24 Day 7: Some opening thoughts

I was hesitant to watch 24 this season. I was sup disappointed the second half of season 6 that I had given up on the show. Combine that with the drain of my masters thesis on the subject writers strike, Skipping the season was a forgone conclusion.

But like Michael Corleone everything I think I have got out, 24 and torture pull me back in. I am going to be blogging about torture specifically after each episode, but I am really struck about level of self-awareness the program has this season.

The season opened with Jack Bauer testifying about his and CTU's reliance and torture and other illegal actions to stop terrorism. Bauer, in his response to questions, argues that his actions are justified by the end result Bauer did what he had to do. That is it, end of story case closed. He had not tortured terrorist untold damage would of been done. Bauer goes on to aruge that he understood that his actions were illegal and that he took full responsibility for what he had done.

This gets at one of the key arguments in my thesis. 24's producers are able to justify the actions of Jack Bauer because he is committing these burial actions for selfish reasons. He does not thing that he is above the law. But when innocent peoples' lives are on the line, the law and right and wrong being ambiguous. Bauer does not want to torture people. But that is "what has to be done" in order to protect people.

Bauer's justification for his actions transform him in a victim of the tortured person's terrorist plot and of the law.

By framing him as a victim of his own circumstances and given his struggle to balance his personal life with work, the character of Jack Bauer is constructed as a tragic hero. As the hero of the show, he is the person most capable of leading the CTU and the U.S. government to victory over the terrorists.

What I find so suppressing about Bauer's testimony is that he is up front about it. He takes up this mantle of victimhood without a though. He has given up so much personally for his job and love and country, anyone who stands in his away is a fool.

I find it so amazing that the Kiefer Sutherland (the actor who plays Jack Bauer) and the shows writers came out and said this. Amazing Stuff.

24 Day 7 Torture Count: Hour 3 and 4

Hour 3:
Official Torture: n/a
Terrorist Torture: n/a
Bauer Torture attempt 1 / success 1 / accurate 1

• After being provoked by Tony, Jack Throws table across the room picks up tony by the neck and slams him against the wall. Jack pushes against his wind pipe and shouts into Tony's ear. Tony resistats but begins to whisper something to jacks ear and the FBI chief comes into the room to break Jack and Tony apart. Tony gives Bauer an old CTU code that gives him Bill Buchanan. Bill tells Chloe that tony was undercover.

This one is tricky. Bauer was using the sort of interrogation techniques he has used many times in the past. The difference this time is that Tony was baiting Bauer so that he could give him a and CTU word. I am conflicted on this one. This scene represents the sort of over the top torture that the show's fans go crazy for; in the case it was clearly a gimmick. I am open to opinions on this one.

Hour 4:
Official Torture: attempt 1 / success 1 / accurate 1

• FBI Chick goes to the hospital of the sniper after he gets out of surgery. When he does not give up info on Jack and Tony, She pushes her gun into is wound, When this does not work, she cuts off his ventilator. he gives her information about the plot to kidnap the African PM. She calls the FBI and get him into the Panic room just in the nick of time.

Terrorist Torture: n/a
Bauer Torture: n/a

TOTAL:
Official Torture: 1 / 1 / 1
Terrorist Torture: 1 / 1 / 1
Bauer Torture: 2 / 2 / 1

Finally, here are two awesome charts. First the totals for the season.


Next the torture totals from Season 5, 6 and 7 for some context.

24 Day 7 Torture Count: Hour 1 and 2

24 is back and that means so is the torture count. I am letting Torture in Pop Culture die because, frankly, I am paying for this website so I might as well do something useful with it. Anything that might of posted there can now be found on this blog and my delicious.com feed under the torture tag. As always, please excuse the snark and lack of names.

I am using the same rubric I used during season 5 and 6 to count. Anything that might violate the UN convention on torture is torture. Anytime the person being tortures gives up any information, that is a success. Finally, accurate information is any bit of information gotten through torture that is correct. The final entry may change as the program goes on since the accuracy of the information might not clear right away An example: Bauer tortures a suspect to get information about where bomb is located. The terrorist tells him that the bomb is located in a mall. Bauer and CTU go to the mall, there is no bomb there. Instead the bomb goes off in a subway station. This would be counted as attempt 1 / success 1 / accurate 0. Brackets around the numbers indicate possible torture acts. I do not count them in the total. In these cases I have to go back and rewatch the scene before making the call. If I determine that it is not torture, they remain in brackets as a place holder, is it is torture the brackets are removed and the total will be updated.

Hour 1:
Official Torture: n/a
Terrorists Torture: attempt 1 / success 1 / accurate 1

• Michael Lethem kidnapped and forced to make some techo widget to fuck with Air Traffic national infrastructure. He does it.

Bauer Torture: attempt 1 / success 1 / accurate 0

• Jack and FBI chick go to talk to one of Jack’s old contacts as they track to track down Tony. When he does not give up info, FBI chick subdues contacts body guard and Bauer moves to dig contacts eye out with knife. he talks, but before he can give up info contact and body guard are killed by sniper.

Hour 2:
Official Torture: n/a
Terrorists Torture: n/a
Bauer Torture: attempt [1] / success [1] / accurate [1]

• POSSIBLE: Bauer puts a gun the the snipers head, punches him a few time trying to get info about tony, FBI chick stops him before he goes to far. Does not get any info, but does not really need any.

TOTAL:
Official Torture: 0 / 0 / 0
Terrorist Torture 1 / 1 / 1
Bauer Torture 1 / 1 / 0