24: Will It Stay on the Rails This Time?

Submitted by Jon Burack (United States), Jan 10, 2005 at 10:15

In season two, 24's LA nuclear bomb plot went off the rails after the bomb dropped in the desert. Until then, it was a coherent story about Mideast terrorists working with rogue elements in the U.S. govt. and a snotty alienated rich American girl in LA (I knew nihilist types like her in my own movement days and so found her totally credible).

As soon as the bomb dropped, however, the story shifted to emphasize crazed U.S. militarists seeking to blame Muslims and start a war. This shift was executed in a clumsy fashion such that U.S. President Plamer's actions became utterly incoherent and absurd (he could not wait a few hours to verify a single tape recording before bombing three Mideast nations -- even though he already KNEW someone in his own administration and probably his wife as well were also involved in the plot).

I have long suspected that the CAIR types got to 24 and caused it to shift the focus away from the Islamists. I hope 24 will stand up to this pressure this time and deliver a good yarn that does not insult our intelligence.

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