always good to think that there was at least one show out there every week that promoted the idea that fighting terrorists was a good idea. "The Unit" did a good job for a season or so and then they lost their way. "NCIS" is fun but mainly because of the characters not the terror-fighting story lines. So... it's a wasteland and we spend no time there.
For escape I watched "Redemption", the 2 hour "24" movie last weekend thinking the title was strange (Why does a relentless terror fighter need to be redeemed?). Like everyone who ever liked "24" for its fighting spirit vis-a-vis terrorists I had heard the stories that the show was going to lurch left this year. "Redemption" gave few hints of this. The representative from Congress who is trying to bring Jack back to DC to testify to the Pelosi types is a worm. The UN guy is worse than worthless-- he is so limp he actually leads the terrorists to the children Jack is trying to save. The inaugural address by the new liberal female POTUS is so vapid and banal it could have come straight out of Lord Obama's teleprompter. So far, so good-- although I felt cheated that we were denied seeing the presidency of Cy Tolliver, er, Powers Boothe, er Noah Daniels.
But, over at Big Hollywood, we find that things still might take a turn for the worse this season.
Does anyone really need a Jack Bauer who channels Hamlet?
