The real-time narrative premise of "24" is so simple that it's a wonder that it took someone this long to make it successful.
As "South Park" proved last week, it's just as simple to parody "24" - all you need is to stick in a beeping clock before every commercial break and have your Jack Bauer character gleefully torture people.
For this reason it might be easy to brush off "50," a Tufts take on "24" that takes place during a Tufts J-block the week before Spring Fling. Elements of a pedestrian "24" parody are here in the form of the ticking clock, the gravel-voiced, over-the-top Bauer character and the sly joke about the real Bauer's lack of visits to the bathroom.
However, "50," written and directed by senior Prescott Gadd, adds up to much more than an ironic spoof of a pop culture phenomenon. Gadd has expertly combined the concepts of "24" with a sharp satirical take on life at Tufts.
It's actually surprising how much of the "24" twists and intrigue "50" manages to squeeze into a short time period. The show begins with the shadowy figures of Bacow and Reitman scheming on shutting down Tufts' fraternities once and for all. After having dismissed one of their secret operatives, Willis (senior Dave Adler), Reitman ensures Bacow he's procured a replacement. Meanwhile, the Bauer hero, Gabe, played by Alex Sherman (LA '06), begins to uncover Bacow's nefarious plans.
After finding several non-existent student groups receiving funds, Gabe's friends search through Facebook.com and the online Tufts Daily to unearth some surprising secrets about the heads of these groups. While revealing anymore about the plot would ruin the compellingly comic twists and turns of the show, it's to "50"'s credit that it manages to integrate Tufts' current events, mainly the follies of the Greek system, into major plot points.
While the plot alone might be enough to lure in some viewers, it's really the characters that are the charm of the show; they are exactly what separates it from the proliferation of "24" parodies. Junior Steve Wise's lovable loser Byron plays a version of "24"'s Chloe, while his partner, Laura Semine's (LA '06) Madison, seems to have an endless array of teasing insults. Sherman shines as Gabe, delivering perhaps the best line in the show at the end of the third episode. In a debate with Bryon over why a suspect would order Panda Palace over Rosa's, he reaches the conclusion that, "This messed up bastard actually likes Panda Palace more. I'm going to crush him slowly."
The minor characters are exaggerated versions of people you see everyday in Dewick or outside the library. Mark Roberts (E '06) and junior Will Kent play the bumbling stoner duo of Dallas and Ben who are drafted into service by Gabe, but end up spending more time missing the Joey and trying to play Frisbee and ping-pong. Junior Joel Perez is hilarious as the gossipy Euro informer who hangs outside of Fletcher and uses his ever-present cell phone to ask his international contacts for leads. Even the tiny role of Dylan and Madison's sweaty, overblown professor, played by Armen Nercessian (E '05), isn't wasted.
Far from the norm in student-made film, the production of "50" must have been held to a high standard. No words are lost to wind blowing into the microphone and faces aren't shrouded in shadows throughout a scene. The small sight gags riddled through out the movie are a testament to the cast and crew's eye for detail. Close attention reveals humorous touches like Gabe's paper, due at the end of the hour, titled, "Effect of Real Time on Narrative Structure," Gadd's Hitchcockian cameo, and a copy of the Daily with headlines littered with typos (not that such an issue would ever exist).
But the show's greatest accomplishment is that it never feels like the filmmakers think their work is superior to their source material. Neither "24" nor Tufts are taken as mere objects of irony or ridicule, but are treated with what can only be described as exuberant playfulness - which is to say the show's a whole lot of fun.
With its dead-on representation of some of Tufts' funniest flaws, its different personalities and characters, and its wide range of campus locations, it might be a good idea for the admissions office to show this to all incoming freshman as the best side of Tufts. Instead of grumbling about the inadequacies and eccentricities of Tufts (and college in general), Gadd and company have done the opposite and made it all laughable.
While "50" is airing on TUTV in five 10-minute episodes, like "24," it's probably best seen in its entirety at the premiere screening on Saturday, April 7 at 8 p.m. in Sophia Gordon Hall.
