A Tale of Two TV Shows
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD…
Twelve months ago, I would have told you 24 was the most rewarding TV show that I watched and that Lost was the most frustrating.
Twelve months on, I’d have got it all the wrong way round.
Both series finished their sixth and third seasons respectively this week, and while 24 was annoying, predictable, dull and just awful, Lost was absolutely flipping amazing.
In 24, having had a double Emmy-award winning second season, we were thrown a sort of ‘greatest hits’ series full of rehashed plots from previous ‘days’ in the life of Jack Bauer. Nukes, kidnappings, White House conspiracies and foreign embassy shootouts. All done before, and all done again. It was poor, and the finale did nothing to redeem this season. A pathetic ‘shock twist’ involving a much-loved character was so predictable I nearly fell asleep.
But Lost was sublime. The producers of the show had referred to a “snake in the mailbox” which would bite us when we put our hand in the last episode. And bloody hell, did it do that. Serious spoilers now… The series’ flashbacks have been an integral part of the show, and the non-linear plot has made the show special. So how about a forward-flash? The final scene took us (according to the internet, three years) forward in time, to a meeting between two of the show’s main characters. They’ve made it off the island. But they’re not both happy. One has gone into a major psychological slide, and wants to go back to the island. Not everyone made it off the island. And one of the characters has just got into a coffin. Oh, and did I forget to mention that back in ‘normal time’, they think they’re about to get rescued from the island they crash-landed on? Except they’re not, and it’s a trap.
And then the season ends.
Every time the show gives us an answer, it throws up a billion more questions. And it’s brilliant. There’s only going to be 48 more episodes. And I can’t believe they’ll be anything other than amazing. If you’ve not got into the show yet, you need a box-set or three.
26 May 2007 20:54
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Tags: 24 Drama Lost Television TV
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Comments (3)
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Mark
Although i do enjoy watching lost, i must say that it has slowly got worse and more predictable as the series goes on. The producers clamied that they will be answering some big questions in this series but didn’t really live up to that, plus as you pointed out above they have thrown in a whole load of new questions on top. I think they are just trying to pan out for the next 3 years worth of tv.
Watch ‘Heroes’ its far better.
29 May 2007, 11:53
Chris Doidge
Yeah, Heroes is supposed to be good – I’m waiting for it to start on BBC Two in the Autumn.
(WB won’t even let me sign into my own blog)
30 May 2007, 11:28
John Temple
24 is the TV equivalent of junk food. And as for the repetition, what season am I talking about: Jack Bauer has been set-up and is being hunted by his own side. There’s a murder plot against a top politician. There’s a clever mole within CTU.?
Try watching The Shield or early Sopranos, ballsy American TV with some real meat.
03 Jun 2007, 03:48
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