I am ashamed of myself. I have indulged in a 24 hour orgy - and not for the first time. In fact, it's the fifth year in a row I have done it over Christmas. I don't know what comes over me.
Yes folks, I've just finished watching Season 5 of '24' on DVD (hah, gotcha!). Normally, programmes like this never live up to the first series but not this one. It has it all - political intrigue of the first order, heroes and villans, a bit of love interest and the brilliant Kiefer Sutherland. However, the best performance of the series must go to Glenn Morshower who plays President Logan's security agent Aaron Pierce. Totally believeable. The only bit of nitpicking I can come up with is the character of President Charles Logan, who seemed to morph into Richard Nixon as the series progressed.
Typical of those Hollywood lefties! The whole thing, like Spooks, rests on the fact that the fate of the whole country seems to rest on the heroism of one person or one group of people. Totally unbelievable, of course, but who cares. '24' is all about escapism and however it may test the viewer's patience from time to time, it leaves you wanting more. Whenever I get to the end of a series of '24', having watched all 24 episodes over three days I get the same sort of withdrawal symptoms I get after returning from an enjoyable holiday.If you have never watched '24' I highly recommend you get the Series 1 Box Set. I guarantee you will be hooked.
A lister eh, promotions all around in 2007 Iain? ;o)
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, couldn't recommend 24 highly enough to those who haven't seen it.
Just a few more weeks until season six begins.
Forget Christmas and New Year, this has to be the best part of Winter!
As for Logan, from the outset he looked like Nixon, his finale in Season 5 is what I'd like to see happen to Blair in 2007. Either that or for him to take a visit to Saddams gallows...
Iain, you are a tease. I thought I was going to get a NoW style confession of wild behaviour in Brighton last night!
ReplyDeleteHi, Iain. I will have to check this out, maybe I can borrow them from work colleagues because I can't really justify the cost on my salary! The Bourne Supremacy is my personal favourite.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to say Happy New Year. I know you guys don't like the BBC very much but I started reading your blog when it was linked on a BBC News article.
Twelve months ago the idea of me joining a political party was ridiculous but 2006 was the year that this alienated, binge drinking, call centre worker who can't afford a one bedroomed flat in his own country got thoroughly fed up. Bloggers have really helped to open things up (sorry my blog is currently restricted because I am still working out an appropriate level of privacy).
I hope 2007 will be really good.
Realpolitik, welcome to the conservatives. Sorry to hear about your woes in the housing market, way back in the terrible 80's under Mrs T I knew more than one student who was actually able to buy their first flat. It was often in the less attractive area's in their town, but it was that vital first step on the housing market.
ReplyDeleteThanks to this government they now have a debt which will often make that dream of buying their first home remain just that a dream.
Very good iain , my lovely wife and did the same thing with the first series and it was an insomniacs heaven. Can I recommend a back to back viewing of the first series of Tenko. You will be amazed at how much more than the sum of its parts it becomes
ReplyDeleteSurnow is a self-described "right-wing nutjob" so I don't really think Logan is a product of "Hollywood lefties".
ReplyDelete"Thanks to this government they now have a debt which will often make that dream of buying their first home remain just that a dream."
ReplyDeleteYou mean, chatterbox, thanks to their adoption of Conservative policies in higher education finance.
"the fate of the whole country seems to rest on the heroism of one person or one group of people."
ReplyDeleteY'mean like Dave Cameron and his A-listers? Who is your 'Mr T'?
"Totally unbelievable, of course, but who cares."
Now I know it IS DaveCam - with the plot being totally reclcled from TBBC.
I've got seasons 1 to 3 of "24", but I stopped watching after that, as S3 seemed a bit weaker than the previous ones, so I guessed it was drying up.
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough I also have Spooks 1-3, but that programme is such a joke I've only ever watched them once. If you like your spy stories to have at least a grain of resemblance to reality, forget Spooks, and buy the Le Carre BBC DVDs "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" and "Smiley's People" starring Alec Guinness. Those I can watch over and over again.
The Wire is far superior.
ReplyDelete"'24' is all about escapism and however it may test the viewer's patience from time to time, it leaves you wanting more."
ReplyDeleteI take it you are referring to that waste of skin Kim Bauer? I've lost count of the number of times I've screamed at the television because of that dopey mare!
Our Canucki plot is working. None of the Brits suspect Kiefer is anything other than 100% American. At this rate, if we can only get Jim Carrey and Mike Myers another development deal, our takeover should be complete. Praise be to Lorne Michaels and Lorne Greene.
ReplyDeleteNever mind '24' (is the hero's daughter still getting kidnapped every 5 minutes?); my choice is the superb West Wing, though the contrast between the fantasy Bartlet and all-too-real Bush is excruciating
ReplyDeleteI watched the original series on tv and I was left wanting no more at all.
ReplyDeleteYes 24 is fantastic. The news series (day 6) starts on Sky this month and it's a must see for me.
ReplyDeleteI was standing in Gatwick airport last month and suddenly heard the CTU ringtone so I looked around and this guy grinned and said "You're supposed to duck" !
ReplyDelete24 is the best thing on TV since the early series of West Wing and Deadwood. If you have not seen Deadwood, get that set now :-) It has atrocious languague but get past that and it is almost Shakespearean, superb gritty drama and a credit to whoever had teh courage to commission something so hard hitting.
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