Reviews by Matt

There are three big periods in any given television season. Fall Sweeps (when most shows begin), winter Sweeps (the start of the new year) and May Sweeps (when shows wrap up their seasons). These usually signal the times when the cream of the crop in terms of episodes and new/returning shows are aired. For the past few years (minus last year) the start of winter sweeps means the beginning of the father of serialized television: “24.”

And it came back with a bang.

Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) has done all sorts of terrible things over the past six seasons. Now he has to answer for them.
With CTU disbanded, Jack is on trial in front of the Senate. FBI Agent Walker (Annie Wersching) interrupts the hearing to enlist Jack’s help with apprehending a suspect they are looking for. The man they are looking for Jack’s friend, former CTU co-worker, the presumed dead Tony Almeida (Carols Benard).

President Allison Taylor (Cherry Jones) finds herself in the middle of the first big crisis of her term when a device that can crack the government firewall is stolen by Tony and his crew. The device is sold to Debaku (could not find name on IMDb) who is involved in with the genocide in the fictional African county of Sangala. If President Taylor does not withdraw the American troops, he will use the device to attack America.

It is so good to have Jack Bauer back on television. “24” elevated television when it first aired in 2001. It was a new idea and it changed the face of television. I used to be very anti-TV on DVD, but "24" has changed that. I never saw a reason to buy a season of television. That changed when I bought season one of 24 on DVD. It is the perfect DVD show and that is how many of fans have discovered the show.

Two years ago the show lost its way, but this season has gotten it back on track. With the exception of a side plot with the president’s husband, the show is looking strong. Jack is back doing what he does best. Tony is back and is not as bad as we thought. Chloe is as quirky and abrasive as ever.

I am going to be honest; I do not give a crap about any of the new characters. No president will be as cool or as loved as David Palmer (he was assassinated in season six) and the side stories have always been the weakest point of the show. The majority of the new characters have major parts in these side stories, which makes them easier to ignore, and harder to like.

“24” still kicks ass. It may have been lacking in the past few seasons, but this season is looking like it back with all the drama and action of season one. I was skeptical of this season. I thought that the long time away would have a huge effect on my enjoyment, but it has not. When I hear that ticking clock I cannot help but smile and wait to see what will happen next to Jack Bauer.

Watch "24" every Monday at 9 p.m