24: Legacy

It’s meant as escapism, not realpolitik, and we should have faith people know the difference. Yes, there are flaws in the series, but in the first three episodes it keeps you hooked.

It's action escapism, not homework, and with Hawkins as a sturdy lead and a string of chases, gunfights and a couple of decent stunts, 24: Legacy mostly does its job.

The 24 franchise still takes itself very seriously and perhaps will somehow sort things out from a basic believability standpoint as time marches on. But in the first four hours, it’s too often 24: Cuckoo Clock.

Seeing Jack go through the old motions in 2014 revival season Live Another Day had a certain nostalgic appeal, but without him Legacy is mostly just a pointless retread.

Hawkins is a compelling presence, and his handling of the show’s signature action sequences suggests an actor who can carry a show. But as a character, Eric Carter is a bit of a dud, with a snooze of a backstory that does little to enliven him.

Thanks almost single-handedly to Kirk's performance it's modestly watchable, and there's a touch of "RoboCop" in the premise of a private entity taking control of an ailing police force. Yet even seen through that sci-fi lens, "APB" looks less far-fetched than "24."

For all the offense that could be culled from this woefully self-serious, violence-solves-everything nonsense, what’s most troubling about 24: Legacy is how little it cares about the inner workings of its characters.