JACK BAUER, America's favorite counter-terrorism agent with the violent code of honor and the weird sadomasochistic bent, is squaring off against a stealthy and unforgiving new enemy.
His fans.
After peaking in the ratings last year, Fox's thriller 24 has been getting dumped on by seemingly everyone in this, its sixth season. Critics and fans alike are aiming tomatoes at the stage, carping about the soapy and repetitive plotlines that unspool Jack's unlikely familial past, tiresome romantic triangles in the security bureaucracy and endless bickering among Oval Office advisors.
Last week, with a fresh episode designed to lay the groundwork for what the creators promise will be a typically suspenseful finale next month, 24's ratings in the key young-adult category swooned to their lowest level in more than three years, with a total audience of just 10.4 million, according to figures from Nielsen Media Research. More than one-third of viewers have bailed since the special four-hour season premiere that aired over two consecutive nights back in January.
The producers promise that some big changes are on the way for Jack and other regulars next season. "It hurts to hear the criticism," said executive producer and writer Howard Gordon, who spoke with me last week by phone as the cast and crew crashed to finish shooting the season's final episode, set to air May 21.
"I don't dispute it's been a challenging season to write for us. But it's reinvigorated our determination to reinvent the show. This year could be seen to be the last iteration of it in its current state."
Longtime devotees are struggling to keep the faith during this trying season. "The writers have recycled some plots this season that are glaringly obvious: a recording, an almost removed president, an assassination attempt on that president, an attack on a Middle Eastern country, an impending nuclear strike, a person close to Jack kidnapped, etc.," Victor Lana, a novelist who follows 24 for BlogCritics Magazine, wrote in an e-mail. But "the bottom line is that we still care about Jack Bauer."
I wonder what they mean by reinventing the show. Honestly, I'm ready to drop the real-time conceit. They thought about losing it after Season 1, and going with each episode taking place in one day. Either that, or just get some new goddamn writers! Or, as a last resort, give Jack Bauer the power to regenerate....never mind, he has that. How about the power to time travel? Dammit! He has that too!
1 comment:
I'm glad they got the message. I just don't think much can be done at this point. If it's the same people can't stand it...if it's too different it won't feel right either. It's past it's prime and just needs to find an ending. The good ol' days will live on on DVD.
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