So, for someone like me, who has never seen a single episode of this show, you would recommend my renting and watching it?

That is rhetorical, unless the answer is no.

I like to wait until 24 is released on DVD each season, because I can't stand a cliffhanger every single goddamn week. That way I can just watch the next episode immediately.

Even when I had cable I didn't watch it because I knew the cliffhanger would just raise my blood pressure.