On the eve of the California presidential primary, Counter Terrorism Unit operative Bauer has 24 hours to stop an assassination attempt on U.S. senator and presidential candidate David Palmer (Haysbert) while simultaneously looking for his missing daughter (Cuthbert) and dealing with a mole inside the agency. All 24 episodes are included in a six-disc set. 19 1/2 hrs. total. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital Surround; Subtitles: English, Spanish; alternate ending; more. **24 episodes on 6 discs. 19 1/2 hrs.**

Television: Fox TV

Television: Series

Thriller

mystery

Action/Adventure

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Important to note if you are buying this package having not seen the show before (having heard about it from others but too late to join in watching it on TV) that there are spoilers all over the presentation. the enclosed booklet includes short summaries of every episode and not much else, so don't look at it until you've seen the whole show. Similarly the menus feature clips from the show which is nice to watch if you aren't worried about information being given away, as the clips on the menu for each disc tend to reveal major plot points.

Also, the DVD extras are actually pretty poor. The alternative ending is dull and obviously only shot to keep the true ending secret. The teaser for season 2 comprises only Kiefer Sutherland talking in very vague terms about the general concept of 24, with no real information about the second series.

Worst of all is the fact that the footage on the discs is only the footage that was originally broadcast IN THE US. In the UK the broadcast footage included an extra couple of minutes for each of the episodes 7pm - 12pm. This footage contained scenes that was cut from the US broadcast for adverts, whereas in the UK 24 was shown on the BBC where there are no adverts.

These scenes ranged from nice additions to important points: one cut scene had a major impact on the crucial events in the final episode and another even greatly improved the climactic battle between Jack and the bad guys.

Fox haven't included this footage on the DVD versions in either the UK or the US, meaning that us poor Brits have scenes that we miss and this has led to calls for a recall and replacement with the full footage. For the US viewer, this is actually worse, in that you are never going to see these great scenes. There are no running time issues on DVD, unlike on TV, so why not let those fans willing to pay for the box set have bonus footage integrated into their box sets?

Bizarrely, this doesn't affect the VHS British release of 24, only the DVD, so if you want those extra scenes you'll need a PAL compatible TV and VCR.

Why not drop Fox an email congratulating them on making such a great show and asking for them to include the full footage as was broadcast on the BBC?

107 of 118 found the following review helpful:

Bet You Can't Watch Just OneJan 23, 2003
By Mark Baker
It's just after midnight at the Bauer home. They're getting ready for bed when Jack gets a phone call asking him to report to work at the Counter Terrorism Unit in Los Angeles. There he's briefed on a plot to assassinate Presidential candidate David Palmer. Meanwhile, his daughter Kim has snuck out of the house to meet some guys who are bad news. His wife Terri is finding trouble searching for Kim. And Palmer is facing a crisis of his own concerning something in his family's past he didn't even know about. It's going to be a long day for everyone.

This thriller series is innovative. Each episode represents just one hour in the day. I wasn't sure they could pull if off, but the writers managed to keep all the plots going and make the gaps between seeing characters believable. It quickly turned into a weekly addiction that had me glued to my seat and dreading commercials more then normal. Some of the plots loose steam in the afternoon, but it builds up tension again for the climax, which was the best hour of television last season, period.

Unfortunately, this set wasn't all it could have been. They removed the "previously on 24" recaps, which are very useful if you just want to pop a random disc into the machine. Ironically, they also don't have a play all feature, which would go well with no recaps. The worst thing, in my opinion, is the lack of chapter breaks in each episode. The season 1 intro (on the last disc) is ok and includes a mention of this season. Of course, at this point, we're far beyond anything they would have told us in the set. The best feature is the alternate ending. While (to my surprise) I prefer the original, it's nice to see what might have been. As you would expect, the picture and audio quality are top notch.

It's a shame this great show didn't get the DVD treatment it deserved. I'm willing to overlook the lack of extras because of timing, but the lack of the recap & chapter breaks really bothers me. Even so, it's a good set of a great show worth using to catch up or remember this innovative program.

36 of 39 found the following review helpful:

Keifer Sutherland as Jack Bauer, the modern SisyphusDec 15, 2002
By Lawrance M. Bernabo
My strongest memory of watching Season One of "24" was at the end of episode 12, where I thought that we had finally arrived at a moment where Jack Bauer could take a deep breath and catch his bearings for a moment. Of course, I was wrong, because this is a series where things go from bad to worse and well beyond as Jack Bauer experiences "the worst day of my life." Creator Robert Cochran worked brilliantly within the confines of his grand design, where events happen simultaneously and in real time. The official mission might be heading off an assassination attempt of presidential candidate Senator David Palmer on the day of the California primary, but there is always some pressing task at hand as the hits just keep on coming from start to finish in this show. "24" is a series where the obvious goal was to throw everything at Jack Bauer and the other candidates, including a large number of kitchen sinks, mostly with regards to his family.

I think the casting of Keifer Sutherland as Jack Bauer was strategic, because as the one "movie star" in the cast he stands out as larger than life against the rest of the ensemble. The Sisyphus analogy is not meant to be superficial, because any sense of success at any given moment in the series is transitory at best. Sutherland's performance holds the series together, but the true star is Cochran and his team of writers. It is the story that gets you hooked and sweeps you along for the roller coaster ride as the bad things just keep happening. Watching the show a second time (and in a shorter time span) gave me a better appreciation for how things were set up, which you do not really notice so much the first time through because you have to absorb all the rapid fire developments. The second season is following the same pattern, and I fear it will be disappointing simply because the ending cannot have the emotional impact of what happens with Season One. I would be surprised if Jack Bauer and company make it beyond 48 hours, but we shall see.

Finally: One of the "advantages" of watching the complete first season of "24" on DVD is that you can do it less to start watching it straight through some time (of course, you have to start at midnight). I am too old to engage in such a dedicated effort, but that is no reason for the rest of your not to give it a try.

29 of 31 found the following review helpful:

Innovative, Suspenseful Drama in a Reality TV WorldJun 13, 2003
By Stingray Ramone
I have always liked FOX's ambitious and inventive spirit as a network, competing against the big three giants of the television industry: CBS, ABC, and NBC. Some of the network's show ideas have gone under, but 24 defies convention, as it never fails to deliver suspense each hour. Give 24 a quick look and you are hooked to the very end. Despite some rather corny, cookie-cutter moments (i.e. Teri Bauer's stint with amnesia), 24 is an intelligent, original, and fresh thrill ride of a show.

Season 1 of 24, dubbed as "The Longest Day" ranges from 12:00am to 12:00am, the full day of the presidential primary in Los Angeles. The story revolves around two men: Senator David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert), an African-American presidential candidate, who is the target of assassination on that day, and CTU (CounterTerrorist Unit) agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland), the man whose mission is to protect Palmer and thwart the terrorists behind the plot of achieving their goal. However, Bauer's mission has become personal. His daughter, Kim and eventually his wife, Teri are kidnapped and they, along with Bauer, are also targeted by the very same people threatening Palmer. But why? You would have to see how this plot unravels. To make matters harder, some of the people Jack works with at CTU, are working for the terrorists. Jack has the arduous task to protect Palmer and save his family, while having the right frame of mind on who to trust and not to trust in his mission to realize both his aims.

24 is wonderfully crafted and complicated that demands the viewer to watch its episode carefully, because of its meticulous real-time format. The pulse-pounding suspense can let up at certain points, but the transition scenes, whether it would be a shocking development or a pivotal juncture, kicks up the suspense a notch higher. But what makes 24 so effective is the superb acting of Kiefer Sutherland, who is in a word, masterful as Jack Bauer. He portrays Bauer as the gritty consummate professional, who would do just about anything to get the job done, even if it means walking the fine line of good and evil. At the same time, Sutherland elicits sympathy as a family man, with the desperation of a second crack at family togetherness. Haysbert pulls out a tremendous performance as Senator Palmer, an honorable and honest politician who believes in upholding the righteous ideals of American democracy. Worthy of mention is Penny Johnson Jerald, who plays Sherry Palmer, David's wife, a conniving, greedy woman, wanting nothing more than the power and popularity of being the First Lady. The two Bauer women, Teri, played by Leslie Hope and Kim, portrayed by the eye-catching Elisha Cuthbert, are solid in dealing with the unpredictability of their days. Nina Myers, played by the sultry Sarah Clarke, is impressive as Bauer's reasonably trustworthy secretary, with something up her sleeve. The rest of the supporting cast, from top to bottom are also wonderful.

In my opinion, the first season of 24 is slightly better than its successive second season because it is more unpredictable and provides higher shock value. For those who have not seen 24 in its entirety, it is best not to reveal the story and its highly detailed events in greater detail. Just sit back and watch how the story unravels, with loads of startling developments and intensity, leading up to the unforgettable, piece-de-resistance ending. I highly recommend this along with the second season DVD set, which is slated for a September release.

27 of 29 found the following review helpful:

Imagine!Dec 20, 2002
By The Critics
Reading the Worlds Best Suspense/Thriller novel,
but only being allowed to read a Chapter a week!

Now you can get the entire first book(DVD set)!!
And enjoy the entire thrill ride all at once!

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