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24's family affairs

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Paul McCrane*Warning . . . spoilers about the recent episode of 24 ahead . . .*

I had a long conversation with a big fan of 24 who thought that last night's plot twist -- having Jack Bauer's brother Graham (see actor Paul McCrane from his ER days on the right) turn out to be a villain who wanted his brother killed and having his father Phillip be sketchy -- is a bad sign for the show.

Saying that the new family connections "make it all seem like it's just about three people" and not about global terrorism, seemed to him to be jumping-the-sharkish. In fact, this 24 fan told me that the story line reminded him of Alias, when the writing started to go awry and there were all these sudden, forced familial connections between characters during its last season.

I, however, defended the Jack-Bauer's-family-is-screwed-up-and-mysterious story, saying that it was intriguing to sprinkle in Shakespearean drama amidst the likes of Abu Fayed and suitcase nukes. But I must say that having Graham be the same guy who gave orders to President Logan last season did strike me as stretching the limits of credulity, even when you really, really try to believe. Jack's father having business ties to an ex-Soviet general, I can buy that . . . plus I love James Cromwell, who's playing Phillip Bauer and can't wait for him to appear. However there's something about the Graham thing that does feel somewhat forced.

And if some of the folks who've posted comments about the new episode are correct in their suspicions that Jack's nephew Josh is really his son, the result of an affair with his sister-in-law Marilyn, then I will vigorously roll my eyes and wonder whether I've accidentally switched the station and am watching something other than an action-adventure show, maybe something from a soap opera network.

Last week, a TV Guide blogger, suggested that, despite some weird story turns (Think Kim and the cougar), that 24 might be "shark proof." I hope that the antics of the Bauer boys on day six don't prove him wrong.

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