Earlier this morning, I wrote a post about Kiefer Sutherland's character, Jack Bauer, as he was portrayed on Monday night's final episode of 24. I have received many hits on my site since then. Obviously depicting Jack Bauer as making his final deathbed confession to a Muslin imam has struck a strong chord with many 24 fans.
I have been an avid fan and follower of 24 since Day 1, and I don't recall Jack Bauer's religion having ever been mentioned on any of the previous episodes. Jack Bauer, having been a crusader, in a manner of speaking, against terrorism in past episodes, Muslim Jihadist terrorism in particular, has never shown any religious interest in becoming a Muslim.
It is puzzling as to why the writers/producers (bear in mind that Kiefer Sutherland is one of the producers of 24) chose to do this. Are they that anxious to make fans of the Muslim population at large? Or are they now being overly zealous in their efforts to try to erase the memories in the minds of those protesting Muslims who were offended in the early days of the series, when the main focus of the show was to catch evil Muslim Jihadist terrorists, and even torture them?
Since I am not one of the writers or producers of 24, I can't claim to know the definitive answer to this perplexing question. However, I do believe that this tactic, that is to say, Jack Bauer's deathbed confession to the spiritual Muslim imam, has not set well with the general population of avid 24 fans. It is not at all in character with Jack Bauer's past actions, and it really makes no sense at all.
And the greater question is in the minds of many 24 fans: Is Jack Bauer now actually a Muslim? Did he convert to Islam? Is he going to convert to Islam if he doesn't die? Or did he just not have any religious ties at all to any religion, and just happened to decide, at the last moment of his possible death, to request a visitation from a representative of a religion to which he has previously shown absolutely no interest whatsoever?
Of course, there is one other possibility: maybe Jack Bauer's body and brain have been so contaminated by exposure to dangerous substances (this happened in another 24 episode during Season 7), that he is now totally insane. Somehow, though, I don't think this is the answer. What appeared to be a conservative show with sometimes liberal slants has now taken a turn into a previously undiscovered dimension. Maybe the 8th season of 24 should even have a new name: The Twilight 24.
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Related Link
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2011/01/like-moths-to-the-flame.html
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The current season of 24 has been full of pandering to Muslims. The scene where the Muslim Imam came to hear his deathbed "confession" was repugnant when you consider that a battle hardened man like Jack Bauer would know full well the true nature of Islam. I was extremely put off by this and I will not purchase this current season of 24 on Blu-ray.
ReplyDeleteOne other thing to note: earlier in the season they blacked out the tatoo of Our Lady of Guadalupe when Jack was injecting himself with medicine. Keifer Sutherland actually has that tatoo on his arm. It seems that the producers of 24 did not want to offend athiests and/or Muslims by showing that tatoo in 24.
This reminds me of how Obama recently had his advance team cover up references to Jesus when he spoke at Georgetown University.
I am sicked at how politically correct and cowardly the producers and writers of 24 have become. Part of the reason may be that Brannon Braga is now a producer on the show. You can see his handiwork in PC shows like Star Trek TV series's Voyager and Enterprise.
Probably the biggest reason for the decline of 24 is that it's conservative creator Joel Surnow left the show in 2008. Janine Garofalo would never have been allowed in the cast if Surnow was still in charge.
As far as I'm concerned, 24 has jumped the shark with Jack Bauer converting to Islam. It's probably one of the most disturbing, unrealistic and preposterous things I've ever seen on TV.