Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Ode to Curtis

Photobucket - Video and Image HostingDamn why'd they have to go and kill Curtis on 24 last night? Why why why! And in an episode airing on Martin Luther King day too. Damn damn damn!

What can I say? Yes I know he is/was just a TV character but Curtis was so much more.

Ok some background. One good thing about 24 is that unlike some of the other TV shows out there it has given us some memorable black characters. President Palmer and his wife/ex wife Sheri and CTU agent Curtis Manning all stand out. President Palmer's sister portrayed by Regina King also seems to be blazing a new trail in season 6 as a memorable character herself. (by the way does everyone besides me think that her boyfriend on the show played by Harry J Lennix look like Barak Obama?)

But every memorable black character seems to get knocked off. Sheri got taken out in season 3, President Palmer got assassinated in Hour 1 of season 5 and now Curtis gets taken out in hour number 4 of season 6.

Its been tough to see good black folk get killed (on TV).

Don't get me wrong though, 24 hasn't been all good for the brothers and sisters. Me and bajansistren had a running joke early on in the show's life that anytime you saw a minority character (aside from the Palmers) they wouldn't last more than 2 hrs. Anyone remember the black female cop that helped Jack in season one? yep she got taken care of swiftly, same thing with Lou Diamond Phillips' character etc etc. So minorities in law enforcement positions just weren't making it in the show until Curtis. (ok Tony Almeida was an exception and he was sort of like Slater on Saved by the Bell where they kept his ethnicity totally on the low till they fired him (tony) and had him talking Spanish and watching soccer).

So when Curtis showed up as a CTU agent in season 3, my expectations were low. I figured he wouldn't last three hours but somehow he survived. Then in season 4 when they had his ex, played by Aisha Tyler, work as a traitor I figured Curtis was done for cause they would somehow find a way to blame the brother for her handiwork and fire him. Either that or he'd get himself killed. But he survived. Survived season 5 too and I got accustomed to seeing Curtis, the stoic, by the book, without any emotional range (sort of like a black Ben Affleck) black Captain America, ask not what your country can do for you type that he was on the show and thought hey maybe he is invincible like Jack.

Alas I was wrong.

Curtis died in Season 6 hour number 4 last night. Shot by Jack Bauer.

But yes for the three seasons he was around it was nice having Curtis. He was a solid bit character. They never developed him too much beyond that until it was time to kill him but he was still cool to watch. He got shot, he shot back, he obeyed orders, he played by the rules, he was a prototypical soldier, and always cool, never flustered, at points the antithesis of Keither Sutherland's Jack Bauer character.

Which is why it was so difficult watching him go out in such an uncharacteristic manner last night. Disobeying orders and getting shot by a colleague? Who writes this stuff? Curtis' actions were definitely not in line with his character. Jack might do something like that but after three seasons of watching Curtis I'm pretty sure he wouldn't go out like the punk they played him to be last night.

I mean if they needed to get rid of him couldn't they just have had him get blown up in the nuclear explosion that they set off which was probably the biggest event of last nights episode to most people, except me cause the biggest event to me was Curtis' death.

Its just wrong and I could probably go into a "well if they had to kill off a black character this person would have been better to knock off" speech but I wont cause well first off I could go on and on about this show and secondly its all just a big TV show.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

You know that in hour-24 I will still be lamenting over the loss of my boy Curtis. A brother didn't have to go out like that.

Mighty Afroditee said...

Hmmm...seems as if you are a tad defensive about it jus 'being a tv show'...

Can we suspect some vicarious living here? Is this Jdid's weekly soap? Did you sob or well up when Curtis died?

Melody said...

Sometimes, it almost seems like 'endangered' actors should align themselves to a pledge (e.g. read & adopt McKay's poem, If We Must Die, before choosin' de roles that will launch or sustain their careers. Then they'd always be guaranteed to exit in a blaze of glory, or get no work at all. They'd prob'ly get no work at all, J; who'd play pimps, cons, ho's, punk cops, etc?! Git that money -- dolla-dolla bill y'all.

Campfyah said...

Well I hav't been up to date with the latest happenings on 24 an you know when you miss some episodes, that you are really lost. But hopefully, the brother will be replaces with a sister or another brother..but yuh know how it goes in Hollywood

The Humanity Critic said...

Yeah, it was sad to see Curtis go. But you know what, I called it, when he kept eyeballing dude and giving Jack attitude I said "I bet this is the episode where homeboy catches it!!" That's the first time I felt bad about being right..lol

Anonymous said...

Love 24, but I haven't been keeping up with it as of late. President Palmer was assasinated? Damn! No wonder his brother is in charge. How come Jack killed him? Was it friendly fire?

Anonymous said...

Ok, I have watched enough movies to tell you that no matter what, the black guy always die at some time in the movie/series.

I haven't watched any episode of the new season of 24 yet! That sucks! Thanks to my bad TV watching habbits.

Abeni said...

Be thankful you Had a Black prez:)

Anonymous said...

I kinda know Curtis in real life (I know his brother) and I started watching 24 when he got his first role on the show. Now that they decided to kill him off I am through!

Mad Bull said...

le been telling me about this show... where and when do I watch it?

Anonymous said...

I just started watching 24 last year... In that year I've watched all 5 seasons up to an including Season 6. This show has changed the way I look/watch TV now. Quite a number of things have happened that you NEVER would of thought would have happened in a show.

Pertaining to this Curtis thing.. yea it's a shame Curtis is gone BUT.. if u watch 24 the only CONSTANT character their really is is Jack. If you can name 5 ppl who have been on the show from season 1 I urge u to post it. A fren and I were saying before Season 6 started who are they going to kill off now??!?! :D

Luke Cage said...

Hey J! I never EVER come to your site and read a post and NOT comment, but I have no idea what this post is about because I didn't read it or any of the comments. I know it's got my man Curtis in it, but I haven't been able to see any of the first 4 episodes, and most likely will miss tomorrow's also as I'm still on the road. Hope all is well with you and the fam man. Be back to my regular round making self next weekend!

Rose said...

This show is so intense...it's got everybody going....

Amadeo said...

Everywhere I go I feel stupid for not watching this show.

princessdominique said...

Yeah I saw that. It was pretty critical.

Anonymous said...

Hey Diddy - thanks for reminding me I need to rent Season 3 again to start catching up! hahaha

But you're right - it's a strong show and I'm glad to see it's still attracting viewers.

Although Jack will have to eventually take a nap, or go to the bathroom or something...

What happened with his daughter? Is she still around?

Anonymous said...

^ That was me.

Luke Cage said...

AWWWWW MANNNNN!!!! How in the fu$$ could they go and execute Curtis like that? And by Jack no less. J, let me tell you man. I thought that Curtis was dead in whatever season had the biological attack in the hotel.

For some reason, I thought Curtis was somehow going to be killed when they stormed one of the buildings where they had stored the chemicals that created the toxins for that nerve agent. But my heart sank when Jack killed Curtis.

I mean, I KNEW Jack was going to shoot him, but I never would have thought that he'd killed him. That was unbelievable and one of the most shocking moments for me on this show. I was surprised that the Nuke went off, but to see Curtis slump to the ground.. I swear to you man, I was deeply moved. RIP Curtis! What do you think about David's brother as President???