VOD (2)
Seasons(8) / Episodes(192)
Plots(1)
Federal Agent Jack Bauer can't afford to always play by the rules. As a member of the L.A. Counter Terrorist Unit, Jack must stop bombs, viruses, assassination attempts, and usually save someone he cares about at the same time. Every season of this series has 24 episodes, each unfolding in real time following a consecutive hour in one very bad day. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (7)
A dynamic series, but 8 seasons may be a bit too much. There are interesting plot twists, but there is also a lack of subtlety and unnecessary stretching. It's acceptable, but three or four seasons would be ideal. Surprisingly, for an action series, with a few exceptions, it doesn’t have very high-quality action scenes.
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I have only seen the first two seasons, then I got a bit tired of this format. The series was preceded by a generous advertising campaign that set the bar of expectations very high. 24 hours is a regular commercial product, its advantage being dynamic editing and a screenplay that revels in dramatic twists, as well as the cast led by Kiefer Sutherland. On the other hand, the series is accompanied by a number of scripting flaws, such as the nonsensical and overcomplicated motif of a destroyed airplane in the first season. There are also plenty of genre clichés from action movies and the indestructibility of the main hero. If they have Jack Bauer, then I don't understand why Americans have difficulties in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere. The second season clearly shows the superfluity of the plotline with Bauer's daughter, and more similar criticisms could be found upon closer examination. Nevertheless, the dynamic plot and the twists and turns of the script place the series slightly above average. Overall impression: 60%.
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"Real time" is an interesting incantation that works so far. I like the "handheld" camera and the cut-out shots that increase the dynamics of the plot... It's hard to judge for the first episode how this thriller will develop (it obviously goes according to genre schemes, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing), but I can already say that Sutherland is sympathetic and the dubbing is overall very good (especially Trojan does a good job)... I’d like to watch the next episode, because this looks like a series with its own identity and a slightly progressive spirit... // After watching the other episodes, however, I can't help myself - other than a slightly unusual approach, this is a perfectly typical US thriller that has not attracted me through anything...
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1st season - 85% - It is quite surprising how raw the atmosphere is right from the beginning. Unlike the following years, which are more action-thriller oriented, the start focuses more on basic psychology and political twists, with action taking a backseat. The main problem is how the viewer can accept occasional clichés. Fortunately, they are all presented in such an attractive package that I have no problem swallowing them. The last two episodes are filled with tension until the last second.
2nd season - 90% - The action has intensified, Jack's personal tragedy adds to his toughness and determination, Kim continues to function in the realms of "sexy" and "hysterical" at the same time, and the best character with a change of sides is Nina. The action-packed ending adds a touch of timelessness.
3rd season - 85% - The first half of the third day brings a charismatic new partner, a highly unpredictable plot, and an amazing villainous duo, reaching its peak. However, the second half is filled with schematic situations that have no place at CTU and, in their predictability, can sometimes even be boring. Fortunately, the finale brings an almost breathless catharsis, adding significant points to the overall impression. The feeling of the story's completion is perfect, yet the golden period is yet to come.
4th season - 90% - The notion that everything should have ended at the end of the third day was fortunately just an illusion. This time, CTU gets a formidable opponent, which gives the term "main antagonist" a completely new dimension. The only criticism this time are the characters. Whether the unnecessarily prolonged storyline of the Araz family or Jack's new partner. Her repeated transformations of the overall perception of things due to her ex-husband somewhat spoil the feeling of a realistic-looking relationship plot. However, the story gains its greatest strength in moments when old acquaintances return and with the growing night atmosphere. Who would have guessed after an incredible finish that it could be even better next time?
5th season - 100% - An unstoppable ride from a shocking start to an emotionally charged final episode. The best antagonist (a duel between student and teacher), the best atmosphere (you never know which of your favorite characters will be affected next) and unequivocally the best season. And a very dark ending.
6th season - 65% - To some extent a return to its roots in terms of emphasizing family relationships. Noticeably better effects and this time even slightly surprising brutality, which fans of the first seasons might be astonished by. But the most important thing is that it is the worst season. After an effective start, in the middle of the third day, I got the impression that not everything went as it should have, and the series needlessly stretches its juicy but repetitive taste of what has already been seen in previous seasons. However, the last episodes take off into unprecedented twists and the final ten minutes are unrepeatable with their unique atmosphere. Therefore, two sharp contradictions are conflicting inside me. On one hand, the creators showed me that they can still come up with sufficiently nerve-racking plots, but on the other hand, I wouldn't like to feel that I hardly want to watch the next episodes.
Redemption - 70% - We all know that Jack suffered the most from the strike of the A-list TV series. Therefore, with his first appearance, there comes the expected excitement that he has finally licked his wounds from this low blow. He can still toughen up the music for the right cause, take anything to neutralize the enemy, and when he has someone close to him with whom fate did not spare, he swiftly moves. However, since I am a supporter of the classic look of Los Angeles, I must also add in the same breath that relocating to this location was probably not the luckiest idea. We
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Provisional rating after 14 episodes: It is definitely not "the best series of all time", as the copious advertising campaign tried to make us believe, but only a slightly above-average miniseries, in which three storylines are artfully put together to make it enough for 24 episodes without the viewer feeling bored. So far, this has worked out, but otherwise there is nothing groundbreaking in terms of plot. Using multiple windows looks good, but again nothing new under the sun. And most importantly – the biggest attraction – the action taking place in "real" time, takes a beating. Not only do some situations take on an unlikely dimension, but the frequent five-minute jumps look weird. Sure, in the US, these jumps are used for five-minute commercial breaks, where obese Americans learn what weight-loss product to buy, and at the same time can feel that something is still happening in the fictional world of Jack Bauer. The commercials end and they're still in real-time, except Jack has moved his car three miles or gone to the bathroom during those five minutes. Meanwhile, we Central Europeans have to watch in dismay as entire blocks of time disappear before our eyes, with the TV channel spicing it up with commercials. But enough with the snark. 24 is a well done job, which didn't impress me (yet), but as a one time, to kick back and relax, why not? Let's see what the next episodes bring.
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