The Cover

No, for the most part, season 2 was great, but not as good as what was to come in season 3. In the third season, it's a virus, and for some reason, the entire 24 hours is more teeth clenching and nerve racking than in previous years. Maybe it's the fact that you see the powder, you know what it can do, you see it drifting through the air vents, and you watch at the terrible reprecussions travel throughout that day.

I love this season of 24 because it doesn't flinch from putting the characters in dangerous, and sometimes deadly (as in mortal, they never come back) situations. It isn't one of those shows where the characters go into a firefight, and you just KNOW that they're going to come out all right. Because in this show, and this season in particular, they may very well not escape certain and real death.

Perhaps the only thing to complain about is in the very first episode. We come to find that Kim has apparently grown a very large brain in a very short amount of time. No longer is she a ditzy babysitter afraid of wild cats. No, she's a computer operator for the anti-terror division - the very same that her father and very many other smart people work. Luckily they get done with that very strange occupational development (I imagine she would be more apt to be a massage therapist, more than anything) right in the beginning of the first episode, so it won't bother you too much. Plus, at least it's not like she comes up with some huge plan that saves everyone's life. Thank god.

Jack Bauer is definitely kicking some ass in this season, but he's a broken man (and I don't think it'll get much better by season's end). His struggles, dealing with the repercussions of last season's undercover work, prove to be a gritty and very heart pounding development. Of more important work is Reiko Aysleworth and her great work as the smart and sexy Michelle. The girl gets herself into some rather complicated situations, beats people down, runs around, and makes life and death decisions.

Truly, even if you're not a fan of the show (and I can't imagine why that is), you could watch this season and be intrigued almost instantly by all the hot minute by minute action. Season 3 of 24 is better than anything that's come before it.

TV Grade: A+

"Don't you dare put that thing near my daughter again!"

Video and Audio: 4.5 out of 5
Like the previous sets, there's no skimping on the video OR audio. For a TV show, this has some of the highest production values that you'll see. The sound rocks, the video looks like it's a Michael Mann movie.
English (Dolby 5.1) / Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.77:1

Extras: 3 out of 5
Not quite as involved as last time, but there are a handful of commentaries, some very nice deleted scene and yet another nice behind the scenes doc. Like the doc on the last season box set, it provides a rather unflinching view at the creation of an episode. Any documentary that isn't afraid to show the cast and crew arguing is all right with me. They don't gloss over anything, so the viewer feels like they're getting an inside view of the workings.

Overall: 5 out of 5
It's honestly worth every penny and I don't hesitate in recommending the show to anyone that loves cliffhanging, real, dramatic action.

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