Wow, great show. I've never seen any of this series before, but i'm hooked. Finished the dvds in less than a week...i'm ready for season 2!

Hold your breath as you go. The quality of each season is like a rollercoaster. All are still enjoyable, but there are certainly some seasons that are better than others.

Finish it in time for season 8 next January

You got that right!
I think if you're watching them in a short period of time, the bad seasons are going to be very painful... those of us who watched as they aired had a week to get over it.


Enjoy!

Grab some caffeine and watch an entire season in 24 hrs.

Odd-numbered seasons tend to be better than even-numbered ones, but season 1 (especially the first half of it) is pretty unique.

I did the same thing you did Hap. I saw all the seasons on DVD in time for season 7 to catch on TV. Personally, I thought every season was good. Some were better than others but only season 6 was bad.

I'm sure you'll enjoy all the rest and you'll get through them just as quickly.

I own S1-3 on DVD, but I've only watched 1 and 2. I thought both were fantastic, though I'd give the edge to S1. I really should break out S3 sometime soon.

See I don't think I want to watch them on FOX when they are current...too suspenseful and intense to wait a week between episodes, I think I'd rather just watch them on dvd.

yeah I finally got around to watching 24 as well after some prodding from some friends and am really hooked so far. I'm about half way through Season 1 right now and it's getting a lot harder to wait for the new discs to come through Netflix even with doing 2 discs at a time.

I haven't caught a single episode as it aired, instead going the route you've mentioned watching them on DVD. I got a good deal on season 6 several months ago and haven't been motivated enough to start on it based on the negative talk around here. I did enjoy each of the first 5 seasons. And I plan to get 6 sometime soon, while keeping an eye out for a good deal on 7.

It was a thrill to go through the seasons on DVD. My wife and I would go through the episodes late at night and it was a challenge to put the remote down and turn in for the night.

Like the OP and cardsfan, I'm more a fan of watching this on DVD and have never caught an episode live. I usually take a day off work to make a long weekend and then plow through a season.

Also like cardsfan, I've had Season 6 for a couple months but haven't watched it yet because of the negativity surrounding it. Although, I didn't think Season 5 was the masterpiece that so many here seem to think it is so I'll be going in with an open mind whenever I do get around to S6.

I watched season one as it aired. I thought it was a pretty great show. I appreciated the relatively straightforward plot lines, and they really handled the 'real time' 24 hour thing realistically - which made it unique from similar shows. Unfortunately, with each passing season the storylines get more convoluted and ridiculous, and the '24 hour' framework of the show becomes less and less believable. Pretty soon, Jack is driving accross LA in under five minutes after catastrophic terrorist attacks throw the city into a panic.

pure crack

I guess this is a good place to ask: Without spoilers, how was this last season?

I stopped watching about 5 or 6 episodes into last season.

My favorite example of that is when a character gets shot and goes into a coma, then three hours later is running around shooting at badguys with no sign of any problems.

I thought the same thing when I decided to watch Smallville Season 4 on DVD. Turns out everyone here was right.

There were a handful of people in the threads that weren't too keen on it, but I think the majority of folks here would rank it in the top 3 seasons of the show's run.

I totally disagree with this. When watching it as a marathon it's easy to miss redundancies, giant gaping plot holes and odd character moments. With a week between episodes (and the lively discussion threads) every nuance, for better or worse, is picked apart.

FWIW, I watched 1-2 on DVD in time to catch Season 3 and up live.

It's a fun series... the first time through. Each time I got a season on DVD I ate through it in days and loved it. But then I tried re-watching it with my girlfriend. I had to struggle with watching the first season again, it just felt bad. Once the surprise factor is gone I could only focus on the had writing and huge plot holes.

Does anyone else hate it on repeat viewing?

^Even though I've only seen the first season, I definitely feel it holds zero replay value.

I've found that there is replay value in the different seasons. I've gone back to check out the first season on two different occasions...once just to take a closer look at the set's special features. Sure, it's never the same as the first time with all the different plot twists and turns, but I've still found it enjoyable.

I was excited & believed all the hype also after watching the first season in a bout 10 days on DVD, felt the same way, slightly less after the second season. By the fourth season I quite & have had zero desire to ever go back to the series. It becomes so repetitive, it's just the same thing over & over & over. The show bascially becomes a parody of itself.

First season was great, then it`s all downhill from there I am sorry to say. it gets old fast.

I did the same thing. I watched the first couple discs of season 1 of 24 through Netflix. Before I knew it I was buying the others seasons without watching them first. I liked Season 5 the best so far and this season. Season 7 was the first season I saw in broadcast TV. Great Show. Good Ride and great twists in every episode.

I thought everyone would get into this show when BestBuy had the first 6 season for $26.94 + tax.
I really enjoyed S7 and can't wait for S8.

I thought Season 2 was great. It was slightly better than 1 imo...starting from season 3 they just got worse and worse to the point where I haven't even watched the last 2 seasons.