Jack Bauer kicks ass

I LOVE the show, 24. It is so fast-paced that it gets my adrenaline running, even just watching it on my green leather couch. You can't beat a season opener, like #2, where Jack is interrogating a suspect, shoots him and then cuts off the guy's ear so that he can use it as evidence to gain access to a gang that he has to infiltrate, under disguise in order to prevent a bomb from exploding (did ya get all that?). Plus, there's something about the name Jack that says "don't screw with me."

Each episode represents one hour of real-life time, so all these crises from year-to-year take place in one day. Now, I realize that watching this show requires a suspension of disbelief -- in particular that you drive anywhere in LA in 20 minutes, but hey, it's TV.

The main thing about Jack is that the end justifies the means, so he bypasses bureaucracy by oversteppng his authority, disobeying orders, shooting the bad guys to get answers -- hell, even becoming a heroin addict to take down some drug lords. You can't help but root for him, despite his methods, because you feel that same sense of frustration with red tape and B.S., even if what you encounter is the corporate type. It's almost like living through Jack and seeing him tell the National Security Adviser to eat shit (in so many words), you somehow just did the same thing to your moronic boss/client.

I have to admit that I've found myself confronted with these types of situations in the past, and have often taken Jack's path (though, obviously, not nearly as violent), particularly where I'm trying to help someone. I'm sitting here trying to think of something that I'm willing to post up here for anyone to see, but in the meantime...anyone else feel like sharing?