24
When the FOX drama 24 began production on its first season in 2001, the world was a different place. By the time it premiered a few weeks after the events of 9/11, for instance, terrorism, homeland security and threats against the United States were at the forefront of American minds. Instead of rejecting a series that contained those elements within its narrative, however, viewers embraced CTU Agent Jack Bauer and his twenty-four hour efforts to ultimately “save the day.” Through the course of eight seasons, 24 and Bauer faced threats of both foreign and domestic origin. By pushing the limits of the law in regards to both torture and tactics, Jack Bauer ultimately became an icon of “whatever it takes” action and hero for the resulting Age of Terrorism. The consequences, meanwhile, ultimately took their toll on the fictitious Jack Bauer as he lost family and friends in the process while likewise becoming the personification of vigilante justice—in the end making 24 a true Shakespearean tragedy for the Twenty First Century.
24 Shapes the Post-9/11 Cultural Climate Review of the book Jack Bauer for President: Terrorism and Politics in 24 and how the FOX drama influenced the cultural and political climate of the United States.
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