Meanwhile....over at Jack's?

Remember when 24 was THE show to watch? THE watercooler topic on Tuesdays? THE coolest show on TV??

That's what a cheerleader can do to ya.

That and bad writing, bad plotting, bad you name it. If you are a 24-natic, this season must be a particular dissapointment to you because the confrontation between your faborite and Heroes was hyped as the TV match up of the century so far.

So how does it feel to be beaten not only by that bunch of heroic upstarts.......but by a bunch of has-beens and never-wuzzes who can't dance thier way out of a bag made of tissue paper?

Let's say that you did it to yourselves by not being what you used to be....creative, suspenseful, or even witty. And save for the two evenings when Jean Smart stopped by to remind everyone why she is the post-Lucy Queen of Monday Night Television, name one memorable set. One.

Anyway, last night was the finale, and according to TVWP, it went like this:

Day 6: 4:00 AM - 5:00 AM
By M. Giant
Season 6 Episode 23 Aired on 2007.05.21

With Josh in Doyle's
custody and Kiefer under arrest, it falls to Karen Hayes of all people to find a
way derail the exchange with Kiefer's Dad for the Russians' circuit board.
Behind the Veep's back, she's bold enough to call for help to the husband she
fired a few hours ago. Doyle and Josh wait alone at a drop point on the beach
with no satellite coverage while the whole operation threatens to go completely
pear-shaped; Marilyn's going batshit at CTU, Chloe is complaining about the
ethics of a trade that hardly anyone thinks is going to be honored by Dad
anyway, Buchanan has helped Kiefer escape, and even Doyle is having his doubts.
Karen gets busted, arrested, and chewed out by the Veep, and Milo's much
better-looking brother shows up to pick up his brother's stuff and tell Nadia
that Milo was in love with her, in case anyone still cares.

And just in case you still haven't picked up on the important lesson
that Not Listening To Kiefer Will Blow Up In Your Face, Dad's men show up at the
drop point with a fake component that literally blows up in Doyle's face. While
he writhes blinded on the sand, Dad's men whisk Josh away in an inflatable boat
before Kiefer can stop them. As everyone belatedly realizes once again that
Kiefer Was Right All Along (even the Veep, who has finally figured out that
maybe he isn't so smart after all), Kiefer figures out that Josh is being taken
to one of his father's offshore oil rigs. But before Chloe can figure out which
one it is, she abruptly collapses on the CTU floor. And yes, it is what you
think.

Day 6: 5:00 AM - 6:00 AM
By M. Giant
Season 6 Episode 24 Aired on 2007.05.21

CTU quickly figures
out which oil platform Josh has been taken to, and the Veep is just as quick to
order an air strike that will not only destroy the component but kill everyone
on board. You know Kiefer's not going to be down with that. Fortunately,
Buchanan knows how to fly a helicopter, so the two of them steal a CTU chopper
and head out to rescue Josh before the missiles hit. Kiefer not only shoots all
the bad guys, he also captures Cheng alive and catches up with Josh just in time
to prevent him from killing the grandfather he's already wounded. Realizing
there's no way he can get his father off the rig in time to save him and make
him pay for his crimes, Kiefer abandons Dad (and the component) to his fate,
leaping off the platform and onto the rope ladder Buchanan's dangling in front
of him just before the platform explodes underneath him. Instead of hitching a
ride back to CTU, Kiefer lets go just above the surf line, swims to shore, and
waves Buchanan off.

So, to wrap up the other story lines, Russian President Suvarov is
satisfied with the component's destruction and calls off the attack on the U.S.
base in Centralasia. Tom convinces the Veep to cut Karen some slack for being
right, and surrenders the recording from earlier. Buchanan flies Cheng back to
CTU, where Cheng gets off an excellent line. Marilyn and Josh reunite, without
any revelations about Josh's paternity coming to light. And Chloe's pregnant.
Try to look surprised. No, I said "surprised." Try again.

So what happens to Kiefer? Well, conveniently enough, the spot where he
dropped from the helicopter is within walking distance of Heller's beach house.
Completely off his meds by now, Kiefer goes to confront his former boss at
gunpoint, angrily blaming him for not doing more to get Kiefer out of China and
demanding his life back -- in the form of Audrey. But as soon as Kiefer sees
Audrey in the hospital suite that her dad has already set up for her in her
bedroom, he realizes that Heller's right, and he can only keep Audrey safe by
staying away. He breaks up with her sleeping form, then walks out onto Heller's
back balcony to stare sadly down the cliff into the sea, and then into the
lightening sky. Downer, dude

.

THAT'S IT???? The best you can do is a knocked up Chloe and Jack Bauer lovelorn again??? This is your ending??????? Hell, there were complaints about Heroes' ending, but at least they gave us something.

Guys, here's an idea. Give Jack a day off.....at least until you come up with something worthy of what used to be the baddest hour on TV. This season jumped so many sharks, its pathetic. And one more day like this one, then day will turn into night for you guys real quick.