I feel as if part of me is being canceled, not just a television show. After nine years, and eight seasons, my favorite show has come to an end. Millions of Lost fans felt this last night and now I am feeling to today. After countless acts of heroism/justifiable barbarism from Jack Bauer, a staggering series bodycount, the surprising deaths (and rebirths) of friends and enemies alike and more double-crosses, enemy moles and political intrigue than you can shake a SIG Sauer 9mm at, the clock finally struck midnight on everyone’s favorite network espionage thriller, 24 last night.
While there have been peaks and valleys for the show as a whole, this final season itself deserves an A-. After a decent beginning, a glacial-slow middle portion and an absolute rollercoaster of a third act, the season provided fans with drama that hasn’t been present since the series’ apex run from seasons three through five. The finale, however, is tougher to judge. As far as season finales go, this was a solid yet unspectacular ending. As far as series finales go? I, personally, can’t help but feel a little disappointed.
24 was in the unenviable position of having the hammer drop on the series midway through the final season. While the producers accurately predicted the series’ demise during the break between seasons seven and eight, the official word wasn’t handed down until the entire eighth season was completely fleshed out and the majority of it filmed. Any deviations in plot or attempts at a more appropriate series ending at that point would have resulted in a disjointed narrative and forced resolutions reminiscent of the universally-panned season six. So while the producers were correct in staying the course, the end result felt more like the end of a season as opposed to the final time we will ever see Jack Bauer (on television at least).
This isn’t more evident than in the major plotlines from the season’s final arc. Considering that the fallout of the Hassan murder-conspiracy would have likely been revisited next season, we are left hanging in the respect that there won’t be any real impact of the actions of President Taylor, President Suvarov and President Logan. We won’t see how Dana’s betrayal and the utter destruction of Cole’s personal life during season eight will affect him as a person or agent in the future. Unfortunately, these plotlines are far too convoluted to be included in a two hour feature film so we are probably left to wonder ourselves.
That, in a nutshell, is where the Lost finale succeeded and the 24 finale sort of fizzled out. ABC would have locked Lost up for the next five seasons, but the producers and creators had a plan for the show from the beginning with a definite beginning, middle and end. Everything was leading up to the finale and that was that. 24 is a different animal entirely. While key characters and plotlines carry over from season to season, the majority of Jack Bauer’s adventures are confined to one particular day and encapsulated within unlike a show such as Lost. It’s hard enough to write a fitting finality piece for a show like that as it is. It’s nearly impossible to do so when the end isn’t announced until it’s, basically, too late to change anything with that season’s story.
All in all, though, it’s been a good run and you can’t argue with a fantastic final season, regardless of how the ending makes us feel considering the circumstances. Considering that the producers were in limbo and Jack is (thankfully, hopefully) destined for a new frontier on the silver screen, we can forgive the soft landing of an ending and look forward to brighter (and more violent) days ahead. Not every show is lucky enough or popular enough to make the transition from televisions to multiplexes. We are all in for a treat when the series makes its way to the big screen and an “R” rating. One thing is indisputable, however, and it comes from the lips of a friend of mine. Sorry to all the Lost fanatics: Jack Bauer doesn’t send people to purgatory. He sends them straight to hell. No truer words have ever been said. Farewell, for now Jack.
3 comments:
Amen to that Jim..
I look at the 24 finale a bit differently. First, I am not convinced that the show will not make a return to the airwaves. I have thought about this a lot and arrive at the following point. The producers have often said that the cost factor for making the show with the 24 hour format made it unsustainable (I argue that it was made unsustainable by trying to produce the "first green show" but I digress.) Instead of 24, it can be revived as CTU with the focus shifting to the character development of some of the peripheral characters (Cole Ortiz to touch on your point) as well as plot lines that are not as over the top when trying to rush to tie up loose ends in some episodes while dragging heels in other episodes.
Further, as a feature length film, the series can live on as long as Kiefer Sutherland is willing to assume the role of Jack Bauer. The direction the film(s) will take is somewhat TBD but the ending of this season leaves the door open for the future and for that, I applaud them. It's a smart thing to do for a franchise that people like.
As for your references to Lost, I've never seen an episode and am planning to watch the seasons at one point but I recall this show being called Gilligan's Island about 45 years ago...
I am not confident that it will come back. The production cost as isn't the only reason. Green production costs, normal production costs, whatever. All of it aside, neither results in a positive return on the investment for Fox. The ratings steadily declined over the years and the finale's ratings were incredibly low. People just don't watch anymore. The die hards like us still followed it, but the casual fan who came on for season five got bored with the repetitiveness of the show. Every year it was a government cover up related to a terrorist attack. Throw in Jack bucking the rules and going rogue, the token CTU mole (how a government agency of the highest security protocol keeps having moles is beyond me. Their HR screening process should probably be revamped after eight double agents, no?)and the death of a major character. It was the 24 formula and it worked, but it's the same thing over and over and people just got tired of it.
Hopefully the movie explores new horizons. The real time aspect is gone which is a good thing. I would like to see more realistic violence, an R-rating and a more personal involvement for Jack. How many times can he come to the aid of a country that hunts him, sells him out, forces him into isolation, or banishes him outright? It's tired.
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