_ Mindless 2AM rant approaching _
A Letter to whom it concerns. Why does the world hate me so….. Or at least, why has NBC torn my mind asunder again?
Of course I am speaking metaphorically, but I sometimes ask myself this question. (Amongst many others.)
Tonight was the Season Finale of two of my favorite TV shows. For most of you who know me, I speak of Fox’s 24 & NBC’s Heroes. I have fallen again for the pretty blond of television, and left the other at the door. (Heroes and 24, respectively.)
I have a love of Television. Similar to most 30-somethings my age, I am compelled to tune in to these shows with religious following. My love of Television began in my youth. As a child growing up in the 1980’s, I was privileged to have watched some of the programming of the Second “Golden-Era” of television. Of course I was completely un-aware of this at the time… but shows from this era would permanently change my pallet for entertainment.
Movies and Television created a world in which I could escape the mundane. Shows about kids my age, and their troubles in their lives would provide a certain level of comfort. Different strokes and Silver Spoons abound, would allow my mind to imagine a close-nit family experience. (Of which I did not have.) Now I am not saying that my childhood was terrible, in fact I am glad for the experiences. So much of my “Life Lessons” where learned from TV and Reality alike. It forever defined me, and my attitude towards my own family. (2 kids… 18yr old Daughter, and 5yr old boy.)
Back then I could not have dreamed of the life I would lead now, but I was able to at least imagine what it would be like. I still believe that if I could be half the father Cliff Huxtable was, I would be alright. It was in these times that I began a long love affair with Sitcoms. Stories which were based on a quasi-life which paralleled our own. (I also started to gravitate towards Sci-Fi TV & Movies.) Even in my teens, I would have preferred to watch an episode to “Seinfeld” vs. the “Real-World”. And then, just as soon as it started to flourish, the love suddenly stopped.
Life was changing for me, and this included the birth of my kids. Now their was no-more time for watching TV, no more time to be hooked into a series. No more spending $7 to go see the latest flick. No… the world that I clamored for in my youth, was now but a faded memory. Only to be remembered every-so-often with the occasional episode, or DVD rental.
But about 5 years ago, something changed. With the birth of my son, I was relinquished to the home more and more. I was constantly telling friends that I was unable to attend house-warming parties, or 4th of July bashes because of the responsibilities of Father-hood. What to do? “Lets see whats on the tube.”
Boring, boring, boring attempts at quasi-reality shows, or hybrid-sitcoms which went nowhere fast. Nothing truly entertaining, just punchline after punchline. It was around this time, that I was even subjecting myself to watch other peoples misfortune… ala American Idol. And then I saw it…
A show like no other. It was bold, fresh, and had a great story to boot. The show had sooo many aspects of the previous generations TV, but it was just kicked up a notch. BAM 24 had hit the scene… and after a few episodes, I was hooked. I would watch the entire episodes with such intensity, that I would loose track of time. This was a show which reminded me of my childhood… on Steroids. Finally a reason to look forward to Monday’s.
It was official… I had become hooked. I couldn’t stop watching. I would sometimes go into madness over episodes, that I was unable to sleep the night. This was a new life for my mind, and both my eyes and brain approved. I didn’t have to always force myself to watch, I just couldn’t wait for it. I began talking to friends, neighbors, co-workers about it… even though most just ignored it. The critics would challenge the show for its “Boldness”, and I would laugh at the mere though. Defending its honor as if it was a living being.
Week after week, we would all cheer for the many adventures of Jack Bauer. Laughter and sorrow were are only friends. Those in-the-closet watchers would never understand our love… and they didn’t have to. I wasn’t watching to be cool, or in… I was watching because I wanted to.
I digress…
Around the end of the 5th “Day”… I caught wind of another potentially interesting show. NBC’s Heroes had high marks from the critics, and they had just aired a few episodes. I wanted to know more about the show, but I could not break my commitment with Jack and crew. Monday’s are sacrilegious for me, and I could not break the 13th commandment. (Thou’ Shalt Watch with Furious Vengeance.) So I shrugged it off, expecting that I would catch some episodes out on DVD in the next year or so. Thank god for the off-season… or else my life would not be able to continue. Like a good Vodka, I could drink it all the time… but it tastes even better between long-stints without it.
Thank god for NBC’s fall lineup bomb, or else I might not had ever met the mistress of my TV viewing. As NBC must have realised, there show was not getting the Neilsen rating’s it had expected. Battling against a massive show like 24 and its many masses of viewers, is much like the story of the 300 Spartans defending the land from the Persians. (Yes, I did see “300”… I would recommend reading the book first though.) The David-and-Goliath battle aside, NBC decided to run a “Mini-Block” of Heroes episodes in the fall. What a perfect decision for 24 viewers like me. I watched two episodes… and was quite impressed.
Heroes showed me that we (The Audience) didn’t always need a story which was based in the current world. We didn’t always need a Terrorist, or Mole to hate through-out the season. No, Heroes demonstrated that Americans were ready for an “Amazing Story” again, something to which we could not totally relate to. Again, I was reminded of my youth… and loved every minute of it.
Then came the problem… How to stay up-to-date on both shows. Both were on the same time. What to do, what to do. Look up there, its a bird… its a plane… no its a DVR.
Yes, I had finally joined the 21st century in my living room, and discovered the joys of Digital Video Recording. The answer to my prayers, and not a moment to soon. Both seasons were scheduled to start within a few weeks of each other.
DVR ready, I began the Fall - Spring season with a BANG. Life was great, although my sleep habits for Monday were getting worse and worse. I was compelled to watch both shows, so that I was ready for the water-cooler banter in the morning. In the words of Spongebob, “I’M READY.”
So… that brings us to tonight’s season finale for both shows. Not only am I a wreck ‘cause of the anticipation, but of the yearning for more. That’s when I realized something…
24 has changed its story. Somewhere a long the line, we began to expect the inevitable outcomes of Jack’s one-hours escapades. There were very few Shockers and Zingers in this years season… Something was missing. We finally got to the end of the roller-coaster… and had a puzzled look on our face. Where was the pay-off? Did I miss something. (Pardon the vagueness…but I would not want to ruin the ending for someone who had to work the night-shift.)
Directly after watching the 24 season finale, I began watching Heroes. I was well-aware of the supposed events of the night. I knew that someone was supposed to die, and that the bomb was supposed to go off. Yet, I was completely excited, and rewarded with the episodes events. I would have to say that I enjoyed the Heroes episode more than 24. (Sacrilegious. Repent. Say 24 Hail-Jack’s and be on your way.)
And then it hit me. The writing for 24 must have run out of Ideas, or were unable to decided on a master-ending for the season. The end result was disappointing for loyal fans, and should be stricken from the books. I am asking the writers for a “Mulligan”, this time we need to get out of the sand-trap and back on the Green. Yet the Heroes season-ender was actually better than hoped.
I am sure I was not the only one who read the season spoiler post on the Heroes forms. (Posted around the end of April.) The story was so ludicrous. Peter being the source of all the “Special-Powers” was just a bunch of horse manure. The poster must have been speaking directly from his hind-quarters. Yet one prediction rang true. The projections of Masi Oka’s character traveling back-in-time seems to be the only credible story line. Even armed with this information, I still enjoyed the episode.
So what does this mean? Am I completely off the 24 stuff? No… probably not. She has been with me through thick-and-thin, and I can’t quit her just yet. But I have to say that I was most impressed with the new girl, and I eagerly wait the new season with feverish anticipation.
24 writers take note. You need to get back to what made the series so enjoyable. You must find that winning combination which allows viewers like us to enjoy the episodes without prejudice. We want you to go on a diet, and come back looking amazing. Maybe you need to recruit some new talent from the NBC writing department. (Let the Flames Begin.) Take me back to time I once remembered, and make me fall in love with TV all over again.
I know its a tall demand, but I am sure you can pull it off.
Love,
The Once-Rabbit 24 Viewer.