steve kwan user experience designer

Humour journal, entry #6

(February 27th, 2007 - 9:15PM)

This season of 24 is so stupid it's funny.

I'm really disappointed, because the last season was so good. But in this season, they seem to have run out of ideas. It's evident because Jack Bauer's father has been worked into the storyline, and it's a sure sign of trouble when the main character's father makes an appearance. See Indiana Jones for an example.

The plot is so ridiculous that it's laughable, which says a lot because 24 has always been ridiculous. But this season it's a bit much. In case you don't follow the show, here's a paraphrased sample of this year's offerings.

Jack: "I tortured your husband to death. As you know, he was my brother. I'm sorry."

Woman: "That's okay. I was going to leave him anyway. Wanna hook up?"

That's paraphrased, but it's not far from the real dialogue.

So why is this funny? Well, it's just so stupid. It's incredibly stupid. And sometimes stupid things can be funny, especially when they want to be taken seriously. And people do take it seriously: apparently it's a real hit among Neoconservatives, who like 24 because it confirms their beliefs (see the Newsweek article). So what's even funnier than 24's awful dialogue is the fact that there exist people who indoctrinate themselves with it.

So while I'm amused by this season's awful storyline, I also find it funny that so many people think it's brilliant.