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24 (again) - no spoilers, please...

Ganesh

20:21 / 13.08.02

Okay, so I missed the first two episodes - and then felt unable to watch any subsequent ones. While discussion of '24' has intrigued me, I've really done a very good job of ignoring enough media blurb that I have little idea what it's about.

It's apparently being released later this month as a video/DVD set complete with "alternative ending" and previews of Season 2 ('The Day After'?)

Should I buy it?

Eloi Tsabaoth

20:25 / 13.08.02

As a fan of the series: No.
Borrow it from someone else. It's worth watching, definitely. But not worth owning...

The Strobe

20:46 / 13.08.02

I'd say absolutely not. It's crap, but an interesting cultural phenomenon. Biznuth is dead on.

That said... the whole series is out on DVD for £38, which is pretty good value for 17 hours of TV, compared to the £60 it would take to get a series of the Sopranos or West Wing. But I still don't recommend it. It's just interesting marketing on the part of whichever company licensed it...

Seth

22:38 / 13.08.02

So what's wrong with the show? What's right with it? Everyone I know raves about it, but I haven't seen it at all. Try not to give spoilers...

_pin

23:38 / 13.08.02

Basically, it's a ninja surrounded by pirates in the government fighting a bunch of international terrorist ninjas.

That's A NINJA fights OTHER NINJAS while being attacked by BASTARD GOVERNMENT PIRATES ON HIS OWN SIDE.

Talk me thru how it could ever be bad ever?

That said, there's a bunch of dull subplots about people who are about as interesting as chartered accountants. Which cease to amuse at about 4:00 when, you know... that thing... happens... to that one... you know... that one...

The Strobe

08:16 / 14.08.02

Expresionless: it's quite easy to explain the problem without spoiling it.

Take one 24-episode American TV thriller. Give it a fantastic unique selling point - everything happens in real time. Now entirely CRIPPLE that USP by undermining it at every turn: stereotypical characters, cliched plot devices, and a total lack of realism - it's more "Hollywood realism" than real world, if you get my drift.

And that's the problem. It sells itself on this REALLY REALISTIC unique selling point, everything happening in real time, but the rest of it is SO unrealistic that it doesn't really matter. It's another hokey old thriller.

sleazenation

11:47 / 14.08.02

And they were doing sooooo well, but - errr doesn't the structural rasion d'etre of the series kind of revolve around the fact there are 24 HOUR LONG episodes - yeah you can talk about the pressures of advertising till you are blue in the face, but if you are going to impose a structure on a narrative you really need to do it - otherwise you're just churning out more of the same...

The Strobe

12:42 / 14.08.02

Sleaze: everyone knows the ad breaks are when everyone agrees to stop shooting/chasing/kidnapping each other and go for a pee.

Our Lady of The Two Towers

15:23 / 14.08.02

It's arguably worth seeing, but it's definitely not worth owning. Most of the positive hype for this show seems to have been generated when the midday-early afternoon shows were first broadcast in America, since then it's really gone downhill.

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