I’ve never watched 24. Not ever. Not even one clock tick. It’s just not my thing. And after six years of hearing our president mispronounce “terrorists,” I’ve pretty much lost all interest in the topic – real or pretend. So I had no intentions of watching the upcoming seventh season. Then, they started to announce the cast. And, well, things got interesting. The latest new installment, as mentioned in last week’s Best. Lesbian. Week. Ever., is Carly Pope. You know Carly most recently as the lesbian drug dealer to the stars in Dirt; a CIA agent (the good kind, not the ones in black coats) in The Itty Bitty Titty Committee; and, of course, Sam from Popular. Well, now she will play Samantha Roth, the girlfriend of the president’s son who might be connected to his disappearance. I only watched Dirt on and off – it was a little too bleak and joyless for my taste – but I did catch Carly in a few choice scenes. Very choice.
The rest of the new female cast is just as intriguing. First there is Madame President Allison Taylor, as played by lesbian actress Cherry Jones. (You know, I never get tired of typing that.) And then there’s FBI analyst Janis Gold, as played by liberal activist/actress Janeane Garofalo. For a show considered a conservative’s darling, I’m pretty sure that one-two combination is the stuff Red State residents’ nightmares are made of. Even Janeane says she felt punk’d when she got the role. And her response to being caught off guard by paparazzi when she arrived in Los Angeles to shoot 24 only makes me want to support her more: “I’m not a celebrity. I’m a moderately successful person.” Awww.
So, I’m torn. On one hand, it’s a show with Cherry, Janeane and Carly. On the other, it’s a show helmed by a self-described “right-wing nut job” that counts Dick Cheneyamong its fans. Yeah, this is going to be a tough call. I need a little help. To watch or not to watch? Good thing I have until Jan. 13 to decide. Either way, I don’t think they should let Jack Bauer drive this season. Otherwise we might see a real terrorist behind the wheel.
