Spoiler: Season 8 24 (USA)

Mr Martini

Not sure if it's too early to start this topic but season 8 of 24 begins on Jan 17, 2010. Keifer Sutherland spoke at Comic Con and gave a brief description of the seasons event. You can watch it here:

http://www.fox.com/fod/play.php?sh=twentyfour&ep=1250897747605

I do hope this link takes you directly to the video. I can't wait until Jan 17th.

John Drake

Only info I've heard so far about Season 8 is Callum Keith Rennie (Harper's Island) is going to be around, presumably as one of the bad guys.

Mr Martini

If you haven't been watching the World Series (or Fox) you might have missed a trailer for the new season of 24. So here's the trailer:

http://www.fox.com/fod/play.php?sh=twentyfour&ep=1256696811731

John Drake

Mr Martini wrote:

If you haven't been watching the World Series (or Fox) you might have missed a trailer for the new season of 24. So here's the trailer:

http://www.fox.com/fod/play.php?sh=twentyfour&ep=1256696811731

Thanks. Season 8 looks promising.

Mr Martini

Just giving this a bump as a reminder the Season Premiere is two weeks away.

John Drake

Best trailer ever, a redhead in leather with a gun. :x

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJGOVCXNb0w

Mr Martini

John Drake wrote:

Best trailer ever, a redhead in leather with a gun. :x

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJGOVCXNb0w

Wow. Very nice. I wonder if there's any other trailers they aren't showing here in America?

John Drake

I think Sky does trailers for these for every big US import they've got. I saw this last night on an ad break and just sat open-mouthed. She is stunning.

Mr Martini

John Drake wrote:

I think Sky does trailers for these for every big US import they've got. I saw this last night on an ad break and just sat open-mouthed. She is stunning.

She was stunning in Season 7 also.

Mr Martini

What can I say? Jack is back, even though he'd rather be on a plane to California with his daughter ( :x ) and Granddaughter. But poor Jack is sucked back into CTU affairs. Looks like this will be an exciting season. There's a assassination threat on Omar Hassans, the President of a Middle East country. He's about to sign a treaty with the U.S., but someone within his organization doesn't want him to sign. CTU thinks they have the insider at CTU, but Chole doesn't think she's the insider. The seasons just getting started. I wonder what kind of twists and turns this season will bring?

Hardyboy, you still watching?

Hardyboy

Mr Martini wrote:

Hardyboy, you still watching?

Indeed I am--I just thought I'd wait until after the two-day, four-hour extravaganza before I weighed in.

So far I'm impressed--but, to be a cynical realist, I felt that way throughout the first half of last season, and then things seemed to go downhill. But anyway, I really like the change of locale to New York: the cinematography is a bit darker, the streets seem grittier, and there's just a more worldly feel to the show. But the good ol' 24 elements are still in place: Jack the tortured soul who'd just like to live a normal life; a grave threat to national security; a head of CTU who's an obstinate bit of male genitalia; one set of villains in bed with another; a dash of soap-opera (Will the Head of the Islamic State announce his love for that Lisa Kudrow-ish reporter? What secret in the past of the hot young CTU agent is held by that DiCaprio-esque thug who's come back into her life?); and even the impossible-to-figure-out 24 timeline is in place. I'm trying to figure out if Renee's time with the Russian mob "six years ago" was BEFORE she met Jack last season, or if it all happened AFTER she met him? At any rate, I think 20 years have passed since Season One!

And I have to say the cast, as always, is good. With the high mortality rate among recurring characters, only Jack and Chloe have any longevity (maybe this will be the year Chloe bites it), but I'll be disappointed if Aaron Pierce doesn't make his token appearance. Some welcome faces from last season return (sorry, Mr. Martini, it's Renee who gets my :x ); and the new characters are all played by terrific character actors. Jurgen Prochnow! Doug Hutchinson, one of my favorite screen sleazes! The Slumdog Millionaire game show host! Freddie Prinze. . . ? Well, you can't win 'em all.

So I'm all saddled up for this ride. What can I say? Tick. . .tick. . .tick. . .tick. . .

00-Agent

I wasn't sure about this season of 24. After seven seasons it was starting to seem like they were repeating themselves. I had my doubts about the show being able to keep my interest for another season but now after one episode I'm hooked again. I cant wait to watch tonight's show.

Mr Martini

Seems like season 8 of 24 was going to be a retelling of season 1. And, to some extent it is. We have a assassination attempt on a high ranking political figure. The attempt fails, but during the course of the investigation the Russians have something to do with it. It wouldn't surprise me to see either Victor Drazen ( Season 1 ) involved with this season, or a relative of Victor Drazen. Time will tell and the clock is ticking.

John Drake

You guys are ahead of me so I skimmed some of the above. We only got the first two eps, so no Agent Walker yet. I thought things started fairly slowly and the new boss of CTU is a bit too useless, but I am sure things will pick up.

Mr Martini

When I write my review John D, I'll bold the hour and color it so you don't read too far.

8pm-9pm



Does that work?

John Drake

Mr Martini wrote:

When I write my review John D, I'll bold the hour and color it so you don't read too far.

8pm-9pm



Does that work?

{[] Nice one.

00-Agent

I finished watching 24 last night (the DVR is a wonder invention). I thought that the way in which Renee removed the bracelet from the Russian was way over the top. It seemed really extreme to say the least so I was surprised that they were able to explain her behavior/state of mind pretty well in this latest installment. The fact that the Russian proceeded to help her afterward was ridiculous but the writers were probably at a loss as to how to explain his behavior. Still it was a good episode.

Mr Martini

9pm-10pm

Not sure what to say about this hour. I'm having a hard time figuring out whats going on. I can grasp the fact there's a nuclear weapon involved and it's up for sale. Not sure why the Russians are selling it to brother of the President of a Middle Eastern country. There's something that I missed or hasn't been shown yet that has me confused. Maybe someone else can explain it to me, because I'm lost right now.

Coolest scene of tonights show. Jack Bauer in black rim glasses, smoking, and speaking German. Very cool scene.

Mr Martini

10pm-11pm


Yet another somewhat confusing episode. I'm beginning to understand the whole situation. I don't fully understand it though. There's nuclear rods in New York and they are up for sale. The Russian mob is interested in buying these Rods, but why? What I don't understand is how the Rods came into New York. Did President Hassan bring them with him to New York and put them up for sale? Maybe someone else knows more and can explain it to me.

Coolest scene of tonights show once again involves Jack. Standing in the bathroom stitching himself up after Renee accidentally stabbed him. Jeez, wish I could do that.

Hardyboy

I haven't been contributing to the 24 discussion as much as I have in the past--I'm afraid there's been too much going on when I take off the Hardyboy costume--but I've been following the show as faithfully as ever. That said, I dunno. . .I think the bloom is already off the rose. It seems as though the soap-opera element--which has always been an important part of 24--has taken over and is running wild. We've got the CTU agent whose impending marriage is threatened by an ex-con old lover--a storyline that's turned all but ridiculous, with intelligent agents trying to hide bodies; the mideast president whose marriage is hampered by his affairs and who has his daughter's lover arrested (sheesh, this could be in fair Verona); Jack all but pledging his love to Renee, who is stalked by a Russian mobster who'd tried to rape her; the American-born terrorist mooning over his mother (remember when Mare Winningham was actually a pretty big name actor?); the Russian godfather who's also trying to be a good REAL father, even if it means plugging the kid he sent to fetch some nukes. . .Good grief, the run-and-gun good-guys-who-don't-balk-at-torturing-bad-guys stuff that is the heart and soul of 24 has been playing second-fiddle to this domestic drama. Pump up the action, producers, or for the first time I may have to call it a day.

Hardyboy

Well, this is interesting: According to this article--

http://insidetv.aol.com/2010/03/12/nbc-pickup-24-from-fox/?icid=main|main|dl2|link5|http%3A%2F%2Finsidetv.aol.com%2F2010%2F03%2F12%2Fnbc-pickup-24-from-fox%2F

--Fox is unhappy with 24's costs and sinking ratings, and so they're planning to end the series this year. But all is not lost--NBC is interested in picking up the show. As I said, I'm losing interest in this season, so maybe keeping the program going is not such a good thing. As always, time will tell.

Mr Martini

Hardyboy wrote:

Well, this is interesting: According to this article--

http://insidetv.aol.com/2010/03/12/nbc-pickup-24-from-fox/?icid=main|main|dl2|link5|http%3A%2F%2Finsidetv.aol.com%2F2010%2F03%2F12%2Fnbc-pickup-24-from-fox%2F

--Fox is unhappy with 24's costs and sinking ratings, and so they're planning to end the series this year. But all is not lost--NBC is interested in picking up the show. As I said, I'm losing interest in this season, so maybe keeping the program going is not such a good thing. As always, time will tell.

I've been disappointed with this season to. I'm also unhappy with the advertising of the show. This weeks show is a perfect example. At 3:15 a kidnapping will happen, at 3 something o'clock something will happen and at 3:52 something will happen that will change everything. Why do they have to tell us? Why can't I be surprised?

Hardyboy

Good points, Mr. M. Knowing Kayla (is that her name?) would get kidnapped sucked all the suspense out of CTU's attempted rescue. As for the big surprise--well, it's a decent plot development, and maybe it will actually do what next week's promo has promised: make CTU rely on its last weapon--Jack Bauer. It occurred to me this evening how little we've seen of Jack this season. Oh, he's been in every episode, usually tagging along or bitching about how CTU is now being run; but he's played a secondary role to this ever-devolving soap opera of Dana Whatzerface and her man troubles and the woes of President Omar Cantkeepitinhispants. Jack has always been the heart and soul of 24; with him playing such a minor role this has felt like someone else's show. And can we please get some decent terrorists? These guys aren't ruthless, "Allah Akhbar" screaming fanatics; they're political idealists who seem to have studied at the Robert Patttinson School of Prettyboy Acting. I guess what I'm saying is, Gimme back the 24 I know and love!!

Mr Martini

Looking at next weeks promo and seeing Hardyboys point of Jack playing a secondary role makes me wonder if the writers are going to try to pass the torch. I know this has been brought up twice before with this show (Season 3 with Chase and Season 5 with Ricky Schroder)but both times Jack has always been the focus of the show. Now, it seems like they're focusing on Ortiz and even have him tagging along with Jack. Will the torch be passed to Ortiz? I guess I'll have to watch next weeks show to see what this "Suicide mission" is, and what the end result will be. And finally, the advertising of this show. The whole show was anti-climatic except the guy faking his death and seeing the 3:57am thing that will change eveything. An EMP bomb, interesting. That's ok, Jack called NSA, lets see if they can help.

Hardyboy

After watching tonight's hour, I can finally say. . .it's about freakin' time! Finally, some of that ol' 24 feeling was back. Although Jack wasn't constantly on the screen, he was in his element, leading a shoot-em-up attack that both has him go on a suicide mission and reflect on the costs of war. Good stuff. Also, when the focus of the episode wasn't on Jack, the producers wisely chose to focus on Chloe, who was back to her tetchy self and even pulling a real Jack Bauer stunt to save the day. Even the business about CTU being knocked offline worked--for once everyone was concerned with the mission and how to stop the terrorists, so the soap-opera was largely ditched and the suspense returned. If this indicates how the rest of the season will go, things may end on a high note.

But I still have complaints. . .why, why, WHY do the producers AGAIN have to dig out the "CTU mole" angle? Hasn't it been played to death by now? Granted, I'm not disappointed to find out who the mole is--the sooner this person is killed off, the better--but getting another mole is just old hat.

So it looks like I'll be back for next week. Here's hoping the quality stays high.

Mr Martini

Hmmmmm, I was somewhat impressed with this weeks show. As HB said, the CTU mole angle is old. It wasn't even suspenseful when it was revealed. Oh well, at least the one thing I thought would happen didn't, and that was Dana messing with Choloes work at the server. Maybe the writers of 24 have tried everything they can to surprise the viewer, but I'm one viewer who isn't surprised but what they try. C'mon writers, try harder or your going to lose this loyal viewer.

Mr Martini

Hardyboy wrote:

Well, this is interesting: According to this article--

http://insidetv.aol.com/2010/03/12/nbc-pickup-24-from-fox/?icid=main|main|dl2|link5|http%3A%2F%2Finsidetv.aol.com%2F2010%2F03%2F12%2Fnbc-pickup-24-from-fox%2F

--Fox is unhappy with 24's costs and sinking ratings, and so they're planning to end the series this year. But all is not lost--NBC is interested in picking up the show. As I said, I'm losing interest in this season, so maybe keeping the program going is not such a good thing. As always, time will tell.

Look what I found:

http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/03/26/breaking-clock-stops-on-24/

Hardyboy

Although the last "hour" gave me some hope for this season, I think the show has pretty well run out of gas. Better to end it now than when Jack highjacks a jet ski and heads for the ramps surrounding the Great White. . .

Mr Martini

Jack Bauer must have some sort of Spidey sense. He knew something wasn't right and was able to protect the Middle East President and his family. I even enjoyed the Middle East President kicking some b-u-t-t. Maybe there's some promise for this season. Next weeks episode looks promising, as does the rest of the season. Let's see if my personal hype lives up to the previews Fox showed after tonights show. 10 hours left, what will I watch when this show ends?

Hardyboy

I wonder if, now that 24 has been cancelled, Fox is burning through the remaining episodes to put something else on. Why else have back-to-back episodes tonight?

That said, the redemption of the season is in full swing--plenty of action: shoot-ups, a car chase, cat-and-mouse games, with Jack at the center of the action. Mercifully, it looks like the Dana Walsh business--easily the worst element of the season--seems to be wrapping up, and she's finally being used for something interesting. As for the ending--WOW! Didn't see it coming, and, frankly, I didn't think the show had the stones to pull this off. It looks as though the final "hours" will deal with poltics and statecraft, which might be something a little different. And the return of Charles Logan has to be a good sign. Can Aaron Pierce be far behind?

Mr Martini

My jaw is dropped. As HB pointed out I never thought 24 would have the "stones" to pull that off. But it also leaves me scratching my head. Now that the bomb has been disarmed and there's nothing left except to catch the people who did the horrible deed at the end of the 7am hour, what more could there be? What else do these terrorist want?

One last thing. Might be just a coincidence, might not be. Since this show started I have always thought that Jack Bauer was an Homage to James Bond. After all, they do have the same initials, JB. But after tonights episode I am certain that 24s Jack Bauer ( JB ) is an homage to James Bond ( ) We saw a terrorist stop a bomb with 0:00:07 left. If that's not a nod to James Bond, I don't know what is. (Ok, so Jack didn't stop the situation, but it's still 007). Until next week, the clock will remain ticking.

One last thing. Coolest moment of both show goes to Allison Taylor. Her quote to Rob Weiss was fantastic. She charged him with treason and told him that it brings the death penalty. She said she'd throw the switch herself.

"The charge is treason. It carries the death penalty, and so help me god I'll throw the switch myself."

Madam President, I salute you!!!