Problems with 24

Searching "Jack Bauer" on Google summons over 2 million links. The first page listing of links all refer to the character on Fox's hit show 24. So, it's unlikely that you do not know anything about Jack Bauer or 24. In fact, there's a pretty good chance you plan your Monday evenings around Fox's airing of 24 (and maybe even Prison Break).

An article in this week's The New Yorker by Jane Mayer blends an interview with the show's creator Joel Surnow with a discussion of the use of torture in interrogation. If you watch the show, you should read the article. Of course, it could be disappointing to ardent fans of the show. In short, the article indicates that the abusive torture techniques implemented fail in most interrogations. Even worse, a West Point General states that his students are confused with Bauer's practices on the show. This is certainly a problem, and it is not my intention to embellish Mayer's article on torture. I am not fond of all the torture displayed in the show; it is rather excessive, even for a fantasy. What kind of fantasy is this? (By the way, I noticed that a drill was used for three shows last week: 24, House, and Grey's Anatomy. Interesting, isn't it?) Finally, Mayer's article mentions that since Sept. 11th, depictions of torture have become more common in America television.

While the torture seems excessive and unnecessary, what bothers me more is probably overlooked by many viewers. If you have been following the show, you know that Jack Bauer has been blamed for his brother's death. However, all the viewers know that Jack's father killed his brother. What went wrong here? Let me give a quick recap. Jack had an IV placed in his brother, Graem, and had another officer inject a neurotoxin that inflicts pain via the IV. After several injections, Jack ceases the interrogation and orders the IV removed. Jack's father (who it turns out is in on the current conspiracy with Graem) asks for a few minutes alone with Graem, closing the door to his room. The officers allow this (mistake 1). First of all, Graem probably should receive medical attention and have constant supervision over him to cover CTU's (the show's Counter Terrorism Unit) actions. Instead, they allow Jack's father into the room, and he injects more of the toxin into his son, which kills him. He shouts to the officers outside the room that Graem is having a seizure. Then, he blames them for killing his son--well, Jack is held responsible.

Here's my problem with this situation. If you are CTU, then you should know how much of that toxin entered the room. The interrogation was recorded. Jack did not administer the toxin, he ordered certain quantities to be injected. So, the other officer did the injection, which means that Jack could not say one thing and do another. This means they have an indication as to how much of the toxin is used in the interrogation. Finally, if you know that XX amount of this toxin can kill, then do not have that much directly hooked to the patient--unless you intend to kill them.

CTU is flawed. They should without a doubt know that Jack did not kill his brother. In the very least, they should be aware that someone administered more of the toxin after the interrogation. This sloppy record keeping is irresponsible, and it presents CTU as incompetent.

There are many other problems with 24. For instance, in the beginning a suicide bomber boarded a subway train with the intention of setting off the bomb. Which car would you board if you wanted to do more that structural damage? Probably the middle car, because it's a little harder to be removed without succeeding in your original objective. This idiot (which may be the point) boards the last car, which allows Jack to kick him out the back door of the car. The bomb explodes in the subway tunnel. Dumb.

With all of these problems, you would think I would stop watching the show. I probably will not. The overall story is rather interesting, but the details are terrible (which would probably change the overall story). Anyway, check out the video below. The first part is the funny part.