We have two new affiliate sites: CTU Archives, a UK fansite and 24 Fan Fiction, a new site dedicated to 24 fanfic. No, I have still not yet updated the site to chronicle Almeida's last moments. Yes, it will be done sooner or later. When I feel like it. Who knows when that will be. Blah. Being a 24 fan without any Tony is so god damn depressing.
-- posted by Kasia @ 2:58 PM
It's been awhile since the last update. I've suffered a real lack of motivation to keep up on the site now that Tony is gone. My overall feelings toward 24 still remain mostly negative. The show has suffered greatly and it's really hard to get into it knowing that I will never again see Tony kicking ass!
One of the members of our forum posted an audio interview/brief with writer Evan Katz recently, who talks about the fact that the death of Tony broadcast in the episode that we saw was actually not the original plan. The original plan was for Tony to hunt down Henderson in the field, motivated by a thirst for vengeance, but they felt it was too complicated and pulled the story off-point. Katz also further stated in a follow up interview that the people behind the show felt they had achieved everything they could with Tony's character, which sounds to me like a lot of bullshit platitudes and excuses. After all, talented writers can do anything they want first of all, and second of all, it is sheer laziness and nothing more to assert there was nowhere left to go. There was EVERYWHERE left to go with Tony's character after Michelle died!!!!
Knowing that the actual death they gave Tony was a re-write and a Plan B does help explain a lot in so far as why Tony's death seemed to come out of nowhere, why it seemed so lazily and haphazardly written and why the story chugged forward after it happened as if it hadn't happened at all. It also helps explain the fact that early reports for this season talked about how Carlos was heavily involved in plotting his character arc for the season, yet it seems impossible to believe that Carlos could have had much to do with the miniscule, afterthought role Tony played in Season 5 (being unconscious for 12 episodes, getting 20 minutes of screentime and then dying). I just couldn't imagine Carlos arguing impassionedly for his character not to die in the fist episode only to sign off on the pathetic scrap of Tony-ness and the by-the-way death we actually received. Not only did the way Tony's death played out rob us of a satisfying and worthy conclusion to a character we have loved for 5 years, but it also robbed us of any hope we had that Michelle's death would achieve some kind of meaning in the story besides being a shocking way to kick off the season by killing off a beloved character. I recognize that it wasn't realistic to expect these characters to be around forever, but Tony and Michelle deserved better.
Knowing that Tony was supposed to have had a bigger, more involved role in Season 5 but that it got cut just makes me even more infuriated than I already was. I feel cheated! It also makes me think that if they were going to kill Tony anyway, going down this path could have allowed them to make it happen in a much better, more satisfying way that would have actualy paid tribute to the great role that Tony played in this show from the beginning.
All that being said, there are a few things on the positive side. Bringing back Wayne Palmer to play a major role in the final act of the season is about as close to genius as the Season 5 writers are capable of achieving at this point. It's nice that Wayne's reappearance has ignited a more fitting tribute to David Palmer. Now if only they could do the same for Tony and Michelle. I think exploring the connection between Jack, Wayne and Pierce forged by the fact that these are the three men closest to Palmer is a good thing.
Making Logan the mastermind behind the entire terrorist threat doesn't really make much sense and I still maintain that 24 stole this idea from Matt and me! Last Season we were all over the theory that Keeler was secretly behind the terrorist threat, but sadly we were wrong about that, because it would have made the Season 4 plot so much less lame. Looks like they decided to make the President evil this season instead, even though it makes far less sense. Nonetheless, I'm still kinda into it. This season has already been so ridiculous and over the top as it is (I mean come on, the car Jack is in goes up in flames and he walks out of the firetrap unharmed without so much as a scratch on him? Why do they writers even bother with these "Jack's very life hangs in the balance!" preclocks when we all know full well that Jack isn't going to die and moreover, he's going to walk out of every situation completely unharmed and ready for more battle!). If they were going to do a huge mindfuck plot twist, at least they made it over the top and entertaining, even if it makes absolutely no sense given everything that has already happened so far in the season.
In further news, there are two new fanlistings launched on the AIG Fan Network. Visit Grace: The Audrey Raines Fanlisting and Claws: The Sherry Palmer Fanlisting today! I picked up the Sherry Fanlisting after its previous owner let it lapse and I do not have access to their membership database, so if you already joined the Sherry FL on its old host, you will need to join again here on AIG.
I still have not yet updated this site for Tony's final episode. It's just too painful. To do so would mean that I finally accept he is gone and accept that it will be the last time I will ever update Godlike Moments and Almeida Verbatim. The notion is still far too depressing. Nonetheless, I do have a few debriefs to update, etc etc, so I will get around to that soon.
I have the results of the last poll, which was up for like 2 weeks. I don't know if I am going to be able to update the poll every single week anymore, so the AIG poll will now change basically whenever I feel like changing it. Anyway ... not at all surprisingly, you selected Kim, the cougar and Loonie Lonnie as your choice for the most annoying and useless 24 plot thread ever, with 36% of the vote. Coming in second, predictably, is Teri gets amnesia with 23% of the vote. Third place goes to Erin Driscoll's schizophrenic daughter, which received 15% of the vote. Mystery baby at CTU gets the honourable mention, with 10% of the vote, narrowly beating out doe-eyed Russian sex slave by a single vote. I've posted a new poll, in keeping with this Season's theme of death and destruction.
It would be great if you could all stop sending me e-mail messages and guestbook signings talking about how Tony isn't really dead. TONY IS DEAD. HE IS GONE. HE'S NOT COMING BACK. I don't know how much clearer about this I can be. No silent clock aside, there is no amount of bitching, whining, crying or petition signing that is going to bring him back. On 24, when you are dead, you stay dead. And just in case you still aren't convinced, one of the members of our forum called the Fan Phone and spoke with Howard Gordon. He confirms beyond any doubt that TONY IS DEAD! I encourage you all to grieve for as long as and in whatever way you must to deal with this horrible and tragic event, but you need to accept the fact that the character is dead.
Further, please keep the guestbook signings related to THIS WEBSITE. If you want to talk about your feelings and outrage over Tony's death, I encourage you to join our forum. There is a lot of discussion happening there about this issue, and I would ask (again) that the guestbook be reserved for leaving your comments about this site.
In closing , I have archived March.
-- posted by Kasia @ 1:47 PM
