The two-sided coin that is “24”

“Oh! And George?” Jack Bauer calmly said to his supervisor in season two of “24,” “I’m gonna need a hacksaw.”

Gun fights, explosions, terrorist threats, backstabbing federal agents and more screaming and blood than a Gwar show. All of this lies ahead in just one day in the life of Kiefer Sutherland’s hot-headed, protocol breaking superhero, Jack Bauer.

(And that hacksaw? It was used to cut off a dirty witness’s head.)

If you’ve seen just one episode of “24,” I’m sure you’ve seen them all by now. You also probably worship Jack Bauer as your new god, since the show is more addicting than crack.

It is at this point that you should know I am actually a harsh critic. I’m not relying on pure bias here. I find almost every other show on television nauseating. Reality TV? “The OC?” People should be embarrassed. “24,” on the other hand, transcends everything I’ve ever seen. What puts the show so far ahead of its lackluster counterparts is its unpredictability and sheer genius.

Bauer works for the L.A. branch of the government’s Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU). Throughout his ‘days,’ Bauer has dealt with assassination attempts on the president, nuclear bombs, biological warfare and even a president conspiring with Russian terrorists from the White House. “24” is no walk in the park, folks.

The show excels in fiction and it knows how to screw with the viewers’ emotions. The writers understand the two utmost golden rules of creating a successful series: 1. everyone is expendable and 2. success doesn’t come without stabbing the viewers in the back and twisting the knife with unruly plot lines and twists.

Almost every major character that started with the show has been murdered or killed, however, these deaths are never in vain. Yes, the show does use death for suspense and action purposes, but it also takes into consideration the pain from its departed characters.

The beauty of “24” is that time never stops to help Bauer defeat those terrorist bastards that are always after our nation. No, he doesn’t always save the world with implausible “MacGyver” tactics and he doesn’t always save his loved ones.

Sutherland’s performance alone is worth the watch, but it’s the writers and producers that really help to make “24” a must-see. There is really no question about where you should be come Monday night at 9 p.m.

And while you’re at it, crack open a beer and chug every time Sutherland screams Bauer’s famous “24” tagline: “We’re running out of time!” You’ll be glad you did.