Last nights T V, 18th July 2001

24

This much hyped new black comedy from the USA, which made its UK debut
transmission on BBC2 last night turned out to be a huge disappointment.
In fact "24" barely produced half that number of laughs in its entire 40
minute running time. The series follows wacky Jack Bauer, played by the
usually reliable Keifar Sutherland, as he tries to juggle his chaotic
home life with his equally eventful career as a government terrorist
agent. The Bauer family consists of wisecracking wife Terri, played
by Leslie Hope, who's constant look of fear stifles her already weak gags,
and teenage tearaway Kim (Elisha Cuthbert), who's painfully unfunny
performance offers no sanctuary to Jack and Terri's lack of humour.
Bauer's workplace, the Counter Terrorism Unit, does not fare any
better. Awful visual jokes involving big chins and facial hair failed to
raise a smile, and the deadpan delivery of dialogue left me feeling
cold. We are also introduced to a second family in the course of the
episode, that of black presidential candidate David Palmer, but alas. no
relief here either - laughs are forced as smutty innuendo about rape and
murder become the order of the day with this entirely unoriginal "family
from hell".
The main problem with "24" is that it tries to fuse a number of comedy
styles at once, but fails miserably at every one. I feel that the
programme makers have spent far too much time trying to make it 'cutting
edge' and as a result have forgotten to make it funny. There are just
too few jokes, often huge chunks of laugh free dialogue come and go with
only a tired gag at the end to show for it. Another concern is that the
studio audience stay deadly silent during the majority of the programme,
suggesting to me that if the studio can't get their own audience to take
in the poor jokes and excruciating slapstick of Bauer and co, how do
they expect to convince viewers worldwide?
In this day and age, there really is no need for comedies like "24"
that are all hype and no humour. All in all, I can name well over 24
reasons why "24" is to be avoided, the first and foremost being it is not
funny.