A recent piece at Buddytv.com asked ‘Has 24 become too preachy?’, perhaps a better question is “Is 24 enough?” Ever since 24 debuted it has been decried for its handling of ethnic stereotypes, particularly those of the middle eastern descent. Is 24 just getting it wrong? Is the public too critical of 24? Or is 24 actually hitting it on the head?

Unfortunately in times like this, people exist with the feeling that there is danger lurking around every corner. Jack Bauer and his 24 cohorts are perfect heroes for this paranoid age. An age of suitcase nukes, biological weapons, and dirty bombs. Taking this into consideration, isn’t the best way to handle these plots with archetypal characters?

A show like 24 treads dangerously close to exploiting people’s fears, anyways. If it were any more accurate, the show would be pelted with criticism about how it engages in the reality of the terrorist threats for entertainment purposes. A good example, think of the furor that would explode if suddenly Jack Bauer were facing off an organization that was planning a 9/11 like attack? Such a move would be unforgivable.

The plots and characters of 24 are like cartoon characters for adults. Nobody is going to bash looney toones for implying that all ducks have speech impediments. Why should we attack 24 for its handling of the ethnic stereotypes? If anything, we should be glad that these characters are portrayed with a shred of exaggeration. The last thing 24 needs to do is become a vehicle for the terrorist manifesto.