24 {1st.Season} (DVD Review) - 11/2/07

I had heard a lot about this series and having forked out for five seasons I have now just plowed through 24 episodes one after the other. Without the irritating advert breaks on DVD it certainly puts things in a better context and watching the episodes consecutively gives a better understanding of the overall plot instead of having to plod along weekly trying to remember what happened ten episodes back. The conceit of it all happening in one 24 hour period must put some constraint's on the Production team as it must be difficult if each programme is supposedly running in "real" time against the clock. Despite some points across this first series which does feel like you are being manipulated time and again (Which is what is in affect going on) and some gaping plot-holes (Which can't be really avoided with a concept like this) this is as a whole very enjoyable. I could not believe how fast this first 24 episodes shot by and left me clamouring for more with a massive (And irritating!) cliff-hanger of an ending setting up the pieces obviously for Season 2. No Special Features to speak of apart from an Alternate Ending and a Preview Overview For Season 2.

Really the plot is a number of strands of a story weaved around various people's lives as a period of 24 hours as it gradually unravels and the parts of the puzzle fall into place. It must have taken a hell of a lot of planning and concise story writing to get this to where it was on the screen and come out as well as it did. Clues lead to further clues and the plot really does thicken as by the end of this first season what you actually thought was going on was just a drop in the ocean to what could shape up to be a much larger back-story with a much bigger canvas to what people think may be happening?