Back in the 60's there was a television show called The Prisoner. A man was abducted from his home in London and placed in a small prison village. One of the things I remember most about the series was the huge bouncing ball that would be sent out to kill stop people from escaping. (okay I haven't seen the show in so long - my thanks to Velociman for reminding me what was going on in the show... I just remember holding my breath whenever the ball would come bouncing onto the screen) It would basically seek out the person, knock them down and smother them. The ball was very soft plastic and the person would push on it to no avail - their hands sinking into the ball instead of moving it away. I'm kinda feeling like that bouncing ball has gotten me with this last episode of 24...

In deference to those who could care less - I place the rest below the fold. Where to start... this episode was so bad I literally couldn't stop watching. It's even worse than a train wreck. Holy smokes people... if you took Days of Our Lives, combined it with The Edge of Night, and set it in General Hospital... you'd have a better show! What utter schlock! Unbelievable.

Lucky for us there is no interaction between Bill and Karen this week... *deep sigh of relief*. The single saving grace in the entire mess.

So, let's start with Audrey... her brain has been deep fried by the Chinese and she can now be considered a crispy critter. Of course, the "doctor" sent to CTU wants to complete the process in an effort to try to get any info possible - she won't talk, well inject her with even more drugs... that'll do it!

Also we have Nadia with the obligatory non-effort to stop this. Thus getting Doyle and Jack to work together on an instant plan. Doyle lets Jack escape from holding - Jack rescues Audrey... He pours some syrup on the crispy fried brain cells and tries to soften them up. Naturally he gets a single important word out of her. Whereupon Nadia suddenly decides to grow a spine and stop the doctor from committing a pharmaceutical murder.

Chloe and Morris... I am so wanting to do something drastic to who ever wrote Chloe's part this year. OMG... NOTHING on the computer... it's all garbage about her and Morris. Where are the writers? Why did they take a perfectly intelligent role (albeit unrealistic) and turn it into a typical female meltdown role. I want to slap them silly. She hasn't had one single scene where she's done anything other than whine, cry, look like a beaten dog, or harangue Morris.

In the meantime... there is dark intrigue at the White House or is it the bunker? I'm still not sure where the hell they are. The Russians have found out that the Chinese escaped with the chip. They are threatening war!!! Oh no not that!!! (why doesn't the Veep just drop a nuke on 'em? he was eager enough to do it to the Middle East "country of Fayed", but I digress)

How could the Russians know already? It only just happened!!! There must be a mole! I'm shocked, shocked I tell you!

Who could it be? One of CTU? One of the White House staff? Efforts begin immediately to find out. In less than half an hour (how remarkably fast government can work... I'm impressed) we find out that the Veep's main squeeze and professional assistant is also putting out to a guy who is working for the Russians... are we all suitably disgusted by her behavior? We get the obligatory scenes of her in bed with the bad guy, we get to see how she is scheming to supposedly help him get some money sent his way as he is a lobbyist - one assumes that's a cover job. She doesn't know he also works for the Russians.

The Veep is "shocked" when Lennox tells him. He's listened to this chickie lie to everyone else... but... but... he never thought she'd lie to HIM! My, my he trusted her and now he has to tell Lennox about it. Naturally Lennox has a way to make it work in their favor. She's going to put out false info to her lobbyist saying that they got the chip back. After all this, let's watch her have a total meltdown next week and simply not be able to tell a single lie.

Last of all... Audrey's daddy shows up at CTU to take his baby girl home for treatment. He tells Jack to stay away from her - that he's "cursed" and everyone he touches ends up dead.

The writers can thank their lucky stars they didn't have Jack cry on that parting shot from the anguished daddy or they would have to be drawn and quartered on the spot.

Well, are you all now completely disgusted with this treacly show? I can't believe how far they have fallen off even from last year! This has got to be the worst garbage I've watched in years. I don't do soaps - don't like them. This is close to setting off my gag reflex I must say. Only 3 more shows though and that will be it.

I will be very happy to never watch even a minute of this next season.

Posted by: Teresa in Television at 08:11 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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1 Okay, still laughing at "crispy critter"...

I don't watch soaps, either, but I know one when I see it... whoever decided on these plot lines and dialog should be flogged!

And Chloe... I weep for her character. They have killed the Chloe we knew and loved. Rat Ba$tard$.


Last year it was all about Jack and Chloe for me, but this year... this year I like Tom Lennox. The man would rather die at the hands of kidnappers than pretend his values are other than they are, even if it would save his life... and really has never deviated from that position with anyone, from Karen up to the POTUS.

Notice how everything is flipped? The Senator USED to like Jack, but now hates him?
The Veep WAS a power hungry megalomaniac, but now is a teddy bear? and we thought Doyle was [maybe] a baddie, but it's almost like they are setting him up to be the next Jack!
Morris just [remember, it's the same day!] blew off his and Chloe's entire relationship on the basis of one phrase, and let's not forget the horrible president from last year turned out to be GOOD!

My head is spinning.

Posted by: pam at May 01, 2007 08:38 AM (l6NIn)

2 Well, you do know... Morris will be kidnapped once again, this time by the Chinese. They're going to want him to fix the chip since they can't read it. It was such a small part in the whole mess - I forgot about it.

Just wait and see - Morris will get to redeem himself by dying to keep the Chinese from getting the info.

Posted by: Teresa at May 01, 2007 09:48 AM (gsbs5)

3 I'll keep watching just to read your synopsis!

Posted by: Sissy at May 01, 2007 02:26 PM (y2kUf)

4 As an avid 24 fan, I haven't watched this year after episode 3. Bad plots and dialogue? Burnout? Dunno. But it's too painful to watch it's so bad.

As an aside, as I recall the bubble on The Prisoner was used to capture runaway prisoners. It caught Patrick MacGoohan a few times. Could it also kill? Don't remember.

Posted by: Velociman at May 02, 2007 03:02 AM (ZT6yg)

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