Although, I've got to tell you, it's never been so hard to write about anything as "24." I truly can't tell you much of anything, because those big surprises in the first 10 minutes set the entire season in motion.

It is, however, sort of amusing — and at least a little bit insulting — that Fox has taken to threatening us. "Our continued ability to send these preview mailings to you depends upon your cooperation" reads the letter that accompanied the first four episodes.

In other words, if we give anything away they're not going to let us preview their shows. Which is sort of the proverbial cutting off your nose to spite your face, because then Fox would lose all the great reviews and free publicity that critics are giving "24."

Then the letter gets downright laughable: "The producers, the network and the studio are committed to protecting the audience's experience of these episodes."

So why, then, has Fox repeatedly given away upcoming "24" surprise plot points over the years in coming-next-week previews and promotional advertising? Hey, they're already doing it this season, with a promo that gives away something that happens near the end of Episode 4.

That, by the way, is something critics have complained to the network about — and we've been brushed off with lame denials and excuses.

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E-mail: pierce@desnews.com