Counting sheep...

So, it's over.

I've used my blog to talk 24 before, and now it seems as relevant as ever before. As the clock ended on the series last night, I went to bed counting sheep by trying to list my top ten favorite 24 moments of all time.

What I couldn't do is list them in numerical order, so instead they're listed in order of season. I've included my honorable mentions at the bottom. 

(I apologize that I couldn't find clips of these moments, but I hope you enjoy nonetheless. The whole series can now be streamed on Netflix.)

•  That bitch!

After spending the first day so close to Nina, you'd have considered her a main character that was the Tonto to Jack's Lone Ranger. Sure, she had her shady qualities, but they all did.

In the final hours, the sound of her voice speaking Serbian, or whatever the hell that was made me shit my pants. Seriously, poo everywhere. Well played, 24.

• Hacksaw Jim Duggin

In the first season, Jack's family was at risk, and while we knew that he was crazy, at least we knew why. Or, at least we thought we did. 

They made a huge statement in the first hour of the second season, and let us know without a doubt that shit was 'bout' to get crazy.

    •    Jack and Nina, sitting in a tree.

After that bitch killed Jack's wife, there were many awesome moments in the following seasons. It's hard to narrow them down, but here's my three favorites

    ⁃   Is Wayne Brady going to have to choke a bitch?
First contact since the end of season 1. Nina is trying to not look scared as shit, but she's scared as shit. Also, Jack knows she's scared as shit, so let the mind fucking begin. Nothing like a good throat grab, drag, and slam to get things started.

    ⁃    Lost in translation.
Lost In Translation has got nothing on this. Oh if we could only know what Jack whispered to Nina in the desert after a thwarted attempt to kill him. The look in her eye gave you an idea.

    ⁃    I don't care.
Season 3 - on the plane back from Mexico. Nina thinks she's crippled CTU and will soon be set free. By threatening the pilot, Jack gives Chloe enough time to stop the computer virus. Nina didn't believe him, but Jack responded with 'I don't care what you believe'. However, it was Jack's smile that followed that made it a million times more awesome.

• Death of George Mason

In didn't take long into the 2nd day for 24 to show us how crazy the real time scenarios could get. CTU's resident asshole took a wrong turn at Albuquerque and got a heaping helping of radiation poison.

With less than 24 hours to live, Mason bucked up and went back to work.  This work ethic would lead him to hide in the back of a plane carrying a nuclear weapon, and giving Jack a reason to live.

It was the moment that Jack got ready to bail out that left a mark. The final grasp from Mason, then Jack was gone, leaving nothing but a scared, lonesome Mason and his eminent fate.

•  Death of Ryan Chappelle

Whew, what can you say about this. It was the first moment where both Jack and President Palmer let me down. It was also a point where the series strapped Fonzie in some skis and had the boat on standby.

I guess in the end, you can say it was the definitive moment where the series dropped it's elephant sized balls on the viewer. Like with Mason, it was the moments leading up to the final shot that fucked me up. Jack had to help him out of the helicopter because his legs were shaky - I mean, that's some cold-blooded shit.

    •    You, me, and an axe.

Okay, so there was plenty of shock in season 3, but it was the conversation that Jack and Chase had with their eyes. No words were needed, just a tourniquet.

    •    Don't fight it.

My favorite ending of any season, and probably the most fitting. After a day of doing some hanis in my anus shit, Jack sits in his CTU mobile and has one hell of a sob fest.

It's a moment where we realize that he was indeed affected by his actions. It's a moment of awareness where Jack realizes that his actions that day have changed him forever. Yep, he's going to hell.

    •    What's your primary objective?

Imagine if Superman had lived for a few years as only Clark Kent, then in a shining moment, bypassed the phone booth and just stripped down to the outfit. Well, that's what happened at the end of season 4's first hour, and it was glorious.

    •    Nobody puts baby in a corner

Not much good about season 6. In fact, I try to forget about it. However, it's rare that we get a moment with Jack where he can express his feelings, and the final scene between him and Secretary Heller is one of my favorites of the whole series.

    •    Soul Patch Zombie

It still doesn't make sense, but damn, it was great to see Soul Patch Jesus again. The year off due to the writers strike actually helped. I had some time away from the series and I didn't feel as inclined to care.

Be honest, when Tony showed us his scarred face in season 7 it felt like a friend coming home. Let's not get caught up on the fact that he died and they really couldn't explain that away. I wanted it and so did you . Is he bad, good, good, bad? Who cares? Hell, we were all upset that they killed that hot ass Michelle Dessler. 


Honorable mentions:

• I think I love you.

After her work in season 3, Michelle Dessler could have taken over the series. Remember when she shot that dude for trying to leave the hotel? Damn.

• Jack calls Kim

Season 2 - 'Hey Kim, going to die now saving the world.' Should have been cheeseball and maybe it was, but man, it's getting a little dusty in here. (sniff, sniff)

• Death of a hobbit

So much death in season 5, however, it was Sean Astin's final breath that was the most horrific. Holding his breath knowing that when he finally did breathe he would die an excruciating death from poison gas. WTF?

• Tony saves Jack 

Oh man, when Jack called the 'only person he could trust' in season 4, I really didn't know that Tony was coming in shooting. Beer belly and all.

• Paul dies

This would have been Audrey's ex husband Paul gets his nipples shocked with a lamp cord. However, after taking a bullet for Jack, he's left to die by Jack's orders so that they can save the terrorist and get the pertinent info.

• Jack on Heroin  

Need I say more?