I'm not an avid television watcher — in fact as a general rule I hate TV shows. But like all rules, there is an exception, and that exception is "24." It doesn't matter how much schedule rearrangement is necessary; I will not miss that show.

I started watching "24" last year during its fourth season. One of the many great qualities "24" possesses is its ability to be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of whether or not you've seen it before. Each season revolves around a completely different event, and besides a few staples, there are always new characters.

The novelty of each season is what keeps me hooked, and staple characters provide emotional attachment. "24" is a ruthless show, killing off people you thought were regulars. Essentially your only guarantee is Jack Bauer, played by Kiefer Sutherland, the star of the show — and the owner of my heart.

Season five debuted with a four-hour premiere split into two-hour episodes on Sunday and Monday. In the first 10 minutes, former president David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) was assassinated. The assassination sets the stage for the new season. Bauer comes back because he is being framed for the murder and needs to get to the bottom of the situation, and he can't count on the Counter Terrorism Unit, or CTU, to do the job.

Run by the federal government, CTU usually misses things Bauer catches and is bogged down by bureaucratic procedures. I think it's a good parallel of some things that might be flawed in our actual government. This shaky relationship between CTU and Bauer adds depth to the plot, which is already well developed.

Another reason "24" is so much better than every other show is the setup. Each season takes place within 24 hours — hence the name of the show. This short time frame spread out during 24 hour-long episodes allows the characters and story line to progress with detail. Unlike other TV shows that try to encompass a whole year in one season, "24" is able to provide the little details that suck you in.

During the action-packed premiere, 22 people died, six of them killed by Bauer. I counted. The action sequences are believable and well written.

"24" is motion picture quality. In fact, it's better than a lot of movies I've seen. The show is primarily a suspenseful thriller, but it manages to incorporate the emotional side of things without going too far. Instead of falling into the pattern of having character relationships dominate the once plot-driven show, "24" keeps relationships in the background, saving them for when an emotional attachment will add to the plot.

For example, during the premiere there is a hostage situation and Bauer is in the building. Normally he would single-handedly take every terrorist out and walk away from the burning building without a scratch. This time, however, his new girlfriend's son is in the building. Bauer shows his sensitive, family-man side and handles the situation in a less violent fashion, risking his life to save the boy.

Of course Bauer, the one-man army, is successful, but you are never really sure how he pulls it off. It's amazing; I can sit there and tell myself I know Bauer is not going to die because he is the main character, but I still find myself terrified for his life and caught up in what's happening. It's so compelling that even logic cannot calm my nerves.

Basically, "24" has every element needed to make it the best show ever: There's the invincible and attractive good guy, suspense, explosions, love affairs, social commentary and a really good story. If you haven't seen "24" yet, I highly recommend you check it out on Monday nights at 9 p.m. on Fox.

Alessa Thomas is the State News film reporter. Reach her at thoma470@msu.edu.