I loved “24″ in prior seasons, but the first 4 hours were plainly stupid and political (Sorry Mike T):

1. All the best shows go down the drain when the writers/producers decide they are politicians. The racial profiling subplots were ridiculous. The scene with two caucasians banging on the front door of a house to assault the son of a Middle-Eastern man who was just arrested? So ridiculous.

2. I thought the USA didn’t negotiate with terrorists? Let alone hand over a decorated hero whom, consequently, is so valuable that he is the only man in the country that can be trusted to lead a mission to end the terror 4 scenes later, to be killed AND bankroll the terrorist for $25 Million. Huh?

3. Bauer is running around wildly, even though in scenes prior he could barely walk.

4. Yes, he WAS tortured in China. But, he was also tortured like 2 hours prior to getting free yet again!!! He was stabbed in the “nerve bundle” in the shoulder, had acid poured on him, had some metal spear stabbed into his back, and now he is running around!!!

5. Now THIS is where it gets even more ridiculous: the terrorists have this elaborate plan to get a detonator (“A” as in one single detonator), and release a terrorist/scientist from prision since HE is the only one that can program the suitcase nuclear weapon. 

We also learn throughout the course of the show that they have 4 more “visitors” or 4 more suitcase nuclear weapons.

There is one problem with this: a) They only had ONE detonator. b) The “only [person] that can program the suitcase nuclear weapon” died when the first one exploded?

If the other 4 suitcase weapons already had detonators, why was there such a rush to get one for the 5th suitcase? And, now that the scientist died, how are they going to arm the other ones?

So ridiculous.

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