atari2600

oh

my

god

heres the deal: i was always entrigued by the idea of 24 (real time show) but never watched it on tv. but i ended up buying season 1 on dvd from amazon about 8 months ago (good deal too thanks to this forum - like $30 shipped) but never got around to watching it.

well a week ago, i started.

i repeat: oh...my...god

that was the most INTENSE, ADDICTING, KICK ASS dvd or tv show i have ever seen. ever. seriously.

i watched about one disc (4 hrs of show) per night. and every night i looked forward to the next disc...what would happen next? i wanted answers!

the story was unbelievable. the action was insane. the twists had me clinching my pillow in my bed. i never saw what was coming. more than once i had goose bumps all over my body as i sat there STUNNED at what happened. just friggin AWWWWWWWESOME. i loved it. i couldnt guess anything right...anything i expected was wrong and i didnt mind!

just so well written. great acting. very few plot holes (that i noticed and those i did i overlooked)...it flowed very well...rarely slow and always something going on (usually 10 things). they incorporated so many aspects of different people PERFECTLY. and all, within 24 hrs of REAL TIME.

and you get really involved with so many different characters. you love some. you hate others. you almost live that day through them. (plus some unexpected cameos...very cool!)

i just finished the last episode (and alternate ending) about 10 minutes ago. wow. the best $30 ever spent on anything (including a $50 i bought ). i mean thats like 2 regular movies at a discount (if you are lucky). i got 24 episodes...6 discs...18 hrs of actual show...and an infinite amount of entertainment.

i dont even know what else to say. anyone who might even be remotely interested in this type of show and hasnt seen it (so its all new) GO BUY IT NOW. i dont work for the company. i am not keifer sutherlands dad. just loved it. you will not regret it.

the only problem is that its not really something you can watch again. but i dont care - soooooo worth it.

for those who have seen it i just wanna know: what happened to rick? i guess he just left huh?

and lucky me...season 2 is already out on dvd i believe. i think season 3 is starting on tv soon. WOOHOO!

for those who have seen season 2 (please no spoilers ):

1. is season 2 the very next day like keifer implies in his little intro thing (in the special features part of season 1)?

2. do we get to find out about nina? (yes or no will do)

man, im still sitting here just like "wow". and to think about it in real terms...that was all suppose to be in one day! unreal? of course. un-friggin-belivable? hell yeah! its like, if you just watch it week after week on tv or whatever, it seems like the show took weeks (as we are used to stuff like that on other tv shows) but at the same time, the whole point is that it was one exact day. brilliant!

24 = best. show. ever.

nemein

Season 2 takes place about a year later and is actually BETTER than season 1 IMHO.

immortal_zeus

Welcome to two years ago.

To answer your questions:

1. No, season 2 is not the very next day. Don't you think Jack would need a breather after all he went through?

2. Yes

immortal_zeus

No way, season 1 was better.

In my opinion.

Static Cling

Moving to TV Talk.

And Season 1 was better.

Kicker_of_Elves

Great TV Show!


The second season kicked @ss as well and i cannot wait to get season 3 started.

TheKing

Both seasons were excellent. Although neither of them were perfect.

Season 1 had some weak points. The show struggled with what to do with Jack's family after the 13th episode. Up to this point, everything was perfect, but after that, the writers struggled with what to do with them for the rest of the day. Basically they shot their wad too soon with them, so you get the amnesia incident and mutiple abductions. Of course, the show righted itself, and had a very strong run of shows to end the season after a brief lull.

Season 2 also suffered from blowing its wad too soon. You had the main storyline come to its climax at 11:00PM, leaving 9 episodes of cleaning up the mess. It's kinda hard to top the events of 11PM, so instead you get Jack cheating death a few more times. Still, the subplot with the President was great, and played out very well in these hours.

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention Kim. Talk about running out of ideas! Either that, or it was the most brillant piece of subplot comedy ever. By the end of the season, even the writers realized how pointless her segments were, and she disappeared for 3 straight episodes. Still, it was damn fine television, even with these weaknesses.

But I must admit I have my worries about Season 3. Obviously I'm only going by the preview that FOX put together, but it seems to have a different vibe than the first 2 years. I'll be watching of course (there's supposed to be a major surprise in the first few episodes that will shock people), and who knows, maybe Season 3 will be the best yet!

Groucho

I liked it, but there were a lot of problems with it as well. I didn't buy the DVD set for either season.

The show doesn't hold a candle to "The Shield" IMHO.

Chew

Paging das.

mkdevo

i've never watched it on tv either, but picked up s1 when it was released on dvd, and the same with s2. took me 2 weeks max to watch each one. i really want to watch s3 on tv, but i can't. i want the picture/audio quality of dvd, and i want to be able to watch 4 episodes a night. looks like i have to wait.

i enjoyed s2, but i absolutely thought s1 was better.. while it's probably my favorite show, i'm wondering how much longer it can go.. kim's hot, but i'm really hoping they kill her off early in s3, because her storylines are repetitive and boring.. but how many more times can jack defy death? and go out on his own againt the wishes of CTU, only to find out in the end that jack was right and they back him up?? a couple of things started to get old in s2, and i'm hoping s3 brings some newness back to the show.

breaux124

Watched Season 1 on TV (via replayTV) - Very addicting.
Watched Season 2 on TV (via replayTV) - Great, but I didn't feel it was as good as season 1.

As for marathon DVD watching, I did the same thing with the Sopranos (Season 1-3) within a few weeks. All these shows get addicting and you just can't stop watching.

Draven

After the 1st 13 episodes of Season 1, I quickly lost interest. I've never seen a show meander so much.

The 2nd season pushed my belief about for exactly how much could happen to a group of people in one day at little too hard. It got laughable towards the end.

Here's hoping Season 3 is better, but I'm not holding my breath.

das Monkey

• Quoth Chew •<HR SIZE=1>Paging das. <HR SIZE=1>

You rang? I'm not going to rain on his parade. If he continues to watch television, he'll realize what great television really is and why 24 doesn't quite measure up. Still, it's good to see some enthusiasm.

Draven, around the 13th episode is when they lost me too. They almost got me back for the beginning of the 2nd season, but fool me once ...

2600, if you get this excited over the 24 DVDs, you should check out some of the other great stuff on DVD as well, starting with Groucho's recommendation.

das

nemein

Third on that recommendation (assuming you like cop shows ).

WRT season 1 v season 2 but the end of season 1 I pretty much knew I probably wouldn't go back and rewatch it (atleast not anytime in the next few years). At the end of season 2 though I felt I probably would want to rewatch that at some point. However I still have yet to purchase either of them (buying into too many other series right now ), although I am probably going to watch season 3. WRT the believability aspect I think that holds for most TV shows on right now (atleast any of the "action" type shows) but that's why we watch them right

PeMo

Ditto atari. I watched Season 1 about a month ago (thanks freedvds.com) and was blown away. I just finished watching Season 2 this past Sunday night and thoroughly enjoyed it as well. My only regret is not waiting until next summer to watch all 3 seasons.

I'll be tempted to tune in the 1st couple of weeks of Season 3, but I'd rather do the marathon with no commercials, better picture, better sound, etc.

I'm surprised das doesn't like this show - I agree with a lot of his show preferences, but this is one that I absolutely love.

Rypro 525

i think das can't get over the stupidity of our female heroin

das Monkey

Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!!

I do "like" the show. It's just not in the "very good" territory IMO, let alone "great." Intensity Acting Plot Believeability Consistency 24-hour format

Just an average show IMO. Too much meandering with things of little consequence (Kim's storyline). Too many plot inconsistencies and hastily written developments. Too much of what I call "false shock": doing something without any character motivation just to "shock" the audience. I appreciate characterization more than anything, and if characters do not act in a way that makes sense to their character, but instead just do things because the next phase of the plot requires them to, I lose interest. 24 does this too frequently and relies on the stupidity of its characters' actions like a bad horror movie. "Run upstairs, Kim ... he can't get you there!!!" Great concept. Great cast. Poor writing. Poor implementation.

I certainly don't hate the show -- hell, it made the Top 50 -- but I have to be honest about its flaws, of which there are many. It's cool that so many people love it ... we can't agree on everything.

das

rayw69

After 4 hours, I thought the show was going pretty strong as well. Midway through season 1, it became so unbelievable, I can't even put it into words. Not that I demand that a show be reaisticl. Alias is so far beyond reality, but I can still really enjoy it.

I remember telling people to watch it early on. Now I tell everyone I come into contact with to avoid 24 like the plague. Maybe season 2 is better, I haven't seen it. But season 1 concluded so badly, that I can't even stomach tuning in for more.

Spooky

Season 1 is a better season.

Season 2 is a better DVD set (thanks to those GREAT extras!).

Draven

I look at the "24 hour format" as more of a hindrance than a help.

At least with shows like Alias the action can have some semblance of "believability." Sydney doesn't just start shooting laser beams out of her eyes for no reason.

Yet 24 tried to establish this "world" were everything is within a 15 minute drive from everything else but trying to act like it was actually Los Angeles. And it wasn't just a one-time plot hole. I'd guess it happened in almost every episode.

Too much happens to these people in one day. I would have been happier if they had focused on an hour for one particular character, with the others travelling (or god forbid, SLEEPING) and then having it all come together in the final hours.

Would have slowed things down and made them a bit more enjoyable.

DRG

I just discovered this show this summer by picking up S1 for $25. I love the show now, it's one of my favorites, but I do agree with many of the criticisms.

My biggest gripes:
Of course, S2 Kim Bauer...

And speaking of this...

And this is minor, but,

I agree with most of your calls there, but this one puzzles me. The only criticism I have of the format is that something important always conveniently happens at the top of the hour... 11:59, 12:59, etc. But I still think this show would suffer immensely without the format. It would kill any sense of urgency, IMO.

das Monkey

I agree*. Either do it or don't do it. There's nothing wrong with a badass action series where Jack tries to save the world under an incredible time constraint, but couching it in this 24-hour thing and then not adhering to it is annoying. I don't like half-assed convenience. When it's convenient, the 24-hour concept is paramount, but when it's not, they just ignore it. Pick one.

das

* with Draven since another post slipped in while I was typing.

Decker

Well, it's pretty well documented in this forum that I'm a big "24" fan. I think it's consistantly entertaining and keeps me rivited like few shows can. Also the acting from Keifer Sutherland and especially Dennis Heybert is excellent. Yes the plot is full of holes but I'm way hooked on this one.

Having said that, I've never bought either season on DVD. I think some TV dramas have good replay value (ie The Sopranos), but I don't realy need to watch 24 S1 or 2 ever again.

atari2600

BETTER? better than 1? impossible!!!

atari2600

haha...like i said...never saw it on tv and ordered it months ago (but never watched until now).

thanks for the answers. i knew #1 would be no as i thought about it this morning for that same reason. its just the trailer thing seemed to imply the next 24 hrs or something. but that wouldnt make much sense.

#2 - AWESOME! im already dying to know whats going on there. man i FREAKED during the last minute of the 2nd to last episode. thats great that when they write stories its not just for one day...they are planning ahead. very smart.