24 Days of "24": My Favorite Moment

Over the next 21 days, you’re going to see several people share their favorite moments from “24.” So I thought I would take a few minutes and share one of my own.

I have a somewhat strange memory when it comes to TV. I remember more of where I was and what was going on when I was watching something than I do the actual scene itself.

So it should surprise no one that I remember exactly where I was when my favorite “24” moment occurred. It was March of 2003. A big storm had just hit the Tri-State and it knocked out FOX 11’s transmitter. So the only way you could see FOX 11 was on cable. But I didn’t have cable yet, so I had to go to my fiancé’s place and watch it. However, he didn’t watch the show (and still doesn’t), so thankfully I was alone when I started crying…

In season two, Jack was tracking down a nuclear bomb and he found it. But in typical “24” fashion, there was a twist—he didn’t get to it in time. The bomb could not be shut down and Jack agreed to fly it into a ravine, sacrificing himself. Jack tearfully said goodbye to his daughter, Kim, as he flew the plane toward the destination site.

But as powerful as that scene was, I didn’t even choke up because I didn’t believe for a second that Jack was going to die. The season was barely half over and he’s the main character. No, I had already figured out what was going to happen. I knew that George Mason would take his place.

Mason was the first of the annoying CTU bureaucrats who stood in Jack’s way. At the beginning of season two he was also a coward as he tried to run away from the nuclear threat. But he ended up getting exposed to radiation and only given hours to live. Faced with his death sentence, Mason became a new man—and a likeable character—so it only made sense that he would take Jack’s place so he could die a hero.

After a phenomenally powerful scene in which Mason (the always solid Xander Berkeley) called Jack on his death wish, Jack got set to jump out of the plane. But before he did, he put his hand on Mason’s shoulder. You didn’t have to hear Jack say the words. With that hand, he said everything he needed to say.

And that small little thing is my favorite “24” moment of all time.

With all of the things that have happened since—explosions, deaths—you would think that something would have knocked that small little gesture off the top of my list. But nothing has. I still tear up a little when I see it even now.

I invite you to share your favorite “24” moments with me by posting a comment or sending an e-mail to hdstaytuned@hotmail.com or hitting me up on Twitter at @TVAngela.

Tomorrow, 24 Days of “24” continues with details on the latest “24” novel and the thoughts of its author…

Photo Credit: Mitchell Haaseth/FOX