24 Season 1 [Spoilers]

I just finished a 4 day marathon viewing of 24 season 1 as a part of my vasectomy therapy. It took several episodes before I was really hooked and I could have turned it off after the first five hours and not lost any sleep. But, I stuck with it and it grew on me. I can't tell if I became hooked on the show itself or if I was just curious about seeing the situation resolved. It's like Elaine on Seinfeld who was determined to close the buy-twelve-get-one-sub-free deal and get her free sub since she had eaten twelve bad subs. She had mistakenly written her fake telephone number on the back of the card and gave it so mr. denim vest. Anyway, I had invested several hours into it and was curious about how it was going to turn out. Since I wasn't going anywhere, I continued on with my bag of frozen peas soothing my genitals.

I kind of liked watching the entire season within a short period of time. I was really able to soak it all in as opposed to trying to remember what happened the week before and anticipating the next episode. I haven't decided if I'm interested in watching the next season when it comes on in January because I don't think I could handle watching one hour at a time for a several months. Lost was the same way and I didn't have any mental collapses watching that over an entire season so I might be ok.

There were some things I observed about the first season that were a little frustrating. First of all, they could have boiled everything down to a standard 8-9 hour work day and reworked the show to be a mini-series rather than a full 24-episode season. The reason is they just kept recycling the same situations over and over and over. I mean, how many times does someone get kidnapped, escape, get kidnapped, escape, etc? Think about it. How different was what happened in one episode than what happened in another episode?

Another thing I noticed was how the chain of evil people kept getting longer and more evil. Initially, you think the scumbag behind the assassination attempt and kidnappings is this evil man. But no! He's working for a different, more evil man. But alas! That man is working for another more eviler man. Each hour you're introduced to a more evilier man with the "real" motive behind the events of the day and a different nationality. Yes, I'm making up words. I'm evilesque.

While this is going on, you're being jerked around with the personnel within the agency. Uh oh. There's a mole in the midst. It's him! No, it's him! No, it's her. It's not her because it's him. No, now it's this other guy. It must be this other girl because we caught her doing something and she killed herself. But wait, there's another mole. Is it him, him, him, or her?

If you are being guarded by a team of guys in Members Only jackets, they will all be killed and you will be kidnapped... again.

Apparently, there is always someone in a different office in another part of the country who has the clearance, authority, and willingness to give you anything you need and in the next five minutes.

Every car in California comes with a set of keys factory-installed in the sun visor.

Lack of food, lack of sleep, being wounded by gunfire, and extreme physical and emotional exertion will not diminish your ability to make sound judgments, drive a car, fire a gun accurately, and negotiate with terrorists.

All in all, it was a good show. I'll have to sit down with my day planner and the fall television line-up to determine which shows merit a TIVO Season Pass. I'd have to give up one of the Law & Orders or a CSI if I want to squeeze this in so I'm not obligated to watch too much television each week. The jury is still out on this one.