24 - Fair and Balanced?

[donheff]

I am an inveterate 24 watcher. I am also a pinko. My favorite lefty shows (Oberman) and blogs are questioning the current 24 as a neo-con wet dream. Islamic American groups are also upset. I think its fair and balanced.

What say you?

 

[unclemick]

Heck - I'm an old SW Washington 'real Democrat'. I remember watching "I lead Three Lives" as a kid. My Dad watched too - he still thought Nixon and McCarthy sucked.

24 - It's a drama. I liked his dad's role in "The Dirty Dozen."

heh heh heh

 

[Nords]

24 - It's a drama. I liked his dad's role in "The Dirty Dozen."
heh heh heh

And "Kelly's Heroes"...

 

[lets-retire]

I can't vote you don't have an "it's only entertainment and has more logical flaws than Microsoft Windows" button.

 

[Eagle43]

Well, gee I dunno.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2005/11/30/cstillwell.DTL

West Wing? Oprah?? Politically Correct Thought Police?
First amendment, anyone?

 

[RedHawk]

I love 24, but I believe they made a big mistake in negotiating with terrorists in the first four episodes. It is the policy of the US not to negotiate with terrorists, and that is a policy that to my knowlege would never be broken.

 

[Baxter]

I only watched the first season, but I got tired of seeing Jack torturing the bad guys while yelling "where's the bomb?" each week, so I tuned out. It felt like I was 1) being desensitized to the idea of torture, and 2) being taught that torturing the bad guys was a Good Idea because it yielded productive information. So yeah, in that sense it felt like a neo-con wet dream.

 

[dex]

Let's never forget that this is televison and this show might appear to be less liberal than other shows when considering the majority of shows like the Law and Order series and West Wing.

All these shows (like political parties) point out that people watch shows that reinforce their beliefs.

I like 24 (I don't have a TV but read about it on the web and rent the DVDs) because main characters actually get killed and have human flaws. I guess it is the uncertainty factor.

Yes Jack is the superman of today - he takes a beating and still keeps on ticking; he doesn't eat, drink, have sex, shower or go to the bathroom. This season he is showing his self doubt. Maybe they are setting it up for someone to replace him in the field.

 

[dumpster56]

I have a problem with a show like 24. I saw 9/11 . Been there , do not need to see some BS show about some BS actor stopping terrorists.

Sorry the show is not worth my time.

 

[Alex]

I have enough stress in my life.

 

[poboy]

Bond, James Bond.

 

[donheff]

I am amazed that over 70% haven't even seen it. Rent the first season - it is a hoot. By the way, by "fair and balanced" I don't mean accurate, realistic, reasonable or anything else. It is an entertaining cartoon patterned along the lines of Flash Gordon. But it does go every which way at once. This season the bad Muslims have detonated a nuke in LA; the US is about to open internment camps; and we have already had a few "successful" torture episodes. On the other hand, Jack has partnered with a former Bin Laden who has decided to disavow terror and go "legit;" he had to kill his buddy to prevent him from killing the Bin Laden guy; the President's sister is leading the first amendment resistance to the internment camps; and her Muslim boss is in a camp but helping the US. Oh, by the way, the President is an African American (not the first for 24).

Come to think of it, the show is so ridiculous that I have no idea why I like it. But I guess if it is one of Clinton's top three as well as GW's I am in some sort of company.

 

[Leonidas]

On the other hand, Jack has partnered with a former Bin Laden who has decided to disavow terror and go "legit;" he had to kill his buddy to prevent him from killing the Bin Laden guy; the President's sister is leading the first amendment resistance to the internment camps; and her Muslim boss is in a camp but helping the US.

Come to think of it, the show is so ridiculous that I have no idea why I like it.

I watched about ten minutes of it one night and found it completely devoid of any semblance to reality. Of course, I'm a conservative who enjoys most of the Law & Order shows and was a big fan of West Wing, so maybe I'm the wrong guy to ask.

 

[califdreamer]

I was at a small gathering recently and everyone was referring to Jack Bauer. I asked, "who's Jack Bauer?" and got astonished looks.

 

[d]

i sense the "thought police" have found a new interest.

 

[Robert the Red]

24 feints left and right in it's overt politics, just to be tricky. It's coherent political message lies in it's sub-text (the underlying assumptions) -- that being "tough" is what matters. The ur-message is reinforced by the fact that Kiefer Sutherland is not very good at portraying non-tough emotions.

 

[bosco]

q) how did Bush get the public to accept him trashing the bill of rights, torture, detentions etc.?

a) by revving up the fear of terrorism to an irrational pitch. classic Goebbels strategy.


does 24 seem to assist in this strategy? suitcase nukes going off in LA etc. Wouldn't surprise me if the White house consulted with the writers.

 

[Sandy]

Haven't a clue

I'm obviously out of touch with popular culture; had to read almost the whole thread to figure out what you were referring to.

 

[justin]

My thoughts - I can't vote because there is no option for "geez - it's just tv".

I tend to fall on the "conservative" side of issues - maybe that means 24 is right leaning?

I had never considered this when I was watching 24. I try to sit back and enjoy the show and not try to conjure up subtle pretexts that may or may not be present.

24 isn't political commentary - it's an action flick.

 

[shiny]

DH watches 24 and when its on I notice that they get a lot of their news from Fox news. But then again, the show is on Fox so... maybe that's irrelevant.

As a lawyer I would rather people have a fair trial than be tortured into admitting things, but that would be one long boring show!

What was up with Chloe kissing Rush Limbaugh this summer at the Heritage Foundation?

Just random 24 thoughts...

 

[justin]

DH watches 24 and when its on I notice that they get a lot of their news from Fox news. But then again, the show is on Fox so... maybe that's irrelevant.

That's just good ole fashioned "product placement".

 

[Leonidas]

Keifer Sutherland (apparently the star of the show) was interviewed by Charlie Rose. He labels his personal politics as "Socialist"...

To a large degree they`re private, but I believe - I believe inherently that - that we have a responsibility to take care of each other, so when you can talk about socialized healthcare, absolutely, that`s a no-brainer. Free universities, absolutely, that`s a no-brainer for me. So in the definition, I guess those are leaning towards socialist politics. To me it`s common sense. And I do believe the wealthy have a responsibility to the less fortunate. Some people call that communism. I disagree. Again, it`s common sense. But I would have to say that my politics would be leaning towards the left.

He goes on to describe the fan base and writing staff as diverse and "balanced"

KIEFER SUTHERLAND: Yes, and Dick Cheney and various people that are huge fans of the show. And then you`ve got the Clintons and you`ve got Barbra Streisand, and I think one of the great testaments of the show is that the show is incredibly balanced as well. I don`t think you could have it embraced by members of the right and members of the left at the same time. And if you ever took a look at our writing staff and their politics ...

CHARLIE ROSE: It`s all over the place?

KIEFER SUTHERLAND: It`s all over the place, yeah, absolutely. There is a representative from the right, and there is a representative from the left.

CHARLIE ROSE: It`s used by people from Barbra Streisand to Rush Limbaugh to make a point, "24" to make a point.

KIEFER SUTHERLAND: Yeah, yeah. Who am I to tell anybody how to interpret what we`re doing? We make it and we put it out there for you. Again, the thing that I can look back to with pride is that it`s that balanced, that the polarity of the audience is that diverse. Me, I kind of see things from a left perspective, so I`m always amazed when I see it galvanized by someone on the right.

 

[Baxter]

The New Yorker just posted a lengthy article about this very topic.

http://www.newyorker.com/printables/fact/070219fa_fact_mayer

Or, for one person's summary:

http://www.digbysblog.blogspot.com/2007_02_01_digbysblog_archive.html#117125097079742580

Some of the comments to that post are pretty entertaining.