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Be prepared for action and adventure!

With several seasons in the can, most shows become shallow with little plot and even less action.  The characters become stilted and their lines lack any sort of luster or excitement.  The creators have managed to avoid the pitfalls of long-running TV shows by using real time to tell the story.

After 20 months in a Chinese prison, Jack Bauer is suddenly returned to the United States.  Instead of being free, however, his release is part of a secret deal:  his life in return for the location of Hamri Al-Assad, the leader of a terrorist organization that has unleashed a wave of terror across the country.

A broken man, physically and mentally, Jack agrees to the exchange.  When he learns his new captor, Abu Fayed, is really the man behind the attacks and that his sacrifice is meaningless, Jack lashes out and escapes.  He now finds he must convince the president and CTU that the man they want to kill may be the only one who can end all the violence.

Season Six ends on a quiet note after Jack tells the comatose Audrey that he loves her.  He stands high on a hill and looks out at the ocean.  That’s not much of a shocker, but certainly leaves room for Season Seven to start in many possible ways.  I’m looking forward to the series return in January 2009.  It will have been a full year since the series start in 2008.  We won’t miss anything, however, since each episode starts with, “Previously on 24.”

I like the series because it’s filmed in real time so that when it’s time for a commercial break, the clock keeps ticking and the action picks up where it left off before the commercials started.  (The show itself is 42 minutes.)

Fortunately, the commercials are not included on the Season Six DVDs, which offer up 17½ hours of action-packed episodes, and great extras.  I wasn’t disappointed by the action in the series or the dialogue.  It was rather intriguing to watch split screen action taking place simultaneously.  You are in the president’s office, watching action at CTU, and seeing Fayed planning his next attack. It really focuses viewers on on each plot point, instead of just one at a time, and creates a sense of time running out that leaves viewers tense, breathless, and glued to screen. Actors for characters like Bill Buchanan, Morris and Chloe, Tom Lennox and the president all function at a high level with their performances and actions.  The writers have done an excellent job of creating the sort of monologues and dialogues that keep the story going and make you want more.

This 7-disc Collector’s Edition contains all 24 Season Six episodes.  The episodes are on six discs and the 7th disc is devoted to featurettes.  The Directors Commentary, set design, special effects, props, wardrobe, extras, the Writers’ Room, and painting of the sets. All of the extras are worth watching.
The sets, the actors and the writing crew have put together an excellent season that is so compelling you can’t take your eyes off the screen.  There’s enough action and explosions to satisfy even those who don’t normally go for action series.  You’ll be amazed at the plots twists (the major one) as well as all the sub-plots that take place, too.  Don’t let this one get away.  You’ll enjoy all of Season Six.

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