# WTF? American Idol instead of 24?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-american-idol-instead-of-24/150150
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [January 22, 2003, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-american-idol-instead-of-24/150150 "2003-01-22T04:05:57Z")
**Posts on this page:** 14
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2003, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-american-idol-instead-of-24/150150/1 "2003-01-22T04:05:57Z")
When’s the next episode of 24 going to be on? It makes me want to say “What’s going on? What’s going on?” (Stupid American Idol).
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### Author:  [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2003, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-american-idol-instead-of-24/150150/2 "2003-01-22T04:15:21Z")
The next episode of 24 should be 2 weeks from today.
Last week, the preview for the next new episode said “In 3 weeks, an all-new 24”.
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### Author:  [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2003, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-american-idol-instead-of-24/150150/3 "2003-01-22T04:30:29Z")
They have to skip a lot of weeks to make it end in May, since they can’t really show reruns. Although I’d prefer to watch the reruns 🙂
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### Author:  [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2003, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-american-idol-instead-of-24/150150/4 "2003-01-22T04:47:56Z")
I didn’t notice that. Why the hell is this show coming down the pipe like pee past an enlarged prostate? Is it some pitiful ploy to get people hooked into it and then sabotage the scheduling so that they’re more likely to buy the DVD release in order to fill in the gaps?
Or have they had problems with their shooting schedule?
This whole “intermittent” approach can’t be doing the ratings any good. I got a headache yesterday going through the TV guide trying to find _24_. Now I’ve got to remember to look for it on _February 4th_.
Who do I send the hate mail to? This sucks.
:Previews:
Are you serious? They’re stretching it out to make it last a full season by skipping weeks? Wouldn’t it make more sense to run the filler at the _end?_
> [@](#):
>
> _ **Fox! We make 35% of our executive decisions after huffing on a bag of glue – just to make it interesting.** _
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### Author:  [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2003, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-american-idol-instead-of-24/150150/5 "2003-01-22T05:15:54Z")
Well, I understood the 2 weeks off they took during the holidays, since that would have meant new episodes on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve… BUT… I agree – don’t do this to me now! We’ve only had two new ones since then!
I need my 24 fix!!!
::: pant pant pant ::: 😉
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### Author:  [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2003, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-american-idol-instead-of-24/150150/6 "2003-01-22T05:16:04Z")
If you started 24 the first week of November and then ran in it for 24 straight weeks, it would end in April sometime.
May is sweeps month.
This also assumes that no one will miss an episode around Thanksgiving or Christmas or New Year’s.
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### Author:  [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2003, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-american-idol-instead-of-24/150150/7 "2003-01-22T05:20:44Z")
Thanksgiving and Christmas I understand, especially since they gave us such a great cliffhanger to chew on. _But goddammit I want my 24 you sons of bastiches!!!_
Ah well, I got my 24 Season 1 on VHS on my way. Woo!
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### Author:  [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2003, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-american-idol-instead-of-24/150150/8 "2003-01-22T05:33:55Z")
Next week is State of the Union. Fox can’t do much about that.
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### Author:  [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2003, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-american-idol-instead-of-24/150150/9 "2003-01-22T06:04:08Z")
State of the Union? Bah.
Jack Bauer \> GWB
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### Author:  [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-american-idol-instead-of-24/150150/10 "2003-01-22T13:21:28Z")
GWB? Who’s that?
I thought David Palmer was President.
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### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2003, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-american-idol-instead-of-24/150150/11 "2003-01-22T14:05:45Z")
What they should have done was have Nina have an affair with Simon while Kelly Clarkson (is that the name of last years winner?) sings Secret Agent Man.
Paula Abdul is actually a mole for the terrorist, what with her ties to the Arab community. The big black guy should’ve run in slow motion a few times as he tries to save really bad singers from Simon’s poisoned barbs.
And then blow the whole place up.
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### Author:  [@annieclaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annieclaus)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-american-idol-instead-of-24/150150/12 "2003-01-22T14:08:11Z")
Don’t you know FOX’s mission is to Drive as Many People Crazy as is humanly possible? All you have to do is look at their crappy programs (24 excluded) to realize that! Rupert Murdoch IS the Anti-Christ!
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### Author:  [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2003, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-american-idol-instead-of-24/150150/13 "2003-01-22T14:35:01Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Kinsey \*
> \*\*GWB? Who’s that?
> I thought David Palmer was President. \*\*
What? You really want to experience a David Palmer presidency? Hell, it started with an assasination attempt, went on through a messy divorce and now there’s a damned nuke in LA AND a coup attempt going on!
Give me a boring Ford administration over that…
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### Author:  [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2003, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-american-idol-instead-of-24/150150/14 "2003-01-22T15:39:11Z")
Surely y’all didn’t think I just _forgot_ to post a spoilers thread, now, did you? 😃