Somehow I understand why this show is so successful, after all I must've watched over 30 episodes of this show. It has suspense, a lot of action, a lot of plot twists (I'm not saying they're good plot twists, but they're there) and a modern feel that sets it apart from other shows.

It now grades just below 9 of 10. That puts it right up with some of the best TV series we have, that's ridiculous. Because let's face it, it's a really BAD show! Besides the few good things about this show, it lacks plot development, genuine acting performances, convincing characters, dialogue and most important it completely lacks realism.

Here we have CTU, a federal agency that fictionally has as much impact as a FBI or CIA. But CTU is so unrealistic in that is technologically so advanced it almost becomes sci-fi but at the same time has people working that are just complete retards! There really isn't any other word for it: retards! What federal agency would ever allow the sheer number and sort of relationships that occur at CTU? This organisation is socially in such complete disarray it shocks me that anyone would find this believable.

This show would be watchable if you could just 'shut out' the sheer stupidity in realism and just enjoy the suspense and action, but you can't. It's just there every episode and it just eats at you. One cannot watch a show that is not convincing in it's plot, nor in it's acting.

It's a pity the best TV series of late have called it quits. The Sopranos and The West Wing are, in my opinion, the best shows we've seen lately. 24 doesn't even come close to those, although the IMDb score might suggest it does. That reminds me, if you want to watch a realistic portrayal of how government and it's agencies work and how is dealt with acts of terrorism etcetera, watch the West Wing, has some of the best dialogue too. But for some reason people that show is too intellectual. They like it more dumb, like 24.