Friday, March 26, 2010

24 OFFICIALLY DONE ON MAY 24, 2010



Executive Producer Howard Gordon spoke with The Hollywood Reporter and announced that Jack deserves to take a nap. So, he and the gang are ending the television series and moving their operation to feature films. The last episode of 24 will air May 24, 2010.

UPDATE: Thanks to Denise Martin and Maria Elena Fernandez of the LA Times for providing a link to this site. Their article on 24's cancellation is a great piece of reporting, which can be found here.

29 comments:

B said...

Aaaaauuuuaaaggghhh!

I mean I knew it was coming, but it makes me officially sad to read those words.

And MAY 24 - a set date! AND one that's less than two months away! (!) Five years of my life and now it's over in two months.

Guff. Sigh. This will take some getting used to.

I will miss you Jack Bauer! (!!!)

(Although I guess it's about time I get a life anyways... ;) )

B said...

P.S. Nice touch with the *yawn*

TheJackSack said...

Thanks, Brittany. I'm sad as well, but it sounds like Gordon and Sutherland were ready to hang up the manpurse as well. I their hearts aren't into it, then we're probably being spared some bad future season(s).

One thing that I find a little annoying about the quotes I've read from them is that they feel they can't constantly make Jack CTU's action hero again and again. Well, that sort of thing should have stopped 3 years ago. Not every season of 24 needed to be about the annihilation of the world. It's not about topping what you've done before with higher stakes- it's about conflict and problem solving via brains and a ton of violence. 24 could have been about anything- Jack versus the Yakuza. Jack versus Mexican drug cartels. Jack versus a traffic light! The writers thought the formula had to be adhered to religiously, and that's a dumb way to go. Once they had the chutzpah to make the President of the United States a villain (which was great!) they should have stepped back and really thought through their next moves differently. Season 6 set off a nuke right away and you began to think "How is there still a United States after all of this shit?" It became absurd.

And I'll go on the record finally and say that last season's mishandling of Tony Almeida was criminal. The whole "Michelle was pregnant!" bit was tawdry melodrama in my opinion. And discarding him like a dog at the end of the finale was poor writing. They used our love of Tony for their lazy tricks, making him a villain, a friend, a villain/murderer and finally a sad shell of a man. And there was no style to it at all.

Sorry, I'm ranting here, but I'm probably just rationalizing something in my head about this show needing to stop. Since Season 5, the show has not had the same vibe. It's had flashes of greatness here and there, but I think the bottom line is the team tried to top itself when that was the wrong approach all along. Let's hope the movie is where it's at. I'd love to see them go off and really surprise us again. It's been a while.

B said...
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J. Todd Hatcher said...

Give me a moment...I...

Just gimme a moment.

Ok. I'm pretty happy at the statements that Kiefer and Gordon actually DECIDED this was a good time to end. Gives me faith that the rest of the season will be good stuff. Plus I am beyond psyched at the idea of waiting in line for "24: The Movie."

But still, a bittersweet day. I dunno what I'll do after it's all truly over. Probably stalk around malls with a bluetooth in my ear, creating urgent scenarios for myself. Dammit.

B said...
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J. Todd Hatcher said...

@Adam I agree with some of what you've said - there really was no need to try to outdo themselves every year with "the threat"; I've said that all along.

That said, Season 7 is overall one of my favorites, so I won't complain there.

For me, the current season has had nearly equal measures of "Now THAT was brilliant!" and "I can't believe we're going here again."

From what I'm reading, I think they've got the balls to go out in style, with both the 11 remaining hours and the movie.

B said...

Okay, frick, @Hatch, you are funny. And I'm glad the interviews reinforce that it was THEIR DECISION, since the idea of anyone else controlling Jack Bauer's fate is just insulting.

And @Adam - well, the interview did say, "I was more aware this time of ending something that really felt surprising," so there you go. Let's just hope it's a GOOD one.

::goes off to continue processing::

TheJackSack said...

Yeah, they appear to be doing something daring, something that will likely forever close the "Jack works for CTU" relationship for good. Kim dies? Is that too much for Jack to take without becoming a full-blown psycho? Who knows?

Whatever they choose to do, I hope it's done not for sheer shock value. They have a habit of killing characters to make you jump in your seat, but then you look back later and go "was that really a good idea?" Tony's death was the only one they reversed, but I do recall thinking Curtis' death was downright wacky.

B said...

***Okay, guilt and shame are starting to set in for writing so much. I can quit when I want to...I swear. And I'll want to right after this. Probably.***

I can't say a ton about the way things ended up with Tony, b/c to be completely honest, I missed most of the 2nd half of S7. (Don't worry about spoilers though, that ship has sailed. And now I've still got fresh episodes to ameliorate the loss!) Deep down, though, I am still glad he's not dead...even if they did inflict a crap ton of cheap shots on his character. I'd rather have him still existing as a ruined shell than six feet under an imaginary headstone. Is that selfish? Who cares. It's fiction.

A small part of me still wonders if they might intend to right any of the wrongful deaths or character defamations that they have committed through future non-primetime 24 endeavors...and I sure as heck hope that they steer clear of that for their last remaining hours. I suppose only time will tell. (There's a statement that feels ironic to me for some reason...)

Dr. Alice said...

I'm sad, but I think it's time. I agree with everything you said, Adam - the writers trying to top themselves in seasons 6, 7 and 8 doesn't really make sense. It's still a fun show but every season is about the same thing, essentially. They need a fresh approach and maybe the movie will provide that.

I have heard through the grapevine that Glenn Morshower (Aaron Pierce) won't be back this season at all, which makes me sad. You'd think they would have given him at least a cameo. But maybe the Powers that Be wanted only Keifer to have been in every season. At any rate, I intend to watch till the bitter end and enjoy the rest of this season thoroughly.

TheJackSack said...

Brittany, mi blog es su casa! I'm always happy to read your comments, please don't feel like you're imposing yourself on us.

Dr. Alice, that news about Aaron Pierce is very disappointing. While he has had varying impacts over the storylines throughout, he has always been the moral spine of the show. If you're right, that's an unfortunate outcome for Season 8.

Look, to keep perspective though- we got 8 seasons of Jack Bauer here. That's more television than one could have ever hoped to enjoy- 192 Bauer Power Hours when it's all finished in May. Not bad, people... we can't get greedy at the table of good fortune.

Brian Pelts said...

It's weird; I'd think this news becoming official would elicit some sort of response from me, but I feel nothing. Well, some slight relief that, as Adam pointed out, we're probably being spared from some bad seasons, but other than that, nothing. I don't think that speaks to my love of this show, which is immense, but rather to the cookie-cutter approach the showrunners have taken to each season. When every season is almost identical, what's the difference between getting 8 or getting 10 or 11?

No, the only real twinge of regret I felt when I read the news was about not posting more here in the past. You guys are a blasty-blast to talk 24 with, and I'll miss our weekly snarkfests. *sniff*

puts on Boyz II Men's "End Of The Road", pours out part of a .40

Oh, and I'm totally expecting a wholesale character bloodbath. A decade of following Joss Whedon shows prepares you for that sort of carnage.

TheJackSack said...

Pelty, what the frig do I have to do to keep you guys coming back here post-24?

This blog doesn't need to end, and I want to do something that you guys will enjoy too. Thoughts?

Brian Pelts said...

I can't speak for everyone, but I'll definitely stick around.

You know, unless it becomes a Twilight fansite. Then you can just go fuck yourself, buddy.

TheJackSack said...

@Pelty- HHHAAA!!! Yeah, no. Hehehe.

The Sack would be neutered if I went in that direction.

Brian Pelts said...

We could always become a Dune fan blog. 'Cause I'm pretty sure Jack Bauer is the Kwisatz Haderach.

TheJackSack said...

That would explain how Jack gets from one end of a city to another in 5 minutes!

I guess I'll start opening up to other TV shows and films of various ass-kicking variety. The Jack Sack is about getting things done through cold logic and overwhelming force. Don't forget that, America.

J. Todd Hatcher said...

Haha @Brittany - trust me, 24 fans around the globe are there with you in mind tonight :)

At any rate, I've grown somewhat attached to this blog over the last year, so I'm not going anywhere.

TheJackSack said...

Thanks, Hatch- you are a truly valued voice here.

Sunny said...

Even though Jack Bauer is a fictional character he had a way of making himself real in our hearts. In a world gone crazy after 9-11 Jack gave us a sense of hope. Jack was our ringer against terrorism. Jack was the ace up our sleeve. This truly is a sad day for the good guys and all 24 fans.

On a positive note, I will no longer have to worry about an intervention by friends and family. This due to my obsession with 24.

Sunny said...

@ Adam: I love your movie reviews and your prowess with photoshop. I'll continue to read this blog.

TheJackSack said...

@Sunny- thanks, my friend. I'll keep up both of those things in the future!

Dr. Alice said...

I'll keep reading, too. I think movie reviews/TV reviews, heck why not book reviews, would be a great idea for the blog. Also I for one have not seen the first four seasons yet - I started watching in S5, so perhaps discussion of the first several seasons would be in order?

B said...

Sigh. Things change, that's just the way it is. I'm sure a lot of us will continue to creepily revolve around this site (did I just say creepily? No...), and throw in our two cents when we can. I for one know that if the site continues to crack me up and keep me going like it has so far, I'll do my best to stick around. :)

But alas, there will be at least one fundamental difference between our 24 "weekly snarkfests" (thanks, Brian - you make me laugh :) ) and any future commentaries. We're all pretty much in the same boat right now, where the main focus of this site is also the focus of our (dare I say it - yes, I dare) addiction. Cut the "tie that binds" and we're bound to be a lot less consistent and insightful with our contributions. (For example, I hadn't commented on some of the movies you reviewed b/c I'd never seen them.) It's a bit of a bummer, but I think it's just the way it is.

Unless we all get a new addiction...... ;) (Just putting the idea out there. Food for thought. Something to keep on the table. ;) )

Granny Annie said...

I read the official announcement here first which is how it should be. Here is where I got all my inside dope on 24 and where I had the most fun with each episode. We'll stay in attendance until May 24th when Adam can announce his next endeavor!

Sunny said...

@ Dr. Alice - I started watching 24 in the middle of season 5. During the following summer I checked out DVD's of the previous seasons from the library. If you think you are an addict now, just wait until you have the next episodes on a disc in your own home. I found myself watching 24 in the wee hours of the morning. I would get up early just to watch 24. If Jack is in the house you will not get any sleep. He is very demanding.

Anonymous said...

I'm so sad, what am I doing now without Jack ??!
what I hope now is a 24 movie very soon

TheJackSack said...

@Brittany- excellent points you make. This blog is about 24 first and foremost and that's why you all have arrived here at some point. I will keep this going in the hopes that what I write will *keep* you coming back, even if there's less Jack Bauer to discuss.

@Doc- I, like many of you, started watching 24 during season 5 as well. I went through seasons 1-4 on DVD while S5 was airing and getting that concentrated dose of 24 was awesome. It was the most fun viewing experience I've ever had and it was the reason I started this blog.

@Annie- I could hug you! :)

@Anonymous- chin-up. We're going to make it through this!

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