Why I Stopped Watching "24"

I've always enjoyed 24. Even when it got uber-extreme. In Jack Bauer we had a tortured hero, a man who put country first even when it meant doing things that were abhorrent to him (like threatening to kill a man's family in order to get information). After the loss of his wife at the end of season one, Jack became a man who gave up his personal life. Jack detached himself from a normal life as we know it, and that's why I could watch him endure twenty-four hours of pain, intensity, torture, sleeplessness and probably some nasty-smelling clothes.

So maybe you can figure out what put me off the current season of 24. That's right... Happy Jack.

The first episode opened with Jack and his granddaughter. And Jack is happy. Jack plans to move back to California to be with his family. Jack loves the new life he's ready to embark on.

Then that dude had to go and knock on Jack's door, dragging him back to CTU and the spy game. And I just cannot watch it. I could handle watching stoic, push-through-the-pain-Jack be abused in the name of keeping America free. But now, he's grandpa-Jack, the man who only wants to live a quiet, happy life where he takes his granddaughter to the zoo and buys her ice cream.

I hope, by the time this long, eighth day is over, Jack will be happy once again. I just can't go on the journey with him this time.