24: Season Three

Jack and his counter-terrorist crew return in Season 3 to battle an impending bio-terrorism threat from a pair of Mexican drug lords. As is always the case, not everything is as it first appears. Along the way, new friends are made, shaky alliances are born, and trustworthy partners become enemies. It's all in a hard day's work for Jack, and viewers will undoubtedly get a kick out of watching all the plot twists play out.

24 has always been about putting the viewer through a high-intensity thrill ride, and Season 3 holds up wonderfully in that regard. Key characters are constantly put in the line of fire, and it's anybody's guess who will make it to the nail-biting next hour. There is one episode in particular, about two-thirds of the way through the season, that is incredibly frenzied, even by 24's lofty standards. Without giving away any spoilers, that is one episode in which I had to take a break from 24 for day or two afterwards and let the craziness of the events settle in - such was the ferocious emotional impact.

Besides the non-stop action, the next best quality of 24 is its razor-sharp dialogue. Again, Season 3 does not disappoint. All of the characters are given lines that either flesh out their personas marvelously, or contribute to the madcap pacing of the show. It's a joy to watch Kiefer Sutherland switch between his gruff, angry interrogation techniques and his more diplomatic tone when he talks to his superiors. Dennis Haybert, as President David Palmer, is likewise riveting in his portrayal of an idealistic leader who always wants to do what's right, but is forced to make some ethically questionable compromises. On the flip side, Joaquim de Almeida as drug lord Ramon Salazar is definitely a villian, but you can't help but start to like him for his charming swagger. (It doesn't hurt that he gets in a bunch of memorable one-liners, too). Penny Johnson Jerald and Sarah Clarke return as sketchy allies Sherry Palmer and Nina Myers, respectively. It's admittedly a bit of a stretch to see these two in the thick of the plot again, considering the punishments they received in Season 2. Their presence does add a great deal of uncertainty and dubiousness to the proceedings, though, which is worthwhile enough to erase any logic gaps that might linger.

All the tension that's built up in the show would amount to naught, though, if there weren't any grand payoffs. Not surprisingly, 24 is more than capable when it comes to action sequences. There are gunfights, helicopter chases, stakeouts, escapes through buildings, and all-out melees, all of which are choreographed with expert direction. Two sequences stand out in particular, both of which involve aerial strikes in the midst of large scale shootouts - these are definitely "Holy ****" moments that will have everyone cheering. Another episode pits Jack, Ramon and a couple of prison guards in a game of Russian roulette more intense than any other you'll see.

It's a testament to the show's strengths that even after watching through all 24 episodes, you'll likely be left clamouring for more. Even after the day's unbelievable events come to a close, the story arcs you'll have witnessed will have you wondering how the main characters will cope with their own new personal problems. Anyone who loves good, suspenseful action should absolutely give this series a try. It's true that the viewer needs to stretch logic a bit in picturing so many events taking place over the course of a day - but that quibble aside, 24 is easily the best that TV has to offer.