Jan 28 2010
Got Jack?
(image credit: http://www.amazon.com/24-Season-Blu-ray-…)
In life there are real nationwide tragedies– and then there are tiny miniscule personal tragedies of no true consequence.
Similarly, there is real life and then there is television.
In addition to this, there are television shows that depict life in real time. When I say “shows” plural, I really mean one show and it is called 24. One small personal tragedy of mine (of no real consequence) occurred in the fall of 2007 when the Writers Guild of America went on strike, and the Screen Actors Guild followed suit, making it impossible for the cast and crew of 24 to work their magic. What resulted was a 20 month absence of Jack Bauer from broadcast television. Perhaps you, also, remember this time.
Again, for the record, I understand that there is a distinct difference between real life and just television. But this particular series had by this time become a part of my life, and its temporary cancellation was deeply (or shallow-ly… you decide) mourned. Until my dad said, “Sadie, lift up your head and behold, 24 on DVD” (it was something along those lines). So while there’s nothing like a new hour of the exhilarating series, re-watching episodes from seasons 1-6 held me over, and those box sets might be one of my best made purchases.
The show has since resumed regular broadcasting and added a seventh season to its repetoire. If you want to see the story from beginning to present, you can obtain all seven seasons from Amazon.com for $179.99. I understand that this is just not very economical, so you could buy individual seasons at your own pace from $8.95 to $20.48 used or new from $14.99 to $39.99 (depending on which season you buy). Season 7 was the first to be released on Blu-ray at $42.99 new or used from $34.18. If you prefer to buy in person as opposed to online (if only because you do not want to wait for it to ship following its release date), any of these seasons are regularly available at WalMart and Target, occasionally going on sale for $19.99 a piece.
There is no official retailer’s warning, but I will have you know that it is highly addictive, so you are going to want to reserve a weekend before you begin watching. Even though I have this show to thank for many wasted hours in front of a television, I have chosen to recommend this item because, jokes of personal tragedy aside, this really is one of the best shows on television, unique in its concept and execution of plot. The real star of the show is not Kiefer Sutherland, who skillfully portrays Federal Agent Jack Bauer, but the real time format. Each hour long episode represents one hour of Bauer’s hectic life ridding the world of evil. With 24 episodes, one season represents one full day of Bauer’s adventures. If you are thinking it sounds boring, well, you don’t know Jack.
Terrorist plots, the threat of nuclear weapons, kidnapping drama, assassination attempts, the struggle to maintain meaningful personal relationships, and more loom over not only Jack Bauer, but also his coworkers, family, and friends. The characters work together to protect civilians, keep the country safe and bring the day to an end by just about any means necessary. While it is not necessarily realistic in that Jack Bauer almost always gets stellar phone reception and can drive across Los Angeles in 10 minutes, the show does engage real issues such as the ethics involved in torture and the politics involved in waging war or maintaining defense.
Ultimately, if it’s worth Jack’s time, it’s worth your time! Forget real life for a while and go get you some Jack.