24 - Season Three

Rating:
Summary: Great show, but realize that....
Review: The republican from Dallas doesn't realize that this is a Republican show. It's pro-Bush and propaganda. He should be FOR this show!
Like I said, it's a great show but it is on Republican TV (Fox) and it depicts terrorists as if they really were sophisticated with CIA type technology and resources. Why? Because as long at American's really believe terrorism is that much of a threat (it's not) then they will continue to be afraid and that is how fascist governments rule their citizens -- with terror. Bush and his cronies will continue to get away with their attack on our freedoms and their imperialistic wars for oil as long as Ameicans believe their terror propaganda.

Enjoy the show, but don't believe ANY of it. The so-called terrorists don't have all those 007 toys and technology. They got lucky once. That's all. If you want something to fear, fear the USA's current administration's war on your rights and their goal of world domination.



Rating:
Summary: utterly vile murdertainment
Review: This is the most vile and hateful new "entertainment" To come out of the sespool of fox. If you lack moral values and love muderous violence then this is your cup of tea! How anybody can find this "drama" anything other than worthless is beyond me1

Rating:
Summary: Riveting! The Terror is Contagious!
Review: Thus reads the back of the boxed DVD set. And so it is.

Fox's primetime hit series =24= has peaked new heights in edge-of-your-seat storytelling with its third - and best - season. Commercials provide the only pause, the only letup, in this colossally suspenseful terror-trip.

For those who would do so, there is no need to bash it for being less than perfect - nobody could expect absolute flawlessness from 980 minutes of television drama, no matter how refined. I will briefly mention the two foremost problems. (1) That so many events of such large and interrelated significance would take place, all within twenty-four hours, stretches probability way beyond the breaking point. (2) I have had the privilege of working occasionally with a substantial number of Spanish speakers; consequently, I can say that, for the show, the Mexicans should have spoken to and among each other always in Spanish, very nearly never in English (a problem with the Czecks in the first season as well). But the handling of the story is so very good that, understanding and accepting these and other minor flaws, most of us can suspend our disbelief.

Jack is back! - this time to stop terrorists from unleashing a weaponized virus into the American public. The quest to capture it takes him through twists and turns, to a Los Angeles prison, northern Mexico, run-down neighborhoods, a hotel, subway, and an elementary school. This time the threat is biological ... on a virtually unimaginable scale.

Since the series began in the fall of 2001, coinciding, as it would, with the awful tragedy of 9/11, the characters have become quite distinguishable, possessing interesting personalities, and colorful - if in some cases annoying - subtleties. Most of the acting appears quite convincing; as network dramas go, there is minimal contrivance. I shall go quickly through those at CTU and the president's company, first; followed by the terrorists, second. Jack (Kiefer Sutherland) has a secret this time, and he seems genuinely fearful of being exposed. We have a Tony (Carlos Bernard) who, not suprisingly, is down-to-earth, sometimes rigidly so, yet every now and then we see that he carries at his side a sense of compassion. Michelle (Reiko Aylesworth) has married, and though occasionally it doesn't look like she's handling things splendidly at first, we see quite the turnaround later. Kim Baeur works at CTU, not far removed from boyfriend Chase Edmunds, a newbie to the team. Those who like having Kim remain in the series but dislike the idea of her working for CTU should consider the alternative: Kim, on the outside, getting herself into further trouble. We watched this during Season One, then we were thrown the same KIND of thing in Season Two. Chase Edmunds is a tough guy; the more we see of him, the more we think, `Here is a would-be Jack'. Chloe (a quirky, annoying, protocol-wary technician), Adam (efficiency-loving), and Gaiel (cautious, ostensibly a mole) are new sign-ons as well. Finally, getting much more screen time than in Season Two, Regional Director Ryan Chappelle - a no-nonsense, give-it-to-me-straight boss. President David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) remains the strong moral compass we grew to admire in the first two seasons. But this time, it's not just him dealing with interpersonal problems within his own campaign and the ensuing damage to the outside world. Here we see how he responds to new situations, posed by the competing political party (Republicans, we may say, given Sherry's Season One statement to that effect) toward his own campaign, as opposed to the press and personal staff adversaries of the earlier seasons. And later in the third, we come upon a nasty and inevitable dirty struggle between the president and his much-needed contributor, Alan, who tries to extort him. In the middle is Alan's wife, Julia, not wanting to get involved but eventually forced to. How will David deal with new problems that tempt new compromises, as his steadfast morality goes head to head with the convenience of relativism? Taking Mike's place as chief advisor is his brother Wayne, whose broader philosophy is at least faintly like, however much less devious than, Sherry's. She, too, is back ... with intent more malicious than anything we've seen from her yet.

Now, for the terrorists. In particular, Joaquim de Almeida does a terrific job portraying Ramon Salazar, the initially incarcerated leader of a north Mexican drug cartel. He looks, feels, and smells like a bad guy in every conventional way. His younger brother Hector is believable as a second-man in charge (even if the director should not have cast them as brothers; they don't `look' at all like family). Nina returns, escaping confinement in North Africa, and as we've seen what she is capable of in One and Two, it is not that difficult to imagine. Former CTU mole, conspirator in a domestic nuclear attack, and now buyer of a biological superweapon, Nina is more of a matter-of-fact `bad guy': a cold, sinister, `I-just-enjoy-this'-type killer. Michael Amador is an arms dealer, reserved in nature, and we think we know his intentions .... Alvers is a loyal agent in Stephen Saunders' plan, sent to distribute the virus in L.A. Saunders himself is the worst terrorist - a man with a single weakness - as he sets into motion a diabolical arrangement that more terrible than anything that's come before it. A final note: a teenager named Kyle Singer, while not a terrorist per se, constitutes part of the plan to deliver the package.

Several hours into the season, a drastic plot shift will hit most first-time viewers more or less like a freight train. As in One and Two, perhaps the best reason the bad guys keep falling is, well, they underestimate Jack. Consistently: from Hector to Jack's airplane guard to Ramon to Amador to Alvers and even Saunders. Nina seems to be the only exception ... which makes sense enough, given their past. (Sorry, I can't reveal what happens to her.)

I don't think I've ever seen one other network series attempt what =24= has. It would not be exaggerating, nor employing hyperbole, to say that if enough things went wrong over the course of trying to take and contain the virus, it is entirely possible that the vast majority of the WORLD's population might have perished, probably within several weeks. In no other show have I witnessed TV drama so carefully weave together a tapestry of plot and subplot, push the limits of suspense, raise the stakes as high - with so very, very many lives caught in the balance - or represent so tenacious, so persistent, or so deadly-serious a counter-terrorist agent as Jack Baeur.


The DVD set contains six episode discs, and a seventh for commentary, deleted scenes, and other extras.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, but not perfect
Review: This season was entertaining and compelling viewing. Chase and Chloe were interesting new additions. I am so glad Sherrie Palmer and Nina were killed off. They were getting old. Will miss President Palmer next season, although his story lines weren't the best this year. With Tony in jail and Chapelle killed (by Jack), next year will offer almost a totally new cast. I think this is a good thing and might reinvigorate the series.

Rating:
Summary: ****/12 review. Not a bad season, but pure entertainment.
Review: "24" is an intresting show with a great concept. Like many, I would assert that this season was good, but not great. I do apperciate the loaded amount of extra features, this is why I apperciate every penny spent on this dvd set. I often wonder why there was less extra features on the first season release, being it was possibly the best season of the three.

"24" season three borrows alot of the cliches that made the second season good. It's also truly amazing how the storylines never cease to disappoint me in anyway. I always find myself glued to the television awaiting the next breath breaking scene. The character developments aren't as strong in this season as they tried to be in the first year. THIS IS POSSIBLY THE MAJOR REASON WHY THAT SEASON WAS SO SUCCESSFUL. In someway however, I have to say, this show is alot more entertaining when the action is sped up. Still, it leads a little confusion to me when I see charactors that I can like on scene but never truly understand from the movement of the show.

If you like dvd sets, I have been curious why this set doesn't have a "play all" display on its menu. This show is a show that need one of those, if you know what I mean.

All and all, this is a perfect buy along with the other two great season. If you haven't already picked it up, "24" is pure entertainment that we will lead you on the edge of your seat for a full twenty four hour marathon.

ENJOY!!!!