"24" - The best hour on TV?
 

I think "24" with Keifer Sutherland is definitely the best hour on TV (both of the last 2 series). Anyone agree? If you disagree, please post an alternate suggestion...

I have to agree but fox is going to kill it with all the schedule interruptions they have during the season...just like they did Dark Angel.

I liked it a lot, but I got real impatient last season with the huge gaps between episodes. I constantly found myself expecting a new episode and then ending up with a rerun, or missing new episodes. I think it's a much better run on dvd.

yeah, i liked the show a lot (it's better on dvd cuz of no waiting between episodes)

and yeah, i liked dark angel too

While I only saw a few episodes, I find it hard to believe that 24 (though I enjoyed the eps I saw) could be better than the Sopranos or Six Feet Under. 24 is pretty cool though, and one of these days I plan on picking up the DVD sets.

24 is quite simply breathtaking television viewing. 24 season 3 is shaping up quite nicely by the sounds of it.

Season 2 was disappointing. Too many contrived, over the top circumstances. It was still entertaining, but it didn't come close to the first season. I agree with those that have the season 1 DVD. Riveting television.

I've only sen season 1 (it's time slot conflicts with Smallville, my dirty little Tuesday night indulgence) and so I only saw 24 on DVD. I have to say, watching the series first season on DVD (no commericals, no waiting between episodes unless it was self-imposed) was indeed riveting television. In fact, I watched the entire first season in a matter of 3-4 days, it was so hard to tear myself away from. And when it was all over, I wen tback and watched it all again, albeit a bit more slowly the second time through. Can't wait for season 2 to be released on DVD as I've not seen a single episode of it yet! I just hope that the second season DVDs are released with enough time before Season 3 starts airing, so I can catch up on what happened in season 2 before watching season 3's run on TV (Smallville is moving to Wednesday, freeing up my Tuesday nights for 24!)

Season 2 is just coming to an end here in the UK - the last episode is on Sunday night so please don't leak the ending!. I don't think it's been as good as the 1st but it's not bad.

It's good escapist stuff but I wouldn't call it the best hour on TV.
The best American series I think I've ever seen (and I watch a lot of television) has probably been the first two series of The West Wing. The acting was uniformly outstanding and the writing absolutely blew me away.

Does anyone know when season 2 should be out on DVD? I would like to see it before season 3 starts (unlike last year).

I would have to agree with you. 24 is by far the best TV on regular TV I have ever seen. It is so well written and its a brilliant concept for a TV show.

Personally, Six Feet Under is probably the best show on television all together.

24 is a great hour of tv. One of only a couple of shows that I can't miss, even though I miss it more than I see it.

Alias is the only show that I can't mis no matter what. I love the show!

absorbentishe...

Alias happens to be #2 on my list!

(NYPD Blue is # 3 is anyone is curious)

the only part of 24 that was frustrating for me (particularly in season 2) was the subplot with Jack's daughter - she came off as incredibly dumb for most of the season. I just wanted to reach into the screen and smack some sense ito her!!

24 is a great show, but I think an hour of the Shield is slightly better.

You'll have to excuse my ignorince but I've never heard of the show can someone explain the premise.

Yes, Kim was the bane of Season 2...the writers put her in one silly situation after another. Oh, and the fact that Jack had to do everything...I mean, give the guy a break!

In a nutshell, guy2003, 24 is a show about an agent of CTU (Counter Terroism Unit) named Jack Bauer. The show is in real time, each episode encapsulating an hour of a single day, hence the name 24. Jack basically has the two shittiest days of his life in seasons one and two. I don't want to spoil any of it by giving specifics, and I really recommend you check it out.

Alas, as much as I love 24, I have to go along with the HBO nod, and nominate The Wire as the single best hour of television every week. I guess 24 can be the best hour of network TV or something.

Man, I dunno. I absolutely loved, LOVED 24. I got the DVD set for Season 1 for my birthday this year and watched the whole thing in a few days, almost nonstop. Absolutely brilliant.

The problem with me and TV is that I don't watch a lot of it so I never remember when something is on that I want to watch, and I end up missing it. And you really can't do that with a show like 24, where each episode hinges heavily on the one(s) that came before.

I caught the first episode of Season 2 before seeing all of Season 1, and I have to say it ruined the big surprise for me at the end, and that was a bummer. Although I was on the edge of my seat to see how it'd happen, and each time I kept thinking "this is it, this is it, this is it" and no payoff. Not until the very last episode did it happen and man. THAT'S freakin' sinister writing. (I'm trying not to spoil this for anyone who hasn't seen it, viewers probably know what I'm referring to.)

I gotta say that 24 is the only TV show that I've ever watched and been surprised and shocked, and uttered "Oh my God!" without realizing that it was out loud. I can do nothing but gush about this show. =)

Looking forward to the Season 2 set, although I've been hearing it's not so good. Hopefully Season 3 will pick up the slack and be like, awesome and a half to make up for it.

September 9
 

According to www.tvshowsondvd.com (a great site for figuring out what has been released and what is being released as far as DVD releases of television shows goes), the second season of 24 will be released on Sept. 9, 2003.

Anyone know when season 3 starts its run on TV in the US?

Q

I enjoy both of those shows... looking forward to the next seasons...

leon2345 thanks for the info I think I will go rent it.

My Tuesdays this year were "24" at 9 PM and "The Shield" at 10.

Didn't miss ONE episode of EITHER.

The best two hours of television, PERIOD.

That said, as much as I LOVE "24", the season finale was SUCH a ripoff...

Building up to this impossible situation, then, essentially, having a Deus Ex Machina solve ALL the problems with Palmer...

That said, I'll be frikking RIVETED come October!

BRING IT ON!!!

BTW, TOTALLY in love with Reiko Aylesworth (Michelle Dessler).

ditto

Re: September 9
 

Thanks for the info and the site. I had never seen it before.

24 was awesome but i takes too long to go through the series

I missed the first series but i'm loving the 2nd (its still not finished over here yet), i'm gonna pick up the series 1 boxset sometime.

My wife and I watched the entire box set of the first season one Sunday after the Super Bowl. I immediately started watching second season after missing the some of the beginning episodes. I will buy the second season on DVD when it comes out to let my wife catch up to me as she did not want to start mid-way. Great TV.

Soprano's get my nod for best, though their production schedule is a real pisser.

Waiting a week between episodes was hard enough, but a few times you had to wait 3 weeks (!!!) between episodes. It was excrutiating.

I think 24 is really the best "Network" TV show. I haven't seen any Six Feet Under, only a few episodes of Sopranos, almost all of OZ. OZ has been the best Cable TV show.

we recorded them on VHS and we also watched them on demand so that we didn't have to wait the long waits. 2nd season was the same thing, recorded a bunch of them and then watched them in succession.

man you can show retraint, if i had them all sitting there i could not help myself but watching.

I would have to put The Shield at number one just for sheer fun.

24 is close behind.

Six Feet Under is great, but a bit soapy for my tastes.

I've finally seen enough NYPD Blues that I'm completely hooked to it. I miss the tortured sorenson so much though. The current love-boat verson of NYPD Blue just isn't the same.

My dream is to see the series 24-ville. All the powers of superman, with the get results at all cost attitude of 24. To see Jack start the heat vision at the toes and work his way up for the confession would be the best.

not restraint... just finite spare time, so we'd watch 3-4 episodes....then not have any time to watch them again for a bit, because we'd have 3-4 episodes of The Shield to watch, and then we'd have 3-4 episodes of Buffy, Angel and also Alias...Last year was really challenging for us, we had 2 VCRs going most days. Now we have a Tivo which complements the VCRs, On Demand, and also of course live TV.

I agree. It took away from the quality of the show.

Up until 24, I NEVER watched Network TV. Now I never miss an episode. It's still the only Network show I'll watch every single week....well, at least every time there is a new episode on.

Agreed. You know what my fiance heard about season 3? She joins CTU.....(shudder) PLEASE!! Say it ain't SO!

According to various spoiler sites, it's true. Check out aintitcool.com for detailed details. But at least this way she won't be meeting cougars, hunters, and other crap.

Re: "24" - The best hour on TV?
 

Now that Buffy is over, yes I would totally agree.

The Wire is the best hour on TV IMO.

On basic cable, Law & Order. Watching McCoy tear apart some useless SOB on the stand never gets old for some reason.

I don't really see the appeal of "The Wire".. I like the Sopranos much better, probably because the characters are much more developed and there are fewer of them..

The Sopranos is the best hour on TV as far as I am concerned.

24 rules! I am also a big fan of The Shield. Looking forward to both new seasons, but if I remember correctly 24 S3 doesn't start until mid or late October.