More likely is that it's reflecting attitudes in society more condoning of torture than they have been in the past. Also, it could be depicting instances of to

More likely is that it's reflecting attitudes in society more condoning of torture than they have been in the past. Also, it could be depicting instances of torture more explicitly, without necessarily condoning them. At least in the "24" case, the "good guy" isn't a boy scout but a morally-ambiguous, gritty, hardened "any means necessary" warrior. As such, it's perhaps more realistic to depict him doing "bad guy" stuff to get things done.