reviewed by: Charity Bishop
                   

One of the most intriguing programs to come out in a long time, 24 follows a single day in hour-long episodes to represent "actual time." The primary character is Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) of the Counter Terrorist Unit in California. Attempting to put back together his broken family, Bauer is called to the CTU when their department goes on high alert. There are rumors of an assassination attempt to be made against presidential candidate David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert), who if he wins the primary could become the first black president of the United States. Despite the fact his daughter has inconveniently snuck out to hang around with some "boys," Bauer heads to the office, leaving his wife to track down wayward Kim (Elisha Cuthbert) and bring her home safely. But there's been a glitch in the department. Higher powers believe someone in CTU has been feeding information to the outside.

The primary suspect is Bauer's former flame Nina Myers (Sarah Clarke) with whom he had an affair while briefly separated from his wife (Leslie Hope). They must work together to track down this would-be assassin, who is mysteriously linked to the recent explosion of a jetliner. Palmer's security is on high alert but the future president is dealing with a reporter whose news story threatens his good name. It involves the actions of his son in an incident four years before, covered up until she received an anonymous tip. In the meantime we observe the actions of the terrorist team as they make plans for assassination... and accompany Kim on her party night as it turns deadly. Having agreed to meet her girl friend's new fling for a double date with a stranger, Kim is horrified when the boys refuse to let them leave. Packing both of them into the back of the van and giving her friend something to make her high, they drive to south Hollywood without revealing their intentions.

Reaching their stop, the boys force Kim to call her mother and say everything's okay and she's just at a party. When she refuses they threaten to inflict violence on her best friend. Teri, her mother, acknowledges the hysteria in her voice. Together with the other girl's father she goes out in search of their daughters, frustrated at Jack's absence in assisting her. But Bauer has bigger problems... two of their top agents have just been assassinated and the information implies a leak in his department. With a lot of luck, some keen intelligence and a touch of blackmail, Bauer must plug the leak, save his wife and daughter when both become terrorist pawns, and keep Palmer safe until after the primary. He must also capture the terrorists... before it's too late.

The first episode of 24 had me worried. There was a lot of violence, some strong language, implications of former adultery, implied nudity, and several sex scenes, as well as a hint at a lesbian relationship. But after that, suspense and action took the main floor and left more problematic areas in the dust. The show is extremely tense and well written, leaving off in a series of cliffhangers. There are many characters but we have no difficulty keeping all of them straight. Each individual is likable and yet possibly dangerous; we witness deceptions and double-deceptions, red herrings, agents who could be working for either side, and family cover-ups. While her father deals with tracking down psychotic gunmen, Kim has a profound lesson in how dangerous it can be to land on the streets. She trusts a blind date and winds up in a terrible situation, resulting in the loss of her best friend.

The integrity of David Palmer in particular is interesting when contrasted with his family's attempts to cover up his son's indiscretions. You can't help hoping he manages to avoid bad publicity and win his primary. Throughout the adventures Palmer makes genuine attempts to piece together his broken family. Even when tempted by an intern he remains strong and demands all of his employees hold to a strict moral guide. There are some foreseeable events; but the program keeps you constantly guessing and is difficult to tear yourself away from. I thought my workday was bad; contrast it with these poor people's adventures, and anything else would seem a walk in the park.

Like all modern television shows, 24 does suffer from occasionally-graphic violence, mostly mild language, and a few sexual implications. The first episode is the worst. We witness a sexual tryst between a photographer and female terrorist in the jet bathroom, as well as Kim's best friend from a distance in bed with her boyfriend. The terrorist kills everyone on the plane via an explosion after parachuting out. Presumably when the contact comes to pick her up she's topless. The shadows keep it from being overly explicit, but it was unnecessary. Later she flirts with the assassin in the bathroom where once again she's topless. Her hair covers her breasts but we do see part of her naked side and back. This same woman, who appears to be bisexual, passionately kisses her lesbian partner. In the 13/14th episodes, we observe a sexual escapade between one of the assassins and a clueless intern. Once again nudity is evident but cleverly obscured. Immodest attire is peppered throughout the series, showing a lot of low-riding jeans, low-cut tops, and short, tight skirts.

The two boys responsible for kidnapping the girls both smoke weed. They give Kim's best friend crack to ease the pain of her arm, broken when Kim refused to call her mom. The ringleader also refuses to pick up her body after she's hit by a car and instead leaves her on the street. References are made to rape in both non-graphic and graphic terms. Palmer's daughter was raped on a date when she was sixteen. Conversation about the incident never gets graphic but is repeat in many later episodes. In order to save her daughter from being raped, Teri offers herself instead. Discussion about her own abuse comes up later. Sexual dialogue is also present. 

Language is generally mild but also involves one abuse of Christ's name and repeat instances of the term "screwed" both in general and sexual terms. Violence is less brutal than the show's top-competitor, Alias. People are shot at close range with mildly bloody results. A girl is hit by a car, flipped up over the hood, and left to die on the pavement. Her arm is broken by a baseball bat. Agents are mowed down in a parking garage; often we believe someone has been killed. Kim is slapped and flung around by her captors. A few people are knifed or assaulted with other weapons. A man kills a woman in the hospital by cutting off the air in her oxygen tube and squeezing the plastic mask down over her mouth until she suffocates. A presumably naked dead body is found inside a bloody bag in a trunk. Bauer scans the imprint of a severed finger into the computer. We observe the bloody results of a pair of slit wrists. A man is strangled to death with a piece of wire in a bar restroom. Many people are shot and killed in the final episode.

24 is an exciting series but has many flaws. Either watch all, or none... since you'll get hooked and be unable to tear yourself away from the plight of the main characters.