24: Fourth Season Promo
There’s very little covered by this rather short promo; most of it is essentially a long teaser for the fourth season. In that regard, it’s effective. It’s also very effective in demonstrating the viability of adding such epilogue/prelude materials to future DVD sets with similar release schedules. A lot of shows are using the release of the previous season’s DVD set as the promotional kickoff for the subsequent season, and it’s only natural that someone would recognize the value of slipping some forward-thinking extras into the special features.
Originally, this prelude was meant to be episode-length, something that would have been a remarkable concept had it come to fruition. Several DVD sets have proven the viability of taking an unaired episode and making it available to the public; the sales for “Firefly” and “Wonderfalls” ought to prove that point by now. But this would have been something very different and visionary: creating a new episode specifically for the DVD. It’s the television equivalent of adding 40+ minutes of footage to a movie.
The difference is that extended cuts for films are typically budgeted based on the likelihood of sales. New Line isn’t worried about sinking a few more million dollars into “Return of the King” when they know that the profits are there for the taking. TV-DVD sales aren’t quite so robust, and every time a studio puts out a set, there’s an inevitable give-and-take. (The recent release of the second season set for “Quantum Leap”, for instance, highlighted the price paid when a studio doesn’t think the projected sales are enough to offset the price for music rights.)
Despite the popularity of the “24” DVD sets (and the fact that many fans skip the actual first run episodes for the sole purpose of watching several episodes at a time on DVD), FOX wasn’t ready to shell out enough money to produce an entire episode. After all, the seasons are already two episodes longer than the typical television season order, so perhaps FOX felt that the money was better spent making their advertisers happy. Whatever the case, the promo was reduced to a series of snippets that roughly combine into 6+ minutes of foreboding.
After a quick reminder that Jack was on the verge of a nervous breakdown at the end of the third season, the fallout of Tony’s removal from CTU becomes rather clear. There’s a new boss at CTU named Erin Driscoll, and perhaps in response to the management issues from the third season, she has enough power to force Jack out of his position as Director of Field Ops.
Her reasoning is actually quite sound. In the third season, there was some question about the true nature of Jack’s drug addiction. The writers skirted the issue, leaving it to the audience’s imagination, but Erin’s decision demonstrates the lack of confidence that has festered around Jack since the Salazar debacle. The real problem is not Erin’s decision, but rather, her abrasive and insincere manner. Jack’s response to her offer to find him a new job is entirely appropriate.
The rest of the promo is far less interesting, but ultimately highlights some of the important “initial conditions” of the fourth season story arc. Playing on the real world fears of terrorism, someone with a deadly agenda uses the Mexican border as an entry point. It’s a nice set piece, but nothing special.
Equally short and to the point is the introduction of Jack’s new paramour. It’s good to see Jack open up, since his personal life has been a shambles since Teri’s death, but this is “24”, so it’s not likely to end well. Without Kim to protect, the new love interest is clearly meant to play the same role. Hopefully she’ll turn out to be more capable in the long run. The scene is not nearly as steamy as advertised, which is something of a shame; something a little more substantial could have provided some insight into the depth of Jack’s psychological investment. As it is, though, any relationship reveals how much Jack is searching for a normal life, considering his stance on relationships in the third season.
Short, sweet, and to the point, the fourth season promo may not mean very much in the long run, but it’s very effective as a teaser for the next very long day in Jack Bauer’s life.
Originally, this prelude was meant to be episode-length, something that would have been a remarkable concept had it come to fruition. Several DVD sets have proven the viability of taking an unaired episode and making it available to the public; the sales for “Firefly” and “Wonderfalls” ought to prove that point by now. But this would have been something very different and visionary: creating a new episode specifically for the DVD. It’s the television equivalent of adding 40+ minutes of footage to a movie.
The difference is that extended cuts for films are typically budgeted based on the likelihood of sales. New Line isn’t worried about sinking a few more million dollars into “Return of the King” when they know that the profits are there for the taking. TV-DVD sales aren’t quite so robust, and every time a studio puts out a set, there’s an inevitable give-and-take. (The recent release of the second season set for “Quantum Leap”, for instance, highlighted the price paid when a studio doesn’t think the projected sales are enough to offset the price for music rights.)
Despite the popularity of the “24” DVD sets (and the fact that many fans skip the actual first run episodes for the sole purpose of watching several episodes at a time on DVD), FOX wasn’t ready to shell out enough money to produce an entire episode. After all, the seasons are already two episodes longer than the typical television season order, so perhaps FOX felt that the money was better spent making their advertisers happy. Whatever the case, the promo was reduced to a series of snippets that roughly combine into 6+ minutes of foreboding.
After a quick reminder that Jack was on the verge of a nervous breakdown at the end of the third season, the fallout of Tony’s removal from CTU becomes rather clear. There’s a new boss at CTU named Erin Driscoll, and perhaps in response to the management issues from the third season, she has enough power to force Jack out of his position as Director of Field Ops.
Her reasoning is actually quite sound. In the third season, there was some question about the true nature of Jack’s drug addiction. The writers skirted the issue, leaving it to the audience’s imagination, but Erin’s decision demonstrates the lack of confidence that has festered around Jack since the Salazar debacle. The real problem is not Erin’s decision, but rather, her abrasive and insincere manner. Jack’s response to her offer to find him a new job is entirely appropriate.
The rest of the promo is far less interesting, but ultimately highlights some of the important “initial conditions” of the fourth season story arc. Playing on the real world fears of terrorism, someone with a deadly agenda uses the Mexican border as an entry point. It’s a nice set piece, but nothing special.
Equally short and to the point is the introduction of Jack’s new paramour. It’s good to see Jack open up, since his personal life has been a shambles since Teri’s death, but this is “24”, so it’s not likely to end well. Without Kim to protect, the new love interest is clearly meant to play the same role. Hopefully she’ll turn out to be more capable in the long run. The scene is not nearly as steamy as advertised, which is something of a shame; something a little more substantial could have provided some insight into the depth of Jack’s psychological investment. As it is, though, any relationship reveals how much Jack is searching for a normal life, considering his stance on relationships in the third season.
Short, sweet, and to the point, the fourth season promo may not mean very much in the long run, but it’s very effective as a teaser for the next very long day in Jack Bauer’s life.
posted by John Keegan | 15:00
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