Reading "24" : TV against the clock

Abstract

When the series of ‘24’ began screening in 2001, Time magazine branded it one of the 'Best Television Events of the Decade'. The series has since made itself known as both pioneering and controversial which has changed the face of television’s entertainment. Each new season conveys the events of a single day in the life of CTU Field Agent Jack Bauer. Working against time, Bauer fights attempts at assassination, germ warfare and terrorist attacks to save our public. "24" portrays the tense daily events through its use of both split-screen and 'real-time' devices. Dramatically explosive and visually dynamic, the series utilises the global sense of uncertainty and suspicion to provoke thought and interest in America's role in the world and of terrorists and political double-dealing. Peacock’s text is the first to collate critical discussions of this series from a wide range of perspectives. It is entertaining and revealing, exploring the creative and controversial features of "24". It discusses "24"'s stylistic innovations, its relevance post 9/11 with the 'War on Terror', and its masking of identities. The revolutionary nature of the TV series is matched by the unique arguments on display, celebrating and censuring "24".