The 2020s have seen the release of many great action TV shows, but almost all of them owe a lot to the incomparable24. Starring Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer, a counter-terrorist agent who has a day to stop a devastating, sometimes world-ending, event from occurring.Tackling everything from political assassinations to biowarfare,there was no global catastrophe that24wouldn’t explore onscreen.
Thebest episodes of24don’t hesitate to push Bauer to his limits, forcing him to grapple with his responsibilities to the U.S. and the world at large with his personal feelings and loyalties. With a total of nine seasons, there’s no shortage of storylines and plot twists for audiences to uncover. Though many shows have tried, none will top the legacy of24.
How 24 Revolutionized Television
There Was Nothing Else Like 24 On TV
Unfolding over the course of twenty-four episodes, with each one representing an hour of real time,24used the originality of its premise to explore the high-stakes plots of the show. A typical action series will follow a more episodic storyline, with a more subtle season-long arc. However,24fully committed to its serialization,neatly tying each plot line to the central adventure.
Theharsh realities of Jack Bauer’s character in24are part of what made him so compelling to watch, ashe wasn’t an infallible hero that audiences could root for without question.He was flawed, violent, and embodied the concept that the ends always justified the means, especially in the early years of the show. While this isn’t advisable, it makes for great television.
24 (2001–2010)
87%
A Lot Of Action Shows Tried To Be The New 24
There Have Been Many 24 Copycats Over The Years
There’s a reason why action series that look at global events and have a connection to the espionage genre are so popular. With baked-in stakes and drama, this genre captures the audience’s attention, and24made these stories even more dynamic. Recent projects likeThe Night AgentandThe Recruitrely on plot twists and a central heroic protagonist to anchor the story.
Plenty ofaction-thriller TV shows are perfect from start to finish, but attempting to live up to the legacy of24would be a losing battle. A recent TV series that learned from24, but successfully updates its premise, is the medical drama,The Pitt, which was inspired by the real-time elements,but made this original through the lens of the genre.
Not Even 24 Could Match Its Own Legacy
The Thrill Of The Early Seasons Couldn’t Last Forever
Unsurprisingly,24ultimately sagged under the weight of its own reputation by the later seasons.For a long time,24managed to maintain its momentum through twists and exciting new situations, but after a certain point, it started to get old. Spinoffs also tried to recapture the original magic of24, but24: Legacywas canceled, as with the other revival attempts like24: Live Another Day.
24has some undeniably dated elements.
Additionally,24has some undeniably dated elements, like its profiling of certain characters and ethnic groups in the context of threats or terrorism. Being aware of these issues is often part of revisiting older shows like24. However, taking all of this into account doesn’t diminish the fact that24did a lot for the action thriller genre and paved the way for exciting experimentation on network television.
