Starting At The End

Hello everybody, Eric here; while my other blog, Reason To Believe, contains my thoughts on the wide world of sports, this will contain my thoughts on whatever else - great books, movies, television shows, music, concerts, etc.  As an inaugural "event," I figured we should start this venture at the end of two highly influential TV shows that are of great significance to me: 24 and LOST.  While the LOST finale aired last night (and what a finale it was), those thoughts are still gestating around, and will be posted after I've had time to think more about "The End".  Tonight, though, I thought I'd give some thoughts on the series finale of "24" as it happens, in real-time (how appropriate).  


While the show arguably lost its way in the sixth season, the second half of this 8th season has been phenomenal, as Jack has gone rogue and is exacting his measure of vengeance against any and all responsible for the death of Renee Walker.  Without further ado...


7:01 - Ah, one last "events occur in real time" after a nice intro from Kiefer to the fans


7:04 - Can I just say how much I've enjoyed Michael Madsen on the show? Seeing this Tarantino mainstay help out Jack has been a great part of the last couple episodes


7:07 - Also have to say how great it's been for Chloe's character to be in charge at CTU; it's such a natural progression for her character, the longest-running regular on the show besides Jack, and she's proven to be a natural


7:08 - Yet again, the world's on the brink of an international incident thanks to a recording (see: Season Two, Peter Kingsley, and the Cypress Recording)


7:11 - "We couldn't have asked for a better outcome" - famous last words, Charles Logan - give it an hour or so, then we'll reconsider that statement (how good has it been to have him back, by the way?)


7:13 - GREAT camera move, and Jack moment, in revealing him sitting behind Pillar - this has great potential; going back to the UN, where the season started and where it's gonna end


7:18 - nice callback to Hassan with the pen - that was one of this season's big shockers, Jack finding him too late with his throat slit


7:22 - how'd you like to have Jack Freakin' Bauer as a backseat driver? 


7:24 - making Pillar stitch you up while holding him at gunpoint? Classic Jack - I love how he's not so much in pain as he's annoyed that there's a gaping wound in his side


7:30 - the Jack Sack has grown to epic proportions this year; it's gone from a side satchel to this huge-ass bag that's basically got everything you'd need to wage a covert war of vengeance inside


7:33 - Whoops, looks like that move to arrest Meredith Reed is backfiring, huh?  Chickens are coming home to roost for President Taylor; her character has been on quite the downward slope for the latter half of the year, all in the name of her precious peace treaty.  I like the Dalia character more now than ever for calling Taylor out, and I like Taylor less and less, especially after she threatened the IRK with war on false pretenses, which is pretty sad for a president I ranked below only Palmer in the 24 executive pantheon after her moral stand at the end of last season.


7:36 - how sick does Chris Nolan's Inception look? Probably my most-anticipated summer movie


7:41 - ah, Jack's sniper nest - those revolving grates remind me of the reporter's assassination at the beginning of The Bourne Ultimatum


7:44 - that's pretty sick face recognition software to recognize and flag a reflection of Jack in the window of a damn vending machine.  Oh, and Chloe's gonna pull that gun on Jack before the show's over.  Just a prediction.


7:46 - really nice heartfelt recording by Jack for Kim.  Really got to see how heavily the events of not only today, but the entire series, have wore him down to what he is at present


7:52 - Eriq La Salle, ladies and gentlemen.  Shoutout to all the ER fans out there


7:54 - love how Chloe knows exactly where to look for Jack - she knows him better than anyone left alive on the show, even Kim.  That was hard to watch - I'm sure even Jack feels a little bad about doing that to his oldest friend who was only trying to help


7:56 - OH WOW that was great - Jack owns Logan in every way imaginable.  Loved seeing Logan's side of the conversation from down the barrel of Jack's sniper rifle.  What a great smirk by Jack to end the first hour of the finale.  On to the last, 192nd hour of "24" ever.  Wow.  Weird to type that.  


8:00 - last flash of the digital 24 onscreen, last "following takes place..."; very very weird. Here we go


8:06 - great shot of Logan leaning on the desk through the scope - very interesting (and last? probably not) race against time with Cole's attack squad coming for Jack


8:08 - great tension here with Chloe playing the part of his better angel while Jack stares down Suvarov and Logan - love that she talked him down


8:10 - wow Jack asking Chloe to kill him, didn't see that coming - and didn't see her shooting him in the chest either.  I don't think Jack's going to die (see: upcoming 24 movie that's already in the works), but this is quite the interesting development.  Touche, 24


8:19 - Chloe did Jack proud by hiding the chip inside her phone, she's picked up a thing or two over the years


8:20 - of course it didn't hit any organs or arteries -Jack Bauer can't die.  And we haven't seen the draw-'em-in-vampire-bite move since the season 6 premiere, great callback


8:22 - have they failed? Can it be? Agent Burke, you have chosen...poorly


8:27 - watching Logan corrupt Taylor has been unfortunate to see; she did such a good job last year, and watching her glide down the slippery slope is character assassination of the highest order.  Oh well...


8:28 - Logan definitely knows Jack pretty well - "he will find a way".  Bastard's put a plan in motion to silence Jack forever, and damn Taylor, after all Jack did for her in the last two seasons, for tacitly approving the ultimate patriot's death


8:30 - OH snap! he switched the recordings, the first recording wasn't for Kim, it was for the President - read that one wrong.  Thank God for Jack bringing common sense back to Taylor, I bet she's the one to back out of the her own treaty now


8:31 - Logan is a snake of the highest order, but it's always fun to watch Gregory Itzin play around with such a great character


8:34 - "one of the world's defining dramas" thanks for the meta-reference, 24 - at your best, you truly were


8:37 - Aaaaaand I called it - Taylor didn't sign it, in a late attempt to rectify her mistakes of the last 8 hours or so.  Is she going to effectively remove herself from office? I suppose we shall see...but the peace process, in 24 at least, is dead.  At least she realized the grave error of her ways before it was all said and done


8:39 - hmmm...Jack in Logan's clutches.  This should be interesting to see play out


8:41 - what a desperate madman Logan's become.  Bauer's in his head for good - he sees him as the cause of all his suffering.  Of course he takes the coward's way out - how else would he die? And then he doesn't have to answer for all that he's done.  Perfect end for that character


8:48 - perhaps too little, too late from the President re:giving Chloe and Cole free reign


8:51 - last-ditch effort by Jack - I'd expect nothing less.  No way he dies by the hand of this no-name


8:53 - Jack definitely wanted the execution to happen - at this point, he'd just rather die. With everything he's lost...I don't blame him


8:54 - Props to the president for taking responsibility for the missteps she took, the biggest of which was betraying Jack.  Love how this sets up almost exactly as the end of Season 4 - a president telling Jack to run away, and never return.  The Russians and Americans after Jack? Hellooooo, 24 movie!


8:55 - Chloe and Jack's last talk - very well-done, does the characters and their relationship justice.  Very well sold by both Rajskub and Kiefer


8:58 - Jack on the run...once again.  I don't think it could have ended any other way.  


9:00 - "Shut it down" last words of the show, final image is Jack's face pixeling out as the drone shuts down
the final clock - a countdown to 00:00:00, interesting...would have liked it at 04:00:00, but that's a nitpick




Well folks, it's the end of an era for broadcast television.  24, and LOST as well, were arguably two of the defining shows of the 2000s.  And now on back to back nights, they've bowed out.  I'll be back with thoughts on this ending, as well as LOST in the next few days.  


As they say on the island...Namaste