Courtesy of Amazon Prime and Roku I’ve been able to catchup on a series that I was indifferent to when it first aired, namely Keifer Sutherland’s 24.
Season 1 was reviewed a few years back on this blog and I said of that season “sporadic and haphazard’, and that description extends to these recent seasons that for the most part suffer from those same failings.
Seasons 2 through 4 suffering from the same contrived writing and illogical (stepping over into idiotic) character decisions/choices and quite a few cliches/stereotypes. Add to that a general formula, every season sporting a traitor in CTU, and Jack Bauher distrusted and hunted by a belligerant boss and it is a recipe for annoying, ‘must miss’ television. Grade : Not worth finishing.
Season 5 I am happy to say is much tighter and better paced than previous seasons, and keeps to a minimum the soap opera family asides and diversions that is always the weakest part of any season. Each episode has a satisfying, cinematic action scope and feel, and is well directed by a rotating group of directors, to include Brad Turner.
All in all season 5 Of 24, 11 episodes in is far more entertaining than previous seasons and sofar I’m sticking with it. However with 13 episodes to go there is a lot of room there for the ball to get dropped.
Will update as I move further through the season. View the season for yourself via Amazon Prime or Dvd (I can already tell this is a season worth having and rewatching on Dvd, the commentaries alone makes it a deal).
Heroic Times 
Season 5 is indeed terrific but it still can’t beat out Season 4. As far as I’m concerned, Seas 4 is when 24 hit it’s peak. Between Seasons 4 & 5, 24 for me was The Ultimate Saturday Morning Cliffhanger Serial.
The show was an ambitious game changer, doing what amounts to a minimovie with a cliffhanger every week. The writing didn’ t usually hold up over 24 episodes, but you do have to give it credit for trying. I liked the beginning of season 4, but yeah with only 3 episodes left to go, Season 5 is definitely my fav. I ‘m hoping it sticks the landing. 🙂 .