Some thoughts on the current season of 24, if you haven't seen upto episode 22 don't click the spoiler link.
SPOILERS! (Click to view)
A condensed appreciation of season 7 would be simply this, Wow. After two seasons that tread water and the appaling sixth season I was tuning into this current run more out of habit than love. But like a girlfriend that finally agrees to blow you 24 doesn't deserve the boot just yet. Infact after 22 episodes of top quality tv fellation I'd happily regard this season as its finest hour(s).
Having Tony Almeida appear the villian of the piece was a bold first move. This guy is credible threat to Jack Bauer, another loner with nothing to loose. The subsequent reveal that Almeida was infact bad to the bone was even better, a classic "Oh Shit!" 24 moment. Not quite as suprising as Nina Meyers suddenly talking German but a fantastic twist.
The storyline has echoed season one, a gradually escalating series of threats. A lesser series would conclude with the White House being attacked, 24 does it mid season. Jon Voight's crazy bad guy is a huge step up from the one diemensional boogie men of the past two seasons (I can't even remember them).
I'm actually excited to see how this one ends, as apposed to curious. Jack is dying and Kim is going to be killed if he doesn't free Tony. On one hand its a horrible repeat of the bad days of Kim Bauer being kidnapped. I think the writers have been clever here though. They probably know we think Kim is an annoying joke, but Jack doesn't. And she's all he has left in this world. Are his final actions going to be freeing Tony? Is Rennee gonna get in the way of that plan? Is Bauer even gonna last long enough?
Like I say I'm excited to see what happens. News of the forthcoming eighth season seem to indicate that Jack will survive the next two hours. Are Fox buffing though? Is there really going to be an eighth season? Surely 24 can't continue without Jack. I personally can't see the guy leaving this world because of some bug (surely his only exit will be something stupidly heroic that confirms what little pansies the rest of really are) but who knows. If this is the end then thank Jebus they nailed it one final time.
