Equalizer and 24

Last night I watched 24 for the first time. I wanted to compare the presentation of spies and the CIA and such with the EQ. Jack Bauer was testifying at a congressional hearing about his activities some time ago (since I haven't watched the show, I don't know if these activities were shown on the program). He is asked about his use of torture during these activities, and he tells the members of Congress that he used torture on a terror suspect because he knew that this suspect had planted a bomb on a bus carrying 45 children. In order to save the children, he had to use these methods. When asked if he knew the methods were against the Geneva Convention, he said yes. But when asked if he regretted using torture, he said no. His certainty that the information he gained saved the children is absolute.

My, how simple the decision to use torture seems in Jack's speech. We use torture; the suspect gives up the information; the children are saved. Unfortunately, this A leads to B leads to C is seldom how life is. And according to most experts on torture, doing A seldom leads to B and almost never to C.

Yet the hero of the show spouts this gibberish. Since I haven't watched the show, I don't know if Jack REALLY thinks this or there is some other motivation. It seems as if he really believes it, so I will take it at face value. And I find it absolutely appalling. The Bush administration has (soon I can use the word : was) justifiably been lambasted for policies which have allowed Americans to use torture, no matter what nice words the administration has used for their practices. As I mentioned above, most experts dismiss torture as a way to find the truth. How can a television show that appeals to so many allow its hero to talk like this?

I could not watch anymore and changed the channel. Later I tuned back in to see what Jack was saying now and heard him opine that nobody who had not been at the front lines could understand what they had to do (or at least he agreed with the terrorist who said this).

Well, back to the Equalizer. When I first watched the EQ, I thought the politics of the show were similar to what I am seeing on 24. But as I tuned in longer, and especially now when I am rewatching it after 20 years, I have understood that EQ's politics were the radical opposite of Jack Bauer and 24. McCall resigned because he had had enough of the dirty tricks and torture and the belief that the ends justify the means, especially the idea that AMERICANS have the right to do anything in the name of their country.

Remember: this was the time of the Iran Contra hearings, with Oliver North also spouting the same justifications that Jack Bauer used (although North was not talking about torture). We knew about the CIA's involvement in many operations that were in the so-called national interest but were often interfering in the internal affairs of another country. McCall wages an ongoing battle against those in the "company"who continued these practices (think: "Prisoners of Conscience" or "Prelude") and time and again implores his friend Control to use his influence to stop at least some of the abhorrent machinations of the company. In the episode "Trial by Ordeal" the existence of an international organization of spies dedicated to freeing prisoners of conscience headed by Control is hinted at.

Jack Bauer or the Equalizer? Choose.