THE NEW MATH
Jack is back as “24” returned to FOX last night with a prequel to its January revival. It’s as good a time as any to explore the impact of a show some liberals have called “soft core porn” for neocons.
Irony is a wonderful thing. There’s a great case to be made that Dennis Haysbert’s portrayal of President David Palmer played a significant role in putting the nation on the road to actually electing its first black commander-in-chief.
The show provided pop culture with its first realistic and believable black president. Television and the movies had been full of flimsy examples, either rooted in comedy or simply the concept of a person of color holding the office. The writers of “24” didn’t use David Palmer as a gimmick, but more of an afterthought. His character was written as a competent president, who happened to be black.
Haysbert’s skills as an actor and the program’s strong script afforded millions of regular viewers, the skeptics included, the opportunity to become comfortable with, and find themselves rooting for, President Palmer as he stared down unspeakable horror.
The idea of a black president was given a credible platform. What to most seemed far fetched as the decade began has become a reality as it comes to a close.
I’m not trying overstate the role of pop culture in recent history-making events, just acknowledge it.
As for “24” itself, I must admit to having had my doubts about its comeback. Last night’s prequel erased many of them. The season to begin in January will feature a woman as president as well as an examination of the government’s so-called interrogation techniques. In other words, the writers continue to stay well ahead of the curve.
Learning from history is a must. Historians agree that mistakes were made after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Many are able to understand the injustices done to Japanese-Americans because of the climate of fear that gripped the nation. A half-century from now, a new group of historians will no doubt render the same judgment about the period which followed 9/11. Between now and then, as we pick up the pieces and acknowledge both successes and failures, it’s good to have a smart program like “24” offering something for everyone’s consideration.
Tags: 24, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, black president, counterterrorism, David Palmer, Dennis Haysbert, FOX, Hillary Clinton, interrogation techniques
