Review Roundup: 24 Live Another Day Finale

Here’s a comprehensive collection of reviews and recaps for the 24: Live Another Day Finale. We strive to collect as many reviews as possible here – both positive and negative opinions from a wide range of sources. This post will continue to be updated throughout the week as more reviews come in.

Forbes: “Now, hours after the finale of the series return in 24: Live Another Day, it’s nice to know we can take solace in the fact the writers did not make the same mistake this time around. This time, we got the one thing we needed to be happy: closure.”

Entertainment Weekly: “Overall, 24: Live Another Day gave 12 great episodes and reminded us all why we fell in love with the show way back in 2001 when it premiered. There’s no word yet on whether or not we’ll see another season, but the writers have definitely shown that they are up to the task of bringing Jack Bauer into this post-war-on-terrorism world.”

IGN (9.2/10): “Wrapping up its shortest season — and, not coincidentally, one of its strongest — 24: Live Another Day finishes with an episode that’s at times exciting, emotional, cathartic and just plain cool. Nobody gets a happy ending this time around, just variations on misery.”

ScreenRant: “The final hour of Live Another Day is a rousing bit of television that’s a little like watching an athlete come out of retirement to win a national championship.”

TV.com: “Only 24 could end a season with its hero en route to a different country to be beaten within an inch of his life and have it feel satisfying and apropos. What a great conclusion to a very strong season. The big questions coming into Live Another Day were whether or not we needed more 24, and whether or not there was a good story to tell. Having seen all 12 hours, the answer to both is definitely yes.”

The A.V. Club (A): “if you’d asked me before watching this episode, I would’ve said that killing Audrey was exactly that; a needlessly cruel plot twist that uses one of the show’s few remaining emotional relationships for a cheap and ultimately hollow gut-punch. But it worked. In context, Audrey’s death played less like a writer’s gimmick, and more like the inevitable outcome of a chain reaction that started when Jack arrived on the scene eleven hours before.”

New York Observer: “What a shitshow, eh? When the show suddenly killed off its antagonist and totally changed gears with a handful of episodes still to go, there was at least some sense that an interesting narrative was being constructed. But after that finale, which saw the murder of Audrey by one of Chang’s snipers and some subsequent crazy-ass retaliation from Jack, I’m pretty sure said narrative was that the writers got super drunk, said “to hell with it”, and went nuts throwing in as much gunfire and bloodshed into their scripts as the network would allow.”

Vulture (4/5): “The real fallout of Audrey’s death wasn’t Jack finding and killing Cheng, but Heller’s reaction to the news. William Devane’s final scene as Heller was quite moving, as Heller’s legacy is preserved but at a major price. He says, “I won’t remember anything that happened today. I won’t remember anything that happens, period. I won’t remember that I had a daughter that died such a horrible fashion.” It was a fittingly bitter note to close out Heller’s character.”

BuddyTV: “I haven’t loved Live Another Day, but I’ve enjoyed quite a bit of it — even this week’s finale. But that ending. I. Hate. It. I way prefer the original series ending, which was almost as depressing in its own right, but also at least held out some hope or acknowledgement that this is what Jack deserved. Or maybe even wanted.”

Boston.com: “It’s the vengeful Russians, and they’re hell-bent on a swap. Jack gives himself up for Chloe’s life, and our hero is whisked away to Moscow, torture and T.a.T.U. on tap. It’s sad … but, at the same time, there’s no way the series can end like this. No way in hell.”

TIME: “I wouldn’t say that Live Another Day was a classic of modern TV; over its dozen hours, it indulged in plenty of the plot zig-zagging that 24 wore out during its regular-series run. But emotionally? As Jack gave himself up once again, boarding that helicopter to Russia, I had to admit: damned if Bauer hadn’t pulled it off once again. In the episode’s final moments, Jack’s captor said that he won’t like it in Moscow and I have no doubt that’s true. But I hope he stays a while anyway. Taking some time off now and then seems to do him good.”

HitFix: “At others, though, “Live Another Day” felt every bit as tired as the later seasons of the original run. Sutherland and Devane had to work overtime to give Audrey’s death the impact it had, simply because we’d already been there, done that. And Jack sacrificing his freedom for Chloe’s felt both rushed(**) and a rehash of Jack being taken prisoner by the Chinese (also involving Cheng) at the end of season 5.”

Criticwire: “Live Another Day ended with a victory that felt in almost every way like a failure. Audrey Raines was dead, her Reagan-esque father stricken with grief and Alzheimer’s, and Jack, who’d only just escaped the Russians, gave himself over to them in exchange for Chloe’s freedom. The cliffhanger obviously sets the stage for more “24,” although Fox hasn’t announced plans one way or another, but it also felt like the show crying “Uncle.” They’ve taken everything Jack has away from him so many times they’d have to build up a whole new life to give him something to lose.”

Kotaku: “But it didn’t feel all that conclusive. It doesn’t feel like Jack Bauer’s story is over. Maybe the writers have forgotten about Alan Wilson and the major conspiracy they spent so much time setting up in seasons 5 and 7, but I sure would love some closure there. And in many ways, this was a far less satisfying ending than the one we got last time 24 ended, back in 2010, when the monitors shut off and Jack disappeared from the world.”

HeadlinePlanet: “Populated with imagery that is neither pretentiously subtle nor tastelessly overt, one of star Kiefer Sutherland’s strongest performances (amid a seamlessly infinite sea of them) and a development that is as is important for its reflection on what transpired as it is for how it will impact what will transpire, the scene transcends even the most optimistic expectations for the rebooted “24″ event.”

TV Fanatic: “Honestly, 24: Live Another Day Season 1 Episode 12 left me horribly unhappy. I was prepared for someone important not to survive, but who they killed left me wanting to turn off the TV and walk away.”

FOX News: “As the helicopter took off, we had another quiet moment with our hero. He wasn’t desperate or depressed like before, rather he almost seemed at peace. Jack may have lost the woman he loved, but the country isn’t at war, multiple terrorists were thwarted, his daughter and his best friend both got to live another day. This served as a comfort to our hero who seemed to accept the bleak, violent future awaiting him.”

NY Daily News: “It’s been a solid season so far, with both Sutherland and the writers rejuvenated by four years off and the shorter 12-episode season. They didn’t have to waste time with such misguided plot twists as memory loss and mountain lions. Best of all, there has been the introduction of new strong female characters, never “24’s” strong point before, in Agent Kate Morgan (Yvonne Strahovski) and late terrorist leader Margot (Michelle Fairley). But at the opening, Audrey (Kim Raver) is demoted back to damsel in distress, pinned down on a park bench by an unseen sniper who has her in the crosshairs.”

Crave Online: ““24: Live Another Day” was a little disappointing in the way that it seemed to be content to repeat the formula that worked so well in the original series. I was hoping that Howard Gordon and company had picked up some new tricks in the last four years. There were some weak points in “24: Live Another Day” that could have derailed the entire miniseries. This was a very enjoyable final episode that managed to land its emotional punches, but I think that “24” and Jack Bauer should finally be allowed to gracefully exit the stage.”

Paste Magazine: “Overall, it was a satisfying end to a relatively short season. Sure, there were flaws. Like, why on earth would CIA agents assume that there is just one sniper? Jack’s response to Audrey’s death was gripping and President Heller’s closing words to Prime Minister Davies were perhaps the saddest uttered on television in recent memory. And that grand finale, when Jack and Chloe clutch hands at the trade-off, is gold.”

Screen Crush: “After season eight, it was difficult to imagine ’24′ being even remotely good again, but the four year break and the shorter season format has done wonders. The show is as good as it has ever been and it would be a genuine shame for it to vanish again. Come on, Fox. Bring on season 10.”

She Knows: “Usually, I dislike movies and TV shows that take viewers for a wild ride only to deliver such a maudlin ending, but this one felt incredibly right. I’ve said before that this series has been my first introduction to the 24 genre and from what I’ve learned, Jack’s life is never easy and is full of drama, intensity and sacrifice. This series and this finale delivered on all counts.”

Den of Geek: “I saw enough to make me want this show to return in some form. Hell, my emotions were so twisted; I wanted Jack to return in some form too. But part of me wanted them to pull the trigger. I was almost convinced we were in for one last shock, the one we really never thought would happen: Jack executed for his sins in broad daylight, finality assured. As someone who wrote off the season long along, all I can say now is: How naïve of me.”

E! Online: “At Audrey’s funeral, the POTUS watched as his daughter’s coffin was prepared to be taken back to the U.S., and lamented that soon, due to his Alzheimers, he wouldn’t even remember that he had a daughter. (So. Many. Tears.)”

TV Equals: “It was impressive to see 24 find an incredibly capable companion for Jack in Yvonne Strahovski’s Kate Morgan. She kicked plenty of ass as well throughout the season, and she was able to function as a solo and as Jack’s partner. It was a really well written and arced part, and they found a great actress to get it done.”

BloombergView: “This sequence highlighted the second-biggest problem of the season, one I have mentioned before: the bizarre refusal to keep the British in the loop. It evidently occurred to nobody (at least not to Jack and Kate) that with a sniper taking aim at the daughter of the U.S. president in the middle of London, they might call the British, who could deploy a hostage rescue team.”

Hypable: “And if this is the last we get of 24 itself, just be glad that it died as it lived: utterly incomprehensible, logic averse at best, at times morally reprehensible and so, so, so, so much fun.”

CarterMatt (A): “Then, we saw Jack Bauer take off to Russia … and then the end? This cannot be the end of the show, it can’t! At least there are still some people alive out there to save him, or for Jack to get out and find his way back to America. This whole season was awesome, and now we cannot wait for more.”

The Hollywood Gossip: “The only thing more heartbreaking than Jack’s reaction to Audrey’s death (probably Kiefer Sutherland’s best-ever work on 24) was that of President Heller. Due to his disease, he’ll never even remember his daughter. Some may say that is a good thing in the end, but what a devastating thought. As he deals with Alzheimer’s, Heller won’t even have the comfort of his daughter, or his daughter’s memory, to keep him company. So, yeah. Not exactly an uplifting hour of television.”

Patheos: “In “Live Another Day,” however, the writers hit all the right notes and gave Jack some real human moments. His devastation at the news of Audrey’s death was one. His sacrifice for Chloe was the other. Sutherland and Rajskub have worked together for so long now that the bond between their characters is palpable. Their final exchange made for one of the series’ greatest moments in its nine-season run.”

Palm Beach Post: “Part of me wanted Jack to die. I’ve always thought that was the most fitting ending for his character. The writers toyed with the idea, but said what they were coming up with didn’t feel right. Even if “24” doesn’t come back for another limited run (a great idea instead of a bloated 24 episodes) or as a feature film, it went out in style Monday night. And how many shows can make that claim?”

TVRuckus: “While some might have longed for the usual format, many warmed to the shortened version and the show delivered a powerful finale. We got one last commercial break lead-in without the digital clock beeps to honor Audrey, and to mark the death of the show or Jack, depending on your view.”

The Celebrity Cafe: “In what many will say (hopefully) as one of the best performances in network television, Sutherland lets it all out for this season finale, showing everything from tears to anger; and some pissed off yelling as well. Sutherland is so good that for a few moments during an especially crucial part of the episode, you feel him there, with you, sharing his emotions next to you. You feel his angst, his failure, his inability to ever make it out of a situation without causing tragedy. You feel his livelihood, his existential depression, his unforgiving stare. It is at this point where 24 manages to do something that is has never been able to do, connect with the viewer.”

Huffington Post Canada: “The season finale is spectacular, packed with loads of bloody fights (don’t underestimate Chang; dude’s like Jackie Chan) and grisly deaths, not to mention an unprecedented time skip that caps off the episode 12 hours later. It’s action-packed, politically charged, brutally sad, ferociously mad and incredibly sweet. It’s absolutely perfect.”

Starpulse: “The final end to the 24 saga, or is it? This show goes out the way it came in: a mixed bag of great things and not-so-great ones, not quite reaching its former glory but still damned entertaining.”

Bitch Stole My Remote: “But this new season has given me so much respect for the man, especially in his final scene of the season. At first I couldn’t figure out why Heller is so calm when the casket of his only daughter is taken out en route back to America. But as he begins telling the story to the Prime Minister (Stephen Fry), it becomes clear that it is merely heartbreak and shock. And also sadness – sadness that someday soon he won’t even remember his daughter, let alone how she died. And in that moment, collective hearts across the world break along with his. Devane deserves a standing ovation for his work this season, in my humble opinion.”

Boob Tube Dude: “As larger-than-life as “24” is, Heller (and by extension Devane) brought the program down to earth in a way that removed any distance we might have from the events onscreen. The threat of a drone strike is nothing when compared to the thought of loved ones slipping from memory.”

Uproxx: “The episode, and the season, ended with Jack looking out the window of the Russian helicopter followed by a silent count on the clock. Silent counts are usually used to signify the death of an important character. Does … does this mean Jack is on his way to his demise? Is that what they’re trying to say? Or are they saying it means the end of the show, like, for good?”

Pop-Break: “Yet, no matter how bad this series got, it always had Sutherland to absolve its sins. It’s his performance, from both an acting and physical standpoint, that made this series worth a damn. He possesses such a charismatic quality about him that you want to tune into him and see how he’ll save the day. It’s the mark of someone, like we stated earlier, that is locked into his character.”

CNS News: “Overall, this “limited event series” was two thumbs up. It started out a bit slow, but the latter half of the season was non-stop, must-see TV every Monday. The ratings seem to be quite good, and the ambiguous ending does leave open the possibility of a movie or another short season next summer. I, for one, would like to start the movement for #OneMoreSeason of 24 right now. “The 24 thrill ride” of 2014 was unbelievable, and there’s no reason why Jack Bauer and 24 fans everywhere can’t live one more day.”

Nerdcore Movement: “This season was certainly action packed and in classic ’24′ fashion gave us plenty of twists, turns, torture, and a few turncoats to boot. The accelerated nature of the show running for 12 hours instead of 24 actually worked better in today’s television landscape where series like ‘True Detective’ front-load everything into a much smaller package than the old TV model where a series had to run for at least 22 weeks. Jack was back and it was a glorious three months on Monday nights because he was sorely missed.”

TWC Central: “Though the quality of TV drama has risen considerably since 24 went off the air in 2010, Kiefer Sutherland’s performance when he learned that his mission had claimed another causality was absolutely devastating and on par with the excellent acting of the modern television era.”

Schmoes Know: “Overall, 24: Live Another Day is a really good season. I was really sucked into this show for a good portion of the episodes. I loved almost every single one and I felt that the last few episodes went into a different direction. As for the ending, it was just okay. This is not by any means a terrible ending like how Dexter or any Lost haters out there (I liked the Lost ending… sue me) felt about a season finale. BUT, I will say that it could have been handled better.”

ShowBuzzDaily: “There was a brief time when 24 was taken seriously, hard as that is to believe now. (It’s pretty amazing that in 2006, the show actually won the Emmy for Best Drama.) At its best, it’s been a very enjoyable ride, and there’s certainly no shame in that. Live Another Day suggests that a shorter span is better for everyone, audience included, and another return, maybe not every year, but after a break, could be another welcome popcorn event.”

Doux Reviews: “I honestly thought that they were going to kill off our Jack in this finale and it would have made sense if they had, but you know, I’m glad they didn’t. Audrey’s death and Heller knowing he would forget her were bad enough. With Jack and Chloe still alive, the door is open for more 24. And I’m okay with that.”

SandwichJohnFilms: “‘Live Another Day’ was an overall satisfying experience. It gave us back the old ‘24’ that we didn’t quite realize we missed, enough time having gone by for the show’s once-frustrating repetitiveness to feel welcome upon its return. The London setting was largely pointless, since Jack really only ever dealt with American forces the entire time, and none of the new characters really popped in any meaningful way, but it was nice to step back into this familiar world. But even on a lighter dosage, that familiarity still bristles in its rigidity. If Jack Bauer does step back into our lives again, be it in movie form or another 12-episode run, one can only hope that the old dog will finally have learned a new trick.”

The Escapist: “In conclusion, it’s been a hell of a season. Jack has faced many enemies new and old, one of whom was Lady Catelyn Stark. We saw the return of Chloe and her asymmetrical haircut and kohl-caked eyes. We saw the president begin to mentally degenerate, and we even got to see Jack show a little emotion. It’s been a wild ride, and I’m hoping the season’s success and the possibility of Jack escaping the Russians and more to be revealed about Kate (who turned in her CIA credentials) are enough for Fox to decide to do it all again next year.”

Paul Levinson’s Infinite Regress: “This season vividly showed that 24 still has the juice it had for its first eight seasons, and maybe even more. The jumping head 12 hours for the last segment worked just fine, meaning the 12 hours for the season worked as well as the 24, maybe even better. 24 is second to none in adrenalin and plots that are both complex and fast moving, and I say bring on some more. This season hasn’t slaked my interest in this narrative in the slightest, it only stoked it.”

Grantland: “Really, Lil Kate? That’s all you got? Jack would have looked at the bodies on the ground, observed the way the bodies seemed to have fallen, consulted his horoscope, taken into account vectors as well as the astral calendar, and then identified the exact room the sniper was stationed. But that’s why there’s Jack … and then there’s everyone else.”

Geekenstein: “Looking back, Live Another Day was a fantastic return to the world of 24, eschewing most of what hadn’t worked in years past for a leaner, more satisfying experience. Combining slick visuals with a great cast and a tightly plotted, well paced storyline, Day 9 is a real contender for the top spot out of everything the show has done. It’s everything the revival of a beloved franchise ought to have been.”

The Hollywood News (5/5): “With the exception of a couple of touristy shots, and some liberties being taken with London conventions (London is never as quiet as the show portrayed), 24: Live Another Day has been a welcome return. Jack’s managed to entirely suck us back in so we’re more than up for another return.”

Digital Spy: “But these are minor quibbles in what has otherwise been a very strong season – one that can be ranked alongside the best of the original show. As he boards that chopper to Moscow, Jack Bauer’s long-term future still hangs in the balance – but if its writers are able to deliver a new season akin to this in quality, then I’d be more than happy for 24 to return again.”

All That’s Epic: “This seems like way a way too unceremonious end to the entirety of 24. Too quick a shooing away of Jack Bauer, too many characters with untapped pathos and development left explore. Also, the time jump forward for the final ten minutes of the season felt cheap. You seriously expect me to believe that in the intermittent 12 hours between killing Cheng and the next morning that Jack couldn’t or wouldn’t do anything to try and get Chloe back without handing himself over? This is Jack Bauer we’re talking about here!”

MorseCode (9.0/10): “And the silent timer will have fans in a frenzy over Jack’s fate, at least until FOX or Kiefer Sutherland announces whether or not 24 will return. Why wouldn’t they? They returned with one of their best seasons to date, and have the fans hooked again as if it was premiering for the first time back in 2001. I, for one, want more 24 as long as it has the quality that this season had. Most of all, thank you for letting us forget that entire eighth season and giving us 24: Live Another Day. Bring on Moscow!”

Geeks Unleashed (9.0/10): “It brings the entire season together in a powerful way: without cartoonish villains or minor annoyances taking up screen time, Live Another Day is able to slow down, focus, and deliver one of the most emotionally charged hours the series has ever produced, particularly in the last ten minutes.”

Spoiler TV: “I’m still not sure as to how I feel about this ending in relation to the season 8 finale. I’m sort of leaning towards it being better, purely because at the end of season 8, Jack was desperate; whereas the ending here is him totally at peace with what’s happening.”

Assignment X: “In all, the 24: LAD finale had everything we wanted: Plotlines tied up, future storylines possibly in place, a major character death, a beheading with a ninja sword, loads of random bad guys getting one-shot by Jack Bauer (and Belcheck), an emotional ending on multiple levels, a cleaver to the gullet, a knife in the throat and 2014 War Games. They need this show to return. Maybe not next year or the following year but Jack Bauer and the brilliance that is 24 needs a place in this world and on our televisions.”

Other Recaps

Note: these are mostly just straight-up recaps with little or no critical analysis.

• Zap2It
• MTV.com
• Celeb Dirty Laundry
• Blogcritics
• RazorFine

Video Reviews and Recaps

Post Show Recaps:

AfterBuzz TV:

Issues Program:

2 Guys Talking 24, Hour 12 (Finale):

vikijurek:

Podcasts

• 24 Live Another Podcast
• Overthinking It