The End of 24 after 8 Thrilling Seasons

If you are a fan of 24, you probably know by now that this will be the show's last season. 24 has lasted 8 wonderful seasons, though it has had its highs and lows, like all things do. The show has brought us some of the most intelligent and thrilling television that we have seen and is often considered to be one of the shows that has helped change and shape television.

The show is so original, an idea that's so bold and daring yet no one had ever thought of. Each season consists of 24 episodes, which makes up the 24 hour day of American hero Jack Bauer, who helps protect the United States from the threat of terrorism. In his life, he was warded off assassination attempts against presidents, killed many "bad guys" and saved countless lives. If Jack Bauer existed in real life, he'd be one of the greatest heroes in our country's history, yet in this show he is constantly doubted and second guessed, yet continues to protect the country based on his pride and love for what it stands for. The show has brought some of the best episodes of television I have ever seen, and Season 5 still stands as the greatest season of television I've ever had the honor of experiencing. That season had my heart racing and contained some of the best writing, acting, and special effects I've ever come across.

Season 6, 7 and Redemption were not up to the high quality that the show has been praised for, like Season 1-3 and 5 were, but Season 8 has really rebounded and been one of the best in the show's history. It has contained some fantastic thrill, some amazing, head scratching endings and some surprises that even the most loyal of 24 fans didn't see coming. Even when a show like 24 is predictable, it still amazes you so much that you don't mind, and that is what is so magnificent about this show.

But, like all good things in life, 24 must come to an end. I am really happy to find out that the show wasn't canceled and instead, the decision was mutual. FOX has no right to cancel 24, ratings or not, because the show has meant SO MUCH to the station and has helped boost it so much that it deserves to go out on its own, like a great athlete at the end of his career does. But if the makers of 24 and Kiefer think it's time to go, I trust them. If a show like 24 goes on too long, it will become stale and lose its greatness, and with a show this amazing, that should NEVER happen. I understand why fans are upset, because I am upset too, but I think in time we'll realize this is the right move.

I am happy 24 is going out on top with such a fantastic season, and I hope that fans rally behind the show and truly cherish the remaining moments we have with it. I will never forget this show as long as I live, and the DVD collection I just acquired will ensure that. 24 is a fantastic hour of television, week after week. While I'm glad it's going out on top, it's a bittersweet feeling, because Mondays will feel that much more empty without the comfort of 24 after a tough day. I could always rely on Jack Bauer kicking some ass to make the day a little better.

24 will forever be one of the best shows TV has ever produced. There was never a dull moment in the life of Jack Bauer. I am glad that the show is talking about making a feature film that will hit the big screen, because a show of this nature deserves to go out with a bang. Thank you for everything 24, the clock is ticking down one final time.


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LOST Episode 9 - Ab Aeterno

We’ve been waiting for this episode since we first met Richard Alpert, and it did not disappoint! Best episode of this season and one of the best in the show’s history. Since there was no flash sideways, I’ll just recap in order.

We see an extension of the Jacob/Ilana scene from the hospital but see Jacob telling her to protect the six remaining candidates and to find “Ricardus”. So group Ilana is sitting on the beach and she asks Richard what to do next. Confused and distressed, he rants about how the island isn’t what it looks like, but is actually hell and they’re all dead, before storming off. Someone’s moody. Everyone is shocked, and Ilana tries to go after him. In the mean time, Hurley is talking to some dead person in Spanish. Ben realizes that Richard is going after UnLocke, and thus begins the look back at poor Richard Alpert’s life.

Richard and his wife Isabella are living in the Canary Islands in 1867. She is very sick and in need of medical care. Before he runs to find a doctor, she gives him her cross. Ricardus finds the doctor, who refuses to give him the expensive medicine for his cross. A fight breaks out that ends with Richard killing the doctor accidentally (reminded me of the fight between Desmond and Kelvin Inman). Ricardus takes the medicine and runs to his wife, only to find her dead. Sucks for him! Sucks even worse because he is arrested and thrown in jail. A priest at the jail hears Richard’s sincere apology but refuses to accept it and says he will be hung for his offense. What a nice guy, that priest. However, Richard catches a break. When asked if he speaks English, he replies he is learning because he was planning to go to the new world with his wife. Instead of being hung, they put him on the Black Rock as a prisoner. The boat plods through a terrible storm, eventually flying high on a wave and destroying the Statue of Taweret. The boat ends up inland (mystery solved). What’s interesting is that in “the Incident” episode, the boat sails towards the island on a clear, sunny day.

Richard and the remaining prisoners scream frantically for help, which isn’t a good move, as one of the crew members comes down and kills them. As he is about to kill Richard, the sound of Smokie is heard as he arrives and kills the remaining Black Rock crew but spares a praying Ricardus. Later, in his weary state, Richard sees Isabella, who tells him the “devil” is coming and they are dead and in hell. She runs upstairs and is presumably caught by Smokie. The next day, the original Man in Black returns and frees Richard, whom he makes promise to follow anything he says (much like his manipulation of Ben using Alex and Locke). MIB reveals himself as the smoke but says the devil is actually a man named Jacob. Two interesting things that the Man in Black reiterates is his desire to “be free”, and the line we heard in the season premiere (“It’s good to see you out of those chains”). Another familiar sound to LOST fans is the MIB telling Richard that he must stab Jacob through the heart before he can speak, and he is very persuasive, completely mirroring Dogen’s exchange with Sayid. Also, it looks like he gives Richard the same dagger Dogen gave Sayid. Significant? What’s significant is that Jacob kicks Richard’s ass. Richard believes he’s dead, but Jacob takes him to the water and dunks him in three times, showing him that he’s alive and symbolically giving him a baptism. He does mention the man wearing a black shirt and reveals that his wife was the smoke monster.

During their conversation, Jacob confirms he brought the ship to the island and demonstrates the island’s properties using a bottle of wine. He says evil (wine) is swirling around, wanting to get out, but a cork (the island) is needed to keep evil from escaping and spreading to the outside world. The MIB believes every person is corruptable and will sin for the right price, and Jacob is trying to prove him wrong. Jacob doesn’t interfere and lets people die because he wants them to figure things out the difference between good and evil on their own. He offers Richard the job as an “intermediary” between Jacob and the people he brings. Richard asks for his wife back and an absolving of his sins but Jacob instead grants him eternal life. Jacob gives Richard a white rock to give the MIB, symbolizing Richard choosing good over evil and Jacob’s victory, but Smokie says if he ever changes his mind, the offer stands. Richard buries his wife’s cross.

We pick up back in 2007 with Richard digging up the cross and screaming that he’s changed his mind. Instead of UnLocke, Hurley appears and reveals he was talking to Isabella, who is standing right next to him. Richard can’t see her, but Hurley tells him that she says his English is beautiful. She tells him to close his eyes and says that it wasn’t his fault she died and he’s suffered enough and they are already together. As one final task, she says he must kill the Man in Black, or they are all going to hell! But guess who is watching from far away... UnLocke!

The episode ends in 1867 where the MIB is sitting alone until Jacob joins him. Jacob says the Man in Black can’t leave until he’s dead, which is why he wants Jacob dead. Jacob gives him the bottle of wine to “pass the time”, which The Man in Black symbolically breaks, hoping for his own escape. Does it symbolize breaking the rules? Maybe...

The Smoke Monster and Jacob fought to recruit Richard which makes me think he a greater importance than we’ve been led to believe. We found out how he got eternal life. We find out that the MIB can manifest as bodies not dead on the island, like he did with Isabella and we now can guess that he did with Ben’s mother in order to try and get both Richard and Ben on his side. I believe he can do that by looking into people and using their memories. In this episode, he stares down Ricardus and surrounds him but doesn’t harm him. In past episodes, he “scans” Locke and Mr. Eko. We learn about Jacob’s motives and the island, which serves as a prison for Smokie. The thinking is, if evil escapes, it will spread across the earth and start corrupting people, but if it’s contained on the island it does minimal harm. Jacob acts like the God of the island in that he brings people there but doesn’t interefere with their lives, instead letting them make their own choices. In terms of the Man in Black, he is reaching out to all of Jacob’s candidates because that is the only way he can leave (Sun next episode). There is so much more to talk about, but if I go on any longer, my head might explode. Cheers LOST fans.

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"DUDE?! Do you see what you did to my house?? I've been living here for like a million years you bastard!"

LOST Episode 8 - Recon

I enjoyed this episode more than most people seemed to. “Recon” very much functioned as a filler to tie in between the epic “Dr. Linus” and the upcoming Richard centric “Ab Aeterno”.

We meet Sawyer in LA, doing what he does best... fornicating with a hot girl. You know what comes next... he’s late for a meeting, quickly puts on a shirt, suitcase opens with lots of money, girl pulls a gun on him... wait, what? Rewind that! So she asks “how stupid do you think I am”, to which he replies “Pretty damn stupid” and says he’s a cop, using the magic word... LaFleur!!... as team Miles busts in and arrests her. So Sawyer works with Miles fighting crime (excellent LOST spin-off idea I might add). Sawyer is also known as “Jim” in this time-line, giving us the idea that his parents were never conned (remember, John Locke has a good relationship with his father). Jim is calling a bunch of Anthony Coopers though, which is suspicious. Miles sets him up on a date with his hot archaeologist friend who turns out to be Charlotte. After telling her that he chose being a cop over a life of crime, she does what every woman seems to do... jump him in the bedroom. One Sawyer sex scene later... she finds a folder containing an article about how Sawyer... erm... Jim’s father killed his mother and then himself. Sawyer flips and angrily kicks her out. The next day Miles confronts him on why he went to Australia (he checked Jim’s credit cards... clingly alert), which he refuses to tell, so Miles dumps him. We see Sawyer on the couch, alone, eating and watching “Little House on the Prairie”, an episode which is talking about death and how the ones we love will always be with us in spirit, a very poignant moment. He confesses to Miles about how he’s been looking for “Sawyer” since he graduated the academy, a powerful moment which is interrupted by none other than Kate hitting their car and then running like the Smoke Monster’s chasing her. Sawyer catches her, recognizes her from the airport, and looks turned on, which is too bad, because I’m pretty sure she’s under arrest.

On the island, we find UnLocke returning to Sawyer and Jin as he announces to everyone that the black smoke killed everyone at the temple but they’re going to be fine. Claire and Kate share an awkward moment in the presence of the racoon creature, and later on Claire tries to kill Kate while Sayid watches apathetically. UnLocke throws her off, shows off his pimp hand with a firm slap across the face, and tells her to play nice. Seems like UnLocke is running a pretty interesting day care center. Back in Sawyerville, UnLocke reveals himself as “The Smoke Thing” to him, and straps him with the task of visiting Hydra Island and finding out what happened to the Ajira survivors. He finds flight 316 alongside a pile of rotting people. Along the way, he runs into Tina Fey’s long lost sister, who identifies herself as Zoe and says that she found all the people dead, and is the last Ajira survivor. Her story goes south when she begins to ask Sawyer if his people have guns, and Sawyer, recognizing a con person when he sees them, pulls a gun on her. Unfortunately, Sawyer is no match for her team and he is taken captive. He is brought to the sub, where we see a locked room. Sawyer talks to Charles Widmore, who we discover is NOT on UnLocke’s side, as he seems a bit confused when Sawyer brings up Locke’s name. Sawyer tells Widmore he’ll tell Smokie the coast is clear so he won’t know they’re waiting, but then rows back tot he regular island and tells UnLocke everything. Clearly Sawyer is only working for his own team, and we discover this because he tells Kate that while everyone else is fighting, they’re using the sub to leave the island.

So Widmore is apparently on his own agenda. We see his people building sonar fences like the ones in DHARMAville. It seems like they are to keep the Smoke Monster out, but did Widmore build the fences in DHARMAville and was he ever a member or affiliated with them? We only see him as an Other on the island. Another question is what’s behind the locked door? People have theorizes that it’s Desmond, Eloise, Aaron, Walt, Faraday (who is dead...) but I’m not so sure it’s a person. It might be a device that could be used to destroy the smoke monster or kill everyone on the island like he originally intended to do. Remember, his only goal has been to control the island and gain back his power. Smokie also reveals he has a mother and has “problems” he’s still trying to work out. This begs the question: Did Jacob bring the original Man in Black to the island or did he bring his mother to the island and was the MIB born there? It also begs the question: Is Smoke just lying and manipulating everyone? The last island question concerns how the Ajira survivors died. We know that UnLocke talked about “dealing” with the survivors in the season 5 finale, so I think he probably had something to do with their deaths. They seemed to be dead far too long for it to have been Widmore’s team. There are some irrelevant questions like why did Sawyer let Kate go at the airport if he’s a cop. He obviously found her hot and was being a gentleman, and also didn’t want anyone finding out he was coming from Australia when he was supposed to be in Palm Springs. Other than that, LOST fans can eagerly anticipate what may become the highest rated episode ever... Ab Aeterno! Finally we get some answers on Richard Alpert! It’s going to be very epic!

LOST Episode 7 - Dr. Linus

Last night’s episode of LOST was the best of the season and one of the best period in my opinion. It provided something that this season has sorely missed: The acting of Michael Emerson. Benjamin Linus brought his best moments to the table as fans were taken through an emotional ride while being set up for the season to pick up.

The episode provided two sides of Ben Linus, but the way they connected was a marvelous job on the part of the writers and Mr. Emerson. To me, this is the first time that the flashsideways serve a clear purpose that succeed from start to finish. In alternate 2004, Dr. Linus is a European history teacher who is disappointed when the principle disrespects his history club by making him watch over detention for the week. He complains to Artz (yes... him), but substitute Locke says he thinks Ben would make a great principle. We see Ben with his father Roger (still alive and very sick), and they talk about leaving the island and how he wishes their lives were different. Amidst all this, the Linuses have a visitor... Alex Rousseau! She is a 12th grade student of Ben’s and one of his brightest history students, meaning Danielle must live in LA too. During tutoring the next morning, Alex accidentally reveals that the Principle had sex with the nurse while she was in the next room resting. We are reintroduced to island Ben, who is conniving and focused on power. He is able to access the nurse’s emails with the help of Artz (who calls Ben a “real killer”) and attempts to blackmail the Principle, but there’s a problem. Alex has asked him for a recommendation letter. Ben is given two choices: Take the power and ruin Alex’s promising future or choose Alex and lose the chance to become principle and we are somewhat surprised to find out that Ben has chosen Alex.

Island Ben is a different story. Upon finding Ilana’s group and returning to the beach, Ilana gets Miles to “talk” to dead Jacob’s ashes and he discovers than Ben is the murderer. Ilana angrily proclaims, “Jacob was the closest thing I ever had to a father” and reacts by making Ben dig his grave. In the process, Un-Locke visits Ben, frees his chain, and gives him the oppurtunity to flee while providing him with the location of a gun. Ben runs, finding the gun and confronting Ilana after she chased him down. We are thrown in the middle of one of the greatest LOST moments to date. Ben confesses that he sacrificed his daughter because he was so afraid to lose his power, the same thing he sacrificed in the flashsideways to save Alex’s future, and says that it’s the biggest regret of his life and the thing he cares about more than anything in the world is gone. He says he is sorry for killing Jacob and can never forgive himself. We see the human side of Ben, who cries that he’s going back to Un-Locke because he’s the only person who will have him, to which Ilana replies “I’ll have you”. During all this, Jack and Hurley encounter Richard, who takes them to the Black Rock. Once inside, he confesses that he wants to die, saying he’s dedicated so much of his life to Jacob because he’d tell him everything happened for a reason, but now that he’s gone he’s sick of living but can’t kill himself (because of Jacob’s touch). He asks Jack to light a stick of dynamite, and after Jack lights the fuse, he sits with Jacob and says he feels the dynamite won’t go off. Jack’s new found faith pays off as the fuse stops before blowing them both to a fiery death. Jack, Hurley, and Richard eventually approach the beach where the remaining members are staying. As some sweet piano music plays over this emotional reunion, the sight of a peroscope rises from the water, and we learn that none other than CHARLES WIDMORE is inside, looking for the island.

This episode displayed a wonderful tale of redemption, more compelling than Sayid’s. We discover Jacob’s touch is a gift (or curse, depending on how you look at it) and granted Richard agelessness. Michael couldn’t kill himself, so we know he’s been touched by Jacob at some point (Dawson is 124). Locke wanted to kill himself, but we know now that he wouldn’t have succeeded, even though Ben finished the job. Jack tried to kill himself, but was saved by a car accident (which he, ironically, caused). However, we’ve come to learn you can die by other means. Another question I have is who does Smokie choose to kill? Un-Locke could have killed Ilana and the other beach dwellers but didn’t, yet killed all those at the Temple. LOST fans think he can’t kill candidates, which I agree with, but was everyone at the beach a candidate? We know Smokie has a method to him, but not sure exactly what. Also... what’s up with Ilana? Jacob is not her father, so was she merely his bodyguard, or did he help raise her or save her life? Did she grow up on the island? The end of the episode reintroduces us to Widmore... is number 108 (Wallace) in his sub? How did Widmore find the island? I think he found the island with the help of Eloise, who we see him talking to towards the end of season 5. Also, he doesn’t care about the beach people, which makes me think he’s heading for Un-Locke’s crew. Maybe he will be the new leader of the Island, instead of Ben. He probably just wants his power back, like Ben did. Un-Locke probably knew Ben would eventually go back with Ilana, and Widmore will step in and take that place for Smokie. Can’t wait to find out more about Widmore coming to the island, but Kudos LOST on the episode...



"I'm gettin' off this island! How long until I get to the other side of the world?"

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Episode 6 - Sundown

Wow, where do I begin? That was, in my opinion, the best episode this season. In terms of the mythological aspect of LOST, there was little to none of that, but what it lacked in mythology it more than made up in straight up kick ass moments.
In reality X, Sayid arrives at a house, where, predictably, Nadia answers the door. What isn’t predictable is the fact that one of her kids calls him “Uncle Sayid”. We find out that Nadia has married his brother, Omer. Despite that, Nadia has sent letters to Sayid while he was away on business, letters that he hasn’t replied to (even though he carries a picture of her around everywhere). Later on, we learn Omer has borrowed money from a vewy, vewy bad maaaaan who insists on being paid interest for as long as Omer’s new store is in business. Omer is asking Sayid to go Iraqi soldier on their asses, although Sayid says he’s trying to change. This is the basic theme of this episode: the struggle between good and evil within a person, specifically Sayid’s in this episode. Unfortunately for Omer, he finds himself on the wrong side of a mugging. At the hospital we see Jack (unimportant), but Nadia stops Sayid from seeking out the men, instead asking that he keep the kids safe. Sayid listens to Nadia and that night reveals that he’s been trying for 12 years to wash his hands of his torturer days and that he doesn’t deserve her. The next day he gets kidnapped (by freighter captain Omar)... poor guy can’t catch a break. Stranger yet...the man who Omer borrowed money from is freighter psycho Martin Keamy, who was last seen shooting Ben’s daughter and being stabbed to death by Ben, leading to the freighter’s explosion. Sayid uses his army moves to get two of the men killed before shooting Keamy (who promised to leave Omar alone) in cold blood. We then hear a noise coming from a room. Sayid opens a door to find out that Jin’s been kidnapped! And he still doesn’t speak english! End flashsideways!
At the Temple, Sayid confronts Dogen, who tells Sayid every person has a good and evil scale and his is balanced in the wrong direction, which is what that torture machine was measuring. Dogen and Sayid commence a five minute KUNG-FU SCENE!! It was pretty awesome, but Dogen’s mysterious baseball falls off the table, leading him to tell Sayid to leave and never come back. Outside the Temple, Un-Locke sends Claire to deliver a message to the Others, which he can’t do himself (because of the ash around the Temple). He tells Claire he’ll only hurt the ones who don’t listen (this statement becomes very important). Claire marches into the Temple but she is merely detained. Dogen convinces Sayid to stay and tells him that what lies outside the Temple is evil incarnate and that he has been trapped for many years but has been freed since Jacob’s death. Sayid’s job is to stab Smokie through the heart before he can say anything. Returning to Kate, our least favorite Lostie returns to the Temple to find out Claire is back, which makes her feel all good inside, except that Miles doesn’t look thrilled (although he says Claire’s still hot). This doesn’t stop Kate from finding Claire and delivering the news that she’s been raising Aaron, which does not excite Claire at all. She tells Kate “you’re the one who needs rescuing” and “he’s coming”. Elsewhere, Sayid stabs Un-Locke, who is unharmed but sarcastically asks why he would “do such a thing”. He tells Sayid that Dogen tricked him so that Smokie would kill him, much like he tried to get Jack to kill him, and Sayid is foolish for having listened to him. Sayid, being the smart guy he is, wonders aloud why Un-Locke hasn’t killed him, leading him to tell Sayid there’s a message to be delivered to the Others that will mean far more coming from him (probably since Smokie didn’t kill him). Sayid delivers his message that Smokie is organizing a get-off-the-island-party and anyone who refuses to join will die at sundown. During the great panic, Sayid finds Dogen sitting over the pool. Dogen reveals that off the island, he was very successful, but one night after receiving a promotion, he picks up his son from baseball and gets him killed in a car accident (he was drunk). Jacob finds Dogen and tells him his son could live if he goes to the island, but the catch is he can never see his son again (similar to Ben’s promise to Juliet... also Jacob’s doing?). Sundown falls on the island, and Sayid reveals his plan to stay by drowning Dogen. A distraught Lennon finds the scene and proclaims in panic that Dogen was the only thing keeping Smokie out. Sayid slits his throat, becoming full evil Sayid. The next few minutes are some of the most amazing in LOST history. The Smoke Monster invades the Temple and begins picking off the Others as Kate and Miles run for safety. Miles is found by Ilana, Ben, Lapidus, and Sun (remember them?) Kate finds refuge in the pit with Claire, while the others escaped escape through a secret passage. Ben confronts Sayid, saying “there’s still time” to which Sayid, with a menacing smirk, retorts “not for me”, the most fantastic shot of the entire season so far. The episode ends with Kate following evil Claire and Sayid to Un-Locke and his “people”.
We find out more about the idea of good and evil in this episode, and what exactly the Smoke monster is (and what he wants). I have a few new questions: How does Smokie intend to get Sayid to Nadia (or Shannon?) Did Jacob know Dogen would die on the island and was that his purpose? Why did Dogen’s death allow the Smoke Monster into the Temple? What was the purpose of the ashes? What is the significance of the song “Catch a Little Star”. I believe that Kate was in fact known by Smokie, because he seemed to know she would be joining Claire on their expedition. This episode conceivably ends Kate’s run as a candidate, as she now rides with team Un-Locke. I think Smokie was deceiving Sayid by telling him he could see Nadia in order to get him to go along. The idea of manipulation runs deep in LOST. I’m not sure about most of these, but we begin to see that both Jacob and Smokie try to get people to do what they want, but Smokie does it in a much more sinister sense while offering them things they want that he may not be able to deliver. Ultimately, we’ll probably find out a lot more about Jacob and Smokie’s relationship and struggles, but that’s for another week...

"I feel bad for whoever's gonna have to clean this mess up!!"
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