’24’ Series finale: Will Jack Bauer live to make a movie? (spoilers)

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*****THIS WHOLE POST IS A SPOILER OF THE 24 SERIES FINALE*****

After eight riveting, albeit wildly uneven, seasons of terror, intrigue, and Jack Bauer kicking ass on “24,” the Fox series came to an end last night. Many thought this final season was the best the show has been in years, returning to a familiar “Jack is an outsider looking for justice” storyline. And the two-hour finale was certainly not short on roller-coaster twists, gunplay, and blood. There was even an ear bitten off! Oh yeah, Jack was balls out.

Here’s a rundown of the “good:”
Jack’s goodbye video message to his daughter Kim. When rogue CTU agent Jack Bauer decides to go full-throttle vigilante and take out the Russian president after learning he was the one who gave the order to kill Jack’s love, fellow agent Renee Walker, he realizes he may never see his daughter again. He makes a quick video phone message to her, explaining his murder spree, that U.S. President Taylor ends up seeing – and it’s the reason she decides to back out of her precious- though bogus – peace agreement in the final minutes.

Chloe O’Brian taking charge of CTU and talking Jack down. Any chance CTU’s most bad-ass nerd can get her own show? Chloe, played by Mary Lynn Rajskub, didn’t start out as a fan fave, but her consistently droll performance (and those patented IT- guy eyerolls!) as the only person at CTU who always has Jack’s back will be missed.

The Widow Hassan showing some backbone. When Dalia Hassan, wife of slain IRK leader Omar Hassan, found out that her purported ally, President Taylor, was covering up the Russian president’s involvement in her husband’s murder, the once demure Mrs. Hassan let the claws come out.

Jack and Chloe’s goodbye. Jack and Chloe are friends, but until the last few minutes of the final scene, they never shared a whole lot of emotion. Fans who have long loved the Chloe/Jack friendship probably got a little watery-eyed as Jack thanked her for her loyalty as he fled the country.

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Okay, now for the “bad:”
Logan’s suicide attempt. I should have known not to get my hopes up when Jack’s sniper rifle sight was set right between disgraced former President and slimeball-for-life Charles Logan’s beady little reptilian eyes. Jack couldn’t bring himself to pull the trigger, and later in the episode Logan turned a gun on himself- but failed to finish the job. See? He really was the worst president ever – he couldn’t even kill himself the right way. After all the times Charles Logan double-crossed Bauer and betrayed his country, the audience deserved to see him taken out by Jack.

President Taylor’s 11th-hour attack of conscience. The female leader of the free world has become a character viewers rely on to be the ethical, honest president – the anti-Logan, if you will. She was the moral compass of last year, refusing to negotiate with terrorists and standing strong against torture. So the only thing less believable than President Taylor’s season-long character 180 at the flawed counsel of Charles Logan was her sudden change of heart during the signing of a peace treaty with Mrs. Hassan and the Russian president. Cherry Jones tries to make the inexplicable character shift believable – there’s a reason she received an Emmy award for her work on this show – but in the end, this whole storyline just doesn’t ring true.

Jack Bauer lives. I always thought that when the show ended, the only viable way to close out the show was for Jack Bauer to die. But of course, that would mean the end of any opportunity for a “24” movie, right? I think fans would rather see a mind-blowing series finale that is in keeping with the show’s long tradition of “no character is safe” than propping up characters because a movie in the works. Jack’s literal last-minute escape from his assassins just felt wrong.

Well, there you have it. What did you think? Did “24” go out on a high note?

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11 Responses to “’24’ Series finale: Will Jack Bauer live to make a movie? (spoilers)”

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  1. Isabel says:

    There were a lot of “OMG!” moments in the finale, and the only reason I am OK with both Jack and Chloe’s survival is the potential for a kickass movie. I’m just not ready to let go of these folks. That being said…WOW – the ending, with Jack looking up thankfully at the drone – was THAT contrived and, dare I say, cheesy!!

    Any 24 fan can pretty much sum up the movie-to-be: Allison Taylor gets scrutinzed by the Attorney General, the Russians go after Kim and her family…and Jack gets pissed. And, perhaps, Logan appears with half a face.

    Side note – do we think Cole will still be around? Freddie Prinze was such a late addition to the cast, but I thought he did a great job – and he did survive!

  2. Lita says:

    Even if they’d died that isn’t final, remember Tony?????

    Excellent synopsis getting to the crux of it, Msat!

  3. Kimberly says:

    Those last 3o minutes of the series finale really did it for , especially that scene with Chloe and Jack . I was telling myself not to cry . But damn Chloe absolutely came into her own these past couple of seasons .

    I can’t wait for the movie so this show can have a final sendoff , I still can’t believe they canceled ” 24 ” .

  4. Alex says:

    I am so going to miss 24 and Jack Bauer. It was my favorite show on tv. Bye Jack, hope to see you in the movies. Love KS

  5. Alex says:

    Kimberly, I so agree with you

  6. bellaluna says:

    I am so upset this was the final season! I refuse to watch anything that includes the words “reality” or “unscripted” so I have precious few shows to choose from.

    I love Jack Bauer, and I knew Chloe was something special from the first season, so I’ll be first in line at the theatre to see a 24 movie.

  7. HowardBeale says:

    Have to agree with all the prior comments – it was great seeing Chloe come into her own as the stonewall that had always been there, protecting Jack’s back.
    As for Jack’s escape – it would have been too final a finale if he had been killed. After 8 seasons the character deserves the chance to go out with style.
    A movie will allow for a proper sendoff.
    I have seen rumors floating around that a potential scenario for the movie takes place in Europe, so maybe Jack will try to get his revenge on the Ruskie President on his own soil? Wadda ya think?
    That said I’m gonna miss Jack’s gravely voice telling someone he is about to torture that, “…you WILL tell me what I want to know!….”

  8. Mistral says:

    What a stupid storyline.

    Our “hero” is going to assassinate a foreign leader, eh?

    Was Jack Bauer a “Woooolveriiiine”?

    Wonder if there are any foreign shows that show their “hero/heroine” off to kill the “evil American” president for all of the bad things he/she has done. Like, Character A’s brother was assassinated by the Americans because he ran the party that was against the party the US was supporting–the party that allows them to exploit a mine/oil well/harbour/etc., etc., so he is going to kill President Joe Blow?

    I wonder how that would go over in the US?

    Seriously, political assassination is nothing to celebrate/encourage.

  9. guilty pleasures says:

    Love 24, ‘cept last season (2009), kinda dull. I will be front and center at the movie, but will it be 24 hours long?;)

  10. zedss says:

    Feeling so hard… the most interested series finale ended. JaCk..

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