24 - My new TV addiction

When i was home this summer recovering from West Nile virus-induced meningitis, i became addicted to the TV show 24. What an incredible show. the concept, first of all, is mind-blowing, then there's the plot and its twists and characters. I sort of overlook the massive body count jack bauer leaves in his wake just because i know it's fiction. On every level, the show does it for me. (great, EXACTLY what i need is another TV addiction to add to Lost).

I was getting DVDs every third day via netflix (great service, btw, BIG fan). I was like a crack addict running up to the mailbox every day to see if my next "hit" had been delivered. And once it was, i went directly to the basement and the DVD player. Sitting and watching eight episodes at a time, i'd get into a transfixed state, drool on my chin - but hey, i enjoyed my buzz ...

Kiefer Sutherland as Jack is such an interesting character, a complex character, almost an anti-hero. So haunted on so many levels. So driven by doing the right thing long-term that he forgoes the right thing short-term. "Sure I'll torture my brother, just so long as i can save the country from nukes" ... "sure, I'll get addicted to heroine if it's going to bring down a drug cartel with terrorist connections" ... that sort of thing.

but he's always got the greater good's interest in mind. ALWAYS. Even though he's got one really good reason to be driven by revenge - his job caused the death of his wife. But he rises above it. I'd hate to take a peek into that sub-conscious.

So often, he shouts, "trust me," or offers "I give you my word" and you have to believe him.

the supporting cast is just as awesome. It's a veritable who's who of television actors - all turning in believeable performances in this completely unbelievable scenario. the interplay of the different plots keeps me glued. You know they're all going to intersect, but how and when?

One of my favorite parts of the show is the very end, at about 56 minutes after the hour when the screen splits into many different scenes and then goes to one for "The Kicker," a piece of information that totally changes what you thought was really happening.

I'm caught up on seasons 1-3 and 6. Yes, i'm such an addict that i couldn't wait for netflix and decided to watch the six freebies of season six and but the rest from iTunes. So i'm looking forward to "Redemption" in November and season 7 in january.

JACK is BACK. woo hoo! let's see what sort of mayhem he can cause this time around.