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24 - Season 8 [DVD]


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Saving the best until last
Review date: 2010-08-26 Rating: 10 out of 10

When I heard 24 had been axed I was disappointed but not surprised, as there had been rumours for a while. I did wonder if the ending could do such a great show justice and it most certainly did. The final few episodes were as gripping and adrenaline-fuelled as anything during the show's nine-year run and the audience are kept guessing right up until the final few minutes in what I would undoubtedly say was the best ending to a TV show I have ever seen.

Any long-time viewer had to wonder how Jack had not snapped and gone rogue before now, but here he finally does and it seems nobody can stand in his way as he seeks justice. These episodes give proof beyond doubt that Keifer was simply born to play Jack. It's hard to believe that there will not be another series but I will certainly never tire of watching the show on DVD.

Day 6 was arguably the weakest and while Day 7 had it's good and bad points, Day 8 is one of the best. It could even be argued that this final series even tops the brilliance of Day 1

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Reviews


Tic-Tac Mr.Bauer, you're running out of time!
Review date: 2010-08-20 Rating: 10 out of 10

This is the final season of 24, the final day of Jack Bauer (at least on TV)...Season 8 shows many aspects which calling them excellent wouldn't be enough, and few other disappointing aspects, but overall this is a powerful, intense, complex and compelling season which provides also an emotional and fitting closure to the 24 legacy (again, at least on TV)...Season 8 has both new elements (action takes place in NY, many new charachters) and traditional ones (there's CTU again), and deals with some important themes (Peace, torture and the historical themes portrayed in Day 8 could be inspired by the Iran situation, I guess). The Final Day begins with a 4-arc-episode which is promising, compelling and really dark, which also features the return of agent Walker, who turned lethal and dark (see how hour 4 ends!). From episode 5, despite some good main charachters development, Season 8 is entertaining but not really delivering: the writing seems to construct the story hour by hour instead having it planned before shooting, many plots are recycled from past seasons (there's a mole in CTU!) and many charachters are not well used (I'm referring to most of the russian villains). But the worst aspect is the silly and boring subplot about Kathee Sackhoff's charachter. From episode 12, things start to be really cool and compelling, writing sets back to the excellent level we were used to. This arc culminates with episodes 15 and 16: two masterpieces, with an emotional ending you won't forget. From episode 17, Season 8 could be considered the best season, at least the most powerful, dark and exciting. In the aftermath of a personal tragedy, we see a really dark Jack going rouge and in conflict with nearly everyone pursuing revenge and justice. Authors set up the conditions to make Jack and other charachters exploring their dark side: it will be a dark and compelling journey fullfilled with controversy! And Jack has some really great scenes (including one in which he wears a black armory during an assault over some secret agents and another with the most brutal torture scene ever in 24). For a writer of a series, building a so dark and complex final chapter is a really risky challenge but the result is awesome with some of the greatest performances by the actors too. Meanwhile, Charles Logan returns and this was another excellent choice by the writers. The two-hours series finale is powerful, emotional and simply great. The final scene is bittersweet and fitting! The final countdown..well..you'll see. I think 24 was the best show of the decade: I'll miss it a lot while waiting for a feature film at the cinema. Despite few problems with the writing in the first half, Season 8 is HIGLY HIGLY RECOMMENDED.

"24" goes out with a bang
Review date: 2010-08-19 Rating: 10 out of 10

The last televised season of "24" is among its best.
Despite the fact that some of the plot triggers and devices that set things in motion have been exhausted more than a few times in previous seasons, season 8 manages to be relentless, gripping, emotional, thought-provoking and, most of the time, realistic and believable.

After two unremarkable seasons, the creators of "24" manage to masterfully pull it all together again, for the last time.
The result is a solid season that avoids the pitfalls that made parts of the latest seasons laughable - namely preposterous characters and plot lines, like the terrorist father of Jack and the miraculous resurrection of Tony in seasons 6 and 7, respectively.
In here, the impression that the writers have come up with unnecessary events just to keep the episodes coming and justify the name of the series is almost non-existent; the general effect created can be best described as "give me more before it ends".

Possibly the best achievement of season 8 is the successful creation of the character of President Hassan (portrayed by Anil Kapoor), a leader of a foreign nation that develops to be one of the most memorable and admirable characters of the show. Kapoor manages to pour depth and complexity to his character in a relatively small number of episodes in a series that has become more action than character driven over the years.

Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer is excellent as usual. He has had several seasons to grow and improve and even though he has played Jack for such a long time now, Sutherland is not careless or tired but focused and resolute and the viewers will still find it intriguing and exciting to see how Jack would react to the impossible situations brought to his doorstep time and again.
Wait for the revenge attack he embarks on in the third part of the season and witness one of the most violent, bloody and angry campaigns he has ever engaged in the show - and prepare to enjoy every minute of it.

For the last time on Television, get ready for the wild ride of "24". It will be missed.


A surprisingly poignant final season
Review date: 2010-07-05 Rating: 10 out of 10

Season 7 was a relative return to form, spoiled from excellence by cartoon villains like Dubaku, the ridiculous White House raid and a disappointing last quarter, but probably due to the continued desire to put the disappointing season 6 behind them, season 8 raises 24 to the greatness of seasons 1,2,3 and 5. Sure there's a bit of rehash which most long term fans will spot but under the format that's really to be expected after eight seasons. The season's last quarter borrows many of season 5's dynamics but Jack's actions take him to a darker place than ever at this point and it is compelling viewing where you genuinely fear for Jack's fate and anybody else who comes near him, and typically there are enough unexpected twists throughout the season to keep you from getting too comfortable. Ultimately I thought that there wasn't a single annoying or tame storyline throughout the season, and I basically liked all of the main characters except Taylor's new Chief of Staff and maybe new CTU boss Hastings, who was more than a little clichéd and over acted.

Of course, when you are watching 24 you have to suspend your perception of reality, and in that respect season 8 is little different, but at the same time there is no silly Chappelle-like assassinations by his own men, no crashing of Air Force One, no cougar and no White House raid. Instead, the season's main plot is possibly its simplest and most clear since season one.

And as a final selling point, a notorious old foe of Jack's reappears for the final quarter of the season and this character's presence was the cherry on the cake to season 8's most notable feature - unprincipled, opportunistic and self-serving politicians. For the first time in the history of '24-world', the show's producers have provided a more mature and TRULY cynical picture of the sordid corruption which surely dominates politics at the highest level, even if it is maybe exaggerated here for dramatic effect.


Wonderful!
Review date: 2010-06-08 Rating: 10 out of 10

I've followed 24 since it began, it has been one of the very few things on TV that I wouldn't miss! When Season 8 started, I was wondering how they could possibly top what had gone before. Well, I have to admit that the first hours of Season 8 were a disappointment. It lacked the pace, it was like the writers weren't really interested in it anymore. It also seemed as if budget cuts had seriously limited what they could do.

But I stuck with it in the hope that it would improve. It took a while but it certainly did! It appears to have really taken off about the time that it was decided that this would be the final season. The last 10 or so episodes showed 24 at its very best. Jack Bauer kind of "woke up" and the pace, action and excitement accelerated.

The last 4 hours in particular were exciting beyond words. It was really anyone's guess as to how they would end it. But when it came to the last hour, well, I have to say that this is without doubt the very best ending to any series that I have ever seen. It had me in tears!

It will be sadly missed, although I know a film is planned, it can never be the same. What I loved so much about the whole 24 production is that you never knew what would happen, not for sure. The bad guys got away with it, the good guys suffered, too much sometimes. But the Jack Bauer character was the most remarkable creation of all, a man who stuck to his principals whatever happened to him, he never sold out, he had rare integrity and honour and he simply didn't care how far he went to uphold all this.

I highly recommend this as compulsive viewing, TV writing at its very best. I have all the boxed sets of previous seasons and would recommend these highly as well.

There are only a handful of TV programs of any kind that I never tire of watching repeatedly, 24 is definitely one of them!

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Kiefer Sutherland

Creators:
Kiefer Sutherland (Primary Contributor)

Recording label: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
EAN: 5039036043205
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 6
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2010-10-30
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2

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