24: The Complete Eighth Season

I may be in the few when I say this, but I don't think this show ever qualified as "past its prime." It seems like a lot of the reviews coming out from papers, magazines, even fans revolved around the fact that the show ended on a good note, HOWEVER --note the asterisk-- (*it's not what it once was). Yes, there were recurring themes. Yes, we've gone through the whole nuclear weapons story before. Yes, some things were more predictable than they used to be. But I, for one, loved watching Jack Bauer and Chloe O'Brian evolve. I loved watching Charles Logan try and wiggle his way back into the good graces of Americans. I loved watching where the shattered life of Tony Almeida led him in Season 7. I think, reasonably so, a lot of people considered the shark jumped after Season 6. I did, too. But I continued watching, and I thought Seasons 7 and 8 were two of the strongest the 24 crew put together.

**Spoilers Below**
Since I can't rate the product yet, the five stars is for Season 8 itself. It's more of a 4 1/2, but I think they've earned the benefit of the doubt with consistently great work. This season got off to a slow start, much in the same way Season 3 did. Annie Wersching's portrayal of a darker, hardened Renee Walker dominated the early season episodes as a plot was methodically developed. By the twelfth episode, 24 hit its stride in vintage form. The twists and turns were as drastic as ever, and following the assassination of President Omar Hassan of the I.R.K., the show took on an angle it never had before (or at least an altered version of Season Five's anti-terrorism treaty).

The blood stained peace treaty among a trio of nations was a different kind of plot for the show, especially since it ironically made Jack Bauer the biggest, not to mention the only legitimate threat in the final third of the season. Noteworthy: You DO NOT kill Jack Bauer's girlfriend. Apparently the Russians didn't hear that from the Chinese (Audrey's alive but status unknown), who in turn didn't hear it from Nina Meyers. I thought it all made perfect sense, because Jack was finally in a good state of mind at the beginning of the season. He was finally getting his life together, he finally stopped playing mind games with his female counterpart. And then Renee Walker gets killed... in Jack's apartment. Jack summed it up best while torturing Pavel. "Why couldn't you just leave us alone?" You have to look back on 8 days of professional, and personal, sacrifices Jack has had to make and wonder how it even took him this long to boil over.

Jack became the anti-hero, stopping at nothing to eliminate the participants in a treaty based on crime and deceit. For all he's sacrificed for his country, the United States turned its back on Jack Bauer for what they envisioned as "the greater good." So when justice by law was refused, Jack took justice into his own hands. What ensued was a bloody mess created by a man who had been betrayed by nearly everyone (NEARLY--thank you, Chloe).

Though many would have preferred Bauer to go out in a blaze of glory, gun in hand, I thought the ending was appropriate. For all the times Jack had been spared, whatever the reason, it was only right that the man with 9 lives was granted a 10th. Taylor, in good conscience, couldn't sign the treaty. I'd like to think the video Jack intended for Kim was a tipping point for the President, thus making Jack his own hero, once again. But like the Chinese said at the end of Season 5: "you're too valuable to kill." One more time, Jack was given a pass.

- My only problem with Season 8 is the Dana Walsh story, and I don't think I'm in the minority here. I was somewhat relieved she became a mole, but it also discredited much of her story earlier in the day. If she had no problem killing Kevin's parole officer, I don't see why she would have a problem killing Kevin. Yes, she had to maintain her cover, and yes, she was on camera when he visited her at CTU, but why not when he and Nick came to her apartment? I'm just a little cloudy as to why Dana was letting those guys push her around. The fact that she was a mole explained further her change of identity, but there were still several holes in her story (not to mention how she got away with wearing a cocktail dress to work.)
- As opposed to many fans this season, I had no problem whatsoever with Brian Hastings. Mykelti Williamson was given a very unoriginal role, because we've seen the kind of stubborn, oblivious CTU/Division/Homeland Security directors before on many occasions. However, outside the fact that he looked like a football coach with his earpiece and hunchback way of treading CTU, I thought Hastings was always an interesting, even comical character on screen.
- A couple people mentioned in earlier reviews that they found it difficult to take Freddie Prinze, Jr. seriously. I couldn't agree more. He had a steep hill to climb from the reputation he's made for himself since becoming an actor. However, I thought if there was any character in any season of 24 he could've played, Cole Ortiz was the perfect fit; the straight and narrow, by the book, "boy scout" if you will, field agent. Though he's certainly not looking at a Primetime Emmy nod for his performance, I thought he did an excellent job with the role.

24 still had tricks up its sleeve after 8 seasons. It had some repetition, but still much more originality. It still presented shock value and still produced likable characters. Season 6 may have been sub-par, but was it sub-par as a TV show or was it sub-par by 24 standards? I really think S6 was wrongly tapped as the show's dip into mediocrity. It was just an isolated miss, in my opinion. Honestly, I think the show went out as good as it came in. Now we turn our attention to the big screen.

Season 8 | Grade: A-

I came into this season expecting it to be the last. Fox had long maligned the fact that '24' was very expensive to make. They also cited lagging ratings (mostly due to the lackluster season 6 leaving a bad taste in viewers mouths and the WGA strike making the show almost irrelevant.) as a reason to ax the show. And besides, the concept was becoming a bit outdated. Even the tenor of season 8, with the world standing on the brink of an historic peace agreement, signified that 24 was coming full circle. The idea that peace could exist in a world of espionage and paranoia such as the one 24 dwelled in, was a big step toward a brave new world. The kind of thing you see when a show wants to go out with a bang. I was ready for it to end and am sad to see it go. The Machiavellian exploits of Jack Bauer have been must see television from Day One (November 6,2001) in my household. On Tuesdays at 9pm (Seasons 1-3) and Mondays at 9pm (Seasons 4-8), no one was allowed to bother me. I loved this show. As for season 8;
The first half really was tough to swallow. After seeing Doug Hutchison on Lost as a hippie running the Dharma Initiative, I really had trouble buying the Russian Merc angle. His accent was horrible. Davros really bothered me. Strike 1. Katee Sackhoff's character Dana Walsh was one of the most annoying main character in the history of the series (Marilyn Bauer really bugged me). Brian Hastings was a major tool. ANd I am sorry, I just can't take Freddie Prinze, Jr. seriously. Not all of the casting was bad, though. We did get Michael Madsen, Jurgen Prochnow, and David Anders this year. But for not nearly enough time. These actors were too good for the short arcs and cheap exits they made, especially in Anders case.
The plot was pretty straight forward until the fuel rods came into play. Then I was slightly annoyed. Arabs with Russian supplied nukes? AGAIN?! The stench of season 6 began to waft upward.
But, then, Omar Hassan died and the Russians took center stage and committed the worst mistake ever; killing girl Jack (Renee). Jack went off the deep end. And the series really caught fire again. Those last seven episodes of Jack acting as judge, jury, and executioner really made me think a ninth season would not be all that bad.
In the end, everyone stood accountable for their mistakes. And Jack was given time to run. The final goodbye with Chloe was poignant. The long last look up was, too. And then the clock reached zero on one of the more ground breaking and innovative series of this or any generation. It was so ground breaking, it could only copy itself (and did so a lot in season 8).
Now that this show is done, I am done with network TV. Really, how could anything top this show and Lost? So, it's the end of an era. Thank you, 24, for making it enjoyable.

A quick note: the following review contains only minor spoilers concerning returning characters and storylines and does not disclose any major revelations.

Previously on 24: For 7 seasons the thriller genre was redefined and the bar for drama and suspense was raised to a new high, and not just for television. The brilliant, subversive and fearless writing staff, the deep cast of memorable characters, the always atmospheric scores of Sean Callery, and the inventive real-time format made for the greatest thrill ride in television history. 24 was not always flawless, in fact, there were moments that threatened to destroy its legacy (see season 6 for an example), but for the most part, 24 ranged from great to masterful (see season 5). So naturally, us fans, who already had ridiculously high standards for our beloved series expected pure, unrelenting excellence from its 8th and final season...

Day 8: The POTUS is working with the president of the fictional middle-eastern country Kamistan (think Iran) at the UN to put forth an unprecedented peace agreement. Jack Bauer, now healthy and watching cartoons with his granddaughter is pulled back into the action when an old informant literally knocks on his door. All he has to do is survive one last day...

The change of setting to New York City was a wise choice. Not only does it make sense for a rogue agent like Bauer to be on the move, major changes of any kind seem natural for a show that focuses on its characters literally one day at a time. Also, after so many years in LA it would have seemed stagnant to have stayed in DC or to have returned to the show's original location. There isn't nearly as much on location work as I expected but the CGI backdrops are, for the most part, very well done and the new setting adds a nice refreshing quality to the series (much like DC did in season seven).

Though many fans were critical of the season's slower, season 1 style start, it allows the time for the stage to be set before the plot really takes off. Yes, season 5 started off with a bang and never let up, but it isn't necessary for every season to do the same. The Hassan family is a perfect example of how to not rush a storyline. President Omar Hassan gets the screen time that is usually allotted to the American president. This ends up being well worth it. His arc as well as the arc of his family and the peace treaty ends up being one of the most well written storylines in the entire run of the series. It is riveting, fearless, complex and in typical 24 fashion, it is edgy, unabated and is not prone to sappiness or contrived revelations. Again, like most of the season, it starts off slow, but it consistently heats up and eventually catches fire.

The threat that propels the first half of the story is pretty familiar, as are the villains. The difference is that the threat comes together after several episodes of building towards it rather than just out of thin air in the first hour, and the villains actually have some political motives and larger intentions rather than just being driven by the desire to destroy. These two things may sound minor but they are absolutely key in separating the threat/villains of Day 8 from the very, very similar ones of previous years. Hint: all the other evenly numbered seasons.

Season 8 sees the return of CTU, which in a way, feels like a regression. But it does provide a familiar, nostalgic feel for the final season, and more importantly it allows for Chloe O' Brien to once again be a series regular. The new CTU is visually impressive, making CTU LA look like a concrete garage, though its return does unfortunately come with some recycled subplots and generic characters. Brian Hastings, the new director isn't nearly as terrible as most fans claim he is, but he is very bland and could never be mentioned in the same sentence as George Mason or Bill Buchanan. Freddie Prince Jr. is actually surprisingly decent as Cole Ortiz, the head of field ops. Yet none of the new editions are even half as memorable as past CTU alumni like Tony Almeida, Michelle Dessler, or Curtis Manning.
The Dana Walsh story is without a doubt the biggest flaw of season 8. An irrelevant subplot about a CTU analyst fending off blackmailing rednecks from her past sounds like an obvious bad idea but somehow it ended up with a disturbingly large amount of screen time. Ultimately, if you're incredibly patient, her story gains some momentum but it never redeems itself (going from annoying to unoriginal) and will always be analogous to the Kim's wacky adventures in season two.

As mentioned above, Chloe is once again a series regular, and not only does she get plenty of screen time, she also gets a good amount of character development and unlike some of the previous seasons, she's allowed to once again take center stage... where she belongs. Basically, season 8 is a great day for Chloe fans, second only to season 5.

24 has always done a brilliant job of adding interesting twists to their recurring characters in each new season; Renee Walker's return season 8 is no exception. Since the events of Day 7, when she was pushed from an honest, law abiding agent to a Bauer-esque renegade, she has fallen into a very dark place. In season 8 she is broken, vulnerable and at times, borderline psychotic. This makes for a string of shocking episodes reminiscent of those classic hours in Days 1 and 2 when we found out for the first time just how much of a loose cannon, badass Jack Bauer really is. Her involvement also adds a great deal of emotional depth to the season as her relationship with Jack starts to evolve.

President Taylor returns as well, though, for the first part of the season she is pushed to the background. Though it seems strange at first, it ultimately makes perfect sense... it allows the necessary room for the Hassan storyline to develop which sets the stage for later episodes, when the spotlight shifts to Taylor, setting up one of the season's most riveting stories, with a tremendous performance by Cherry Jones. It may take a while to heat up but her story arc in Day 8 ends up being right there with the best of 24's presidential storylines, and in a series that featured both David Palmer and Charles Logan, that's really saying something.

Speaking of 24's former presidents, Day 8 also sees the return of Logan, and this time its not just for a three episode long subplot. Gregory Itzin is outstanding once again and his presence alone takes the season to another level. His return is full of all the twists, drama and electric standoffs you could hope for. It doesn't matter how high your expectations are for the Charles Logan story, you will not be disappointed.

Some have criticized season 8 for not adding enough depth to Jack's role in the season's first half. Yes, even Jack going through the motions would make for a decent season, but it would be a real stretch to say that this is the case here. At most it could be said that Jack is a touch removed from the first half of the day's events, but part of this is because Jack really doesn't want to be involved in the first place; that is what adds depth to his involvement. He now has something to live for and it is interesting to see how that impacts his desire to plunge back into his old save-the-day lifestyle. It's also important to realize that much of Bauer's story arc in Day 8 is directly tied with the return of Renee. After Day 7 Jack was pulled out of his former world by his daughter, who saved his life and his new-born granddaughter, and aside from his loyalty to Chloe, it is only because of Renee that he ventures back into that world, and throughout the day it is mainly her presence that keeps him there. And to anyone that does feel that Jack is not featured to his full potential in the season's first half, you needn't worry. The last half of Day 8 is without doubt the most intense Jack Bauer story line we have seen. It is Bauer completely off the chain, held back by nothing and no one, literally going against the entire world. It is shocking and spellbinding, even by 24 standards. A hell of a way to end the series.

Another positive quality of Day 8 is the feeling of renewed creativity. There is an energy to this season that is reminiscent of the early days. There are far less of the stale, predictable interrogation scenes and more opportunities for Jack to use intellect and creativity to track down suspects and get them talk. There are more moments that feel fresh and exciting rather than run of the mill. Yes, there are some predictable twists and a few revelations that seem a bit too familiar. But there are still moments when even the most seasoned 24 fan will be left shocked and speechless, still plenty of story arcs that will keep you just as addicted as you were to season one, and there are still enough 24-style emotional powerhouse moments that will leave you floored again and again. Even during some of the moments when you see what's coming you will be thinking "Yes, this is the 24 I know and love!" way more often than you'll be thinking "I've seen this before." And even when you are thinking the latter you will at least have to give credit to the writers for finding an entirely new twist to put on it. Sure, there are many exceptions which I will leave to you to find yourself but they aren't nearly enough to put a damper on the entire season.

The scores of Sean Callery are also a must-mention. The music of series has always been an immensely crucial aspect of the 24's atmosphere and intensity. Day 8 is no different. The scores are as atmospheric and fitting as ever.

So, how does Day 8 work as an end to the series? Well, unlike other shows, 24 seasons work mostly as stand-alones. For this reason it is hard to judge #8 as a final season. The series finale may not quite have the emotional stopping power of the season 1 finale or the explosiveness of the season 5 finale but it is still epic and amazing all the way through. Classic 24 without a doubt. And though there may be a lot of differing opinions about whether or not it was a truly fitting end to the (television) adventures of Jack Bauer, no one can deny that the final few hours of the series are 24 at its very best. And for me, that alone is satisfying enough. The bottom line is that #8 lives up to the standards of quality and groundbreaking originality set by the previous years and though other seasons are debatably better, #8 is no more than a notch or two lower. Despite its many flaws, Jack Bauer's final day of mayhem is definitely in the upper echelon of 24 seasons.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 152 reviews  4.5 out of 5 stars