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The 24 You'll Never See: Fox Addresses "Jack-lash"
Kiefer Sutherland by Kelsey McNeal/Fox
Last spring, when ratings for 24 began to nose-dive along with President Bush's approval ratings, producers decided to address the backlash against their protagonist, whose tendency to torture terrorism suspects hit too close to home. "The fear and wish fulfillment the show represented after 9/11 ended up boomeranging against us," head writer Howard Gordon tells the Wall Street Journal. "We were suddenly facing a blowback from current events."
Gordon says the original Season 7 "fix" would have found Jack building houses for orphans in Africa, doing "penance… for things he's done in his life." This scenario also would have marked the first time 24 deviated from its real-time structure, since returning Jack to the U.S. would have demanded a transcontinental flight. Ultimately, Fox rejected the Africa concept, claiming it was too far afield from the show's identity.
Although producers ultimately settled on a different Season 7 storyline, it's still not clear if/when we'll be seeing those episodes, eight of which were produced before the WGA strike hit.
What do you think of the Africa/"redemption" storyline? Did Jack have much to atone for? — Mickey O'Connor
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Feb 4, 2008 7:19 PM
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If we're looking to send someone to build houses in Africa to atone for inhuman and offensive treatment, how about the cast of October Road?
And the ladies from Cashmere Mafia?
And is it too late to round up the stars of The Black Donnellys?
They ALL owe me some penance!
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Feb 4, 2008 10:01 PM
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I think Jack has been mostly justified in all his actions. The only exception was when he killed Roger Cross' character in the last season.
I could see a Washington committee wanting to charge Jack with something just for political reasons. Politicians suck! But it could be good for Jack in the long run. He certainly has some personal demons he needs to address, and community service in an impoverished nation could do him a world of good.
At least it ain't a Chinese prison.
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Feb 4, 2008 10:06 PM
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The backlash against 24 has more to do with the fact that season 6 was extremely derivative of past seasons and poorly written than any backlash against the shows politics.
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Feb 5, 2008 7:17 AM
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What the writers don't understand, and will apparently never understand, is that the issue has nothing to do with current events. It's their idiotic last-minute, seat-of-our-pants, make-it-up-as-we-go-along style of writing, which leads to lazy retreads. When you're writing an episode as it's being filmed, it's hard to make sure the final product includes quality.
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Feb 5, 2008 8:04 AM
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Building houses in Africa ??? UGH!
I don't think we were tired of seeing Jack do what he has to do - I think we were tired of the same plotlines being re-tread. Come up with some new situtions for the guy already.
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Feb 5, 2008 9:09 AM
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Oh dear, I think the writers are missing the point.
Fans (like me) were disappointed with S6 because it mas mostly nonsense. Clearly made up as they went along, and peopled by too many characters we didn't care about. Jack's dad and that blond kid had no point being in a season of 24. Making the whole show about Jack's family was a huge mistake, I feel. It undermined the tone of the show in a major way.
Jack has nothing to atone for, but the writers should spend some time in Africe (or maybe that Chinese Prison).
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Feb 5, 2008 9:38 AM
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Sounds lame. Maybe it's a good thing we didn't get our 24 fix this season.
I agree that Jack has nothing to atone for. The writers need to atone for season 6.
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Feb 5, 2008 9:44 AM
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I agree with all of you, but especially this.
I agree that Jack has nothing to atone for. The writers need to atone for season 6.
Howard Gordon needs to stop making excuses and start focusing on writing good scripts. If I wanted to see something show in Africa, I'd watch ER. Better yet, I do watch Life is Wild!
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Feb 5, 2008 9:47 AM
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I have no problem with torturing terrorists, they'd do the same to us or even worse. We want to protect our country from their crazy plots to harm us and if we have to use drastic means to get them to sing then so be it. I don't want another 9/11.
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Feb 5, 2008 10:13 AM
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Season 6 was a load of crap becasue they killed off so many key, beloved characters - David Palmer, Michelle, Tony (or so we thought) and Curtis.
And those of us who live in reality understand that 24 is fiction and even if there are torture scenes, we understand this is not condoning any actions in the real world. We love Jack because he's a bada$$, not in spite of it!!!
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Feb 5, 2008 10:14 AM
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You're kidding right? The day they deviate from the real-time format is the day I stop watching. Building houses in Africa? Did the Camdens come back to tv and I didnt get the memo?
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Feb 5, 2008 10:16 AM
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the more i read and hear about 24, the more i hope it never returns.
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Feb 5, 2008 10:24 AM
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I agree with Ilovejackbauer. The reason season 6 wasn't up to par is because they killed off so many characters in the ridiculously overpraised season 5. They killed even more characters in season 6, while bringing in a bunch of new ones. It just didn't work because we the only character to care about was jack, and we all knew he was going to live. Season 5 was more unbelievable than season 6 by far. I'm glad they brought back Tony. If they really do make him the main villain and kill him again though, that'll be the nail in the coffin for me.
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Feb 5, 2008 10:34 AM
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I have no problem with torturing terrorists, they'd do the same to us or even worse. We want to protect our country from their crazy plots to harm us and if we have to use drastic means to get them to sing then so be it. I don't want another 9/11.
I hope one or two of the Presidential candidates feel this way, because I know I do (and probably many more people than we think)!!!
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Feb 5, 2008 11:36 AM
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