The Longest Days of my Life: A Fan's Reflection on '24'

I never thought this day would come, but the clock has stopped ticking. '24' is over, but I think that, beyond that fact, I DO have some good memories that have complemented the ride.

First and foremost, I want to make it clear that this is purely my personal thinking. Some of you might find it pointless or boring, but it is what I want to share. Oh, and PLEASE NO SPOILERS!! I haven't watched the final two hours due to a sucky internet...

Luckily, between Friday & Sunday, there shall be recaps. OK?

Thank you!





The following takes place between 9:00 PM & 10:00 PM while multitasking. Events occur in real time...


The first time I ever watched '24' was one night ages ago, when I couldn't find anything to watch on TV. My first scene was Kim Bauer being kidnapped, during the starting hours of Day 1. Curiously, I stayed with it...And that was the start of an affair that lasted 8 seasons.

To be honest, without ever hearing a thing about this show, I got instantly hooked and monday nights became sacred for me. The adventures of Jack Bauer and the people surrounding him in and out of CTU became something addictive. When the hour was done, all you wanted was the week to go by fast and see what was going to happen.

Everything was unexpected. People that you liked as characters turned out to be moles, and in the past couple of seasons one had enough expertise to figure out fates or who was the mole. Whenever Jack lost someone, you felt it personal. When someone was evil, all I expected was Bauer to make justice.

Looking back, I've cried twice with the show: When Jack 'died' in the Season 4 ending, and with Renee Walker's death in Season 8. Characters like Chloe O'Brian (who I hated at first) have become personal favorites.

The most shocking moments were (well, some of them) were when Teri Bauer was killed, Jack being tortured in day 2, the deaths of David Palmer, Michelle Dessler & Tony Almeida, Bauer kidnapped by the Chinese, and many others.

Season premieres and finales were an event awaited with expectations. Up to today, I still buy food and drinks, disconnect phones and simply just chill out and see Bauer save the world.

One of the things that really impacted me was seeing things like torture and corruption inside the government stir up such a controversy. As a project of journalist, things about '24' were even used as examples in class...And everyone just looked at me.

This might seem like outrageous, but before '24', I didn't know who Kiefer was. Don't ask at what point of this ride I started to find him attractive, and I started to feel respect for Jack Bauer with all his virtues and flaws. Hell, I have a crush on the man! So what?

I've laughed, cried, cursed, got mad, scared, at the edge of my seat so many times in 8 years. There's characters that have become part of my collective imaginary, whether they're good or bad, alive or dead...I don't want to make a list simply because we'd be here till like...next week? :p

But not everything has been so good. Sometimes they've been over the line in some stuff, had some funny plots or simply slow episodes. But one learns to forgive the writers for their bad choices.

For me...

BEST SEASON: SEASON 5

BEST CHARACTER (APART FROM JACK): CHLOE O'BRIAN

BEST BADDIE: CHARLES LOGAN

BEST PRESIDENT: DAVID PALMER

BEST WOMAN FOR JACK: TIE BETWEEN RENEE WALKER & AUDREY RAINES

BEST CTU HEAD: GEORGE MASON

MOST SHOCKING MOMENT: CAN I ANSWER THAT AFTER THE END?


But you know what? Beside from all that have spoken about up to here, '24' has left me some really nice memories. Mostly two things:

# 1: The show gave me the impulse and inspiration to start writing around 6 years ago. I was so intrigued, and since it was so unpredictable and anything could happen, '24' will always be a good source of fic material (So far, I have 5 fics related to it)

**Öff-Note: '24:Midnight Assassin' & '24: Humans on Edge' will be posted here soon**

# 2: The amount of people I've met because of the simple fact of being fans of the show or any of its actors has been great. And some of those have become people I deeply care for, so I want to simply...thank you all for getting to know you through such a great thing. You rock!!!


What is there left to say? The show ended, but it has left its mark on the way of making TV. With its real-time format, awesome cast and crew behind it, and everything, '24' will be deeply missed (and it coincidentally, ended on a 24th day)

Thank you so much for creating it, and making something to thrillingly (sp?) addictive.

All that there is left to do is wait to see Jack Bauer on the big screen...So what am I gonna watch in the meantime?

LONG LIVE BAUER, DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Nicodrina
thePressRoom


Ps/If I forgot something, I'm sorry. It's the emotion of the moment :)

Ps2/ I will be recapping Seasons 1 through 7 starting July 13th