Reply #19: I watched for the first time this past Sunday

[stanwyck]

because I'd heard, from reliable sources, that it was a good show. Maybe it gets better after you've seen a few shows, but I was very disappointed. Again, this may not be fair. Other shows have had to build. Generally the more complex, well-written shows have a learning curve.
I was just so turned off by the sight of the "hero" (Keifer Sutherland's character) shooting a guy he was interrogating that I shut down. I can't rationalize how a supposed good guy is so debased. I've heard the "It's a cartoon" explanation. But the ugly reality of how low our country has fallen is so prevalent in the news that seeing a "hero" act out the lowest common denominator aspect of our psyche on a TV show is sickening. It's the "might makes right" credo that has turned our wonderful country into a bully. We're stronger. We have better weapons. So, we're the best and what we do is right. Always. The show seemed to be in line with that philosophy.
"24" appears to be promoting the ugly America. Not the beautiful America.