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The Technology of 24: Real & Imagined, Fiction and Non-Fiction
David A. Shugarts is a veteran journalist who has a passion for technology and understanding the inner workings of devices as well as ideas and theories. Over the last several years, Shugarts has served as the chief investigative reporter for the Secrets book series, often delving into the ways in which the creators of pop culture works use a mix of fact and fantasy even in books, films, and TV shows that are supposed to be meticulously researched and highly realistic. For our 2004 book, Secrets of the Code, Shugarts analyzed the many plot flaws of The Da Vinci Code in a commentary that became the gold standard for fact-based Da Vinci Code debunking. Indeed, Shugarts was able to go so deeply into the thought process of Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown, that he produced a book-length work (Secrets of the Widow’s Son) about what Dan Brown’s next book might be about—before Brown has even published it.
We asked Shugarts to tell us a bit about what’s real and what’s not concerning the technology and gadgetry we see on 24. His fascinating report follows.
The salient point about Jack Bauer and his use of technology is that while he uses many devices, he doesn’t actually require any of these techie toys at all. He uses whatever is available. If a device comes to hand, it’s a convenience, not a necessity.
This is different from James Bond, where there is always a scene in which the technology supply sergeant, “Q,” shows James the toys (and James fiddles with them and breaks something). Once we have seen Q give the demo, we are simply waiting for the other shoe to drop. We patiently keep tabs until the end of the film for James to get around to using all the devices he has been carrying. The last device is also the one that is crucial in getting 007 out of the final predicament of the film.
In contrast, Jack Bauer carries a gun, a knife, a cell phone and a PDA. Sometimes he doesn’t bother with these things, though, or they are stripped from him. What we have learned over the various seasons is that Jack is probably at his most dangerous without the toys. That’s because possibly the most potent tech weapon of all is Jack’s mind. Jack is the fanatic who will not quit, who will sacrifice himself totally to the cause, and who is infinitely adaptable.
But the other side of “Jack tech” is that he knows tech stuff intuitively. Every tech item he touches bends to his indomitable will. Most of us poor slobs have to invest hours of sweat and study just to get familiar with one major program, like Microsoft Excel or Outlook. How many people do you know who still can’t reliably send an e-mail attachment? Jack, by contrast, sits down at any computer-like device, anywhere, under any conditions, dials up CTU on the phone, and after three keystrokes he announces, “I’m uploading the file to you now!” Jack can operate any weapon, fly any plane or helicopter, and overhear terrorist plots in several languages. He surely must be both a genius and some kind of closet techie….
…. For the rest of Dave Shugarts’ detailed analysis of the technology of 24, see chapter 7 of Secrets of 24.