Every Season Of 24 - Ranked From Worst To Best

10. Season 6

Plot: Terrorism is everywhere. This is evident from the opening scene, where news narration tells us that the country has been under attack from a spate of suicide bombings for the past 11 weeks. A young Muslim man waits for the bus, nervous about getting on. But the bus driver isn't having it, so he drives on, leaving the Muslim shouting on the street. But the joke's on the bus driver because the real terrorist is already aboard, and the bus explodes.

Jack Bauer has a history with a terrorist known as Aby Fayed, who will give the location of the head terrorist in exchange for Bauer. Bauer, returned from Chinese prison, is ready to die for 'MERICA. But the joke's on 'MERICA, because it's a con. Bauer escapes again and the season begins in earnest.

Season 6 is not only largely disliked by cast and fans alike, it's noticeably lazy.

Every Islamophobic, Tom Clancy, right-wing claptrap that was in the ether is poured into the writing. Even Kal Penn, who later came out against stereotypes, plays a terrorist teenager.

The show also followed up on one of 24's best cliffhangers - the cabal behind President Logan - only to drop the ball on follow through. It turns out to involve Jack's immediate family. 24 has always juggled multiple plotlines, but it wasted James Cromwell as Jack's ruthless father, whose whole arc feels like an afterthought.

This was 2007, when Bush was struggling for relevance under the meteoric rise of Obama. The show was as well.