24 - Season Six Reviews

• The Power of Bauer begins to falter...

  
  By A2BFIYZYNK54QX on 2007-07-04
  I was incredibly disappointed in season Six of 24. The reason I give this a three-star review as opposed to a two is that I think that perhaps the standards for this season to live up to were very dificult coming off of season Five, which is easily the best season of the show thus far. The plot seemed to go in far too many different directions, far too many relationships unresolved and there were far too many questions that remained unanswered. I applaud the show for being ambitious and trying different things, but there were too few moments of Jack doing what he does best and too many moments where the show felt like a long and very boring civics lesson in terms of presidential power and the transfer of it.
  
  Also the problem that seems to be facing this show right now is that Jack has little to no emotional investment anymore in CTU or in his own life. His best friends are all dead (and he's had to kill one of them himself), and his lover is practically catatonic. All he really seems to have left is the job (and his daughter), but that just doesn't seem like enough. The brains behind this great show had better find someone or something fast to get Jack to reinvest himself in emotionally or else this season could be the harbinger of doom for the Hour of Bauer's Power!!
  
  

• The Beginning of the End?

  
  By A3ARQ5AWQ3U3PZ on 2007-05-23
  It's strange how the best season of 24 was followed by the worst. Day 6 broke the tradition of a good season of 24 being followed by great one. Season 2 was better than season 1, season 3 was better than season 2, and so on. I agree that this season is definitely the weakest of them all. What happened? Lazy writing? Overconfidence? It's hard to say. It began promising enough, the first four hours were great, but then the show went off a cliff after the nuclear bomb explosion. In no manner did it deal with the destruction and fallout caused by the nuke. That would have been a good premise, but the writers ditched it. Another factor that damaged Day 6 was bringing back Charles Logan and his ex-wife Martha and then suddenly taking them out of the picture. They're back for a brief moment and then forgotten, never to be seen again. Did Charles die? Did Martha commit suicide? These questions are unanswered. So what was the point? In retrospect, it would have been better if they were never brought back in the first place. Hopefully, we'll see more of them next season.
  
  The third factor was the loss of many great characters in season 5. They are all sorely missed, as this new cast is so inferior to what we had before. Their deaths made season 5 a great revenge story, but now the show is suffering the consequences. It all went too far when Tony was killed off. With his wife Michelle dead, Tony had become even more like Jack, making him the only character who could have carried the show if Sutherland ever decided to drop out. Fortunately, he returns next season (it will be very interesting to see how the writers explain that one). I agree with the reviewer who pointed out that Jack's lack of emotional investment in anyone is a handicap.
  
  So what will make Day 7 better? I guess the writers could bring back more characters from previous seasons, like Chase or the woman who blew up the airplane in season 1, tried to assassinate Palmer at the end of season 2, and took Tony hostage in season 4. It is doubtful that Elisha Cuthbert will be back, except maybe for 1 or 2 episodes. It would be nice to see Jack and his daughter reconciled. Tony returns from the dead - as a villian! Also, the whole torture routine either needs toned down considerably or ditched all together. It's gotten old.
  
  Hopefully, Day 7 will be an improvement, but it's frustrating that the conclusion of Day 6 gave no indication of what's going to happen next, the first time the show has done that since the end of season 3.
  
  

• This. Is. '24'

  
  By A3Q65632Z2K95F on 2007-07-05
  If one thing's certain by now, it's the fact that people sometimes have starkly different opinions on seasons of '24'...and that's fine. I'm not here to change anyone else's mind overall, I'm merely going to point out -- as I did in my Season Two review -- the specifics (that helps) of what's led to my conclusion. I'll even be fair and make sure that the categories I'm about to discuss cover both positives and negatives.
  
  To be blunt: What we have here is pure '24' -- a consequence-ridden one-day saga of well-developed characters, cleverly-written twists, political conflict, ethical dilemma, and fantastic action.
  
  ...But before going further into that, I want to respond to some things I'm hearing by tossing out three points of my own -- each of which address what this season isn't.
  
  -This is not the weakest season (that distinction goes to Season Three, which had a convoluted, underwhelming first half and only became memorable during the second).
  
  -This is by no means the first season to recycle concepts that have appeared before on '24'. A woman under Jack's protection having essential info; someone from the White House deciding to make a tragic human sacrifice; CTU being attacked; Jack going undercover as a bad guy; villains laying in wait to save their leader; the families of terrorists being threatened... Some of these are features that appear again here; all of these are features that have been reused well before Season Six.
  
  -This is not the first season to be split into two story lines and have a latter problem borne of a former; it's simply the first to make the second objective significantly shorter (about six episodes long). I found this to be a refreshing new direction (anyone who claims the writers "ran out of script and improvised" obviously wasn't paying close enough attention; the second story line is foreshadowed about halfway through the first). It's also a direction that was more believable than the idea of stretching out the first story line for as long as possible.
  
  Now then, where this season shines...
  
  CHARACTER:
  
  Four words: Bauer at his best.
  
  "You are not judged by the height you have risen but from the depth which you have climbed" -- Frederick Douglas. What makes Kiefer Sutherland's character most admirable as a hero is up to every viewer to decide for themselves. For me, it's not primarily the remarkable skill and ingenuity he possesses, but the notable endurance and determination he displays no matter how bad things get -- and for Jack, things have been bad indeed. But even when faced with the worst life can throw at him -- two years of softening captivity, the absence of several friends and loved ones, and a torturous experience at the hands of terrorists -- Jack still holds on to some of who he is, which means that no matter how many times you knock him down, he'll keep getting up again.
  
  It seems sometimes like the only person who can really take Jack out of the game is Jack himself, and there's a scene early on in which a distraught Bauer nearly does just that -- only to realize he must endure for one more day. The events that set this moment up (at the end of the fourth hour) are at first questionable, but it becomes apparent that they occur because the writers want, above all, to make a point about Jack -- and this is part of where the show's commitment to character is displayed.
  
  Another highlight this season is the new presence of Vice President Noah Daniels, played excellently by Powers Boothe. I liken Daniels, in some respects, to a modern-day Agamemnon -- a powerful man whose pride can be off-putting, whose methods can be questionable, but also a man who ultimately cares about the land he's in service to and the soldiers under his command. Throughout the day, Daniels often stands in opposition to certain people we've come to sympathize with, but all the while, his arguments remain logical, his patriotism remains prevalent, and a sense of compassion and respect for others begins to stand more and more revealed. This culminates in the creation of one of the show's most entertaining and best-developed characters.
  
  The highly talented Peter MacNicol arrives as Tom Lennox, a similarly-developed cabinet member who also starts off with questionable methods, but becomes a more endearing guy throughout as he labors for the good of the country, works alongside other likable characters, and passes a few moral tests along the way.
  
  A complement to Jack this season is Rick Schroder's Mike Doyle, an experienced tough guy with admirable determination of his own, given depth by his handling of an ethical dilemma and his limited displays of camaraderie and respect toward Jack and other co-workers.
  
  In addition to these nicely handled new characters, this season has some of the few returning favorites that are left, like Bill and Chloe, along with the returns of Karen, Morris, and brief appearances by the Logans. What also works out well is the return of someone who's become a nice nemesis-like figure for Jack.
  
  Last but not least are the arrivals of a few more Bauers this season, which not only sheds some welcome light on Jack's family, but helps to finally reveal a few things about his past (such as how he wound up in law enforcement in the first place).
  
  WRITING:
  
  Among the creative twists this season are a scene where Jack and a partner have to trick a terrorist by means of an auto "accident" (more on this in a moment), and the first time the cunning Philip Bauer outfoxes everyone by taking an unexpected hostage. What I found especially clever was the David Fury-written episode in which there's more to a certain rescue than meets the eye.
  
  The political content -- full of the usual conflicting methods, ethical questions, and even a case of conspiracy -- was well-written, clear, and served as grounds for some of the noted character development above.
  
  '24' isn't a show that's known for being funny, which is what makes the rare moments of humor notable. One of my favorite scenes ever in this area comes this season, when we observe Jack pretending to be an angry driver (while tricking someone), as it's quite a fitting role for him. There's also a nice joke or two from Tom during a sting operation.
  
  ACTION:
  
  The most notable scene of the season in this regard is the final showdown between Jack and Fayed's team. This is probably the greatest action scene since Jack took on the Drazens (with the finale of Season Two being a possible exception). Also notable are the moments with the Doyle-led CTU team against the embassy, Jack playing a neighborhood hero in the fifth episode, and the battles inside CTU.
  
  ROMANCE:
  
  We get to meet the apparent first woman Jack ever loved, Marilyn -- who's been tied to the Bauer family ever since, and raising a son with Jack's brother. The likable bond between she and Jack, as mentioned, helps reveal little tidbits of our hero's past. Also nice is the fact that Bill and Karen have grown significantly closer since we last saw them, while Morris and Chloe's relationship can be enjoyable as well.
  
  Where this season doesn't shine...
  
  CHARACTER:
  
  Well, if one compares the Palmers of today to the Palmers of yesterday -- specifically, the brother-sister duo of Wayne and Sandra to the great David and Sherry...sigh...
  
  Wayne was an enjoyable character in Seasons Three and Five. It feels like he was never really meant to have the role he's given here, though, and one wonders if the writers begin to realize this throughout -- hence their focus on a far more interesting politician in Noah Daniels. Also, the character of Sandra Palmer just doesn't really seem to have a place, and overall, neither of these two can measure up to the standards set by the noble, strong David or the bold and mischievous (but sometimes noble) Sherry.
  
  As a villain, Gredenko is also one of the least memorable (though this is compensated by the presence of his partner Fayed).
  
  WRITING:
  
  (Minor spoilers)
  
  Russian President Suvarov practically playing terrorist while setting deadlines was a low point for me (though it's not much more absurd than the previous season's finale where Jack not only kidnapped a certain someone, but was set free shortly afterward). The situation with Sandra and her friend early on was also dull and lagging.
  
  ACTION:
  
  (Minor spoilers)
  
  After getting the info he wants from someone in the embassy, Jack simply turns and walks toward a door that's got several guards on the other side? What's the obvious outcome here? If you answered "getting knocked senseless for walking into such an obvious danger," you're right. I'm also finding it hard to believe that at this stage, CTU can be physically attacked with such minimal effort (but of course, this sets up some better action to follow).
  
  ROMANCE:
  
  Nadia's triangle doesn't really seem all that significant.
  
  On another note, some of us have wished that the Logans had more screen time this season. It's probably worth noting, however, that the decision not to use them is simply a traditional move on the story's part. This series has, in general, always used characters for as long as they're needed, and sent them away after that -- which is the reason the cast constantly changes.
  
  What hasn't changed, though, in my opinion, is the fantastic work put forth by the cast and crew of this great show. Everything that composes the series is present here, and still done to enjoyable effect. This is fascinating characterization. This is engaging political intrigue. This is well-done action. This is complex drama. This is '24'.
  
  

• 24's consistency is starting to go down

  
  By A2UFGO9U3H0BZV on 2007-09-16
  Season 6 of 24 is still great, but IMO, consistency of the story lines is starting to falter. Unlike seasons 4 and 5 are very good, Season 6 with the first 6 episodes were good, but many good characters have died or quit the show. But I do believe that this may be the beginning of the end for Jack Bauer since the show is starting it's 7th season but let's hope the 7th year will have some great qualities as the 4th and 5th seasons.
  
  

• 24 Rapidly turning into 0

  
  By A2CZXIEBCR4YCY on 2007-07-24
  I have watched 24 since its debut. It was at the time, the best show on TV. Perfect mix of action, suspense, emotion, with a new real-time format.
  
  All seasons have been high-quality, except for Season 4, but I won't get into those details now. The problems I see with 24 in Season 6 are:
  
  
  1. The show has become increasingly violent. Torture is used often, with fingers being cut as easily as blinking an eye.
  
  2. The show is fostering the "us against them mentality". But now it's not just against Arabs, but also the Chinese, and the Russians. And the answer? Let's just nuke them. So with this approach, we can nuke half the world, and torture the other half. We will live happily ever after embracing our nukes until the radiation fallout from all the bombs we've used reaches us.
  
  3. Because torture and/or gore is so prevalent in the show, there is no element of surprise. For example, when Jack is looking for Gredenko, and CTU is still receiving a signal even though Jack can't find him; I knew he had cut off his arm; and left it behind.
  
  4. Jack has become a character devoid of humanity. A torture provider. I think this is not only the result of having him use torture so often, but also the fact that all the characters who gave him his personal side are gone. I did not buy his story with Marylin. He just doesn't seem capable of loving anyone anymore.
  
  5. With the exception of a few characters like Bill Buchanan, and Karen Hayes, everyone feels like a caricature. Doyle seems to have been brought in as Jack's replacement if Sutherland quits the show.
  
  6. Chloe is as annoying as ever, but when the show was good, she was bearable, now she's just another negative. Same for her boyfriend Morris.
  
  7. Milo is not credible in the role, and his involvement with Nadia, and their kiss in the middle of the nuclear bomb crisis and in the office, was just ridiculous.
  
  8. How many times are they going to recycle the same ideas? Can we have some originality?
  
  In any case, this is it for me. No more 24. Sad evolution for a show that from a scale of 1 to 10 was really a "24".
  
  
• Worst season of them all
  By AAV3HU72C3R3G on 2007-05-22
  First of all, ignore any review from prior to 5/21, because 5/21 is when the season was over and it took a substantial turn for the worse about 6-8 hours prior to its completion (early April of its TV showing).
  
  I have watched all seasons of 24 and this is the worst one. It actually started well but it basically finished about 3/4 of the way through and then, inexplicably (actually not so inexplicable; there were still 6 or so hours left), went on some almost totally unrelated tangent. I am sure that the writers simply did not realize that they were running out of script, finished at around hour 18 and then asked themselves "Now what?!" and sadly came up with another 6 episodes to throw on the TV. There is a weak relation between "Chapters 1 and 2" and chapter 2 (what I consider the last quarter of the season) is hyperbolic, ludicrous, and just silly.
  
  I would recommend people either finish this season when the primary catastrophe is averted or simply not watch it at all. I know I will not watch next season. I've had quite enough of 24 now, and apparently the writers have, too. Time to put this old horse down.
  
  
• Such a disappointment...
  By A1GBM71W2PVJK6 on 2007-03-30
  Watch seasons 2-5 and you have an incredible portrayal of the man and the community that surrounds him. And you have great plot (with the dumb "override" section of season 4 a sorry exception). Maybe there was nowhere to go after season 5 but down. Season 6 so far takes the hoakiness to a new level. The new CTU characters are more unlikable than ever, even O'Brian's makeover seems to have really distorted her character. And Morris? Why should I care if he drinks or not? The potential of Karen Hayes to become a full-fledged character - as Michelle or the other female CTU head did - has so far been shelved and she now plays a one-dimensional 2nd fiddle to Peter McNichol's patented grimaces and ticks. Nadia and her boyfriend are absolutely sickening to watch. The scene of them making out in CTU was the most insulting and shallow moment I've ever seen on the show!
  
  Mr. Sutherland has expressed concerns abou the freshness of the show. We've seen so many of these plot elements before! Nuclear threat, presidential threat, CTU tortures its own, Jack tortures an always-guilty suspect. Oh God, PLEASE don't let Kim appear again in another "Perils of Pauline" subplot!
  
  There is no change in the tone. It's all at "11" all the time. That's fine for Casino Royale, but not for a series.
  
  The few plusses I can think of: Bill Buchanan, Aaron Pierce, the Logans. Really almost every other character except Jack now either leaves me flat, annoyed, or angry.
  
  The New Yorker published an in-depth article on Joel Surnow and 24 awhile ago. The political ideology and neo-con programming are really surfacing, as if the run-up to the November election was really on their minds during writing. Palmer's sister is pathethic--the most charactured bleeding-heart I've ever seen played straight.
  
  Mr. Sutherland's concerns about the show, as expressed on Charlie Rose, are really not evident. I hope that those involved in the show are examining their consciences. Members of the military have reported to the production company that the show is glorifying torture and has itself contributed to problematic attitudes and practices in the armed forces. We can try to distance ourselves by assertig it's fantasy, but through the media, it is now shaping reality to its image. When will that start to gnaw at you, the audience member? When we know that we let ourselves get scared and tricked by that BS into starting a war that now is wasting a hundred civilians a day, can we celebreate a show that now pounds that rhetoric in as relentlessly as Rumsfield and Cheney?
  
  
  
  The show has reached the tipping point asthetically and culturally. Unless it can reinvent itself and put characters ahead of jingoism, it's time to end that beautiful dream and grow up.
  
  
  
• The Jack Bauer Sorta Power Year
  By A2I6MHMAZZDCRX on 2007-12-04
  In the time since Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) was kidnapped, the United States has become a dangerous place. Suicide bombers hit the country on a regular basis, and no one is safe. New President Wayne Palmer (D. B. Woodside) has arranged Jack's release from a Chinese prison camp. Jack is to be traded to the terrorists in exchange for a promised cease fire.
  
  Jack agrees to give his life for the peace of his country. But when he finds out that it was all a lie, he escapes to begin another cat and mouse hunt with the terrorists. Only this time, they've already struck once, leading to a calamity. Meanwhile, the trail leads Jack to his own family. What secrets are his dad and brother hiding? Can he stop the terrorists before they unleash even more terror on America?
  
  And more importantly, what happened to this once great show? I've been a fan of this show since season one. While my favorite season was the third, I've thought all of the previous seasons were great. But not this one.
  
  Part of the problem was the been there, done that factor. The writers seem to be out of plot twists, so they are relying on the same one stand bys. Unfortunately, loyal viewers can see those coming. There was very little here that we hadn't seen before, which made the season boring.
  
  The other big problem was the dropped storylines. Several times, a story was introduced and dropped in a matter of episodes. Sometimes, they came back, sometimes they didn't, leaving us hanging. Add to that the increase of personal drama over suspense, and you've got a lack luster season.
  
  Now, it wasn't all bad. This season was still entertaining. But compared to the previous years, day six was a real let down.
  
  
• It's Going Downhill
  By A2765VXM0JAA99 on 2007-08-08
  This season of 24 left me changing my mind every other week a new episode aired. The 1st 4 episodes ok. They had the right amount of action with a mixture of suspense. Only 2 problems with them.
  1) The whole thing where Jack was going to sacrifice himself: The writers have played the Jack death card about 8 times now - we know he is going to live. This did not create suspense or any emotion in me at all. I knew he would escape.
  2) The sub-plot at the White house with Tom creating Detention Facilities: This got very annoying to keep hearing about over again. We know it's not going to happen.
  
  After the Nuclear bomb, the show started going down. The remaining 4 Nukes were destroyed in suspected and uncreative ways. The bottom line is that we know that after the first Nuke going off, the others will be found and secured. There should have only been 1 or 2 Nukes to begin with because 5 does not make me anymore nervous as I know they will not go off. Jack's character got cut out a lot as well. Some episodes in the teens he was only their for 10 min/episode. Well then he can't be very important. I understand that this season had a lot to follow up on after season 5, but I think the plot was a complete replica of season 2. A lot of things were left unanswered here too. The Logans? The radiation from the bomb? Morris' Drinking? (shouldn't have been introduced in the first place).
  
  The last 6 episodes were good. Yes, the plot took a unrelated turn to the previous 18, but at least their was suspense. I like how the Chinese were introduced again. However the whole Audrey thing was ridiculous. Why bring back a character that doesn't know who she is. And it makes the Chinese look just evil to torture a women just because she loved Jack Bauer. And the Russians are portrayed as a bunch of people who love throwing their Military on the U.S. The plot was better, but still a little strange and very unrealistic.
  
  THE CHARACTERS:
  
  Tom Lennix: A Great addition to the cast. He kept the show in the white house going since no one else did.
  Morris O'Brian: Excellent addition - he was great take over especially because of his history with Chloe.
  Nadia Yessir: Not so sure about her. Her personality changed frequently as if the writers weren't sure what to do with her. One of the worst directors of CTU.
  Bill Buchanon: Excellent director as usual. Stays true to what he believes which I like.
  Jack Bauer: For the amount of time he was involved: excellent. The show would have been better if he was more involved in the main plot episodes 6-17.
  Milo Pressman: I didn't like him very much. He was a bit annoying with the whole Nadia sublot.
  Mike Doyle: I hated him in the beginning. However, I ended up liking him in the end but then he was bombed. The way it looks, he won't be returning.
  Chloe O'Brian: My favorite character on the show (besides Jack). She never gets annoying to me and I love what they did to her in the season.
  Wayne Palmer: Good character overall. He wasn't always there but when he was he had the strength deep down to be President.
  V.P. Daniels: I couldn't stand him as a character. He didn't even add to the show in my mind.
  
  All in all I missed Tony, Michelle, and Edgar. This season gets a 5/10 overall. Thanks for reading.
  
  
  
  
• Half good, half bad
  By A2CYWAKMIATB56 on 2007-09-24
  This season of 24 had the potential to be the greatest season ever. Jack returns from China, after season 5's stunning climax. I vehemently disagreed on the choice of Wayne Palmer as president, was terribly disappointed at the way Sandra Palmer was used, and disgusted with the whole Jack's evil family story arc. Never in a million years would I be able to accept the idea that Graem is Jack's brother. I accepted Philip Bauer less. The first four episodes were powerful. The look in Curtis's eyes after Jack shot him and Jack breaking down and telling Bill 'I can't do this anymore'. The Bomb going off in Valencia. These sent chills down my spine. It appeared the season would be amazing. But it fizzled for episodes 5-16. Invading another consulate? THe invocation of the 25th amendment AGAIN?!! Arabs with Nukes Part 3?! COme on! Too many plot devices were recycled this year, and too many good characters became wallpaper (i.e. Chloe, Morris, and Milo - he was good as a tech in season 1, but not too believable as a boss in Season Six), and the new characters were not developed at all. What saved this season in the final eight episodes was Jack's clash with Fayed, Jack's desparation to get Audrey back, Jack's final talk with his father, and his confronting of Heller for calling him 'cursed', followed by Jack's contemplation of suicide. Notice that all the good points of this season involved Jack and only Jack!? I was also glad that they decided to keep the ending simple and not go for the maguffin and bring back Tony. I loved the character but it would be wrong to bring him back. I almost gave up on 24, but I keep the faith and believe season 7 will be just as great as previous stellar seasons. But I just hope the writers don't pull cop-outs on us and take a vay-kay midseason like they did this year. Otherwise, you'll be hard-pressed to get anyone to care about season 8.
  
  
• Worst "Day" Ever
  By A1UXZG9E6F3C62 on 2007-05-23
  This was easily the worst day of 24 ever. The first 4 hours were great (which is why it gets 2 stars and not 1) and the rest of the day seemed to drag on with no real plot devlopment and storylines just being in there for the sake of being there. Another major problem was the lack of great actors that were previously on the show to replaced with hacks such as - Nadia, Doyle, New Palmer (and his sister who is super annoying). The only good actors this season are Jack, Buchanon, and V.P. Daniels (Powers Booth from Sin City and Deadwood).
  
  Even if you are a diehard 24 fan skip this season as it is a complete waste. At best watch it for free - it would be a shame to waste money on it.
  
  
• 24 on a bad season is better than most other modern shows
  By AQ0EO10KTRJ4V on 2007-10-25
  I give Season 4 of "24" four stars not rated relative to it's own normal standards, but in comparison to everything else on TV.
  
  Simply stated....... even during a weak season like Season 6, "24" is still better than most other crap on TV these days.
  In other words, even at it's worse, "24" is better than most modern shows at their best.
  
  So many other shows on TV have become simple one trick pony and non-stop sex joke one liners that they have no substance except the cheap laugh.
  
  No wonder we now watch very few modern shows outside Court TV crime shows and exist primarily on DVD collections of past shows like........ Cheers, Wings, Silk Stalkings, Seinfeld, etc..etc..
  
  
  
  
  
  
• From tragic hero to sadist? 24, torture, and the degeneration of Jack Bauer
  By AAWVW3UI0GIR7 on 2008-03-05
  I entirely agree with those reviewers who think season 6 was awful. Having said that, I actually thought the season had gotten off to a promising start . . . too bad it went off the rails so quickly. For me, the major drawing point of the show has always been (Sutherland's brilliant portrayal of) the character of Jack Bauer. Here we have (or had, anyway) a finely nuanced take on the classic tragic hero figure. What made Bauer such a compelling character in previous seasons was that he was always presented as the only person who could get the job done, the guy to whom all the really hard choices would invariably fall. For example, decisions about whether to resort to the extremity of torture.
  
  Whatever your ethical and political views about the legitimacy of torture as a means of extracting information in the real world, I think most of you would agree that, in the past anyway, 24's depiction of this was always very earnest, if not quite sophisticated. (Lengthy philosophical discussions about rights vs. utility vis a vis torture would likely not make for very good ratings.) With season 6, unfortunately, this earnestness has virtually disappeared.
  
  Part of what was so fascinating about Jack Bauer was that the guy was nearly always the one who ended up having to do the "interrogating." You couldn't help but wonder what his continually having to commit these horrific acts might be doing to him on the inside; and to my mind, this is really where Kiefer Sutherland's acting chops shone through. In fact, we were given a glimpse into Bauer's damaged mental interior when, early on in season 6, he watches in horror as Hamri Al-Assad tortures the guy who betrayed him to Fayed. He says "I don't know how to do this anymore . . ." or something to that effect.
  
  I was really hoping that this scene would be the start of a much more personal, self-probing psychological look at Jack Bauer as he begins to confront his inner demons. Obviously, the writers had other things in mind. In hardly any time, Bauer's back in form, torturing and killing left and right. But this is a different Bauer from the one we've seen in previous seasons: this Bauer tortures and kills not with utilitarian resolve, but with what can instead only be described as sadistic relish. Recall the scene where he whispers to Fayed to "say hello to your brother for me" before he kills him. Or when he's about to interrogate Gredenko and says "now we're going to have some fun." There's even a scene in the season 7 teaser where, again, about to torture someone, he snarls "I'm going to enjoy this."
  
  So why does this get under my skin so much? In a word, because it's cheap: it reduces an interesting character to the status of caricature. This whole Bauer-as-sadist turn is completely at odds with the way the character has been developed throughout the previous seasons; it's also kind of insulting, really, that the writers didn't think their audience would mind (or notice?) such inconsistency. Jack Bauer has devolved from a complex, morally conflicted tragic hero to something more resembling your conventional action hero, the likes of which you'd expect to see somebody like Bruce Willis or The Rock play in some mindless summer blockbuster. (Imagine how angry you'd be at Christopher Nolan and David Goyer if--God forbid!--admiring their darker-more sophisticated take on Batman, you were to go into "The Dark Knight" this summer only to be treated to Christian Bale and company trading cheesy one-liners back and forth a la George Clooney and The Governator in Batman & Robin! If the very idea of this makes you shudder too, then you know exactly how I feel about 24 season 6.)
  
  Bottom-line: if the writers don't soon recognize--and redress--the error of their ways, I think 24 is in danger of becoming a parody of itself . . . that is, assuming (too charitably?) that it hasn't become one already.
  
  
• awesome series
  By A1QVTOL7XRLDWP on 2007-04-01
  This will be brief but 24 is the greatest tv show ever produced & the series just get better each time & the latest series number 6 is the best of the lot & if you havn't been able to see the latest series then I suggest you purchase it as soon has it come available on dvd , I promise you - you wont be disapointed .
  
  
• 24 & KEIFER SUTHERLAND ROCK
  By A2I98HZ4JQF51V on 2007-07-12
  I WATCHED THE FIRST SEASON OF 24 ON TV. IT MADE ME CRAZY GOING FROM ONE WEEK TO THE NEXT FOR ANOTHER HOUR OF THE SAME DAY. SO THE LAST 5 SEASONS I HAVE RECORDED ALL THE EPISODES FOR THE SEASON AND THEN WATCHED THEM ALL IN A WEEK OR TWO. THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST WAY TO WATCH 24, IN MY OPINION.
  
  I REALLY LIKED THIS SEASON, JUST A LITTLE MORE CONTENT AND A LITTLE LESS SHOOT EM UP. I LIKE THE CONSTANT ACTION...BUT ALL ACTION IS NOT SHOOTING. THERE WERE ENOUGH TWISTS AND TURNS TO KEEP ME WATCHING. A COUPLE OF EPISODES KIND OF DRAGGED, BUT OVERALL THE STORY WAS PRETTY DOGGONE TRUE TO 24.
  
  JACK WAS IN KIND OF A STUPOR AFTER 2 YEARS IN A CHINESE PRISON...HE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE HIS SPARKLING SELF...THEN HIS BROTHER AND HIS DAD...AND THEN WHEN HE FINDS OUT HE'S LOST ANOTHER LOVE...WHAT? PEOPLE EXPECTED HIM TO BE TOTALLY FOCUSED AND EAGER TO DO CTU'S BIDDING? I THINK THE WRITERS KEPT HIM RIGHT IN CHARACTER FOR HOW SOMEONE LIKE JACK BAUER WOULD BE IN THE 24 HOURS AFTER THAT! NICE SIDE STORY WITH CLOE & MORRIS, TOO.
  
  GOOO STUFF, THIS SHOW.
  
  
• Not gonna buy this season
  By ATHX8L0ZXVRVY on 2007-10-13
  This will be the first season not worth buying on DVD. Ultimately it makes me very unhappy to have to break a set, but there wasn't much redeeming about day 6 of 24. They started way too big and just couldn't maintain. Now it sounds like day 7 production is off to a poor start. I don't know maybe this wonderful series just ends at day 5. In any event it was a wonderful ride....
  
  
• 24 Season 6- Sadly, a disappointing season
  By A364VC7PVQCNWG on 2007-10-09
  Sure, Jack may be back and the first 4 episodes were certainly very entertaining and action-packed, BUT after that it goes downhill with boring subplots, old characters wasted in guest appearances, and recycled and lame storylines. Also, Chloe is pretty much pointless this season and not given much to do, and the story is very unfocused changing villains back and forth every 3 episodes. Certainly had potential with certain story elements i.e.- Assad, the suicide bombings, Audrey's "death", and Charles & Martha Logan, but just as things start getting interesting they're thrown away to make room for lame twists. The finale has some slight action, but is still a letdown. Maybe killing off so many good characters in season 5 and having so many bland ones in season 6 really hurt the show. Hopefully the writers will put much more thought and effort into season 7.
  
  
• SAD BUT TRUE
  By A1JVSIWDF0WT22 on 2007-12-03
  BEWARE OF MULTIPLE SPOILERS !
  I was looking forward to season 6 in order to see if the widely known dissappointment of fans was justified. For the first 4 discs (16 episodes) I really thought fans were being too harsh even though the whole Bauer family history is preposterous and stupid. After finally watching the last 8 episodes I finally understood the anger: all those episodes concerning a chinese infiltration of CTU in order to kidnap a boy who was going home the very next day !!!!! Here again we have the kid in peril routine which was my original biggest complaint about the first few seasons. It's too bad the current Hollywood writer's strike did not occur a year ago; before they came up with this garbage.
  I have no problem with the constant elimination of beloved characters but let's face it: Milo is no Tony Almeida, Nadia is no Michelle and even Morris is no Edgar. Next time they kill another character I suggest examinging thoroughly who his/her replacement will be.
  One also has to consider the show is simply not fresh anymore: how many more torture scenes do we have to watch ?, how many times do we want to really hear Jack yell: "put down your weapon" ?!?!? How many more unbelieveable President assignings ? How many more CTU characters serously breaking the law in order to help Jack and then being forgiven, even congratulated? How many more romantic moments from CTU characters with a third character observing and getting the wrong idea? And for that matter, how many more 24 hour shifts without a character taking a nap or at least yawning a little? Point is, asides from the lousy writing perhaps the show has simply ran its course.
  And for the other little things that made me crazy me about this season:
  1) The old Chinese guy escaping from Jack in the industrial building's roof in Batman fashion.
  2) Jack's father going through all that trouble just to kidnap a kid !
  3) CTU being infiltrated yet again ! (Frankly they should fire all involved in their security!)
  4) Scenes at the White House showing broad daylight at 3 in the morning (even considering EST)!
  5) The countless time spent by characters, re-discussing traumating events which we already witnessed.
  I also find the DVD set's cover kind of funny, considering Keifer Sutherland was actually born in London. At any rate, enjoy what you can by watching #6 as it seems obvious 24 won't last that many more seasons.
  
  
• A New Day. A New Crisis. Jack's Back.
  By A17QHDT27QAQNT on 2007-04-11
  24 Season 6 continues the pulse pounding series that holds you and never lets go. 24 is still the best television series out there.
  
  "Season Six picks up 20 months after Jack Bauer was captured by Chinese government agents. As a series of horrific terrorist attacks rocks the nation, President Wayne Palmer and his team of advisors begin an unthinkable, nail-biting day."
  
  
• Should have been called "12" this season. Here's why...
  By A228NBNLYJ8V3J on 2007-09-22
  In a unique and a remarkable promotional decision, the first four hours of the 6th season were released in a triumphant pre-air format - 24 - Season 6 Premiere (First 4 Episodes). That move was accepted with sweeping applauses that created unprecedented expectations from viewers and critics alike. Unfortunately, during the run of the rest of the season it was apparent that the series' writers have been struggling to come up with new plot twists and turns as they went along in order to create enough content that would justify the show's name - "24".
  
  Their endeavors were not successful. Too many episodes were redundant, badly scripted and some plot developments were outright ridiculous. A few of the characters were so outrageously written and played that there was a distinct feeling that the show was steadily becoming a comics. The dominating impression was that the show had lost its edge and has fallen from grace.
  
  Nevertheless, there were episodes that did manage to recapture the good old sensations previous seasons have generated and Keifer Sutherland was still outstanding as Jack Bauer. In all, about 12 episodes combined could have made alone a solid story, but the name of the series obligates 24 episodes and so are the network demands of a leading prime-time show. This means that for the upcoming season the writers would have to work harder than ever before to invent riveting, thrilling and plausible arc stories to make it work again.
  
  Publications show that the producers acknowledge reality and are acting upon to make things better - as change is a must. Let's hope for their success.
  
  
  
• Hard to rate season six
  By ABX4OG4W6Z670 on 2007-11-11
  It's hard for me to decide on the number of stars for this season of "24". First of all, I give it a star for just being "24", one of the most innovative shows on TV. However, I have to say that this season was a disappointment. The biggest mistake was made in season five when the producers and writers decided to kill off two of the most beloved characters (though I believe it's common knowledge that one of those mistakes will be rectified in season seven - if we ever get to see it after the writer's strike). Losing the characters of Michelle and Tony left the CTU all adrift...even Chloe's character seemed, well, out of character. Another problem was placing yet another threat in the LA area. It might be hard for California people to believe but terrorists are interested in attacking other areas of the country. The progression of the story seemed disjointed. Characters popped up then disappeared. The inclusion of the evil Bauer clan just seemed too wierd to believe. It just wasn't a well-constructed season. Having said all that, I own seasons 1-5 on DVD and will most likely purchase this one too because I'm compulsive that way. "24" continues to be one of the most interesting and compelling series to come along in a long time and I hope to see good things again the seventh time after a somewhat disappointing 2007 season.
  
  
• Challenge Falls on Writers to Try and Keep 24 Fresh
  By A36QYTMMJ0O2IZ on 2008-01-05
  After six seasons, you can tell that it has become much more difficult for the writers to keep the surprises and storylines fresh. Other reviewers here have pointed out similar aspects of the show that have started to fall short a bit. Let me, however, emphasize that season six of 24, in my opinion, is still a terrific season, and it still beats out the first two seasons (ah, the Kim Bauer years).
  
  I quickly discovered that part of the problem is that "surprise" events were not surprises. In fact, many preludes to those scenes have become predictable. The writers really need to come up with new gimmicks to try and keep the viewer on his/her toes.
  
  However, the action and suspense is still as good as ever. Jack Bauer is simply fun and exciting to watch. This is not a guy you want to cross, and he's always willing to place himself in the most dangerous of situations.
  
  The storyline starts out when Jack Bauer is suddenly returned home after nearly two years in a Chinese prison. Even he is unsure why he's being sent back. Turns out that he is trade-bait to a Middle Eastern terrorist in order to prevent further terrorist attacks. Of course, as usual, nothing is what it seems, and it turns out that CTU and the president have made a serious error. However, as always, the terrorists have also made a serious error by bringing Jack Bauer back. He's simply the best there is at what he does.
  
  Chloe is back for another season. As annoying as she tends to be, she's a terrific character and Mary Lynn Rajskub still plays her brilliantly. She's queen of the deadpan expressions and quips expressing her irritation at those who ask her to do things that she's already doing. She's also become Jack's closest friend and confidant. Jack still relies on her heavily, and being the wizard with computers that she is, you can't blame him.
  
  James Morrison is back as CTU director, Bill Buchanan. Morrison is so believeable in his role, that you sometimes forget that he's acting. His new wife and NSA director, Karen Hayes, is equally as effective by British actress Jayne Atkinson.
  
  DB Woodside is back as (surprise...not) as the new president, Wayne Palmer. He also plays his part well, but you have to wonder how he got to be the president. He has some experience as David's chief of staff, but I just found it a bit of a leap for him to fill the shoes of a president. It seemed the writers were looking at this more as a convenience for the plot than anything else.
  
  Veteran actor, Powers Boothe, is great as Vice-President Noah Daniels. He plays Daniels as a bit power-hungry, and he becomes anxious to take the place of Palmer when he feels that Palmer is not standing up to the governments who support terrorism.
  
  One new member of the cast this season is actress Marisol Nichols as Nadia Yassir who plays an assistant director at CTU. She runs into some problems due to her Middle Eastern background, and as you might quickly guess, becomes a target during a mole hunt within CTU.
  
  Another veteran actor who comes in the middle of the season is Ricky Schroder as CTU field operative, Mike Doyle. Doyle shows a tough streak that borders on the brutal. A bit unrealistic aspect of the story is when Nadia begins to develop feelings for Doyle who brutally interrogates her. Somehow, I don't think she would be attracted to him after such an experience.
  
  Season 6 is still a heck of a ride, and it's a lot of fun to watch, still keeping you on the edge of your seat and anxiously waiting to watch the next episode to find out what happens. But 24 has probably reached a point when they need something new and fresh.
  
  One thing I feel they need to do is completely change locations. I mean, exactly how often is Los Angeles the target of terrorist attacks?!? They should try and move the show to New York or Washington D.C. I'm sure this would cost them some money, but it would also help the show gain a new, fresh approach.
  
  They also need to come up with a new terror device. We've already seen nuclear devices and biological threats several times. The writers need to think about moving away from these and come up with something else.
  
  And lastly, they need to come up with new terrorists. In six seasons, they're almost all Middle Eastern and/or Russian. They need to start using other demographics.
  
  Let me point out that compared to most shows out there right now, 24 is still one of the best despite the slight fall-off this season is certain areas, which is why I still give it five stars. Now, if I were to compare seasons, season 6 would be 4th for me after seasons three, four, and five. But Jack Bauer is so fun and exciting to watch, and Kiefer Sutherland seems to get better and better with each subsequent season, you still can't go wrong with season six of 24.
  
  
  
• Hello, Jack.
  By A8IT1UYWH3AWP on 2007-04-18
  I have never got hooked on a TV show before. We got the first 4 seasons at Christmas on DVD. We sat up all night a couple of nights. It is the best TV I have ever watched.
  
  Kiefer Sutherland is really a classy guy. On and off the screen. I love it when I read a review by a "bleeding heart Lib"--especially one that spells Cheney's name wrong.
  
  Sutherland learned to rope pretty good and that is a plus for us cowboys. He is blessed with humility--rare in Hollywood.
  
  We will get all seasons on DVD as they are released. I marvel that they can keep it fresh and interesting. I really liked the episode on April 9 where Jack just Killed them all. Shades of a line from a Bruce Willis movie.."Shoot everybody and then somke a bunch of cigarettes."
  
  
• "Mr President ... I understand what's expected of me"
  By A2B7R0O60LS159 on 2007-07-02
  Season Five was, in my view, the best season of any TV series. So there's bound to be a certain degree of expectation for the the following instalment. Season 6, though not as good as it's previous season, is still head and shoulders above every other show.
  
  However, there isn't as many stand-out sequences as there was before and there are a couple of revelations which seem more than a little silly, and one sequence in particular concerning CTU wasn't explored to its full potential. I would say this was better than the first three seasons and less good than the last two.
  
  A few characters are added to the cast. Milo returns, last seen in Season 1 and now the third-in-command at CTU - and Nadia - a kind of Michelle replacement - also joins, but the plaudits from my house go to Peter MacNicol as the President's Chief of Staff Tom Lennox. Newcomers from Season Five are carried over, namely Karen Hayes and Morris O'Brien and a bigger role from Wayne Palmer.
  
  As this is 24, the script is at times simply flawless. The dialogue is so rich it's bank balance could out-weigh a sumo wrestler. So it needs to be seen, expecially after the shock-ending of Day 5, as this closes the overall story arc beginning in Day 4. It is the end of an era, and I'm looking forward to the next one.
  
  
• Invincible Television
  By A1ZLIWV1V2UDW0 on 2007-11-11
  To be honest, I don't really care what you think of this season. 24 is the best TV show this planet has ever seen and deserves the five stars for that. That said, I absolutely LOVED this season. Jack's back and kicking [...]! He goes from flawed hero to tragic hero and comes ready to prove he deserves the title (only the greatest do). Some people don't find everything in the show 100% realistic; neither do I, and I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER! If you want realistic, watch a documentary. If you want the best entertainment ever the be broadcasted on television, check out this show. 24 is the kind of invincible television out to prove not everything exiting your TV is crap. Also, I've been watching this show since season 1, and the last episode of this season was possibly the best in 24 history. I was not let down by this season.
  
  
• Still very good but not up to previous standards..
  By A3F5TDY7UWLN5A on 2007-11-12
  I thoroughly enjoyed Season Six.. yes I agree not as good as other seasons but a season of not as good 24 is still so much better than most if not all other shows currently on network television. I am looking forward to Season Seven. From what I have read about the upcoming season the writers are going in a new direction. Hopefully they will regain the quality writing that has made 24 such great show...
  John Helderman
  
  
• Worst season by far
  By A35OZBE1LPKDAP on 2007-12-03
  This is a review of the show itself and does not suggest anything about the quality of the DVD package or special features contained within this set.
  
  Season 6 of 24 started out and seemed to be a very promising season at first. After 4-5 episodes that were very close to the magic captured in earlier seasons the dialog, characters and plotlines spiraled out of control. Old dead plotlines were rehashed for no apparent reason and no real effect on the story. New characters were introduced with the sole reason of replacing old characters. They were so bad we begged for their death, begged for Tony to come back. The same plotlines were introduced from every season previously (CTU HAS A MOLE! JACK IS OUT OF CONTROL! HE'S GONE ROGUE!). I faithfully tuned in every week to watch the train wreck. Having invested hours and dollars into the previous five seasons I just couldn't give up no matter how awful it was. Surely the season would finish with a bang? Surely it would redeem itself as the clock ticked down???
  
  The final episode might have been the most disappointing of all. The main plot ends approximately halfway through the final episode in a complete anti-climax of grandly apathetic proportions. The last half of the episode features various characters grimly reflecting on just how bad their day was and just how tortured Jack's soul must be after six very very long days! And to cap it all off we dig up another old plotline and toss Jack into it just so he can show how tortured he is, in case we didn't get it already. The episode ends like a Christian Rock Band music video, Jack soulfully staring off into the sunset, eyes filled with sadness and pain...but yet, a glimmer of hope.
  
  Because Jack knows that season 7 is coming. And Jack knows that me, being the sucker I am will probably watch it, partially in hopes the show will redeem itself and partially to continue watching the train wreck. HOWEVER. One thing I will not do is buy another season of 24 on DVD. My collection stands at 5 and stays at 5, and Season 6 will never be cheap enough to warrant a purchase.
  
  
• Season 6 was the "Leftovers Season."
  By A1FG91CM8221X1 on 2007-12-04
  Season 6 of "24" was the "Leftovers Season"--the season in which the writers threw all sorts of plot threads and characters on screen to see which ones stuck. None did. The plot devices were too familiar and peaked too early (I won't reveal how, for those of you who didn't see all of Season 6), the returning characters had nothing new to do, and the new characters lacked screen time for proper development. Kiefer Sutherland was great, as always, and the show still had sufficient momentum to be watchable. But "must-see TV" it wasn't. What it was was a waste of both fine returning actors (Mary Lynn Rajskub, Gregory Itzin, Jean Smart, Kim Raver, William Devane, Eric Balfour) and promising new actors (James Cromwell, Rick Schroder). The show's producers promised a radical rethinking of the show for Season 7, but with the ongoing writers' strike, I guess we're going to have to wait a while.
  
  
• Starts out promising, got a little boring, but ended strong.
  By A3M5CJLROD30AZ on 2007-05-29
  I must start by saying that I never watched 24 prior to seeing this season. That said, unlike other reviews, I'm purely reviewing this season and no other
  
  But, even having never seen a prior 24, I still have to agree with the faithful 24-ites on the problems with this season. About 3/4 through the season, they killed off the main villain and finished the plot. This weakened the show SO much. Probably the next three to four episodes after that were boring, dumb, and almost made me completely loose interest in the show. Thankfully, they were able to recover and the season ended strong, but still not as well as when the show started.
  
  That said, I am still looking forward to the next season. The plot of the season (well most of it), was very interesting and entertaining, and it had some pretty awesome action sequences. I hope it gets better next season and please give it a chance to make a come back before trashing it too much.
  
  
• Not the best season
  By A1X9QF9FF0XB6Z on 2007-05-29
  ok not the best but still one of the best shows on tv.
  
  season 1 9.5
  season 2 8.9
  season 3 9.2
  season 4 9.8
  season 5 9.4
  season 6 8.6
  
  

• 24 - Season Five (Slim-Pack)
• Lost - The Complete Third Season
• 24 - Season Four
• 24 - Season Three
• Prison Break - Season Two