Monday, November 24, 2003
Waiting waiting waiting for Jack.
Someone on the Kiefer Krew forum posed a rather interesting question. This person was (I'm assuming here) a male and wanted to know what is it about the Jack character that appeals to women. All talk about the hotness that is Kiefer aside, I think this person wanted to find out if there were different aspects of the Jack character that he didn't even know about or think about. I think he mentioned that a lot of blokes pretty much go for the 'action' or the 'violence' of Jack's character. They cheered when he shot Goran and subsequently chopped his head off, or they grinned in squeamish delight when he started poking around inside of Wallace looking for the chip. I'm not saying that's what 'all men' want out of his character, just that that's what a lot of the appeal is.
On the other hand in reading the female responses to that thread, women are drawn more to Jack's vulnerabilities and chivalrousness (I don't think chivalrousness is a word. But oh well, you know what I mean.) They love his sense of duty to his job, but they also love how he protects his family to the best of his ability and that he would do anything for them. Some of them find the "battle between Jack's sense of righteousness and his dark side" compelling. (I totally quoted a forum member there - g-grl in fact. I want to be sure I'm giving proper credit :)) I think that aspect is perfectly illustrated in the final episode of Season One when Drazen's out of bullets and Jack has the upper hand in the battle. If you watch Kiefer's face closely - here is a man who thinks Drazen has killed his daughter and dumped her body in the ocean. The struggle over what Jack *should do*, i.e. arrest Drazen and bring him back to CTU, over what he wants to do, blast him off the planet - it is incredible to watch how Kiefer portrays that inner struggle without having to say a thing.
For me personally, this image sums up one small layer of Jack's persona. His immediate first gesture as he's walking away with a woman who is placing him under house arrest is to put his hand behind her to support her should she fall or guide her back into the building. It's just so gentlemanly and unexpected from the 'badass' side of Jack we love as well. But a gesture like that plays as completely second nature to him. Jack can be ruthless when called upon to be so; he can hack a man's head off, but he'll still come around and open your car door for you. He's not James Bond - you won't find Jack at any swanky soiree or driving a fancy car. Jack drives a Ford (obviously, hehehe), and maybe drinks a scotch as opposed to a martini. He's everyman's Bond with a vulnerable side and a strong sense of family, and of duty, and for me, that's what makes him so appealing.
There's so much more I could go on about, but I'll stop there. I just found it interesting the ways in which the different sexes regard a character like Jack.
Anyway, one more day til 24! :)
On the other hand in reading the female responses to that thread, women are drawn more to Jack's vulnerabilities and chivalrousness (I don't think chivalrousness is a word. But oh well, you know what I mean.) They love his sense of duty to his job, but they also love how he protects his family to the best of his ability and that he would do anything for them. Some of them find the "battle between Jack's sense of righteousness and his dark side" compelling. (I totally quoted a forum member there - g-grl in fact. I want to be sure I'm giving proper credit :)) I think that aspect is perfectly illustrated in the final episode of Season One when Drazen's out of bullets and Jack has the upper hand in the battle. If you watch Kiefer's face closely - here is a man who thinks Drazen has killed his daughter and dumped her body in the ocean. The struggle over what Jack *should do*, i.e. arrest Drazen and bring him back to CTU, over what he wants to do, blast him off the planet - it is incredible to watch how Kiefer portrays that inner struggle without having to say a thing.
For me personally, this image sums up one small layer of Jack's persona. His immediate first gesture as he's walking away with a woman who is placing him under house arrest is to put his hand behind her to support her should she fall or guide her back into the building. It's just so gentlemanly and unexpected from the 'badass' side of Jack we love as well. But a gesture like that plays as completely second nature to him. Jack can be ruthless when called upon to be so; he can hack a man's head off, but he'll still come around and open your car door for you. He's not James Bond - you won't find Jack at any swanky soiree or driving a fancy car. Jack drives a Ford (obviously, hehehe), and maybe drinks a scotch as opposed to a martini. He's everyman's Bond with a vulnerable side and a strong sense of family, and of duty, and for me, that's what makes him so appealing.
There's so much more I could go on about, but I'll stop there. I just found it interesting the ways in which the different sexes regard a character like Jack.
Anyway, one more day til 24! :)
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