I'm Ready to Kiss Jack Bauer Goodbye

24 is at the top of my list of favorite TV shows, but I'm kind of glad we're finally bidding it farewell this season.  Though I will miss it, I'm convinced that this season is the best possible way to end 24.  Here are four good reasons to say goodbye now.

1. It's always best to quite while you're ahead.  After the mess of last season, I was pretty afraid that 24 would never be able to recover.  They threw in everything but the kitchen sink with regard to played out plot-devices, including but not limited to the character assassination of one of my favorites, Tony Almeida.  Between his unbelievably improbable return from death and his constant I'm-bad-but-I'm-secretly-good-no-wait-I'm-good-but-I'm-secretly-bad-no-wait constant flip-flopping they turned a formerly beloved character into someone I could not muster even a shred of interest in. I don't even remember where he ended up, nor do I care to.  But this season, they've turned it all around.  All good things must come to an end, and I'd like to see 24 go out on a high note.  
2. We're back to the formula.  It may seem not seem like a compliment to call a show formulaic, but 24 is different.  There is a set formula to 24.  Things always work in a certain manner.  You might think that would get old and boring but it never does.  And anytime they mess too much with the formula everything goes off the rails.  When something works, it works, and 24 is definitely back to working again.  Better to take it out on a high note now than to watch the show dissolve again.
3. They've put together a seriously great cross-over cast.  This season probably has the best cast we've ever seen on 24.  They've struck a great mix of returning favorites (Chloe!  Renee!  President Taylor!  Ethan!) and brilliant actors from other shows I love (Starbuck!  Sark!  Leoben!  Horace!  Bubba!  Also, that dude from Slumdog Millionaire!  Even Freddie Prinz, Jr does a much better job than I would have ever expected. The cross-over connections definitely up the fun factor.  And it would be a hard group to top in the future.
4. Jack finally met his match in Renee Walker.  Any love interest for Jack after this will just seem tawdry and cheap by comparison.  There has never been a female character on this show to equal Renee.  Usually the women on 24 are extremely annoying and extremely dumb.  Michelle Dessler is definitely an exception, making her a great match for Tony (who, let's face it, was always sort of the poor man's Jack anyway), but only Renee has been able to truly match Jack blow for blow (and crazy for crazy).  Of course, he had to lose her.  It's a rule that all the cool chicks either turn evil or get dead on this show.  But I won't begrudge that because it's part of the formula that makes 24 work so well.  Plus, we get to see a rage-fueled Jack tearing his way through New York City issuing justice and vengeance for the rest of the season.    

As for Jack's final fate?  I'm kind of hoping he dies at the end.  Not because I'm mean or hateful, but just because it really seems the only fitting end.  As long as there are bad guys in the world there are going to be dire situations, terrorist threats, attempted nuclear attacks, etc....  And as long as there are all those things, Jack Bauer will continue to fight against him.  There will be no retiring to the easy life for Jack.  He could never do that.  Jack wasn't meant for happy and peaceful.  He was meant for kicking ass and taking names.

I don't like imagining a future with Jack Bauer growing old and gray in his rocker.  And it just doesn't work to leave a dot, dot, dot at the end of Jack's story.  Just like there could be no show without Jack Bauer, it doesn't make sense to think of Jack Bauer without this show.  I'd kind of like to see them both go out together.  Preferably while doing some impossible world-saving, self-sacrificing thing that only Jack Bauer is capable of.  Only then do I think Jack Bauer will finally be at peace.