24 Season 2 (Eps 1-12)

Dir: Robert Cochran, Joel Surnow
2002
Well, I guess Jessica’s gone 24 mad, insisting that we get the new series on DVD as soon as it appeared in the shops. This is a story “ripped from today’s headlines” as they like to say, with L.A. threatened by a nuke and terrorists of a certain Arabian shade (where last time they were Serbs). If Season One was about family and responsibility, Season Two is all about our Constitution and our laws and when or if to break them. Certainly, the show thinks about this more than the Bush administration, which feels no need to mull over this question–it knows no doubt when it comes to this. As usual the scenes with President Palmer have a strange sci-fi ring to them–nothing of what he or his advisors say feel anywhere near what must go on at Chimpy McCokespoon’s White House. Will Palmer finally get duped by his scheming wife? One hopes not.
Although Jack’s daughter Kim gets into trouble only 20 minutes into the first show, it is nice to see that she’s learned to trust nobody and lamp them properly with a tire iron instead of getting caught. Not as much stupidity this time around and very few hostage takings (because, you could say, all of Los Angeles is essentially a hostage this time around).
Season One’s initial jolt wore off by episode 9 or so, this season the suspense is ramping up, also nice to see. We’re also sad to see that George Mason is marked for death, as he became one of our favorite characters; his line delivery is quite sharp and cynical.
I suppose we’ll be finished with this soon enough. Then I can get on to something else (possibly sitting down to finally watch The Sopranos).