24: Legacy

The unique TV format lives on for at least a little while longer, and despite my initial concerns, I'm glad for it. 24: Legacy fulfills everything its title promises and carries on the original 24's legacy, drawing inspiration from it. However, it sometimes shamelessly steals from it, and not just in a good way (the hierarchy of villains from the first season is more or less repeated, including several key twists), but also in a bad way, when at the most suspenseful moments we always return to characters who aren't that interesting. Those who used to complain about Kim Bauer's overused troubles will certainly enjoy Eric's close relatives' escapades. One small downside I see, though, is that the most interesting character is not the main hero himself. Corey Hawkins tries to make the most of every scene, but it's Miranda Otto as Rebecca who steals the season with her subtle charm and unwavering charisma, and Dan Bucatinsky as the initially unremarkable Andy is a believable and surprisingly determined geek next door. In the end, Eric himself occasionally seems like a sympathetic plot mover, but many things happen to him more by chance. The fourth star in the rating is not only due to the connection with one of the most beloved characters from the original, but mainly because of impressions from the last episode, which unnecessarily cheated on the final shootout but brought even stronger emotions in the aftermath for all involved. The sharp decline in viewership and subsequent cancellation is disappointing because there was only room for improvement here. (20/04/2017)