Rants and Chants

Tomorrow night, television series 24 will have its 2-hour finale. Despite some far-fetched plot twists, 24 has been the best suspense thriller on television during the last decade – and possibly in all of television history. Beyond action and the cliffhangers, the show was revolutionary. It was in production just a few months prior to 9/11, but anticipated the mindset of a nation under threat from terrorism. It dealt with the issue of whether and under what circumstances covert surveillance or torture might be justified. And what was most important to me, it showed the world of terrorism, espionage, and war as brutal and cold-blooded — a world where, to win, one might need to be willing to stoop to level of one’s opponents.

I’ve long wondered if the ending would involve a big reveal that much of what we’ve seen is not what we have thought it was — that there is some bigger, overarching plot or some individual or group that has been driving all of the events we’ve seen as part of some bigger conspiracy. I’ve wondered if such an ending could be setup in the series without our noticing the hints, but, after its revelation, would have us running back through the episodes and connecting the dots. It would also lend itself to moving the series off television and into a movie franchise. However, I suspect the series finale will merely wrap up the existing plots and character threads.

Bear in mind, we have yet to find out why the Russians opposed the peace deal with Kamistan to the point of feeling it necessary to assassinate President Hasan. Nor do we know what information President Logan has or how he came by it. Perhaps the finale will reveal some legitimate reason why the peace initiative should fail and we will see that Bauer’s battle to do what he thought was right has merely served to benefit the wrong side.

Alternatively, given 24‘s history of moles and betrayers, maybe we will find out that President Taylor is not as noble or honorable as she seems. It has seemed to me, out of character for her to be going along with Charles Logan’s actions. Previously, she seemed perceptive enough to recognize and avoid manipulation.

Or, for that matter, Chloe O’Brien may turn out to have an agenda that doesn’t involve saving Jack, but stopping him for her own reasons. Or we may see the return of any number of characters with something to reveal. If the finale does reveal some long-running concealed plot, we could also see the return of any from a list of the few characters who have survived. I’m partial to seeing Mandy return to confront Jack and trace it all the way back to the first episode.

No matter how it ends, I do think the series needs to tie the ending to the beginning.

In the very first episode, two lines of dialogue strike me as the most significant for Jack Bauer’s character. The first is the very first thing said to him when the show introduces his character. He is playing a game of chess with his daughter, Kim. Kim says to him, “You’re in trouble, Dad.” For the finale, I think this is an even more significant line. Kim and her daughter are now the only family Jack has left. Everyone else he has ever loved or been close to has been killed. Moreover, the recent death of his latest lover has now sent him spiraling out of control on an emotional vendetta that has him defying the government he once served. Jack is now in trouble again. One obvious possible ending for 24 is that Jack may live, but Kim and his granddaughter may be killed, leaving him truly alone in the world.

Later in the first episode, after we’ve gotten to know Jack just a little, he gives a short speech to a co-worker. It’s the first time he says anything philosophical about himself, the work he does, and the people and situations he has to deal with.

“You can look the other way once and it’s no big deal. Except it makes it easier to compromise the next time and pretty soon that’s all you’re doing is compromising because that’s how you think things are done.” Jack pauses, then continues. “You know those guys I blew the whistle on? You think they were the bad guys? Cause they weren’t. They weren’t bad guys. They were just like you and me, except they compromised once.”

After Jack says that, there is a long pause, lending significance to the speech. I would like to see the finale of 24 come back to that speech, bring the series full circle thematically, and weigh whether Jack has compromised.

My biggest hope for the end of 24 is that the talk of a movie is a ruse to conceal a surprise ending in which Jack Bauer does die. For eight seasons over nine years, the show has prided itself on anything can happen plots in which no character is safe from the bullets. Having Jack die fighting for justice would bring us to the ultimate “silent clock” ending of the series.

The one solace that I take with the end of 24 — or the end of anything — is that a story has its highest meaning at its end. If anything lasted forever, where is the meaning in that? I hope that by tomorrow night we will see a proper ending to the best action/suspense/thriller on television. As with Life, let us cherish every ticking minute of it.