Comments on: Has torture on TV gone too far?

By: Julie

Julie — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 00:57:48 +0000

In the real world, torture and brutality while interrogating prisoners is counterproductive mostly because people will say and do anything to stop the physical and emotional pain. Experienced and professional interrogators understand this and prefer to “befriend” their captives to earn their trust. Classic example: Kahlid Sheikh Mohammed.
Unfortunately the US military HAS used torture since 9/11, which quite possibly could be due to the influence of television, although I think neoconistic DOD policy and a few bad eggs at Abu Graib are also to blame.
The ticking time bomb scenario in 24 while hugely entertaining is not realistic. Should 24 dial it back? NO. Should TV writers censor themselves? Hell no. Boycott the show? Not me.

By: C C

C C — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 00:43:38 +0000

As a liberal who loves 24, it distresses me that left-wing critics are so gung-ho to paint it as lightweight right-wing pulp entertainment. It’s not. Yes, co-creator Joel Surnow is a die-hard conservative. Yes, the show is quite violent. But any truly devoted fan of the show will tell you that it’s more akin to a sci-fi series, with political allegories, motifs, and conspiracies. I’ve seen posters online call 24 “an earthbound Star Trek”, an apt anology in my book.
It really bothers me when someone like James Wolcott, whose blog I read religiously, attacks 24 as being more or less a conservative wet dream while admitting he’s only seen a couple of episodes. Ironically, Wolcott is a big Law and Order: CI fan, which brings up another point: there is a lot of violence and gore in mainstream television, particularly among crime procedurals, why pick on 24? I’m really amazed that The Sopranos, a bloody series to say the least, is so revered by the liberal critics who despise 24.

By: almeidafan

almeidafan — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 00:31:58 +0000

The comments so far are very interesting so here’s my two big points:
1) This is the most important- I don’t think 24 sanctions torture as much as it does Alan Dershowitz’s ticking clock theory of torture, which says torture can be permissable in scenarios where there simply isn’t time for anything else. (Sound like a particular show to anyone else?)
2) Also one of the big points of the show is that fact that Jack isn’t a hero to be envied. Every season he circumvents the law and what does he get for it? Dead friends and family, a daughter who hates him and time in a Chinese prison camp. Plus, torture doesn’t always give positive results (remember Sarah Gavin in season four?). Hell, even this season Jack didn’t get the main information out of his brother using torture.
Anyway, this is kind of like making a mountain out of a molehill. Videogames make kids violent, 24 makes people love torture – ugh give me a break.

By: dma69

dma69 — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 23:30:30 +0000

1) What do these people expect? It’s 24, not Disney. If Jack just talked to the terrorists, he’ll just keep saying “Dammit” over and over again.
2) There’s a fine line between an opinion and a political agenda. This is just an opinion by a reporter.
3) Opinions are like a$$%^&*s; everyone has one.

By: t3hdow

t3hdow — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 22:09:24 +0000

Why should EW refrain from not giving their political agenda. Considering many books/TV shows/movies focuses on the sociopolitical relevance of their time or whatever time period it’s depicting, ignoring it is a disservice to its readers. Obviously, many of the EW readers are self-thinkers, so why should the magazine treat us like children and omit it?
As for the torturing complaints, again, if you’re going to complain about 24′s torturing, then what about the Saw and Hostel films? Why is it being singled out? Maybe it’s because of its relevance towards modern culture, but incase anyone forgot, 24 is a fictional show. Do you think those PSAs the 24 producers put in during season 4 was for nothing? Of course they don’t think all Muslims are terrorists. In fact, season 2 illustrated that fact. Of course the torturing is exaggerated.
Also, 24 proves how unrealistic it gets every so often and not only with torture. So sit back and enjoy the show or change the channel.

By: Joe Cool

Joe Cool — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 21:48:56 +0000

Nails on the head, guys…nails on the head. I can’t keep track of who said all this, but here’s what I agree with…
1) If you don’t like it, then turn it off. Make the choice for yourself, NOT for me. This is a classic liberal idea…that they know what I should be watching. I think I should decide for myself.
2) The shows do have the ‘viewer beware’ warning.
3) Making people eat pig intestines and whatever else is much worse than anything on 24 because you know that they are ACTUALLY EATING THAT STUFF.
The thing about EW becoming polically slanted rings true. There is an entertainment columnist in our Orlando newspaper that I used to LOVE to read. She was very insightful and colorful and talked about a great many things. She made take an interest in things I never gave two thoughts to. However, she is so much of a Bush-hater, that it began to fill her columns and I lost interest and now don’t read her anymore. Politics should not enter this subject.

By: Kit Sung

Kit Sung — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 21:47:16 +0000

Shouldn’t the question rather be if torture in Guantanamo and other facilities run by the US government has gone to far?

By: Kevin

Kevin — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 19:53:10 +0000

In season two, Jack cuts off a witnesses head so that he can gain favor with terrorists…AND THAT WAS OK?!?! Why is everyone so ok with death but not ok with torture? Is it because you folks visualize how you would react in the same situation? Our government sanctions torture these days, which is unfortunate and rediculous, but it’s a reality. And don’t get me started on terrorist torture tactics these days. My point is, you know what you’re getting into when you sign up to watch 24, always have. Those scenes raise the stakes and make for compelling dramatic scenes. If you want fluff, watch Grey’s Anatomy.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 19:36:36 +0000

quote from http://www.andrewsullivan.com (who is a conservative): The “near-non-existent “ticking clock” scenario has been popularized by 24 in such a way as to normalize torture in the public consciousness. In five seasons of 24, there have been sixty-seven torture scenes, and all of them are portrayed as effective, productive, and justified. Military cadets, weaned on 24, now tend to see nothing wrong with it. Soldiers in the field have internalized the show’s ethics. One witness to this is Tony Lagouranis, a former army interrogator in Iraq. He tells Mayer that some soldiers in Iraq just replicated the 24 scenes in real life – even though torture is still nominally illegal under American law for the regular military (the Bush administration has created a special CIA torture unit to do the job instead).”

By: Ham

Ham — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 19:29:46 +0000

Oh yeah, Jack needs to try to talk to these terrorists. Show that we want to be friends. Jack should fight Al gore’s “Global Warming” in the next season and maybe team up PETA to stop the killing of crickets and mice.