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Abstract
This article examines entertainment in terms of the political role of the mass media in contemporary democracy and addresses its significance in the public communication process. It draws upon the field of cultural studies to situate cultural texts within their specific historical context and to analyse the ways in which they represent political and ideological positions. Moreover, it discusses the work of Cohen on denial and Agamben's study of the state of exception, and reflects upon the way social and political theory may inform and empower the analysis of cultural texts. In this respect, the article addresses the television series 24 as a fictional articulation of the politics of contemporary counter terrorism, focuses on its portrayal of irregular law enforcement, and in particular the torture of detainees, and discusses its narrative structure as a form of cultural representation of denial and exception as interconnected and mutually-reinforcing concepts.
Notes
1. The term entertainment is used in the sense of ‘soft’ news, tabloid journalism, and popular talk shows, as well as fiction such as soap operas and drama series. See also Curran Citation2005a, 134–6.
2. I would like to thank Ian Hunter for bringing the latter to my attention.
3. See also the debate in Levinson Citation2004 and Greenberg Citation2006; on the advocacy of torture as permissible in an emergency, see Dershowitz 2002; Bagaric and Clarke Citation2007; on the criticism of such views, see Brecher Citation2007; Ginbar Citation2010; Rejali Citation2007; Žižek Citation2002a.
4. For a reading of season 2 on the basis of Agamben's work, see Caldwell and Chambers Citation2007.
5. Bauer defies his superior's call to arrest a terrorist suspect because he believes that if followed, the suspect will lead them to the hostages; he proceeds in a maverick fashion, violates the law, and eventually gets arrested. However, an intercepted phone call of the suspect verifies his stance (24 4.2, #4AAF02, 2005; 24 4.3, #4AAF03, 2005; 24 4.4, #4AAF04, 2005). Perhaps most characteristically, in season 3 Bauer causes a prison riot so as to free a drug lord and is considered to be a traitor. This is nonetheless proven to be an operation to intercept a biological weapon (24 3.4, #3AFF04, 2003; 24 3.5, #3AFF05, 2003; 24 3.6, #3AFF06, 2003; 24 3.7, #3AFF07, 2003; 24 3.8, #3AFF08, 2003).
6. 24 4.1, #4AAF01, 2005, 33.00–33.44.
7. 24 4.1, #4AAF01, 2005, 34.58–35.12.
8. 24 4.1, #4AAF01, 2005, 35.51–36.06.
9. 24 4.1, #4AAF01, 2005, 37.12–38.00.
10. 24 4.1, #4AAF01, 2005, 38.00.
11. 24 4.16, #4AFF16, 2005; 24 4.17, #4AFF17, 2005.
12. 24 4.18, #4AAF18, 2005.
13. Driscoll stepped down after her daughter's suicide (24 4.11, #4AAF11, 2005; 24 4.12, #4AAF12, 2005).
14. 24 4.18, #4AAF18, 2005, 21.47.
15. 24 4.18, #4AAF18, 2005, 20.18.
16. 24 4.18, #4AAF18, 2005, 26.56–27.41.
17. 24 4.18, #4AAF18, 2005, 31.24–31.48.
18. Following an attack which leaves President John Keeler in a critical condition, Vice-President Logan appears hesitant to take on the presidency. As the President, he appears primarily worried about his own safety and persistently remains in the bunker below the White House (24 4.16; 4.17; 4.18).
19. 24 4.18, #4AAF18, 2005, 35.00.
20. 24 4.18, #4AAF18, 2005, 35.53–36.09.
21. 24 4.18, #4AAF18, 2005, 36.37.
22. 24 4.19, #4AAF19, 2005, 3.05.
23. 24 4.19, #4AAF19, 2005, 3.51–4.03.
24. 24 4.19, #4AAF19, 2005, 10.17–10.47.