This week’s episode of 24, perhaps more than any other this season, contained a great deal of palpable romantic tension. After Chloe decides to kiss Morris in order to check his breath for alcohol, Morris said it best: “Gotta love this place.” The episode was filled with reminders of those romantic tensions: Jack’s revelation regarding Audrey’s apparent death in China, Marilyn’s attempt to get herself some Jack lovin’, Milo’s attraction to Nadia being brought into question, and, of course, Chloe’s snogging of Morris.
24, despite being quite the serious show dealing with international disasters, thrilling action scenes, and large explosions, has always had a certain romantic component to it. While it has never been arrested by these romantic endeavors, overcome by the sheer love of its characters, some of these relationships stand as memorable moments from seasons past and present. There might not be the level of shipping that is seen on other shows, since a lot of these people proceeded to be killed, but there is certainly some affairs to root for.
So, without further adieu, the Top Ten ‘24’ Romances. I’d like to acknowledge that, although not a conscious ripoff, I have to send props over to Erin and Matt over at “BE Something” for their fantastic Top 10 lists and television discussion.
10. Mandy and Everything That Moves
She blew up an airplane to open the show’s very first episode. She attempted to assassinate President Palmer with a crazy hand virus in Season Two. She withheld information from an important investigation into Marwan’s location in Season Four. Mandy has certainly had her fair share of involvement in 24’s more serious plot points.
And yet, she’ll always be the hot lesbian. She’ll always be the one who uses her sexuality to get the job done, and the one whose return illicits sweaty palms across the world. Her romance with every single character she encounters is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the show’s most interesting, and most pervasive. With her presidential pardon in place, she’s capable of returning whenever the producers desire to have her to do so. I can’t wait to see who she seduces next.
9. Chase and Kim
I figure we had to work Kim in here somewhere; although I was much more tempted to include the Cougar or the crazed bomb shelter maniac, her relationship with Chase was one that played a fairly substantial role in Season Three’s storyline. It had a small child involved, some inter-office tension, and the whole issue of dating your father’s partner.
In a season which was all about personal relationships, this one actually managed to make a fair amount more impact than Kim’s other relationships. It never seemed to get in the way of the storyline outside of its normal dramatic intervention, which is what’s best for these type of romances.
8. Jack and Audrey
Most relevant this week, these two certainly faced quite a few difficult situations over the span of two seasons. They were always a little disconnected, but their relationship was threatened when Jack basically killed her ex-husband by forcing doctors to operate on another man instead. That’s kind of a buzzkill, when you think about it.
And yet, their love survived that and so much more. Perhaps more than any other of Jack’s post-season one romances, these two actually seemed to gain traction; this week alone, Jack was suddenly struck with a desire to speak to Audrey, even while Marilyn offered to sex him up. That shows a sense of commitment that we’ll be seeing more of for the future.
I honestly think I care more about her happiness in the world of Veronica Mars than my own. Last season she fell in love with a seemingly innocent boy…who ended up being both a rapist and a mass murderer. She was emotionally crushed, and forever scarred, and she has spent much of this season dealing with her issues. I can’t help but feel for her, her situation. How can you not root for someone who was left naked in a hotel room while her boyfriend went up to the roof to murder Veronica…who he had raped a year and a half earlier?
And, I’m coming clean because I can’t keep doing this. This is Veronica Mars we’re talking about, where no character is introduced for a simple reason. I had though Mac and Beaver (The aforementioned rapist/murderer) were adorable too, the epitome of the innocent teenage romance, but then the show ripped the rug out from under me. This isn’t some fantasy world, and in time I’m sure Bronson will be revealed to be some sort of environmental terrorist wanted on charges in some foreign country. And then Veronica will have to break the news to Mac, and she will be heartbroken, and her “Libidon’t” will kick in again. And I just can’t have this keep happening. I can’t keep getting attached to these characters’ romances knowing that one of them isn’t a series regular, and could disappear at any time.
Cultural Learnings 