How will '24: Legacy' play in the era of immigration bans?
The latest take on the successful TV series '24' debuts after the Super Bowl on Feb. 5. But some critics are expressing concern with how the show depicts its villains.
The latest take on the successful TV series '24' debuts after the Super Bowl on Feb. 5. But some critics are expressing concern with how the show depicts its villains.
TV is returning again to the world of 鈥24,鈥 as Fox will debut the new TV program 鈥24: Legacy鈥 in its high-profile slot after the 2017 Super Bowl.
The original 鈥24鈥 series starred Kiefer Sutherland and aired from 2001 to 2010. Mr. Sutherland and other actors from the original series returned for the TV show 鈥24: Live Another Day,鈥 which consisted of 12 episodes and aired in 2014.聽
Now a new program set in the fictional world of 鈥24鈥 but centering on a new character, former Army Ranger Eric Carter (Corey Hawkins), will debut on Feb. 5.聽
But will 鈥24: Legacy鈥 find an audience in the Trump era?聽
The original series often had Mr. Sutherland鈥檚 character, Jack Bauer, battling terrorists, and now some critics are expressing qualms about how 鈥24: Legacy鈥 is depicting its villains. New York Times writer Neil Genzlinger notes in his review that viewers may find themselves reflecting on President Trump鈥檚 recent action on immigration during the opening minutes of the show.聽
鈥淭he premiere was filmed back when it seemed unlikely that Mr. Trump would be elected 鈥 but the opening moments play as if they were scripted to support the immigration restrictions he imposed last week,鈥 Mr. Genzlinger writes. 鈥淭he series grows considerably more layered as it goes along, with the panoply of villains encompassing a variety of demographics, yet the choice of a bin Laden surrogate as the starting point is sure to reignite the debate over the demonization of Muslims that 鈥24鈥 has encountered before."
He adds, "Broadly speaking 鈥 the world of 鈥24: Legacy鈥 is one in which Islam equals terror.鈥澛
Variety writer Maureen Ryan agrees, writing that the program has 鈥渁n array of interchangeable and cartoonishly stereotyped Middle Eastern bad guys,鈥 while Washington Post writer Hank Stuever writes that those who oppose Mr. Trump鈥檚 recent actions may find the show troubling.
鈥淚f you find yourself nodding in assent with President Trump鈥檚 executive-order attempts to crack down on Muslim immigration as a means of thwarting potential terrorism, then 鈥24: Legacy鈥 is still right up your alley,鈥 Mr. Stuever writes.
鈥淸A] lack of imagination and depth is what mars 鈥24: Legacy.鈥 It鈥檚 why all but one of its black characters are busy playing out a drug-dealing scenario and its Middle Eastern characters are credited as 鈥楯ihadi No. 1鈥 and such, while most of the white people frantically hammer at their computer keyboards back at CTU and still have time for humanizing subplots.鈥