96

I've finally seen every episode in the first four seasons of 24. That's 96 hours of Jack-killing, Kim-kidnapping, terrorist-hunting, Nina-escaping, plot-twisting, agent-turncoating, nuclear-chasing, Chloe-tapping, Tony-wounding, and suspect-torturing episodes of 24. The one thing I learned from watching 3 compacted seasons? Don't watch episodes back-to-back-to-back... the show's gaps are wider. For example: in the virus-filled Season 3, why do Jack and Tony act like they're chasing down the "virus" for the first 6-8 episodes when they know the virus isn't even in the terrorist's possession yet? Why did they plan to chase after a fake virus? If I had watched the season when it originally aired, I probably would've accepted that plot gap easier. Either way, it is still the most ass-kicking show on TV. Will I stop combining words to form adjectives? No.

Most Disturbing Episode - Day 3, 6:00am-7:00am
In the last 20 minutes, Michelle distributes suicide pills to the virus victims and Jack kills Chapelle according to the terrorists demands. Couldn't he have just turned Chapelle over to the terrorists and let them kill him?

Best Line - Day 5
"The only reason that you're conscious right now is because I don't want to carry you." - Jack to Derek

Worst Subplot Spanning Seasons - Sherry and Wayne Palmer, Seasons 1-3
Watching these two try to fix President Palmer's problems (sorry for the unavoidable alliteration...haha) was annoying. They're the Roger Clintons of the Palmer administration.

Best Villian - (tie) Victor Drazen and Nina Myers
Anyone who has seen Speed knows Dennis Hopper is a good villain, no matter what. I kind of liked the Nina subplot spanning a few seasons. Definitely ended at the right time, though.

Worst Villain - Marie Warner, Season 2
Just terrible. We went from Dennis Hopper to this? Watching her claim to hate Americans was like seeing Hulk Hogan pretending to wrestle. We want to believe, but it's not gonna happen.

Best Coincidence - Michelle Dessler's Virus Immunity, Season 3
At one point, a medic claims it would have 100% infection rate, yet Michelle miraculously has an immunity to the lethal virus.

Best Ending, Season 4
Jack is dead, Jack isn't dead, Jack walks off into Mexican sunset. It had a solid ending (unlike season 3) and it was developed at the beginning of the next season (unlike season 2).


Season Rank (in order of best to worst)
Season 1 - Always imitated, never repeated
Season 3 - Decent, but ended with a wimper. Felt like a formula of first two.
Season 4 - I got tired after the 5th terror plot.
Season 2 - Kim babysitting? Cyprus recordings? Tiny blonde radical? No.

I am all ready to rank season 5 at the top of the list, but I am reluctant. I like that they are sticking to one primary terror plot. However, I don't like that they've killed Michelle, Edgar, and Tony. I'm not upset that Palmer was killed because he really can't play a big role anymore. However, I'm afraid they're going to kill more characters coming up (Note, I wrote that line before Tony and Rudy-Lynn were killed). So I'm going to wait before I rank it amongst the others.

Another interesting note: in 24 The Videogame, you can play as Jack, Tony, Chase, Michelle, and.... Kim. (Kim is the hardest difficulty because no matter what you do, you get kidnapped.) Interesting that Tony and Michelle are dead now and Chase is M.I.A.