Could be, but I haven't read much Clancy. I could easily believe it based on the movie or two based on his work that I've seen.
That said, the solution space is kind of limited. Every season of 24 is obliged to have The Terrorist Plot and The Political Plot; these usually intertwine, but aren't required to do so. The plots are required to be at least mildly apocalyptic (destruction of a major city, and the possible downfall of the Presidency; sometimes a threat to the entire country). Every episode has to have *something* big and loud happen, and you need 24 of those (more or less) over the course of the season.
Combine all of that, and the formula demands a certain kind of roller-coaster. Whether they manage it well or not is what determines whether the season is good...
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Date: 2006-08-01 12:59 pm (UTC)That said, the solution space is kind of limited. Every season of 24 is obliged to have The Terrorist Plot and The Political Plot; these usually intertwine, but aren't required to do so. The plots are required to be at least mildly apocalyptic (destruction of a major city, and the possible downfall of the Presidency; sometimes a threat to the entire country). Every episode has to have *something* big and loud happen, and you need 24 of those (more or less) over the course of the season.
Combine all of that, and the formula demands a certain kind of roller-coaster. Whether they manage it well or not is what determines whether the season is good...