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Jack Jumps Over the Torture Shtick


24.jpgFrom the beginning I’ve watched 24. Most of the time it’s been a Plugged In project—to keep tabs on a show that was pushing torture scenes into the mainstream of TV’s prime time. Sometimes, though, I’ve found myself watching it for personal reasons, too, because as anybody who has watched much 24 will tell you, this show can grab you by the adrenal glands and refuse to let go.

A few minutes ago, I finished writing an update to our published TV review of 24, largely because this week’s episode pushed the torture quotient so far as to be reprehensible. How in the world, even in 2010, can this stuff be on TV? I wondered as I watched series hero Jack Bauer cut, hit, burn and quite literally gut his chained adversary.

But it wasn’t until I started doing a little Internet research to try to establish exactly what kind of acidic liquid Jack sprays onto the guy’s open wounds that I came to fully realize just how damaging and dangerous this kind of open celebration of graphic violence is in our culture. We can discuss for decades all the ideas behind why Jack tortures the folks he captures, whether he should, whether it’s effective, etc. We can also acknowledge that the producers of the show seem to want us to be repulsed by what Jack’s doing. But the reality is that lots and lots of fans aren’t grappling with sociopolitical concepts or caring a whit about “intent” while Jack’s on the warpath. They’re just basking in the primal passion of it all.

“I loved this episode,” wrote a self-described Bauer Fanatic in response to a post on CNN’s Marquee Blog. “Plyers, knife, acid & a blow torch. Vintage Jack Bauer torture. The last 10 minutes were by far the best of the entire season. But let’s not exclude the 10 minutes prior to that. The shootout in the mall was classic. It took about 2 hours for my heart rate to calm down.”

“WOW….. what an episode,” wrote Starlett, “i was screaming at the television i couldn’t believe my eyes. As sad as i am to see it end this is the perfect time to go with a bang bang bang….”

Ab wrote, “HE GUTTED THE ASSASSIN! That’s all I got to say. Long live JACK the DARK LORD OF RAGE.”

Megan concludes, “Jack can do no wrong. Whatever choices he makes, I fully support- including brutally torturing and killing his enemies.”

The list of screaming praises for Jack’s viciousness goes on and on—28 pages worth if you were to print them out. That’s almost exactly how long my list of reasons is for why I’m glad 24 is ending.