24 Reasons not to watch 24

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Regular readers of this blog know how much I loved the first 5 days (seasons for outsiders), and will understand how painful it is for me to say this, 24 may have jumped the shark this season. This is the most precipitous drop in quality since Coy and Vance Duke.

Anyway, in response to my posting at the beginning of the season extolling the many reasons to watch 24 – here are the 24 reasons not watch this season.

  1. Too many story lines that we care too little about.
  2. Not enough Chloe and Jack.
  3. Too much Milo and Nadia.
  4. It’s impossible to believe that White House staff could have so little respect for the Presidency. How many times can the 25th Amendment be used (twice)? How many assassination attempts must we experience (three)?
  5. Cheap ratings ploys. Bringing back George Itzin and Jean Smart to argue a little and then ride off in an ambulance and handcuffs respectively was cheap.
  6. Wayne Palmer has negotiated with terrorists 3 times.
  7. Rick Schroeder is no Kiefer Sutherland.
  8. Going to the well one too many times. How many moles can CTU have? Nuclear bomb in season two – how do we top that? Five, count ‘em, FIVE NUCLEAR BOMBS! Chop off an arm? Did that 2 seasons ago.
  9. The “Rain Man” episode.
  10. Does anyone think that Jack isn’t that kids father?
  11. Too many episodes that don’t advance the plot. This is why we watch 24 – because every hour was important. Not anymore.
  12. It’s on opposite Heroes
  13. Morris O’Brien was found drunk and is still working for CTU.
  14. CTU tactical teams have no idea what the word stealthy means.
  15. Watching CSI: Miami at 10 doesn’t seem like a huge drop in standards anymore
  16. Who needs fact checkers? Karen Hayes is the National Security Advisor and that position isn’t a cabinet level position, and therefore isn’t eligible for a 25th amendment vote.
  17. Really – internment camps?
  18. President in a coma at the beginning of the hour – in a cabinet meeting at the end of it.
  19. I think my Mac is more secure than the CTU network.
  20. Does anyone care that there was a bomb that landed in San Francisco?
  21. You’re trying to find a place to land a bomb in or around San Francisco, why not the ocean?
  22. No more Curtis.
  23. It’s so bad I’m starting to miss Kim
  24. It sucks

Related posts:

  1. 24 Reasons to watch 24
  2. Do yourself a favor and watch 24
  3. 24 – The Christmas Mission
  • http://seogangsta.com SEO Gangsta

    FINALLY someone that doesn’t like 24! It’s awesome (that someone’s not a fan)! And great approach! You know what else would be great? If you could come up with 30 reasons not to watch 30 Rock, or maybe 90,210 reasons not to watch 90210. Welp, get crackin’!

  • Spencer

    Sorry – I’m actually a fan that feels that 24 can be better (and has been better) than it has been this season. I still watch it every week, although my willingness to suspend disbelief is being tested severely.

    As for your suggestions – that might be hard: I love 30 Rock and never watched 90210. At the point at which either of those changes enough to inspire me to waste enough time on that article, you’ll be the first to know. ;)

  • Nick

    On the topic of shark-jumping: The coming of Scrappy-doo might give Coy & Vance a run for top of the list. Then again, the two shows might be in different categories for that awards ceremony.

  • Spencer

    I might agree except Coy and Vance still had Catherine Bach and her Daisy Dukes as redeeming points. Scrappy Doo had Daphne – cute, but no Daisy Duke.

  • http://www.mayravsaar.com Mayrav

    The show jumped the shark in Season One, when Jack’s wife had amnesia. Hasn’t been good since. (BTW, love your site!)

  • Spencer

    Mayrav – thanks. Love your site also.

    I’ll have to disagree with you though on 24 – I thought the last 3 seasons were amazing – seasons 1 & 2 were good, sometimes better than that – but this season…

    Thank god they ended the story line early.

  • Thomas

    Actually, National Security Advisor has Cabinet level status even though he or she is not a Cabinet secretary. So her vote does count. Look it up if you don’t believe me.

  • Spencer

    I actually did look it up prior to writing – and found confirmation online.

    The following is from a post on TPM Café, a political blog, and is written by Reed Hundt who graduated from Yale College and Yale Law School, practiced law for 18 years, and served as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, 1993-97. Since that date, he has written and lectured about information sector politics.

    The first and lesser problem is that the Attorney General referred to those qualified to vote as “the cabinet,” and there then ensued an impassioned debate over whether the National Security Adviser, Karen Hughes, who supported the President, was actually a member of the cabinet. (She had earlier resigned, but had withdrawn her resignation.)

    The Twenty-Fifth Amendment, however, does not give the vote to “the cabinet.” Instead, it empowers “the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide.” The National Security Adviser is not the principal adviser of an executive department, and Congress has not yet provided that she is entitled to be part of the group authorized to determine presidential disability.

    The full post is a very interesting read. I recommend it.

  • nakita

    okay first of all in order to watch 24 the viewers(myself included) have to be able to take leaps as kiefer has stated numerous times in interviews. for instance the viewers have to believe and do believe that jack bauer can hijack a SUV and then cross LA in 3 minutes at rush hour. and who the hell cares if karen hayes would actually be able to get a cabinet vote in real life? i mean seriously! people like you make me mad cuz its just a TV show!!! stop complaining and go get a life! if you want to complain complain about survivor or the apprentice..now those shows suck!

  • Spencer

    Get a life? You’re the one reading my blog. Is it me that needs a life. People like you are funny – the producers of 24 could tell you shit doesn’t stink – and you’d buy it. This post was meant about 25% in jest, but are you honestly telling me that you think this season is as good as the last 3?

    I’m all about suspending disbelief – among my all time favorite shows: Angel, Buffy, The X-files, and yes 24. But the writing has gotten lazy – and I’m going to guess that they’re not happy with the product this year.

  • Arlene

    I’m not happy this season either

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