24 - Season 8 [Blu-ray]

In New York the imminent Peace Treaty will surely be the crowning glory of Allison Taylor's Presidency. From all round the world delegates have converged for the signing. Not all are as they seem. Some are intent upon sabotage. Far worse, ruthless dissidents actively plan the city's greatest ever disaster.As ever, it is up to Jack Bauer to save the day. With the odds so heavily stacked against, can even he avert catastrophe? Will this final season see the end of him?Creators confess one or two earlier seasons have been on the fanciful side. This one they ensure has feet more firmly on the ground - the aim a worthy climax for a show that from its very start has set exhilarating new standards. The formula is as before - twenty four episodes each representing an hour, tension increased by a frequently split screen and ever ticking clock. Throughout there are twists that truly stun, a dramatically increasing body count, any key figures who survive almost certainly with lives changed forever.Some may regret certain aspects. When so much is communicated in barely audible whispers, the incessant music track can be a nuisance. The storyline involving agent Dana Walsh may seem unconvincingly contrived. As for Bauer himself! His resilience continues to amaze - he here astonishingly agile despite a savage beating, sadistic torture, two stabbings and at least one bullet.Critics so inclined may well pinpoint these and other possible weaknesses. I am amongst the millions who simply brush them aside, content to sit back and enjoy one of the best television shows ever.Extras include interesting "Scene Makers" about the episodes and an entertaining look back over the previous eight years (eight days actually, when one thinks about it). Understandably emotions are high as filming draws to a close.Kiefer Sutherland has been superb as Jack Bauer, loyal to a fault but remorseless when betrayed - as indeed he is here, a certain death sending him over the edge, he to become a loose cannon bloodily taking revenge. Another great asset throughout the series has been ever-scowling Chloe, she this time round with much more to do.Behind the camera and in front, all concerned deserve praise. They have created one of television's most action-packed shows - the resulting box sets truly a binge-watcher's paradise.

I've followed 24 since it began, it has been one of the very few things on TV that I wouldn't miss! When Season 8 started, I was wondering how they could possibly top what had gone before. Well, I have to admit that the first hours of Season 8 were a disappointment. It lacked the pace, it was like the writers weren't really interested in it anymore. It also seemed as if budget cuts had seriously limited what they could do.But I stuck with it in the hope that it would improve. It took a while but it certainly did! It appears to have really taken off about the time that it was decided that this would be the final season. The last 10 or so episodes showed 24 at its very best. Jack Bauer kind of "woke up" and the pace, action and excitement accelerated.The last 4 hours in particular were exciting beyond words. It was really anyone's guess as to how they would end it. But when it came to the last hour, well, I have to say that this is without doubt the very best ending to any series that I have ever seen. It had me in tears!It will be sadly missed, although I know a film is planned, it can never be the same. What I loved so much about the whole 24 production is that you never knew what would happen, not for sure. The bad guys got away with it, the good guys suffered, too much sometimes. But the Jack Bauer character was the most remarkable creation of all, a man who stuck to his principals whatever happened to him, he never sold out, he had rare integrity and honour and he simply didn't care how far he went to uphold all this.I highly recommend this as compulsive viewing, TV writing at its very best. I have all the boxed sets of previous seasons and would recommend these highly as well.There are only a handful of TV programs of any kind that I never tire of watching repeatedly, 24 is definitely one of them!

Season 7 was a relative return to form, spoiled from excellence by cartoon villains like Dubaku, the ridiculous White House raid and a disappointing last quarter, but probably due to the continued desire to put the disappointing season 6 behind them, season 8 raises 24 to the greatness of seasons 1,2,3 and 5. Sure there's a bit of rehash which most long term fans will spot but under the format that's really to be expected after eight seasons. The season's last quarter borrows many of season 5's dynamics but Jack's actions take him to a darker place than ever at this point and it is compelling viewing where you genuinely fear for Jack's fate and anybody else who comes near him, and typically there are enough unexpected twists throughout the season to keep you from getting too comfortable. Ultimately I thought that there wasn't a single annoying or tame storyline throughout the season, and I basically liked all of the main characters except Taylor's new Chief of Staff and maybe new CTU boss Hastings, who was more than a little clichéd and over acted.Of course, when you are watching 24 you have to suspend your perception of reality, and in that respect season 8 is little different, but at the same time there is no silly Chappelle-like assassinations by his own men, no crashing of Air Force One, no cougar and no White House raid. Instead, the season's main plot is possibly its simplest and most clear since season one.And as a final selling point, a notorious old foe of Jack's reappears for the final quarter of the season and this character's presence was the cherry on the cake to season 8's most notable feature - unprincipled, opportunistic and self-serving politicians. For the first time in the history of '24-world', the show's producers have provided a more mature and TRULY cynical picture of the sordid corruption which surely dominates politics at the highest level, even if it is maybe exaggerated here for dramatic effect.