Reviews
Welcome to the reviews page, here you will find reviews of all the 24 products that I have been asked to review by their publishers
Jack Bauer For President - Richard Miniter
The Official Blurb
The critically acclaimed show 24 explodes onto television sets across America each week, filled with fast and furious scenarios unfolding simultaneously—pumping viewers’ adrenaline in the process. The classic “ticking time bomb” plot continues to thrill and shock fans across the nation, evidenced by the 33 million viewers who watched the season six premiere. Above all else, 24 seems to be a sociopolitical commentary, reflecting America in the days after 9/11. The character of Jack Bauer, portrayed by actor Kiefer Sutherland, is widely regarded as a modern day hero for many viewers. Why is Jack Bauer so popular? Why are both liberals and conservatives (fans include President Bush and former President Clinton) equally interested in the show?
These questions and more are reflected upon in Jack Bauer for President: Terrorism and Politics in 24 (BenBella Books, April 2008) edited by The New York Times bestselling author and internationally recognized terrorism expert Richard Miniter. Through 24 essays from experts in fields such as philosophy, psychology, political science, counterterrorism and law, Jack Bauer for President examines how 24 twists, mirrors and comments upon the current political landscape.
As various essays reveal, 24 appeals to such a diverse audience because viewers are forced to analyze serious matters such as current threats to America’s national security. Other compelling issues that Jack Bauer for President astutely examines include:
- The implications of the torture scenes in 24
- How Jack Bauer compares to famed philosopher Jeremy Bentham’s ideal “utilitarian” hero who seeks to apply the greatest good for the greatest number of people
- The depiction of Islam and Muslims in the plot lines
- Sex, race and family conflicts
- The political implications of portraying the first African-American president on primetime television
- How watching the show might better prepare Americans to cope with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Part of the Smart Pop series, Jack Bauer for President is a unique and fascinating read that deconstructs a phenomenon of pop entertainment in an accessible, intelligent and interdisciplinary manner.
Richard Miniter is the author of two New York Times-bestselling books, Losing Bin Laden and Shadow War, and is an internationally recognized expert on terrorism. He lives in Arlington, Virginia.
My Thoughts
This book is a great read for fans of the show and for those who interested in the world of politics alike. Through 13 essay like chapters the book aims to demonstrate to the readers how 24 integrates with the current political climate and how the politics of today are reflected or ignored in the show. The book deeply analyzes some of Bauer's most memorable decisions and attempts to justify (or in some cases question) these actions and decisions, as well as helping the reader to understand what drives the character of Jack Bauer to do what he does. The book also examines in as much detail the choices made behind the scenes of the show, such as disdecting Storylines from all 6 seasons in order to demonstrate to what extent they are based on or take their inspiration from current world events, as well as questioning the effects that these storylines have on viewers.
This is a book for fans who take an interest in politics and although I wouldnt reccommend it to all fans I should say that whilst I like to keep informed in current political affairs I dont follow them that closely but I found the book interesting mainly due to the chapters of the book being written by different authors which I felt differentiates 1 chapter from another and provides views of varying opinion which I found to provide an unbaised and enjoyable read.
24 Season 1 Special Edition DVD
Turn back the clock as season 1 has just got better. For many of us, the first season of 24 was what defined the show for us. With its originality, great plot twists and high octane action, many people including myself consider it to be one of the strongest seasons of the show to date and you can now relive it again with this new special edition DVD.
As owners of the original Season 1 DVD will know, though the box set delivered all of the action and suspense that we have come to expect from 24, it did not however deliver on the quantity of extra features that we have come to demand from the DVD’s. With the original box set only being made up of 6 disks containing all episodes from season 1, the only extras included were an alternate ending, and Kiefer talking about what to expect from season 2. But this new special edition box set contains all this and an extra 7th disk that delivers exciting new extra features.
The most significant new feature for the 24 Fan is a documentary called The Genesis of 24, which chronicles the shows conception and a look at how it came to be. Including interviews with the cast and crew of the series, who reflect on the shows difficult birth and their thoughts on the plot, as well as the various characters, with some interesting trivia thrown in, this documentary gives viewers a deeper insight into the shows beginnings.
Also included are 25 extended and deleted scenes, which range from Teri and Kim discussing Jack’s profession, to Teri telling Nina about her pregnancy. These scenes add more depth to the season as they show other ways of presenting the plot and other ideas that the writers had, which provoke thoughts that I for one never had the first time round (such as did Nina know Teri was pregnant when she killed her?).
To round off the bonus features, two new audio commentary tracks are included - Commentary on the Pilot episode by Director Stephen Hopkins & Director of Photography, Peter Levy & Commentary on the Season Finale by Actress Leslie Hope & Director Stephen Hopkins, as well as the first 2 seasons of The Rookie (for more info see the 24 spin-offs page), plus an alternative ending, which is included on the original release but this special edition includes a commentary track by executive producer Joel Surnow explaining why this ending was shot and why the other was used.
This DVD is well packaged, with the discs held in an attractive cardboard book which is contained in a very cool metal tin with an even cooler digital timer on the front that can be used to count 24 hours. There is also a booklet included that has a synopsis for every episode, as well as information on special features and an introduction from Joel Surnow which provides more information on the shows beginning and his thoughts of the season.
To summarise this new improved Special edition DVD is everything that the original Season 1 DVD release should have been. This is a must buy for new comers as it serves as a great introduction to 24, and for fanatics that are wanting more (even if you own the original release). I don’t, however, think that this new version has enough to appeal to casual viewers of the show that already own the original release.
The best price that I have seen for this DVD is only around £20 ($40 at Amazon.com) however you must note the at the moment this DVD is only available in Region 1 DVD encoding so to play it back you either need a Region 1 DVD player or a Multi region (region 0) player and that you will have to pay around £12 to ship the DVD from America to the UK , though there are some online UK retailers that sell it.
All comparisons made are made with the original (not slim) R2 Release of Season 1.
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Thanks To M80 for making this review possible
24 The Ultimate Guide - Michael Goldman
24: The Ultimate Guide aims to chronicle the first six years of “24”. It provides a comprehensive guide to the show so far, covering episodes, characters, location and technology & equipment included within the stories.
This book has been thoroughly researched and planned so to provide an interesting reference guide for fans of the show. Clearly the knowledgeable Author, Michael Goldman, is much a fan of the Programme as the intended reader. This results in a very informative and interesting read supported by great images, mostly new ones, including many shot on set. The support of the makers of the show is further evidenced by a Foreword endorsement by Joel Surnow.
The book is well structured, beginning with very comprehensive information on characters, including those who played a relatively minor, but important part in the stories. For ease of reference, characters are categorised by ‘CTU’, ‘Government’ and even ‘citizens’ who get themselves caught up in the plots.
Each of the 6 days are then relived, virtually hour by hour. There is a good mix of pictures and written word, with space on the pages being well balanced between pictures which compliment the text and vice versa. Even the cover is strikingly attractive!
What differentiates this book from others, however, is the inclusion of details on buildings, technology / equipment and transport resources used by both CTU and Government characters. Again, superbly detailed information and pictures of items only seen briefly in the show, provide a deeper insight rarely provided by publications of this genre.
I would have liked to have seen some information on the cast, but the Author has clearly decided to keep within the “24 World” for as many of the 144 pages of this Hardback book as possible.
In summary ’24: The Ultimate Guide’ is one of the more superior books of this type that come out at this time of year. A must read for 24 fans – an excellent Christmas present suggestion!
This Book is published by DK, retails at £16.99, but can be purchased online from Play.com or Amazon.co.uk.
Thanks to DK for making this review possible
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