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For some reason I’m stubborn when it comes to trendy television shows. Popularity isn’t enough to get me watching, and is often reason enough not to watch. Survivor? Bleh. Desperate Housewives? Come on. I completely ignored both of these phenomenons in the beginning and I’ve managed to maintain my aloofness in regard to these two shows. I’ve always been resistant to trendy things and this has probably kept me from some things that I truly would have enjoyed (I was a late comer to Arrested Development, much to my chagrin), but that’s just the way I am. I still avoid Survivor and DH, and I don’t think I’ll ever change my mind where they are concerned.

In the beginning, I didn’t catch Bauer Fever either. In fact, it took me five seasons to get on board. I’m not sure if I even watched an episode until Day 6 started this year. Ginny has been watching for a long time had often told me how much she enjoyed it. I didn’t avoid it for the same reasons I avoided the trash referenced above. I figured I’d probably even enjoy it, but it looked like something I’d get more from if I had watched it all. I’d have preferred to start at the beginning, but I figured the beginning of a season would be good enough to get my feet wet. So I watched the four hours season premiere of Day 6 and I loved every juicy second of it.

That Tuesday I ordered the previous five seasons on DVD and during the next weekend I started watching from the beginning.

I remarked to Ginny last night how surprised I am—even knowing that Jack is going to eventually overcome every crisis he encounters—that I find the show so suspenseful. It really does keep me on the edge of my seat (even if I can see ahead three or four moves at a time). I’ve no doubt woken the cat more then a half dozen times by yelling at the TV when Jack does something entirely awesome or is particularly brutal to a bad guy, which is the real reason to watch this show anyway.

For certain, it’s incredibly unrealistic. Everything that can go wrong usually does. The story elements are repetitive and recycled time and time again. You can always expect something big to happen at the 55th minute of the hour. The bad guy who decides to make deal never speaks until he has the written pardon from the President in hand. There’s always a mole or two in CTU. And the CTU guy who seems to be an asshole in the beginning, usually turns out to be a good guy in the end.

But even if you know where the next turn or loop is going to be, it’s a super fun roller coaster to ride.

Having watched every episode within the last couple of months, I think it’s safe to say the Day 5 is the belle of the bunch; our hero Jack taking on the bastard Logan in a knock down drag out battle royale. I mean, geez, start by killing ex-President Palmer, and then make an attempt on Jack’s only two friends in the world. Don’t get me started.

Day 6 has been a little “meh” so far, but now that the Chinese are back, I expect things will get pretty interesting. And I’m not too sorry to see Wayne Palmer out of commission. Give me a megalomaniac Powers Booth any day of the week.

Apparently the last two hours of Day 6 will be aired on May 21st. Everybody’s welcome to attend a finale party at Casa Hartman. Leave your nuclear weapons at home, please.