There has been a lot of discussion recently regarding the merits of the hit show 24. The program has been described as propagandist and fear-mongering among other things, but has nevertheless retained a loyal fan-base.
In the past, I've considered myself a part of that fanbase but my loyalty is waning, and not because of those concerns. Although I can't say I'm able to determine exactly when, it seems as though the show "jumped the shark" at some point. 24 has a number of cookie-cutter elements in its style and plot that seem to be recycled year after year, and while that's obviously not an opinion that the show's producers are hoping other viewers share, it's also not necessarily the worst thing seeing as how you've always had to shut your brain off to enjoy the show anyways. I also understand that despite complaints that 24 has attempted to snowball the fear of terrorism–taking what exists in some natural and perhaps rational form and allegedly making it into something that causes both social prejudices and political biases–it remains a business enterprise that cares first and foremost about entertaining its audience. In order to do so, the show has had to broaden its scope–or up the ante, if you will–every year since its inception, building up to its recent nuclear detonation in Los Angeles. While the producers may or may not have ulterior motives, I abstain from judgment because of that single predominate fact.
Aside from the nuclear bombing, what I've noticed this season are the obvious links to the seemingly forgotten 1998 film, The Siege. Just as in 24, The Siege featured a heroic federal agent (played by Denzel Washington) doing his best to end a horrific string of terrorist attacks before an overzealous government can destroy what's left of the Constitution by interning Muslims in the name of national safety. It has been suggested from the first episode of this season's 24 that this will happen sometime over the course of the season's "day," so I'm sure that it will, as the show has always been anything but understated in its foreshadowing. However, just as in The Siege, there are a number of "good guys" campaigning against such an action, and so I'm equally certain that there will be a resolution by season's end in which racial profiling in its largest and most grotesque form is determined once and for all to be wholly un-American and against what our men and women have always fought for. Along with the excellent, excellent movie currently in theatres, Children of Men, and the classic novel 1984, both The Siege and this season's 24 begin by scaring you–or at least establishing a scared society–and then (in 24's case, hopefully) go on to show how dangerous that fear can become. This time, Jack Bauer won't save us from who we supposedly hate, but being the All-American that he is, will instead save us from becoming what we're supposed to hate. Of course if he has to torture a few dozen people along the way, oh well, because that is, after all, apparently what audiences want to see...and Dubya's already seen to it that it be allowed anyway.
Among the other dangers you'll find while patrolling the boob tube:
In regard to the NFL Playoffs, Colbert warned us and now it's happened: The number one threat to America, Bears, devoured Saints on Sunday, and not just any Saints, but New Orleans Saints. As if that's not enough, Patriots were also defeated, and by Peyton Manning of all people.
Grey's Anatomy continues to expose the truth that only the best HMO's offer doctors who are so attractive that they can't resist sleeping with each other before, after, and perhaps even during surgeries. Meanwhile, Ugly Betty reminds us that ugly people do indeed exist and that we have to tolerate them despite it, and perhaps even go so far as to look for this so-called "inner beauty" thing.
Perhaps no one watches it, but that doesn't change the fact that America's Funniest Videos is still on the air, which makes you wonder if the -est suffix has remained for too long. By this point, they must surely be reduced to "America's Funnier Videos Than Yours", or "America's Funny Videos of Cats Doing Silly Things," or perhaps "YouTube For People Without The Internet."
FOX News continues to prove that conservatives are funnier than liberals without even trying.
(Speaking of which, Colbert and O'Reilly recently exchanged appearances on each other's shows, and while I was expecting my head to blow up at some point, it sadly did not. If this had been a Pay-Per-View wrestling event and if I were a redneck or lived in my parents' basement, I totally would have asked for my $39.95 back. Stewart-Carlson II this was not.)
