Season 5: Prequel
Season 5: Prequel
Author: D
By all indications, this next season of '24' looks to be a real doozy with all the promos showing scads of explosive action and hinting at many intriguing developments in the premiere. So I remain hopeful in spite of this predominantly lame and unfortunately overhyped "preview" that I hope you didn't buy the DVD just to get a look at.
The actual story of this ultra-mini-episode is minimal. There's a nice recap of last season's finale that, in its focus on the two most interesting "good guy" characters in popular media today, reminds you what a great show '24' can be. Then it's twelve months later and we see a scraggly and un-fashion-friendly Jack driving through an industrial looking section of a town that we will soon find out is Chicago (continuity kudos to the producers for the Chicago Tribune newspaper box on the street). He parks and starts walking down the street, eyeing two truck-driver types warily. Nothing like looking suspicious to throw off a stranger's suspicions.
Then who should drive up but Chloe who I swear they keep trying to make more sexy but c'mon guys, we don't love Chloe for her cleavage (or lack thereof). Jack pulls her off the street (did you NOT see that coming?) and asks whether she'd been followed. No, of course, not. Hmmm...let's just wait a few minutes before passing judgment on that statement.
Chloe says Jack has to get out of Chicago now. Her computer was hacked and, besides accessing a falsified autopsy, the hackers probably also know that Jack was in touch with an undercover op in Chicago [I think if I were Chloe, I might have deleted all incriminating evidence off my computer. Seems like something very elementary about which she would be smarmy to Edgar. – J]. She also adds "I can't believe you have to live like this now." To which my response would be, "like what, exactly?" His hygienic conditions notwithstanding, we don't really know much about how Jack's living. He's got a nice set of wheels. Sure he could use a good wash-n-rinse but I was a roadie for rock stars who looked like shit but had more money and chicks then should be legal. The only other thing we DO know is that he chose this option versus landing in federal prison or being handed over to the Chinese. So Jack's gotta be enjoying any living that includes breathing and excludes anal rape.
Anyway, as Chloe and Jack part he asks her a question that is thrilling to a casual pervert like me, "How's Kim?" Just the mention of Kim indicates a likelihood that Elisha (and possibly her underwear) will be making an appearance this season. [Imagine, readers, how D’s head may explode if Kim comes back. Rumor has it she might. – J]
So the balance of the preview is taken up by a moderately interesting car chase, with Jack starting in reverse and ending by manipulating the evil black BMW into a surely deadly collision with a forklift. Jack's terse "I got you now" was a nice touch but, otherwise, this chase raised more confusion than anything. In the promos, it looks like Jack is going to be framed for being a terrorist. So I would think the baddies would be out to capture Jack. But these guys seemed to want to kill him. What gives? And the over-revving motorcycle guy -- why didn't he pursue Jack? If Marwan from last season is any gauge, these bad guys have henchmen by the score -- Mr. Motorcycle didn't have any backup?
Finally, after the crash, where was the forklift operator? Wouldn't he be a little freaked if he just beheaded some random body in a Beemer? [Moreover, where was ANYONE in Chicago? Were all the construction guys on lunch or something? Besides the truck driver types, did we see anyone else? – J]
So then we have the all-important end titles: "He disappeared...", "He changed his name..., " "He thought he was safe..." Oh, please -- I don't think Jack will EVER think he's safe. Was that look he gave the random truck drivers at the beginning the look of someone who thought he was safe?
So "then Day 5 began." Hm. Not giving a whole lot away there. My thinking is that the 24 producers shot this preview well before they had a clue where they were going with Day 5 and made it generic enough to plausibly fit into whatever scenario they came up with. Not a bad idea but it's hard not to feel a little gypped. I mean, with last season's preview, we were introduced to two major new characters (Erin Driscoll, temporary Queen of CTU, and Jack's new squeeze, whatever-her-name was [Audrey! – J]), saw on what terms Jack was ushered out of CTU, were treated to a nifty explosion, and even got to hear Jack say the F-word. This preview is slim pickens in comparison.
That's not meant as a slight to the rest of this bonus disk, however, which does have some cool "boys-with-toys" documentary-type shorts. Still, nothing that compares with the "making of" doc. on the F-18 fly-by from last season. The most fascinating bonus feature to me was the 24 "mobisodes," one minute long mini-episodes broadcast to mobile phones in the UK as a promotion of last season. The mobisodes supply a back-story on a plot within the Washington bureau of CTU and show what '24' could have been like with less skilled actors, less hot actresses, a smaller production budget, and cheesier dialogue. It's like an alternate universe version of '24' and it's pretty laughable, particularly when they squeeze a terrorist suicide into a story that is less than 20 minutes long.
The bonus disk also doesn't have any promos on it (unless I inadvertently skipped over them while looking in vain for features on "The Fashions of CTU" and "CTU: A Triumph of Strong Management"). Luckily, '24' is getting more press than ever this year so there's already more information out on this season than ever before. Which is just my way of saying: download the preview, skip the bonus disk, and pick up Entertainment Weekly instead which has a great cover story hitting stands today.
So I'm certainly pumped for what looks like a rip-snorting opening to this season of '24.' I hope to have nothing but gushy, positive things to ramble on about on this site. But, as we know from previous "Days," the real challenge comes in those crucial middle hours. If we're still on the edges of our seats around Hour 14, then we know we have a real winner on our hands. Otherwise, you can be sure J and I will give you an eye-full of explanations of what's going wrong.
Author: D
By all indications, this next season of '24' looks to be a real doozy with all the promos showing scads of explosive action and hinting at many intriguing developments in the premiere. So I remain hopeful in spite of this predominantly lame and unfortunately overhyped "preview" that I hope you didn't buy the DVD just to get a look at.
The actual story of this ultra-mini-episode is minimal. There's a nice recap of last season's finale that, in its focus on the two most interesting "good guy" characters in popular media today, reminds you what a great show '24' can be. Then it's twelve months later and we see a scraggly and un-fashion-friendly Jack driving through an industrial looking section of a town that we will soon find out is Chicago (continuity kudos to the producers for the Chicago Tribune newspaper box on the street). He parks and starts walking down the street, eyeing two truck-driver types warily. Nothing like looking suspicious to throw off a stranger's suspicions.
Then who should drive up but Chloe who I swear they keep trying to make more sexy but c'mon guys, we don't love Chloe for her cleavage (or lack thereof). Jack pulls her off the street (did you NOT see that coming?) and asks whether she'd been followed. No, of course, not. Hmmm...let's just wait a few minutes before passing judgment on that statement.
Chloe says Jack has to get out of Chicago now. Her computer was hacked and, besides accessing a falsified autopsy, the hackers probably also know that Jack was in touch with an undercover op in Chicago [I think if I were Chloe, I might have deleted all incriminating evidence off my computer. Seems like something very elementary about which she would be smarmy to Edgar. – J]. She also adds "I can't believe you have to live like this now." To which my response would be, "like what, exactly?" His hygienic conditions notwithstanding, we don't really know much about how Jack's living. He's got a nice set of wheels. Sure he could use a good wash-n-rinse but I was a roadie for rock stars who looked like shit but had more money and chicks then should be legal. The only other thing we DO know is that he chose this option versus landing in federal prison or being handed over to the Chinese. So Jack's gotta be enjoying any living that includes breathing and excludes anal rape.
Anyway, as Chloe and Jack part he asks her a question that is thrilling to a casual pervert like me, "How's Kim?" Just the mention of Kim indicates a likelihood that Elisha (and possibly her underwear) will be making an appearance this season. [Imagine, readers, how D’s head may explode if Kim comes back. Rumor has it she might. – J]
So the balance of the preview is taken up by a moderately interesting car chase, with Jack starting in reverse and ending by manipulating the evil black BMW into a surely deadly collision with a forklift. Jack's terse "I got you now" was a nice touch but, otherwise, this chase raised more confusion than anything. In the promos, it looks like Jack is going to be framed for being a terrorist. So I would think the baddies would be out to capture Jack. But these guys seemed to want to kill him. What gives? And the over-revving motorcycle guy -- why didn't he pursue Jack? If Marwan from last season is any gauge, these bad guys have henchmen by the score -- Mr. Motorcycle didn't have any backup?
Finally, after the crash, where was the forklift operator? Wouldn't he be a little freaked if he just beheaded some random body in a Beemer? [Moreover, where was ANYONE in Chicago? Were all the construction guys on lunch or something? Besides the truck driver types, did we see anyone else? – J]
So then we have the all-important end titles: "He disappeared...", "He changed his name..., " "He thought he was safe..." Oh, please -- I don't think Jack will EVER think he's safe. Was that look he gave the random truck drivers at the beginning the look of someone who thought he was safe?
So "then Day 5 began." Hm. Not giving a whole lot away there. My thinking is that the 24 producers shot this preview well before they had a clue where they were going with Day 5 and made it generic enough to plausibly fit into whatever scenario they came up with. Not a bad idea but it's hard not to feel a little gypped. I mean, with last season's preview, we were introduced to two major new characters (Erin Driscoll, temporary Queen of CTU, and Jack's new squeeze, whatever-her-name was [Audrey! – J]), saw on what terms Jack was ushered out of CTU, were treated to a nifty explosion, and even got to hear Jack say the F-word. This preview is slim pickens in comparison.
That's not meant as a slight to the rest of this bonus disk, however, which does have some cool "boys-with-toys" documentary-type shorts. Still, nothing that compares with the "making of" doc. on the F-18 fly-by from last season. The most fascinating bonus feature to me was the 24 "mobisodes," one minute long mini-episodes broadcast to mobile phones in the UK as a promotion of last season. The mobisodes supply a back-story on a plot within the Washington bureau of CTU and show what '24' could have been like with less skilled actors, less hot actresses, a smaller production budget, and cheesier dialogue. It's like an alternate universe version of '24' and it's pretty laughable, particularly when they squeeze a terrorist suicide into a story that is less than 20 minutes long.
The bonus disk also doesn't have any promos on it (unless I inadvertently skipped over them while looking in vain for features on "The Fashions of CTU" and "CTU: A Triumph of Strong Management"). Luckily, '24' is getting more press than ever this year so there's already more information out on this season than ever before. Which is just my way of saying: download the preview, skip the bonus disk, and pick up Entertainment Weekly instead which has a great cover story hitting stands today.
So I'm certainly pumped for what looks like a rip-snorting opening to this season of '24.' I hope to have nothing but gushy, positive things to ramble on about on this site. But, as we know from previous "Days," the real challenge comes in those crucial middle hours. If we're still on the edges of our seats around Hour 14, then we know we have a real winner on our hands. Otherwise, you can be sure J and I will give you an eye-full of explanations of what's going wrong.
Labels: Season Five
posted by Dave T at 2:17:00 PM
3 Comments:
PS:
Not to promote EW too much (but hey, if any of the mag's editors are reading, I'd love a pass to your Oscar party...), but a peruse through it's mid-season TV preview provides these tid-bits for 24 fans of seasons past:
Dennis Haysbert will be starring in a new CBS drama called "The Unit" which, despite what you might think, is not a TV version of the movie "Boogie Nights." It actually sounds pretty excellent, focusing on a "supersecret cadre of operatives" who do black ops kind of things. David Mamet of all people is one of the executive producers. Which should mean snappy dialogue as well as cool toys and explosions.
Sarah Wynter (sigh...) will be one of "Windfall"'s 20 or so costars in a show on NBC about a bunch of people who win the lottery. Given the popularity of the lottery angle (see "My Name is Earl") this could be interesting.
Finally, my favorite line from the EW cover story on '24': when Kief is asked what we WON'T see this season, he says, "You won't be seeing a cougar" and then adds that the producer's are "going to kill me for saying that." Ahhh, Kief, you rascal you!
Ahh, it's so soon! I can't wait.
I'm looking forward to your reviews, they're great.
I'm glad I'm not the only fan. They are great reviews, funny too.
Wish you guys had a set for Day I . . .
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