Here is video of the complete season 8 preview shown at Comic Con last week. Some of it is shown sideways and part of it you can't see at all because the person taking the video had to be discreet.
But in this one you get to see quite a bit of the part showing the new CTU.
Link: YouTube
July 31, 2009
July 29, 2009
War and Peace: Kiefer Sutherland, Mary Lynn Rajskub, David Fury, Freddie Prinze, Jr., Anil Kapoor Talk Day Eight in '24' Press Room
Written by Jace | Tuesday, July 28, 2009 |
Written by Jace | Tuesday, July 28, 2009 |
In the press room after the 24 panel at San Diego Comic-Con this weekend, David Fury tried to explain comments that fellow executive producer Howard Gordon made on the panel about the lack of female writers on the FOX series. Gordon had likened the dearth of women behind the scenes on 24 to the fact that the Rolling Stones didn't have any female members either.
"They call me the woman on staff because I've written female roles for several other shows," Fury told members of the press. "Do I miss having women on staff? I do. The women who have come on have not quite captured the show, I don't know why. There is a mentality that it's a men's show. I don't think it's a problem for the show not having female writers, the show has been through many different writers, very successful very good writers who have succeeded on other shows could not quite get through the mindset and for some reason a lot of writers have fallen by the wayside. There's a cigar room and I don't think a woman would like getting invited into that room except for Katee Sackhoff."
What other information did we glean from behind closed doors in the 24 press room? Let's discuss, though beware as there are SPOILERS for Day Eight ahead.
Kiefer Sutherland said that he believes Jack is "apolitical." Personally, he's absolutely against the death penalty and thinks it's morally reprehensible and is embarrassed it's still used, BUT he can't tell you what he'd do if someone ever harmed his child.
Sutherland said he has "absolutely no regrets" about playing Jack Bauer and really doesn't know if it's the last season. He always felt the show could go on without him, saying "The star of the show is the format and the idea. I remember I actually pitched Joel Surnow once in the very beginning of Season One. I said, You know, you could change it up every year. The next year could be the last 24 hours of Joan of Arc's life, the next year could be 24 hours in a firefighter's day, 24 hours of a woman who's pregnant whose car is broken down in a snowstorm and how she's going to save this baby. I mean, it was endless. The format was what was so intriguing so I've always felt that way."
Still, said Fury, there haven't been any decisions yet about whether this is the last season of 24. "There's no telling if this is the last season," he said. "Jack Bauer could die. Personally I don't think that's how you want to end Jack's story, but that doesn't mean he can't go out in a blaze of glory. We do know what Jack's journey will be this season."
So should viewers expect to see any familiar faces on Day Eight of 24 and could Mandy make a return engagement?
"We're only in first third of the season," said Fury. "We've been discussing characters who could return. Charles Logan? I helped champion keeping Tony alive last season. Tony could be pivotal. There's always Mandy... we talked about Mandy last year. There's a split in the writers' room with Mandy's character not being perceived as 24; she's sort of Alias. Tony's accomplice last season was Mandy at one point, but that went away."
"Renee will return within the first couple of nights," he said about Annie Wersching's FBI Agent Renee Walker. "She will be a different person than she was [last season]. Jack and she will be into the relationship we put forth in Season Seven; we'll follow through this season. The season begins with Jack in a happy place ready to start a new life and when Renee appears she's a damaged person. But she's someone he decides to be a part of his life. Jack is putting back together the life he had. The thing with 24 is when you put something together, invariably it's going to put it at risk and Renee is going to play a big part."
Viewers shouldn't expect to see Carlo Rota's Morris O'Brian. At least not at first anyway, said Mary Lynn Rajskub, who said that she hasn't seen any scenes with Morris in any of the scripts she's read so far. "Morris is somewhere but so far I don't see him in any scripts but he could come back at any moment," she said. "He's at home with the baby I think."
As for Chloe herself, Rajskub said that Day Eight finds her in some very different circumstances.
"Chloe is not up to speed in the new CTU, which is very different for her," explained Rajskub, who said that this pits Chloe against Katee Sackhoff's Dana Walsh, who is her new boss. "She kind of pats me on the shoulder and says, 'Don't worry, you'll catch up,' which is the worst moment for Chloe ever. Everything's changed at CTU and my bosses are looking at me like I'm not doing it right. But then something happens in the story where I think I know some information which puts me at odds with my bosses."
So there's definitely a CTU then next season? (Yes, and you can read more about what Day Eight's CTU looks like here.) And what's the timeframe of when Day Eight is taking place?
"President Taylor reinstated CTU after last season," said Fury. "She feels the country needs people like Jack Bauer to ferret out the conspiracies... Not sure if they'll specify the time lapse between Season Seven and Eight. But it's probably eight to nine months."
And, as we all know, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. are out as locations this season, which shifts to New York City for Day Eight.
"New York will be very big," Fury explained. "A lot [of it is] taking place at the UN. We don't have a White House this year. Anil Kapoor's character's story takes place at the UN. We've digitally recreated New York. We faked New York and it looks fantastic. We have a helicopter taking off a field in Santa Clarita that's suddenly on Roosevelt Island and there's Manhattan in the background and you buy it. It's incredible, feels like we're there and it really makes a difference."
So who is Kapoor playing then?
"Anil [Kapoor] is President of the Republic of... Kamistan?" said Fury. "I want to make clear it's not Iran. The UN was not happy about us doing anything [involving the] Iranian people or the government might take offense to, so we came up with a country. It was Iran for a long time in the script, but we decided it can't be. I think the spelling is Kamistan."
For Slumdog Millionaire's Kapoor, who plays Omar Hassan, the president of Kamistan, wanted to make sure he wasn't typecast in 24. Kapoor said that he liked that he could play the President of a Middle Eastern country as it was completely opposite to what he did in Slumdog. Of Omar Hassan, Kapoor said that he's a president and a good guy who's come to the US on a peace mission. "He's a peacemaker," said Kapoor. It was that fact more than anything that sold him on playing the role.
Also joining the cast for Day Eight of 24 is Freddie Prinze Jr., who plays CTU agent Cole Ortiz. Prinze said that he was a huge fan of the series, which he said has "always been a very character driven show."
As for Cole, he has something in common with Jack Bauer. "He's an ex-marine and Jack's an ex-marine," said Prinze, "He's heading up field ops, Jack used to head up field ops for CTU and this character knows Jack by reputation."
"There's a dark side to this relationship that you find out fairly quickly," said Prinze, whose character is engaged to Katee Sackhoff's Dana Walsh. "For a character like Cole who's someone who's very disciplined and substituted a lot of feelings that he had post-9/11 for the qualities that define a Marine, like self-respect, and dignity and honor. For someone like that to go through what this character's going to go through it's really going to turn his world upside down as far as the relationship goes."
Prinze also said that Cole is a guy who has to keep his emotions in check and is very hot headed.
Finally, Prinze confessed that he can't imagine anyone else saying each episode's "the following takes place..." except Kiefer Sutherland's Jack Bauer.
You and me both, buddy.
24 kicks off Day Eight in January, 2010 on FOX.
Link: Televisionaryblog.com
"They call me the woman on staff because I've written female roles for several other shows," Fury told members of the press. "Do I miss having women on staff? I do. The women who have come on have not quite captured the show, I don't know why. There is a mentality that it's a men's show. I don't think it's a problem for the show not having female writers, the show has been through many different writers, very successful very good writers who have succeeded on other shows could not quite get through the mindset and for some reason a lot of writers have fallen by the wayside. There's a cigar room and I don't think a woman would like getting invited into that room except for Katee Sackhoff."
What other information did we glean from behind closed doors in the 24 press room? Let's discuss, though beware as there are SPOILERS for Day Eight ahead.
Kiefer Sutherland said that he believes Jack is "apolitical." Personally, he's absolutely against the death penalty and thinks it's morally reprehensible and is embarrassed it's still used, BUT he can't tell you what he'd do if someone ever harmed his child.
Sutherland said he has "absolutely no regrets" about playing Jack Bauer and really doesn't know if it's the last season. He always felt the show could go on without him, saying "The star of the show is the format and the idea. I remember I actually pitched Joel Surnow once in the very beginning of Season One. I said, You know, you could change it up every year. The next year could be the last 24 hours of Joan of Arc's life, the next year could be 24 hours in a firefighter's day, 24 hours of a woman who's pregnant whose car is broken down in a snowstorm and how she's going to save this baby. I mean, it was endless. The format was what was so intriguing so I've always felt that way."
Still, said Fury, there haven't been any decisions yet about whether this is the last season of 24. "There's no telling if this is the last season," he said. "Jack Bauer could die. Personally I don't think that's how you want to end Jack's story, but that doesn't mean he can't go out in a blaze of glory. We do know what Jack's journey will be this season."
So should viewers expect to see any familiar faces on Day Eight of 24 and could Mandy make a return engagement?
"We're only in first third of the season," said Fury. "We've been discussing characters who could return. Charles Logan? I helped champion keeping Tony alive last season. Tony could be pivotal. There's always Mandy... we talked about Mandy last year. There's a split in the writers' room with Mandy's character not being perceived as 24; she's sort of Alias. Tony's accomplice last season was Mandy at one point, but that went away."
"Renee will return within the first couple of nights," he said about Annie Wersching's FBI Agent Renee Walker. "She will be a different person than she was [last season]. Jack and she will be into the relationship we put forth in Season Seven; we'll follow through this season. The season begins with Jack in a happy place ready to start a new life and when Renee appears she's a damaged person. But she's someone he decides to be a part of his life. Jack is putting back together the life he had. The thing with 24 is when you put something together, invariably it's going to put it at risk and Renee is going to play a big part."
Viewers shouldn't expect to see Carlo Rota's Morris O'Brian. At least not at first anyway, said Mary Lynn Rajskub, who said that she hasn't seen any scenes with Morris in any of the scripts she's read so far. "Morris is somewhere but so far I don't see him in any scripts but he could come back at any moment," she said. "He's at home with the baby I think."
As for Chloe herself, Rajskub said that Day Eight finds her in some very different circumstances.
"Chloe is not up to speed in the new CTU, which is very different for her," explained Rajskub, who said that this pits Chloe against Katee Sackhoff's Dana Walsh, who is her new boss. "She kind of pats me on the shoulder and says, 'Don't worry, you'll catch up,' which is the worst moment for Chloe ever. Everything's changed at CTU and my bosses are looking at me like I'm not doing it right. But then something happens in the story where I think I know some information which puts me at odds with my bosses."
So there's definitely a CTU then next season? (Yes, and you can read more about what Day Eight's CTU looks like here.) And what's the timeframe of when Day Eight is taking place?
"President Taylor reinstated CTU after last season," said Fury. "She feels the country needs people like Jack Bauer to ferret out the conspiracies... Not sure if they'll specify the time lapse between Season Seven and Eight. But it's probably eight to nine months."
And, as we all know, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. are out as locations this season, which shifts to New York City for Day Eight.
"New York will be very big," Fury explained. "A lot [of it is] taking place at the UN. We don't have a White House this year. Anil Kapoor's character's story takes place at the UN. We've digitally recreated New York. We faked New York and it looks fantastic. We have a helicopter taking off a field in Santa Clarita that's suddenly on Roosevelt Island and there's Manhattan in the background and you buy it. It's incredible, feels like we're there and it really makes a difference."
So who is Kapoor playing then?
"Anil [Kapoor] is President of the Republic of... Kamistan?" said Fury. "I want to make clear it's not Iran. The UN was not happy about us doing anything [involving the] Iranian people or the government might take offense to, so we came up with a country. It was Iran for a long time in the script, but we decided it can't be. I think the spelling is Kamistan."
For Slumdog Millionaire's Kapoor, who plays Omar Hassan, the president of Kamistan, wanted to make sure he wasn't typecast in 24. Kapoor said that he liked that he could play the President of a Middle Eastern country as it was completely opposite to what he did in Slumdog. Of Omar Hassan, Kapoor said that he's a president and a good guy who's come to the US on a peace mission. "He's a peacemaker," said Kapoor. It was that fact more than anything that sold him on playing the role.
Also joining the cast for Day Eight of 24 is Freddie Prinze Jr., who plays CTU agent Cole Ortiz. Prinze said that he was a huge fan of the series, which he said has "always been a very character driven show."
As for Cole, he has something in common with Jack Bauer. "He's an ex-marine and Jack's an ex-marine," said Prinze, "He's heading up field ops, Jack used to head up field ops for CTU and this character knows Jack by reputation."
"There's a dark side to this relationship that you find out fairly quickly," said Prinze, whose character is engaged to Katee Sackhoff's Dana Walsh. "For a character like Cole who's someone who's very disciplined and substituted a lot of feelings that he had post-9/11 for the qualities that define a Marine, like self-respect, and dignity and honor. For someone like that to go through what this character's going to go through it's really going to turn his world upside down as far as the relationship goes."
Prinze also said that Cole is a guy who has to keep his emotions in check and is very hot headed.
Finally, Prinze confessed that he can't imagine anyone else saying each episode's "the following takes place..." except Kiefer Sutherland's Jack Bauer.
You and me both, buddy.
24 kicks off Day Eight in January, 2010 on FOX.
Link: Televisionaryblog.com
July 28, 2009
July 27, 2009
July 26, 2009
'24' Stars Offer New Season Teasers - 7/26/09
By William Keck July 26, 2009 09:36 AM EST
24 star Kiefer Sutherland says the new season, premiering in January 2010, is "the most realistic storyline I think we've done since season one. It centers around peace conferences taking place at the UN between the president of Iran and the President of the United States, which I believe is possible within the next few
years. Obviously there will be a lot of people who will want to fight that. This is about fighting off that threat to peace."
With four new episodes already in the can, I asked Kiefer's co-stars to clue me in on one special scene they've already shot.
MARY LYNN RAJSKUB (CHLOE O'BRIAN)
"Chloe is not up to speed in the new CTU, which is very different for her. Katee Sackhoff plays my new boss (Dana Walsh), and she kind of pats me on the shoulder and says, 'Don't worry—you'll catch up,' which is the worst moment for Chloe ever. Everything's changed at CTU and my bosses are looking at me like I'm not doing it right. But then something happens in the story where I think I know some information which pits me at odds with my bosses." Mary Lynn adds that the new New York City-based CTU looks "kind of like
a spaceship. It's sleek with a lot of glass, and underground with a tunnel you drive through to get into it. I feel kind of like Batgirl. And our computers are under glass and there's a huge screen with all the information on it that everyone can access."
FREDDIE PRINZE JR. (new CTU agent COLE ORTIZ)
"There's a moment between my character, who runs field ops, and Katee's character, Dana Walsh, who runs the tech side of things. They're engaged and it's difficult having a relationship at work when the stakes are so high. They're having some problems that I really can't get into. You see that somebody's holding things
back—maybe she has a secret which he has to concern himself with. He's a Marine and he bases
everything on having a plan with a coordinated attack. There's an interesting dynamic on how he's going to deal with her."
ANIL KAPOOR (Foreign Leader OMAR HASSAN)
"I have one scene in a car with my bodyguard, Tarin. Suddenly I'm sending messages to my country to say people (behind an assassination attempt on his character's life) have to be taken to task and arrested. I can sense that the bodyguard is uncomfortable and the way that the scene progresses is very dramatic. I speak about the peace process, my younger brother Akbar and my family. It's a catharsis for my character." By the way, Omar's loved ones include a daughter, a wife—and a girlfriend!
Source: TV Guide Magazine.com/Keck's Exclusives
years. Obviously there will be a lot of people who will want to fight that. This is about fighting off that threat to peace."
With four new episodes already in the can, I asked Kiefer's co-stars to clue me in on one special scene they've already shot.
MARY LYNN RAJSKUB (CHLOE O'BRIAN)
"Chloe is not up to speed in the new CTU, which is very different for her. Katee Sackhoff plays my new boss (Dana Walsh), and she kind of pats me on the shoulder and says, 'Don't worry—you'll catch up,' which is the worst moment for Chloe ever. Everything's changed at CTU and my bosses are looking at me like I'm not doing it right. But then something happens in the story where I think I know some information which pits me at odds with my bosses." Mary Lynn adds that the new New York City-based CTU looks "kind of like
a spaceship. It's sleek with a lot of glass, and underground with a tunnel you drive through to get into it. I feel kind of like Batgirl. And our computers are under glass and there's a huge screen with all the information on it that everyone can access."
FREDDIE PRINZE JR. (new CTU agent COLE ORTIZ)
"There's a moment between my character, who runs field ops, and Katee's character, Dana Walsh, who runs the tech side of things. They're engaged and it's difficult having a relationship at work when the stakes are so high. They're having some problems that I really can't get into. You see that somebody's holding things
back—maybe she has a secret which he has to concern himself with. He's a Marine and he bases
everything on having a plan with a coordinated attack. There's an interesting dynamic on how he's going to deal with her."
ANIL KAPOOR (Foreign Leader OMAR HASSAN)
"I have one scene in a car with my bodyguard, Tarin. Suddenly I'm sending messages to my country to say people (behind an assassination attempt on his character's life) have to be taken to task and arrested. I can sense that the bodyguard is uncomfortable and the way that the scene progresses is very dramatic. I speak about the peace process, my younger brother Akbar and my family. It's a catharsis for my character." By the way, Omar's loved ones include a daughter, a wife—and a girlfriend!
Source: TV Guide Magazine.com/Keck's Exclusives
July 25, 2009
Comic-Con Backstage: Kiefer Sutherland discusses the possible end of '24'
Day Eight, currently in production, marks the end of Sutherland's current contractJack Bauer will return for another Day of "24" starting next January on FOX. That means that once again, Jack has cheated death. Even if we establish, though, that Jack Bauer is essentially a television immortal, time may still be running out for Kiefer Sutherland's gun-toting alter-ego.
FOX renewed "24" for two seasons back in 2007, a deal that simultaneously extended the show for the duration of Sutherland's contract with 20th Century Fox TV. At the time, "24" was coming off a critically maligned sixth season and an additional two seasons seemed like a realistic and finite duration.
After losing a year due to the strike, "24" returned this spring and while ratings weren't anywhere near what they were at the show's peak, it still continued to anchor FOX's strong Monday night and picked up six Emmy nominations (11 if you include the telefilm "24: Redemption"). As a result, Sutherland is far from committed to walking away next May.
"I don't know with regards to 'The Last Season' or anything," Sutherland told reporters backstage after the "24" Comic-Con panel on Friday (July 24). "I really don't. It is the last season that I've been contracted to do '24,' but I really don't know. We're so focused on making Season Eight. But obviously the requirements would be that the writers felt that they could really bang it out. If Howard [Gordon] came to me and say, 'The way I saw those last scenes play, I have an idea for Season Nine that would be unbelievable,' I would have to listen to him for that. I think we're all very away of wanting to protect what we believe is a very strong and important legacy that is '24.' All of those things. Again, the choices to do or not to do it have nothing to do with my contract, have everything to do with whether or not an audience still wants to watch it and cares and whether or not we feel we have something to offer."
In the immediate present, Sutherland and the "24" team are in production on Day Eight of "24," the show's first season in New York City (following its first day in Washington, D.C. this year). How will they top what was possibly the most tortured day of Jack Bauer's life? Or at least build on it? Well, at the Comic-Con panel, Sutherland and showrunner Howard Gordon echoed that this season's theme will be "peace" both in the main plot, which involves an assassination attempt that would jeopardize a historic summit between a Middle Eastern President (Anil Kapoor) and President Taylor (Cherry Jones), and for Bauer.
"My sense, and I think today kind of confirms it, I think fans kinda root for Jack and I think I kinda root for him as well and I think people would like to see him at least have the option to have a good life," Sutherland said. "We've stripped a lot of those components away over the years, by virtue of killing everybody, that whether he wants to live or die seemed to become kind of innocuous, like 'Who cares?' There was nothing really to live for. So what we did for this season is to really try to create something that would make Jack want to live. We started off with just this relationship between he and his daughter and his granddaughter and her husband and that family, because his family was literally torn apart after Season One."
Sutherland added, "For me as an actor and Jack as a character, the desire for Season Eight is to protect all of the things that would make living worthwhile and also live within the context of what he morally accept himself doing or not doing."
How will Sutherland react to the end of his run as Jack Bauer, whether it comes after next season or several years down the road?
"I think it's gonna be very complicated," he said." Whether this is our last season or next season's our last season, we certainly know we're on the shorter end of the stick than the longer one."
He continued, "In Season One and Season Two, it's such a shock to your body, the workload, that you can't wait for it to be done. And somewhere and somehow in the groove of everything, you start to get into a rhythm of it and you find ways to make it easier for yourself... I know for a fact that it's not gonna be 'Wahoo!' It's gonna be a combination of a lot of things and it's not gonna be easy."
Source: HitFix.com
July 24, 2009
SDCC 09 - Sutherland Goes '24/8' @ Comic-Con
By Michael Avilaposted: 24 July 2009 09:01 pm ET
****WARNING: DETAILS ABOUT THE SEASON 8 PREVIEW THAT WAS SHOWN AT COMIC CON IS IN THIS ARTICLE. DON'T READ FURTHER IF YOU ARE ADVERSE TO SPOILERS****
Fox’s hit thrill-ride 24 tub thumped for its upcoming eighth season Friday at Comic-Con. Joining star and executive producer Kiefer Sutherland on the panel were his newest co-stars, Anil Kapoor, Freddie Prinze, Jr. and Katee Sackhoff, veteran fan-fave Mary Lynn Rajskub, along with the show’s producing staff and composer Sean Callery.
Just like last year, when a change of direction and scenery gave the show a much-needed kick in the government-issued khakis, change is in order for the upcoming season. As is the norm at 24 panels, few details were revealed under threat of torture, but we did get our first glimpse of Day 8.
Jack, who obviously survived his health scare, is retired, and – GASP – happy! But we know it won’t last long, as a new crisis is revealed.
The first clip of hour 1 of Day 8, finds Jack living in New York City. A face from his past knocks on the door, a mercenary named Victor.
“How did you find me?”
Victor, who’s wounded, tells Jack about a planned assassination of the President of Iran, who’s in town to forge a peace agreement with President Taylor.
Someone doesn’t want that peace treaty – which is to be done at the UN – to happen.
Jack puts Victor’s gun to his throat to try and get him to reveal everything he knows but Victor says he’s not saying anything until he can cut a deal with CTU.
“You’re lucky I’m retired,” Jack says.
We see the shiny, rebuilt headquarters of CTU. Hey, there’s an underground tunnel. We meet the new members of the crew, such as Cole (Freddie Prinze, Jr.), head of Field Ops. He’s engaged to CTU’s data analysis chief Dana Walsh (Katie Sackhoff), whose condescending manner is grating on Chloe O’Brien, who after being a stay-at-home Mom for awhile, is having trouble keeping up.
The clip ends with Chloe getting a phone call from Jack, saying he needs to speak with her boss, Hastings. As Chloe runs up to Hasting’s office, the clip fades to black, not revealing who CTU’s new boss is.
In case anyone in the SDCC crowd was worried that the talky scene previewed here was a sign of a Caprica-like shift from the show’s action roots, Sutherland offered reassurance.
“We still blow lots of s--t up," he promised. “We’re just saving it.”
For many 24 diehards, last season marked a major rebound from the disappointing Day 6, easily the least popular in the show’s history.
In referencing that, Sutherland thanked the fans for their support and also last year’s co-star Annie Wersching, saying her portrayal of tough-as-Jack FBI agent Renee Walker was a big reason for Day 7’s success. He also said that plans for a 24 movie won’t start moving forward until the series is done.
Producer Manny Coto says Day 8, which starts an unspecified number of months after Day 7, begins with one of those rare quiet moments in Jack’s life. As he put it, everyone knows they won’t last, but they help make the show’s trademark nail-biting moments so suspenseful.
Showrunner Howard Gordon warned the panel not to get too spoilers, and the new cast members seemed to take him seriously.
Sackhoff, who said 24 gives her a chance to show the sweet side she never could display as Starbuck. In fact, after reading the scripts, she pleaded with the producers.
“I need a gun. I’m starting to feel really naked,” she said.
But knowing that being a 24 cast member is the most dangerous job in TV, Sackhoff kept the lid on data leaks.
“I could get fired. I have no job security. I could get my head chopped off and put in a duffle bag for evidence,” she said, a reference to one of the most notorious moments in Jack Bauer’s career.
Kapoor also didn’t spill any details on his character. But given that the clip shown did talk about a planned hit on the visiting Iranian president, and that Gordon said Kapoor’s ability to convincingly portray a royal presence or a president was why they hired him, it's obvious which role he’s playing.
Prinze Jr. said he’s always been a big fan of the show. Then, proving that he learned how to draw cheap heat during his time as a WWE writer, he name-dropped his wife Sarah Michelle Gellar’s name (“That’s right. I forgot she’s big here.”)
Prinze Jr. said he’s modeling his character, an ex-Marine, after a cousin who is serving overseas.
Leave it to Mary Lynn Rajskub to keep the mood light. When asked if Day 8 has a theme like Day 7 (Redemption), Rajskub said it was “like, totally party.”
Sutherland and Gordon both said peace was actually the overriding theme. That after years of terror threats, smuggled warheads and bio-weapon threats, the possibility of peace exists in the world of 24.
But remember. Lots of s--t will get blown up before Day 8 is done. They promised.
Season 8 of 24 gets going with two 2-hour events, on Jan 17th and 18th.
Source: Newsarama.com
Just like last year, when a change of direction and scenery gave the show a much-needed kick in the government-issued khakis, change is in order for the upcoming season. As is the norm at 24 panels, few details were revealed under threat of torture, but we did get our first glimpse of Day 8.
Jack, who obviously survived his health scare, is retired, and – GASP – happy! But we know it won’t last long, as a new crisis is revealed.
The first clip of hour 1 of Day 8, finds Jack living in New York City. A face from his past knocks on the door, a mercenary named Victor.
“How did you find me?”
Victor, who’s wounded, tells Jack about a planned assassination of the President of Iran, who’s in town to forge a peace agreement with President Taylor.
Someone doesn’t want that peace treaty – which is to be done at the UN – to happen.
Jack puts Victor’s gun to his throat to try and get him to reveal everything he knows but Victor says he’s not saying anything until he can cut a deal with CTU.
“You’re lucky I’m retired,” Jack says.
We see the shiny, rebuilt headquarters of CTU. Hey, there’s an underground tunnel. We meet the new members of the crew, such as Cole (Freddie Prinze, Jr.), head of Field Ops. He’s engaged to CTU’s data analysis chief Dana Walsh (Katie Sackhoff), whose condescending manner is grating on Chloe O’Brien, who after being a stay-at-home Mom for awhile, is having trouble keeping up.
The clip ends with Chloe getting a phone call from Jack, saying he needs to speak with her boss, Hastings. As Chloe runs up to Hasting’s office, the clip fades to black, not revealing who CTU’s new boss is.
In case anyone in the SDCC crowd was worried that the talky scene previewed here was a sign of a Caprica-like shift from the show’s action roots, Sutherland offered reassurance.
“We still blow lots of s--t up," he promised. “We’re just saving it.”
For many 24 diehards, last season marked a major rebound from the disappointing Day 6, easily the least popular in the show’s history.
In referencing that, Sutherland thanked the fans for their support and also last year’s co-star Annie Wersching, saying her portrayal of tough-as-Jack FBI agent Renee Walker was a big reason for Day 7’s success. He also said that plans for a 24 movie won’t start moving forward until the series is done.
Producer Manny Coto says Day 8, which starts an unspecified number of months after Day 7, begins with one of those rare quiet moments in Jack’s life. As he put it, everyone knows they won’t last, but they help make the show’s trademark nail-biting moments so suspenseful.
Showrunner Howard Gordon warned the panel not to get too spoilers, and the new cast members seemed to take him seriously.
Sackhoff, who said 24 gives her a chance to show the sweet side she never could display as Starbuck. In fact, after reading the scripts, she pleaded with the producers.
“I need a gun. I’m starting to feel really naked,” she said.
But knowing that being a 24 cast member is the most dangerous job in TV, Sackhoff kept the lid on data leaks.
“I could get fired. I have no job security. I could get my head chopped off and put in a duffle bag for evidence,” she said, a reference to one of the most notorious moments in Jack Bauer’s career.
Kapoor also didn’t spill any details on his character. But given that the clip shown did talk about a planned hit on the visiting Iranian president, and that Gordon said Kapoor’s ability to convincingly portray a royal presence or a president was why they hired him, it's obvious which role he’s playing.
Prinze Jr. said he’s always been a big fan of the show. Then, proving that he learned how to draw cheap heat during his time as a WWE writer, he name-dropped his wife Sarah Michelle Gellar’s name (“That’s right. I forgot she’s big here.”)
Prinze Jr. said he’s modeling his character, an ex-Marine, after a cousin who is serving overseas.
Leave it to Mary Lynn Rajskub to keep the mood light. When asked if Day 8 has a theme like Day 7 (Redemption), Rajskub said it was “like, totally party.”
Sutherland and Gordon both said peace was actually the overriding theme. That after years of terror threats, smuggled warheads and bio-weapon threats, the possibility of peace exists in the world of 24.
But remember. Lots of s--t will get blown up before Day 8 is done. They promised.
Season 8 of 24 gets going with two 2-hour events, on Jan 17th and 18th.
Source: Newsarama.com
USA Today's Take On The 24 Panel At Comic Con
The opening of 24's eighth season centers on a U.N. peace conference where President Taylor (Cherry Jones) and the president of Iran (Anil Kapoor, best known to U.S. viewers as the game-show host in Slumdog Millionaire) have prominent roles.
At a Comic-Con presentation, Kiefer Sutherland, who plays super agent Jack Bauer, said the plot is not unrealistic.
"This season is more grounded in what possibly could happen. There's a sense of reality that almost brings it back to Season 1," said Sutherland, who added that serious planning on a 24 film wouldn't start until the series approaches its end.
The peace conference is a noble goal, Sutherland said, but "when opportunities present themselves, there are also threats."
That threat would be a possible assassination attempt against the Iranian president, which of course draws a "retired" Jack Bauer in.
A short clip revealed that CTU (Counter Terrorist Unit) back after having been disbanded and it's a much glitzier place, all chrome and glass and cool lights.
When we last left Jack, he was on the verge of dying from an airborne toxin, his only chance at survival reviving the help of his daughter Kim.
"He did make it through. You'll see a little later how," executive producer Howard Gordon said.
Whatever happened worked well, because Jack will show a new feeling: happiness, largely due to being with his daughter and granddaughter, executive producer Manny Coto said.
Besides Kapoor, Freddie Prinze Jr. joins the cast as CTU agent and ex-Marine Cole Ortiz and Katee Sackhoff plays his fiancee, Dana Walsh, a CTU data analyst. Mary Lynn Rajskub is back as cranky, brilliant Chloe, although she's a bit behind the learning curve because she's been away taking care of her son. After a few episodes, Sackhoff, a veteran of Battlestar Galactica battles, said she told the writers she needed a gun. "I was starting to feel naked," she said.
The clip showed an injured man telling Jack of a possible assassination plot and Prinze, Sackhoff and Rajskub in the dark and shiny CTU.
After the clip, Sutherland offered solace to any worried fans. "Don’t be alarmed. We do still blow (stuff) up." -- Bill Keveney
Source: USAToday.com
Comic Con Article From LA Times - 7/24/09
Comic-Con: Katee Sackhoff says '24' will show 'sweeter side':
05:06 PM PT, Jul 24 2009
There were plenty of cheers for Kiefer Sutherland at the "24" panel today at Comic-Con. But the real attraction, at least for the teeming throng inside Ballroom 20, was Katee Sackhoff, who's joining the espionage drama as a data analyst at the CTU.
Sackhoff is already well-known for her role as the tough Starbuck on "Battlestar Galactica." Her new role will be quite different, she said. "This is just the sweeter side of myself," she said. "For a while!"
Fearful of giving away any spoilers -- showrunner Howard Gordon had just warned panelists to button up on plot developments -- she explained: "Seriously, I might be fired. On '24,' you have no job security. I might get my head cut off and put in a duffel bag for evidence," she said, referring to the end of one character who crossed paths with hero Jack Bauer (Sutherland).
The producers showed a clip from the season premiere that was free of the spectacular explosions "24" is known for. But Sutherland urged fans not to get the wrong idea. "Don't be alarmed, we still blow [things] up," he said.
-- Scott Collins
Source: LATimes.com
Exclusive 2009 Comic Con Coverage (from Kiefersutherland24.net)
Exclusive Coverage of 2009 ComicConCourtesy of the TAandMD
Exclusive Comic Con Notes: As they happen:
- Panel is Kiefer Sutherland, Howard Gordon, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Katee Stackhoff, Freddie Prinze Jr., Anil Kapoor, Brannon Braga, David Fury, Many Coto, Evan Katz, Sean Callery (Composer-I LOVE him!)
- First episode had 4 different scripts
- Confirmation that Jack starts out the day happy with his daughter and granddaughter
- Kiefer enjoyed having both Annie Wershing (Renee) and Elisha Cuthbert (Kim) back on the show.
- Apparently the Clip was awesome: Word on CTU: Shiny and sleek. We will know how Jack gets brought in and the new characters are introduced
- Our dear Chloe starts off "a little behind for being such a genius" and Rajskub is currently "looking radiant in purple"
- Katee Stackhoff and Freddie Prinze were both fans. Katee told her manager to "get me on that show!" and has told writers at some point she needs a gun. Prinze Jr., on the other hand, has been a fan since Season 1
More Comic Con Info from other sources:
The threat happens at a Peace Conference at the UN. Howard Gordon says the theme is "more redemption". A joke is made by Rajskub about 'parties and lemonade'. Kapoor's character is playing the President of Iran.
Kiefer Quote: "There's a sense of reality that almost brings us back full circle to Season 1." People saying it's sounding like the last season.
Dana Walsh (Katee Sackhoff) and Cole Ortiz (Freddie Prinze Jr) are engaged
Dana Walsh is better at computers than Chloe and is condescending about it. She is as usual, irritable.
Kiefer Sutherland quote : "Don't be alarmed. We still blow s--t up."
Descriptors of the new CTU from the clip: spiffy-looking, sleek, high-end, glass and steel
Not looking good for Kiefer's real dad (Donald Sutherland) to show up on 24. His quote: "I don't see that happening" and he also said: "The man's made a hundred and some-odd movies, you can see him anytime you want."
Howard Gordon quote: "The possibility of peace hangs over Day Eight of 24. But no worries, it takes a lot to keep the peace."
Movie Update:
"We are aware that there is some interest out there and we would love to make it." -Kiefer Sutherland. Reiterated that it will after the show is finished.
Source: kiefersutherland24.net
First Photos From Comic Con 09 - 7/24/09
Here are the first couple of photos I have come across of 24's day at Comic Con 09. The first is of Kiefer Sutherland & Showrunner, writer, producer Howard Gordon.
The second is of Kiefer, Mary Lynn & new cast members signing autographs.
The second is of Kiefer, Mary Lynn & new cast members signing autographs.
First '24' Tidbit From Comic Con 2009
Here is the first new poster for Season 8 seen at Comic Con! Very nice! Can't wait for more news and pictures from the '24' panel!
Source: JovemNerd
July 21, 2009
'24' Is The Most Addictive TV Series Of All Time - 7/21/09
Real time US drama is the most addictive TV series of all time - with just one British effort making the top ten, a poll shows
The show, which chronicles the adventures of Jack Bauer at the Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit, has been named the most watchable in a survey of more than 3000 film and TV fans.
The show, which chronicles the adventures of Jack Bauer at the Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit, has been named the most watchable in a survey of more than 3000 film and TV fans.
But while US hits such as The Wire, Lost and Friends dominate the charts, only one British entry - Dr Who - even merits a mention.
The poll, by LOVEFiLM.com, saw the Kiefer Sutherland-led drama 24, which has won six Emmys and two Golden Globes, grab number one spot with 19 per cent of the vote.
Lost came in second place, on 17 per cent, followed by Friends, which grasped a ten per cent share.
Superhuman drama Heroes came fourth, on nine per cent, followed by cult hit The Wire, on seven per cent.
The highest - and only - British entry into the top ten was Dr Who, which managed a six per cent vote.
Darren Bignell, Communications Manager of LOVEFiLM.com, said: "We're a nation of comfort lovers and the thought of curling up on the sofa with our favourite programmes is a very tempting one. "Although crime doesn't pay, as our list reveals, it most certainly pulls in the viewers, and shows like 24 have clearly found the right mix of suspense, drama and action to keep us coming back for more."
The Most Addictive TV series were as follows:
1. 24 - 19 per cent
2. Lost - 17 per cent
3. Friends - 10 per cent
4. Heroes - 9 per cent
5. The Wire - 7 per cent
6. Dr Who - 6 per cent
7. CSI - 5 per cent
8. Prison Break - 4 per cent
9. The Sopranos - 3 per cent
10. Sex and the City - 2 per cent
Article Link: Telegraph.co.uk
July 19, 2009
Why I Love Season 1 Of '24' (Part 4)
8:00 am -9:00 am
Episode 9
Writers: Virgil Williams
Director: Stephen Hopkins
Episode Description:
Although he prevents Palmer's assassination, Jack is taken into custody where his story of his kidnapped wife and daughter is not believed. Knowing his family will only be kept alive if he is free to help Gaines, Jack knows he must escape. Back at Gaines' compound, Teri and Kimberly struggle to stay alive, while at CTU the traitor reveals that the whole unit has been wired to Gaines can watch their every move.
(Episode description source: '24' season 1 DVD special edition)
Episode Quote:
"I used to be in the military. Did field work for the CIA. I've been to some horrible places, seen some horrible things...I don't think I've ever been this scared in my whole life."
-Jack Bauer (to Lauren, the waitress)
Episode 9
Writers: Virgil Williams
Director: Stephen Hopkins
Episode Description:
Although he prevents Palmer's assassination, Jack is taken into custody where his story of his kidnapped wife and daughter is not believed. Knowing his family will only be kept alive if he is free to help Gaines, Jack knows he must escape. Back at Gaines' compound, Teri and Kimberly struggle to stay alive, while at CTU the traitor reveals that the whole unit has been wired to Gaines can watch their every move.
(Episode description source: '24' season 1 DVD special edition)
Episode Quote:
"I used to be in the military. Did field work for the CIA. I've been to some horrible places, seen some horrible things...I don't think I've ever been this scared in my whole life."
-Jack Bauer (to Lauren, the waitress)
Reasons Why I Love Season 1, Episode 9:
Jack Pleads His Case: After being caught by the Secret Service, Jack tries to explain to Frank Simes that his family has been kidnapped and he's being forced to do what he did. Of course, he is not believed. I enjoyed these scenes because this is when Kiefer Sutherland is at his best; a desperate man trying to get people to listen to him. You can feel Jack's frustration in these scenes. If you notice, the man playing Frank Simes is the same guy who was the lead Secret Service agent in Season 7 during the White House siege by Juma.
Great Direction: Stephen Hopkins only directed '24' during the first season. I wished he would have stayed with the show; his direction was excellent. I noticed in this episode a nice transition at one point showing Jack handcuffed at the power plant where he was arrested, then a quick shot showing Jamey's handcuffed at CTU. Always interesting direction by Stephen Hopkins. It's too bad he didn't stay with the show.
Jack Escapes The Secret Service (twice!): You have got to be good to escape the Secret Service not only once but twice. Only Jack Bauer could do that! Nicely shot sequence showing Jack escaping from the Secret Service at the power plant, and then once again at the construction trailer. Man, Jack is good!
Lauren The Waitress: What can you say about Lauren? This is the main reason I loved this episode and what makes '24' such a great show. '24' manages to cast some of the best one episode characters. I loved this character from the start. The actress' name who played Lauren is Kathleen Wilhoite. She was so realistic with that character; she really seemed like a waitress who got caught up in being held "hostage" by Jack. I especially loved the way she looked at Jack while he was talking on the phone with Nina. She just looked at him like he was a crazy man rambling on about assassinations, Secret Service, etc.
Another great scene was when Lauren tries to leave and Jack pulls a gun on her and gives the "I've killed two people since midnight..." speech. Classic Jack Bauer. One thing I never understood was why she turned Jack in. I was really surprised that when she went to get the car that was left for Jack, she went to the Secret Service and told him where he was. But I guess that is what makes 24, 24. They do the unexpected. Just a wonderful job by the actress and a great one episode character.
Teri Sacrifices Herself: Sensing immediately that when Eli wants Kim to go into the other room he wants to rape her, she volunteers to take her daughters place in order to spare Kim from that horrible experience. That was such a powerful scene to me because of how it shows the lengths a parent will go to in order to protect their child. I also liked how Teri manages to get his phone while she's in the room with him. Very smart move by Teri.
Jack's Tired: This is the first time we see the affects of lack of sleep has on Jack. As he's talking to Lauren, Jack drifts off to sleepy land if only for a very brief time. Of course, Lauren sees this as an opportunity to escape, but Jack wakes before she can completely get up from her seat. I liked the realism of this scene showing Jack actually tired and getting in a brief power nap.
Jamey Commits Suicide: This was a shocker at the very end of the episode. It didn't make sense to me at the time as to why she would do this. It didn't seem like something the character would do Now that I've seen the complete season, it makes sense; Jamey didn't commit suicide, she was murdered by Nina. At the time, this was a good '24' surprise ending scene for an episode. Then to complicate matters as 24 likes to do, as Tony and Nina are tending to an unconscious Jamey...Gaines calls.
Final Thoughts: Another one of 24's best episodes. Especially, the sequence with Jack and Lauren. That is what made this episode one of the best of season 1. We saw for the first time Jack coming in contact with a civilian when he was in a jam and their interaction was so well-written and had a genuine realism to it.
-By 24FanForever
Next Installment: 10:00 am - 11:00 pm
Great Direction: Stephen Hopkins only directed '24' during the first season. I wished he would have stayed with the show; his direction was excellent. I noticed in this episode a nice transition at one point showing Jack handcuffed at the power plant where he was arrested, then a quick shot showing Jamey's handcuffed at CTU. Always interesting direction by Stephen Hopkins. It's too bad he didn't stay with the show.
Jack Escapes The Secret Service (twice!): You have got to be good to escape the Secret Service not only once but twice. Only Jack Bauer could do that! Nicely shot sequence showing Jack escaping from the Secret Service at the power plant, and then once again at the construction trailer. Man, Jack is good!
Lauren The Waitress: What can you say about Lauren? This is the main reason I loved this episode and what makes '24' such a great show. '24' manages to cast some of the best one episode characters. I loved this character from the start. The actress' name who played Lauren is Kathleen Wilhoite. She was so realistic with that character; she really seemed like a waitress who got caught up in being held "hostage" by Jack. I especially loved the way she looked at Jack while he was talking on the phone with Nina. She just looked at him like he was a crazy man rambling on about assassinations, Secret Service, etc.
Another great scene was when Lauren tries to leave and Jack pulls a gun on her and gives the "I've killed two people since midnight..." speech. Classic Jack Bauer. One thing I never understood was why she turned Jack in. I was really surprised that when she went to get the car that was left for Jack, she went to the Secret Service and told him where he was. But I guess that is what makes 24, 24. They do the unexpected. Just a wonderful job by the actress and a great one episode character.
Teri Sacrifices Herself: Sensing immediately that when Eli wants Kim to go into the other room he wants to rape her, she volunteers to take her daughters place in order to spare Kim from that horrible experience. That was such a powerful scene to me because of how it shows the lengths a parent will go to in order to protect their child. I also liked how Teri manages to get his phone while she's in the room with him. Very smart move by Teri.
Jack's Tired: This is the first time we see the affects of lack of sleep has on Jack. As he's talking to Lauren, Jack drifts off to sleepy land if only for a very brief time. Of course, Lauren sees this as an opportunity to escape, but Jack wakes before she can completely get up from her seat. I liked the realism of this scene showing Jack actually tired and getting in a brief power nap.
Jamey Commits Suicide: This was a shocker at the very end of the episode. It didn't make sense to me at the time as to why she would do this. It didn't seem like something the character would do Now that I've seen the complete season, it makes sense; Jamey didn't commit suicide, she was murdered by Nina. At the time, this was a good '24' surprise ending scene for an episode. Then to complicate matters as 24 likes to do, as Tony and Nina are tending to an unconscious Jamey...Gaines calls.
Final Thoughts: Another one of 24's best episodes. Especially, the sequence with Jack and Lauren. That is what made this episode one of the best of season 1. We saw for the first time Jack coming in contact with a civilian when he was in a jam and their interaction was so well-written and had a genuine realism to it.
-By 24FanForever
Next Installment: 10:00 am - 11:00 pm
July 16, 2009
Complete List Of 2009 Emmy Nominations For '24'
| Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie | |
| Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or Movie: 24: Redemption • FOX • Imagine Television and 20th Century Fox TV in association with Teakwood Lane Productions Kiefer Sutherland, as Jack Bauer | |
| | |
| Outstanding Music Composition For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special (Original Dramatic Score) | |
| Outstanding Movie Composition for a Miniseries, Movie Or Special (Original Dramatic Score): 24: Redemption • FOX • Imagine Television and 20th Century Fox TV in association with Teakwood Lane Productions Sean P. Callery, Music By | |
| | |
| Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score) | |
| Outstanding Music Composition For a Series (Original Dramatic Score): 24 • 7:00AM - 8:00AM • FOX • Imagine Television and 20th Century Fox Television in association with Teakwood Lane Productions Sean P. Callery, Music By | |
| | |
| Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Miniseries Or A Movie | |
| Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For a Miniseries Or Movie: 24: Redemption • FOX • Imagine Television and 20th Century Fox TV in association with Teakwood Lane Productions Scott Powell, A.C.E., Edited By | |
| | |
| Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Drama Series | |
| Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For A Drama Series: 24 • 7:00AM - 8:00AM • FOX • Imagine Television and 20th Century Fox Television in association with Teakwood Lane Productions Scott Powell, A.C.E., Edited By | |
| | |
| Outstanding Sound Editing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special | |
| Outstanding Sound Editing For a Miniseries, Movie Or Special: 24: Redemption • FOX • Imagine Television and 20th Century Fox TV in association with Teakwood Lane Productions William D. Dotson, Supervising Sound Editor Catherine M. Speakman, Supervising ADR Editor Jeffrey Whitcher, Sound Effects Desinger Pembrooke Andrews, Sound Editor Shawn Kennelly, Sound Editor Dayl Fontenault, Sound Editor Melissa Kennelly, Sound Editor Laura Macias, Foley Artist Vincent Nicastro, Foley Artist Jeffrey Charboneau, Music Editor | |
| | |
| Outstanding Sound Editing For A Series | |
| Outstanding Sound Editing For A Series: 24 • 10:00PM - 11:00PM • FOX • Imagine Television and 20th Century Fox Television in association with Teakwood Lane Productions William D. Dotson, Supervising Sound Editor Catherine M. Speakman, Supervising ADR Editor Jeffrey Whitcher, Sound Editor Pembrooke Andrews, Sound Editor Dayl Fontenault, Sound Editor Shawn Kennelly, Sound Editor Melissa Kennelly, Sound Editor Jeffrey Charboneau, Music Editor Laura Macias, Foley Artist Vincent Nicastro, Foley Artist | |
| | |
| Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Miniseries Or A Movie | |
| Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Miniseries Or A Movie: 24: Redemption • FOX • Imagine Television and 20th Century Fox TV in association with Teakwood Lane Productions William Gocke, C.A.S., Production Mixer Michael Olman, C.A.S., Supervising Re-Recording Mixer Kenneth Kobett, C.A.S., Supervising Re-Recording Mixer | |
| | |
| Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour) | |
| Outstanding Sound Mixing For a Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour): 24 • 10:00PM - 11:00PM • FOX • Imagine Television and 20th Century Fox Television in association with Teakwood Lane Productions William Gocke, C.A.S., Production Mixer Michael Olman, C.A.S., Supervising Re-Recording Mixer Kenneth Kobett, C.A.S., Supervising Re-Recording Mixer | |
| | |
| Outstanding Stunt Coordination | |
| Outstanding Stunt Coordination: 24 • 5:00PM - 6:00PM • FOX • Imagine Television and 20th Century Fox Television in association with Teakwood Lane Productions Jeff Cadiente, Stunt Coordinator | |
| | |
| Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series | |
| Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series: 24 • FOX • Imagine Television and 20th Century Fox Television in association with Teakwood Lane Productions Cherry Jones, as President Allison Taylor Source: Emmys.com | |
'24' 2009 Emmy Nominations
Well, there's good news and bad news regarding the Emmy nominations for '24' this year. There were a total of 11 nominations. 6 for the series and 5 for the TV movie, '24: Redemption'.
However, I was stunned and quite frankly angry that '24' was not nominated for best drama and Kiefer Sutherland was not nominated for his phenomenal work in Season 7 in the category of best lead actor in a drama series.
I also thought Annie Wersching and Jon Voight deserved nominations as well.
As soon as I get the detailed list of the 11 nominations for '24' I will post them.
Here's what I know so far:
Actor, Miniseries or Movie:
Kevin Kline, "Cyrano de Bergerac," PBS; Brendan Gleeson, "Into the Storm," HBO; Ian McKellen, "King Lear," PBS; Kevin Bacon, "Taking Chance," HBO; Kiefer Sutherland, "24: Redemption," Fox; Kenneth Branagh, "Wallander: One Step Behind," PBS.
Supporting Actress, Drama Series:
Rose Byrne, "Damages," FX Networks; Sandra Oh, "Grey's Anatomy," ABC; Chandra Wilson, "Grey's Anatomy," ABC; Dianne Wiest, "In Treatment," HBO; Hope Davis, "In Treatment," HBO; Cherry Jones, "24," Fox.
It was good to see these nominations for '24', however I think the show was severely shortchanged. The '24' cast and crew worked so hard to make Season 7 one of their best and I thought they deserved to at least be nominated for best television drama. Very disappointing. :(
-By: 24FanForever
However, I was stunned and quite frankly angry that '24' was not nominated for best drama and Kiefer Sutherland was not nominated for his phenomenal work in Season 7 in the category of best lead actor in a drama series.
I also thought Annie Wersching and Jon Voight deserved nominations as well.
As soon as I get the detailed list of the 11 nominations for '24' I will post them.
Here's what I know so far:
Actor, Miniseries or Movie:
Kevin Kline, "Cyrano de Bergerac," PBS; Brendan Gleeson, "Into the Storm," HBO; Ian McKellen, "King Lear," PBS; Kevin Bacon, "Taking Chance," HBO; Kiefer Sutherland, "24: Redemption," Fox; Kenneth Branagh, "Wallander: One Step Behind," PBS.
Supporting Actress, Drama Series:
Rose Byrne, "Damages," FX Networks; Sandra Oh, "Grey's Anatomy," ABC; Chandra Wilson, "Grey's Anatomy," ABC; Dianne Wiest, "In Treatment," HBO; Hope Davis, "In Treatment," HBO; Cherry Jones, "24," Fox.
It was good to see these nominations for '24', however I think the show was severely shortchanged. The '24' cast and crew worked so hard to make Season 7 one of their best and I thought they deserved to at least be nominated for best television drama. Very disappointing. :(
-By: 24FanForever
Associated Press Article
July 14, 2009
'24' Star Plays In Celebrity Softball Game
Was Annie Wersching smiling because she knew her team would win 10-8 in this week’s Taco Bell All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game?Probably not. She was probably just having a good time, just as she has since she was cast in a school play version of “Cats” in the fourth grade.
Annie worked hard to become the professional actress she has wanted to be since childhood.
After earning bit parts in such popular TV programs as “Charmed,” “Angel,” “Star Trek: Enterprise,” “Frasier,” “Cold Case” and “Boston Legal,” she became a regular on “General Hospital,” portraying Amelia Joffe.
After 80 episodes of “General Hospital,” she joined the cast of ’24,’ in which she portrays Renee Walker.
She’s provided us with plenty of fun. It was great to see her have fun on the ball field.
Article Link: Examiner.com
Emmy Nominations Race: Best Actor, Drama 2009
Gold Derby's Emmy gurus debate who'll nab nominations for best actor in a drama series: Gabriel Byrne ("In Treatment"), Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad"), Hugh Laurie ("House M.D."), Jon Hamm ("Mad Men"), Kiefer Sutherland ("24"):
Glad to hear Tom O'Neil's defense of Kiefer being nominated.
Source: YouTube
Glad to hear Tom O'Neil's defense of Kiefer being nominated.
Source: YouTube
July 13, 2009
Jack & Nina Video - "Sweet Sacrifice"
Jack Bauer and Nina Myers Music Video...from the music of Evanescence - Sweet Sacrifice:
Source: YouTube
Source: YouTube
July 11, 2009
Updated ComicCon Schedule For '24'
San Diego Comic-Con Releases Friday Schedule
2:15-3:00 24-- The Fox series 24 is coming off its most critically acclaimed season in years. Stars Kiefer Sutherland , Mary Lynn Rajskub and new cast members Anil Kapoor and Katee Sackhoff join showrunnner Howard Gordon and the producers of the Emmy-winning series for a special sneak peek at the heart-stopping premiere episode of Season 8 Ballroom 20
Reason: 24 is going to get a reboot and I'm really pumped about it. I would love to go hear about Anil Kapoor and Katee Sackhoff's new characters. I'm a bit sad that Freddie Prince Jr. isn't listed. That would have been amusing.
Comment: Maybe Annie Wersching will go in place of Prinze. Agent Walker should be there shouldn't she? I don't know why she wasn't part of the panel to begin with. I would also LOVE to be able to see the Season 8 preview! -24FanForever
Source: BuddyTV.com
Reason: 24 is going to get a reboot and I'm really pumped about it. I would love to go hear about Anil Kapoor and Katee Sackhoff's new characters. I'm a bit sad that Freddie Prince Jr. isn't listed. That would have been amusing.
Comment: Maybe Annie Wersching will go in place of Prinze. Agent Walker should be there shouldn't she? I don't know why she wasn't part of the panel to begin with. I would also LOVE to be able to see the Season 8 preview! -24FanForever
Source: BuddyTV.com
July 10, 2009
Why I Love Season 1 Of '24' (Part 2)
Season 1 (Episode 6)
5:00 am - 6:00 am
Writer: Howard Gordon
Director: Bryan Spicer
Episode Description:
Episode Description:
Jack meets Teri and Alan York at the hospital where Janet has been admitted. But their reunion is cut short when Jack received a phone call from Gaines telling him to follow the instructions if he ever wants to see hid daughter again. Back at CTU, a dead body found in the car trunk is identified as that of Alan York. When Nina calls Teri and asks her to pass this information to Jack, Teri suddenly realizes she is also in danger.
(episode description source: '24' season 1 DVD Special Edition)
(episode description source: '24' season 1 DVD Special Edition)
This episode of Season 1 was one of the best for two reasons: the storyline really begins to pickup momentum and the first big plot twist occurs in this episode.
Reasons Why I Love Season 1, Episode 6:
Jack Goes Off Protocol To Get the Job Done: Jack shows once again he's willing to cut through the bureaucracy even if it means going off protocol however many times is needed to get the job done. In this episode, Jack requisitions a helicopter for personal use (against protocol) to go to the hospital where Janet is. I always enjoyed that aspect of Jack's character.
David Palmer Finds Out The Truth: David Palmer finally finds out the complete story about Lyle Gibson's death and his family's involvement in the cover-up. Wonderfully acted scene between David Palmer and our favorite sleazy political operative, Carl Webb.
Jack & Teri's Reunion: I loved when Jack and Teri meet at the hospital. You can see how much they love each other but at the same time, you can see why Teri is frustrated with Jack at times when he leaves her in the middle of a conversation to confront a guy who Jack thought was a threat but turned out to be only a guy trying to smuggle medication to his brother. I liked how both parts of the relationship between Jack and Teri were shown.
We Start To See The Real Sherry Palmer: Sherry tries to explain to David why she and the rest of the family covered up Keith's involvement in Lyle Gibson's death. You start to see in this scene how Sherry's ambition to get to the White House overrides everything else, including being honest with her husband. I think this is where the personal Palmer storyline starts to build momentum and get interesting.
Jack's Job & His Family: I absolutely loved this scene where Jack has to explain to Teri that Kim's kidnapping may be related to him being assigned to protect David Palmer. For the first time, Jack's job is affecting his family directly and it scares Jack to death. Also for the first time we really see the loving, sensitive side of Jack which is nice because it adds another dimension to the character. Jack's not just a tough Federal Agent, he's also a loving husband and father. What makes Kiefer Sutherland the perfect choice to play Jack Bauer is that he is one of the few actors who can pull off both sides of this character in such a believable way. Leslie Hope was also wonderful in this scene portraying a mother's anguish at her daughter being kidnapped and in danger.
Introduction Of Two New Characters (Mike Novick & Milo Pressman): In this episode we get introduced to two characters: Mike Novick, Senator Palmer's Chief of Staff and Milo Pressman, an independent computer analyst called in by CTU. I loved Mike's character from the very beginning, a very believable Chief of Staff. Would love to see '24' bring him back someday. I liked Milo's character much better in Season 1 than in Season 6. Season 1 Milo was much more likeable as the laid-back computer geek. He seemed like a totally different character in Season 6. That was ashame because Milo started out as a pretty interesting character, IMO.
Gaines Gets To Jack: I loved this part of the episode. Jack under control of Gaines. It was hard to watch Jack have to leave his wife at the hospital and not be able to tell her why he was leaving. I really enjoyed the tension of the whole thing; Jack being put under control of Gaines in order to protect his daughter. After Jack puts in the earpiece as ordered, he says something to the effect of "If you hurt my daughter, I will kill you." Gaines then replies "There's a nice clear signal." I loved that exchange.
First Major Plot Twist: 24's first really memorable moment: we find out the man who we thought was Janet York's father is an impostor. I'll never forget the first time I watched this scene and when Janet said, "You're not my father." I literally gasped! I was completely surprised and did not see that one coming. Then there was the cold, chilling way he killed Janet. Wow! That's what makes this show so special, completely unexpected turns in the storyline. This scene showed '24' was not going to be a typical predicable drama like many on TV. This show was going to be different.
Teri Gets A Shock: Ok, now we know the man with Teri Bauer is not Alan York so at the end of the episode, we get to see Teri find out he's not Alan as well. Teri and Nina both have been trying to call Jack but can't reach him so Nina calls Teri to ask her to pass along the message that they ID'd the body as that of Alan York! Great way to reveal this to Teri while she's alone in the car with the man she just found out is not Alan York. The look on her face when she finds out from Nina is perfectly played by Leslie Hope. I liked how Teri finds this out really by accident in just taking a message for Jack. Great writing!
Final Thoughts: This episode is one of the reasons I love '24' so much. There was so much great drama packed into this one episode. The character and storyline development was excellent as was the pacing of the episode. 5:00 am - 6:00 am of this first season was when I really started to fall in love with this season and couldn't wait for the next installment.
-By: 24FanForever
Next Installment: 7:00 am - 8:00 am (Season 1)
Reasons Why I Love Season 1, Episode 6:
Jack Goes Off Protocol To Get the Job Done: Jack shows once again he's willing to cut through the bureaucracy even if it means going off protocol however many times is needed to get the job done. In this episode, Jack requisitions a helicopter for personal use (against protocol) to go to the hospital where Janet is. I always enjoyed that aspect of Jack's character.
David Palmer Finds Out The Truth: David Palmer finally finds out the complete story about Lyle Gibson's death and his family's involvement in the cover-up. Wonderfully acted scene between David Palmer and our favorite sleazy political operative, Carl Webb.
Jack & Teri's Reunion: I loved when Jack and Teri meet at the hospital. You can see how much they love each other but at the same time, you can see why Teri is frustrated with Jack at times when he leaves her in the middle of a conversation to confront a guy who Jack thought was a threat but turned out to be only a guy trying to smuggle medication to his brother. I liked how both parts of the relationship between Jack and Teri were shown.
We Start To See The Real Sherry Palmer: Sherry tries to explain to David why she and the rest of the family covered up Keith's involvement in Lyle Gibson's death. You start to see in this scene how Sherry's ambition to get to the White House overrides everything else, including being honest with her husband. I think this is where the personal Palmer storyline starts to build momentum and get interesting.
Jack's Job & His Family: I absolutely loved this scene where Jack has to explain to Teri that Kim's kidnapping may be related to him being assigned to protect David Palmer. For the first time, Jack's job is affecting his family directly and it scares Jack to death. Also for the first time we really see the loving, sensitive side of Jack which is nice because it adds another dimension to the character. Jack's not just a tough Federal Agent, he's also a loving husband and father. What makes Kiefer Sutherland the perfect choice to play Jack Bauer is that he is one of the few actors who can pull off both sides of this character in such a believable way. Leslie Hope was also wonderful in this scene portraying a mother's anguish at her daughter being kidnapped and in danger.
Introduction Of Two New Characters (Mike Novick & Milo Pressman): In this episode we get introduced to two characters: Mike Novick, Senator Palmer's Chief of Staff and Milo Pressman, an independent computer analyst called in by CTU. I loved Mike's character from the very beginning, a very believable Chief of Staff. Would love to see '24' bring him back someday. I liked Milo's character much better in Season 1 than in Season 6. Season 1 Milo was much more likeable as the laid-back computer geek. He seemed like a totally different character in Season 6. That was ashame because Milo started out as a pretty interesting character, IMO.
Gaines Gets To Jack: I loved this part of the episode. Jack under control of Gaines. It was hard to watch Jack have to leave his wife at the hospital and not be able to tell her why he was leaving. I really enjoyed the tension of the whole thing; Jack being put under control of Gaines in order to protect his daughter. After Jack puts in the earpiece as ordered, he says something to the effect of "If you hurt my daughter, I will kill you." Gaines then replies "There's a nice clear signal." I loved that exchange.
First Major Plot Twist: 24's first really memorable moment: we find out the man who we thought was Janet York's father is an impostor. I'll never forget the first time I watched this scene and when Janet said, "You're not my father." I literally gasped! I was completely surprised and did not see that one coming. Then there was the cold, chilling way he killed Janet. Wow! That's what makes this show so special, completely unexpected turns in the storyline. This scene showed '24' was not going to be a typical predicable drama like many on TV. This show was going to be different.
Teri Gets A Shock: Ok, now we know the man with Teri Bauer is not Alan York so at the end of the episode, we get to see Teri find out he's not Alan as well. Teri and Nina both have been trying to call Jack but can't reach him so Nina calls Teri to ask her to pass along the message that they ID'd the body as that of Alan York! Great way to reveal this to Teri while she's alone in the car with the man she just found out is not Alan York. The look on her face when she finds out from Nina is perfectly played by Leslie Hope. I liked how Teri finds this out really by accident in just taking a message for Jack. Great writing!
Final Thoughts: This episode is one of the reasons I love '24' so much. There was so much great drama packed into this one episode. The character and storyline development was excellent as was the pacing of the episode. 5:00 am - 6:00 am of this first season was when I really started to fall in love with this season and couldn't wait for the next installment.
-By: 24FanForever
Next Installment: 7:00 am - 8:00 am (Season 1)
July 8, 2009
Inside Track: Emmy Race For Lead Actor In A TV Movie/Miniseries - 7/7/09
Gold Derby By Tom O'Neil: (LA Times)
Speaking of series episodes parading as TV films, expect Kiefer Sutherland to get nommed here based upon name recognition for "24: Redemption." He won the Emmy for drama series lead actor as Jack Bauer in 2006.
LEAD ACTOR IN A TV MOVIE / MINISERIES
(Front-runners)
Kevin Bacon, "Taking Chance"
Kenneth Branagh, "Wallander: One Step Behind"
Paddy Considine, "My Zinc Bed"
Brendan Gleeson, "Into the Storm"
Cuba Gooding Jr., "Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story"
Kevin Kline, "Cyrano de Bergerac"
Ian McKellen, "King Lear"
Iqal Naor, "House of Saddam"
Jonathan Pryce,"My Zinc Bed"
Tom Selleck, "Jesse Stone: Thin Ice"
Alexander Skarsgard, "Generation Kill"
Kiefer Sutherland, "24: Redemption"
Link To Complete Article: LATimes.com
July 2, 2009
Keck's Exclusives: Kiefer Sutherland on 24's New Set - 7/2/09
24
Kiefer Sutherland’s a few weeks into shooting the new season of 24 (premiering January 2010) and is raving about the new sets. “The new U.N. is very cool,” reports Kiefer. “I was quite awestruck when I saw the set for the first time. The designs are so tasteful and represent such a diverse political spectrum, literally matching samples of graffiti taken from the ruins of the Berlin Wall. A lot of thought went into it.” The actor says the show has been granted permission to shoot at the real U.N. in New York City, but says “we’ll probably use that primarily for exteriors.” The new season will also see sleek new Counter Terrorism Unit headquarters, where new agents/lovers Freddie Prinze Jr. and Katee Sackhoff will be based.
Article Link: TVGuideMagazine.com
24 Season 7 Blu-Ray DVD Review - 7/2/09
The Blu-Ray Dissection: 24 - Season 7
Posted by Chad Webb on 07.02.2009
The Series
This will be an interesting review for those of you who have been loyal to the series since its inception. I say that because I had not watched one episode of 24 prior to reviewing this season. To make matters weirder, I own 4 of the 7 seasons (not counting this one) on DVD, but had not yet started them. The reason? I'm always watching movies. But I had been getting closer to diving into the show, and season 7 pushed me to finally doing so. Of course I understood the basic plot, and knew of Jack Bauer, but maybe my perspective will lend some intriguing thoughts.
Most people described the show to me as starting off brilliant, and gradually declining. When I heard that Trey Parker and Matt Stone of South Park were avid fans, I knew I had to give it a chance sooner or later. I would describe the series as being the TV equivalent to Air Force One. This does not take place solely on a plane, but the style is similar, the acting is similar, and the focus is similar. I loved that film, so it should be no shock that I immediately grew addicted to 24.
The performances are fairly consistent. I won’t go over everyone, but I will address some notables. Kiefer Sutherland inhabits the character of Jack Bauer better than the average actor would on TV. There is a reason he made our top 100 characters list awhile back. Every facet, from the stride of his walk down to the expression on his face, convinces us that he has been Jack Bauer all his life. That is the mark of a remarkable actor. Annie Wersching is up and down as FBI Agent Renee Walker. When she tries to act tough, she can be a bit annoying, but Wersching is good at showing emotion. Drama is her thing, not action. Jeffrey Nordling is an underutilized and underrated actor that I first noticed in The Mighty Ducks 3, but don’t hold that against him. Bob Gunton is famous as the warden from Shawshank, but he is magnificent here as Chief of Staff Ethan Kanin. Janeane Garafalo hands in what could her least irritating performance ever. She actually fits in quite well as an FBI computer analyst. The series regulars are all obvious. They understand the roles inside and out.
24 is a great show, but make no mistake, it is not meant to be realistic. It does require a suspension of disbelief, and there is nothing wrong with that. Sometimes, like any show, they go overboard, but for the most part, the men and women behind 24 stay true to the roots of any governmental/terrorist thriller storyline. How season 7 ranks in comparison to the others, I cannot say, but it does not strike me as being one of the worst of the lot. Aside from the obsession with cliffhangers, 24 possesses few glaring flaws that extend over the whole show. It has a lot to say about how we deal with and treat terrorism, which I feel more people should pay attention to.
The Episodes
DISC 1
Day 7: 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM - Taking place after the events in Redemption, Jack Bauer sits before a grand jury facing questions on all of CTU's mistakes. As Senator Blaine Mayer (Kurtwood Smith) tries to embarrass Jack, he is subpoenaed by the FBI. Security expert Michael Latham has been kidnapped, and a terrorist cell is using him to invade the nations' computer infrastructure. Jack is pulled out of court to help out because he knows one of the people responsible. Meanwhile, President Allison Taylor is leaning towards military action in the African area of Sangala. This was an excellent season opener, kicking off a thrilling plot putting Jack in a hunt for an old friend. The President's situation with Sangala and Juma was also very intriguing. I also appreciate the dialogue and debate on how agents treat prisoners, and whether or not they regret it. 8.5/10
Day 7: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM - Tony Almeida, working for the enemy, demonstrates that the CIP device can infiltrate the nation's computer infrastructure by taking control of an air traffic control tower. Also, President Taylor meets with former Prime Minister Matobo regarding U.S. Assistance in Sangala, while First Gentleman Henry Taylor becomes obsessed with investigating his son's death. He questions his former girlfriend Samantha. After the sniper eliminated the one lead in catching Tony, it turns out that a mole within the FBI helps him escape the building across the street even though it is surrounded. Jack and Agent Renee Walker trail him to yacht where Tony is waiting. The one aspect I do not care for in this season is the sub-plot with First Gentleman's son. Nonetheless, I loved the near miss collision, the sweeping of the Columbia building, and the trailing of the sniper. Another solid episode. 8.5/10
Day 7: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM - With Almeida in custody, Jack is the one who questions him, but Tony discreetly gives him a code name that leads to Bill Buchanan. He reveals that Tony is under cover, and the two of them are working with Chloe O'Brian to expose a government conspiracy. Colonel Dubaku, having received the CIP device, demands that the United States government abort the invasion of Sangala. To protect Tony's cover, Jack must break him out of FBI headquarters with help from Chloe and Bill. To do this, he incapacitates Renee and Larry along the way. Two of the sub-plots seem to be connected, which is interesting, and is hopefully handled well in the future. The escape from the FBI building was riveting, as was the conversations between President Taylor and Ethan Kanin. The car crash out of the parking garage was a bit unexpected, but oh well. The fact that no agency is shepherding the conspiracy investigation is fascinating. Aside from the mystery suicide, this was great. 9/10
Day 7: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM - Tony regains cover with Emerson's cel, and brings Jack with him, but it isn't easy. Dubaku orders Emerson to kidnap Prime Minister Matobo when the U.S. has still not withdrawn troops. Henry learns from Samantha that the First Son was killed because he was uncovering the conspiracy. Without Jack and Tony, Renee follows up on the sniper, who is regaining consciousness. She tortures him for information, despite the consequences. He confesses to the plan of kidnapping Matobo, and Renee warns the FBI just as Jack, Tony, and Emerson storm Matobo's house. Matobo gets into a safe room, but in order to get to Dubaku, Jack and Tony must get him out. The fact that the First Son's death is connected too bothered me. It sounds kind of convoluted, but what made this episode ok was the hypocritical actions of Agent Walker, who tortured the sniper. It's interesting how she acts like Jack in order to get back at Jack. One would think that Emerson, a smart guy, who not let Jack into his gang so quickly. Maybe I'm carping, but this was enjoyable. 7.5/10
DISC 2
Day 7: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM - Jack discovers how to flush out the Matobos from the safe room using homemade gas. Agent Walker investigates the situation, but is captured by Emerson's men. He then orders Jack to kill her, but he fakes her death by shooting and grazing her neck. However, Emerson then tells Jack and Tony to bury her. At the FBI, Janis Gold and Larry Moss are unable to make any headway, especially when the Attorney General are investigating the torture of the sniper. Henry learns that Agent Gedge, his Secret Service guardian, is a co-conspirator. Gedge paralyzes him with a drug, and hatches a plot to kill Samantha and Henry before they reveal the truth. The buried alive sequence was gripping and intense, as was the flushing out of the safe room. They hinted at the Gedge twist, and although it was entertaining, it is still a bit ridiculous. I also loved Agent Walker's dialogue to Jack as she thinks he had betrayed her. This episode was more action-packed, and it would really continue with that pace. 8.5/10.0
Day 7: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM - Emerson picks up that Jack and Tony have a double motive, and so he pulls a gun on Jack, which forces Tony to kill Emerson. Tony and Jack then unveil their allegiances to the Matobos. Jack then convinces them to be handed over to Dubaku so that Jack and Tony can then track them to that location. Nichols, one of Dubaku's co-conspirators, arrives and deems Tony a loose end after he retrieves the Matobos. However, Nichols' help is taken care of and he is forced to accept the situation. Dubaku causes a plane collision near the White House which kills approximately 271 people, but President Taylor refuses to withdraw troops from Sangala. Gedge and Agent Vossler lure Samantha to her own apartment, which results in her death at the hands of Gedge. He prepares to kill Henry, but the two struggle and Gedge is killed. The fact that the show does have casualties makes it more believable, more intense, and more suspenseful. The Gedge/Henry storyline seems stretched out a lot more than the rest, which is another reason it is irritating. The main story is still magnificent. 8.5/10
Day 7: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM - Jack, Tony, Bill, Chloe and Renee follow the Matobos to Dubaku, who is attempting to sabotage a chemical plant in Ohio remotely with the CIP device. Jack's team rescues the Matobos, kills all of Dubaku's team, and destroys the CIP device. Michael Latham is killed in the raid, and Dubaku escapes to his apartment. He then orders Agent Vossler to kidnap Henry before any authorities arrive at the scene. Jack and his team are now exposed, and most agree that they must get help from those in the government least likely to be corrupted. They arrange a meeting between President Taylor and the Matobos, but Tony stays behind to follow another lead and avoid being arrested. The raid on Dubaku was simply awesome, but the kidnapping of Henry Taylor took the greatness down a notch. It seems unlikely than no one in the press would have gotten wind of his disappearance. They start a new thread dealing with Jack's team getting help from President Taylor, which should be intriguing. 9.0/10.0
Day 7: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM - Jack, Bill, and Renee arrive at the White House and gain support from President Taylor, but she receives a message from Dubaku threatening to kill her husband Henry if she does not comply with his demands. Jack and Renee discover Vossler is a co-conspirator, and with the help of Larry Moss, they learn of Henry Taylor whereabouts. However, they had to threaten Vossler's family and Jack had to kill Vossler in self-defense. Jack and Renee infiltrate Dubaku's hideout, but Henry is shot in the stomach before everyone is disposed of. The lengths Bauer goes to is mesmerizing, and the ways Renee is changing is also intriguing. They have revealed their secret to many people by this point, and I have to question how the conspirators would not have heard, but oh well. The thrills were plentiful here, and I love how no one is invincible in the show. Even the First Gentleman gets shot! 8.0/10
DISC 3
Day 7: 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM - Henry is sent directly to surgery following his gunshot wound, while Dubaku has convinced Marika to fly away with him. Before she leaves, Jack and Renee confront her and persuade her to help in apprehending Dubaku. At the same time, Dubaku knows he is now a liability, and has threatened to expose the co-conspirators if he is killed. Chloe and Larry are aiding in tracking Dubaku. Agent Sean Hillinger, revealed to be one of the co-conspirators, stalls Jack and Renee’s pursuit by issuing an arrest warrant. Upon President Taylor’s request, Agent Aaron Pierce is sent to retrieve her estranged daughter Olivia. Marika had a bigger involvement here, and she is a sweet character, so we are rooting for her. Jack’s relentlessness becomes more and more of a risk as the episodes unravel. I liked Hillinger as a co-conspirator since he was suspicious from the beginning. The estranged daughter sub-plot seems kind of excessive, but whatever. 8.0/10.0
Day 7: 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Dubaku is aware of Marika’s betrayal, but brings her along anyway after an argument. Larry rescinds the arrest warrant, which allows Jack and Renee to follow Dubaku. Marika causes an accident. She dies, but Dubaku lives and is able to tell Jack about a file he possesses with all the names. Larry and Chloe begin analyzing the disc, but Sean and his accomplice Erika try to erase it quickly. Sean kills Erika to cover up her involvement, but is discovered when Chloe recovers the files. When President Taylor returns from the hospital, Bill requests that she pardon Jack from the Senate hearings. Afterward, The President and Olivia share a bitter reunion. Tony informs Jack of an imminent threat on the US to be led by General Juma himself. One of the co-conspirators is Senator Mayer’s Chief of Staff, Ryan Burnett. Both are summoned to the White House, and Burnett is told the mission from Juma is on schedule. It was certainly sad to see Marika die, but it made for some riveting exchanges between Jack and Renee. The fact that parts of the threat are getting resolved makes the show continually engaging. I also loved the inclusion of someone close to Senator Mayer, the same man trying to take down Jack. 8.5/10.0
Day 7: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM - President Taylor and Senator Mayer have a heated debate about Jack’s situation, but in the meantime, Jack travels to the White House to extract information from Burnett. Chloe erases his name from the list so Jack can torture him. Janis discovers the deletion however, the Secret Service interrupts the interrogation, and Jack is arrested. Burnett refuses immunity in exchange for intel on the pending terrorist attack. Dubaku is quietly murdered at the hospital, and Renee follows the killer to a warehouse where Juma’s forces lie. She stows away on their boat, and is unable to contact anyone when her cell is damaged. She discovers that the target is the White House, and she flees when she is spotted by one of Juma’s men, Dubaku’s son. It is easier to believe that Jack could survive chases and such rather than Renee. The scenes with her on the boat were a stretch, but suspenseful nonetheless. The torture sequence was fantastic, as was Jack putting the choke hold on Bill. Did we really need Dubaku’s son though? Still, this was fabulous all around. 9.0/10.0
Day 7: 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM - Renee is rescued and informs Larry of the attack while Juma begins his assault via the sewer duct. Jack is released to help guard the President while they attempt to get her to the safe room. Bill is captured with many other hostages, while Jack and the President make it to the safe room. The Secret Service and the Marines close in on Juma’s men, but he bluffs by saying he has the President, forcing them to withdraw. The Vice President refuses to authorize any action until he knows the whereabouts of the President. Juma locates Olivia, and threatens to mutilate her. This prompts the President and Jack to leave the room. The White House action sequence was brilliant in every way. Everything that occurred in this episode was perfect except the sudden inclusion of the Vice-President, portrayed by a very unremarkable actor. Tony Todd is terrific as General Juma. He was one of the mercenaries in The Rock. 9.5/10.0
DISC 4
Day 7: 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM - Everyone is now a hostage, and this leaves little room for a rescue attempt, but Jack informs Bill that he released enough gas in the safe room to knock out Juma’s men. Bill explains that he saw Juma on the phone with a co-conspirator, and then Bill puts himself in the safe room, killing himself in the process of the explosion. In the chaos, Larry orders an assault against the Vice President’s wishes, while Jack and Aaron secure Juma’s forces. Jack kills Juma in a scene that will make you cheer. The President appoints Olivia to an advisory position as an act of reconciliation. Jack tells Larry about the possibility that it is not over, and asks to further question Burnett. He refuses, but then has no choice when Renee gets approval behind his back from Ethan Kanin. Larry suspends Renee for insubordination and accompanies Jack to the hospital. As Jack begins the interrogation, an assassin is sent by Hodges to kill Burnett and get rid of Jack. The camera feed is disabled, Jack is immobilized, and the assassin slits Burnett’s throat. Jack is framed, and the FBI is then on his tail. The intimidation factor for Bauer is excellent in this episode, and many of the previous ones. The death of Bill was certainly upsetting, but the action here was heartpounding to say the least. 10.0/10.0
Day 7: 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM - Jack phones Renee about his frame up. He sends a photograph of the killer to her, and she identifies him as John Quinn, an operative for a private security company called Starkwood. Coincidentally, this company is being investigated by Senator Mayer. Jack travels to Mayer’s residence, and discovers information that the company Starkwood and Juma were connected. Ultimately, Starkwood received an area unmonitored where they could develop a biological weapon. Larry finds out that Renee called Jack, and detains her when she refuses to give his location. In order to discover this, Morris O’Brian, Chloe’s husband, is called to decrypt the address so Chloe gets immunity. Quinn arrives at the house, murders Mayer, and pursues Jack. Jack kills Quinn in a struggle, and discovers the address for the weapon shipment. Larry finds Mayer’s body, and orders his agents to shoot Bauer on site. I’m loving Jon Voight’s contribution to this season, and I could not believe that Mayer was killed. It almost seems impossible for Jack. I do feel that Larry ordering the “shoot to kill” was a bit premature and only mentioned as a cliffhanger. Not every episode needs one. I also appreciated Chloe’s husband getting a neat supporting role. This was solid, but had some issues. 8.0/10.0
Day 7: 10:00 PM - 11:00 PM - Jack and Tony arrive at the shipyard and question a Port Authority Guard, and find out the group is there to collect the weapon. The duo follows the group to the container, and Jack starts a firefight in an effort to save the guard. Jack takes control of the truck and container, but Tony is captured by the operatives. Meanwhile, Larry locates evidence of a third party at Mayer's house, and Renee confesses to him about Jack's Starkwood information. At the White House, Ethan resigns to shoulder the blame for Mayer's death, and it is revealed that Olivia leaked the information to the press. At the same time, the President finds out that Henry is expected to make a full recovery. After Jack tells Larry to send a rescue team, Jack fixes a leak in the bioweapon, and is exposed to it. You have to admire the scene where Jack saves the guard, and it brings to attention the fact that Tony might be worse than Jack in that respect. The bioweapon plot line is interesting, as was the ending of this episode. This was an average episode, nothing special, but it introduces the next main story well. 7.5/10.0
Day 7: 11:00 PM - 12:00 AM - Jack is placed in quarantine due to his exposure. Meanwhile, President Taylor appoints Olivia the provisional Chief of Staff until they hire a replacement. She meets with the Joint Chiefs and determines a direct assault on Starkwood would leave the fewest casualties. Jack's blood work results say he is infected, and he is then taken back to the FBI where he is debriefed by a sympathetic Renee. At Starkwood, Hodges obtains the bioweapon, and tries to extract information from Tony, who says nothing. Seaton, one of Hodges' top men, helps Tony before he is about to be killed. He says he will reveal the location of the weapon if he is given full immunity, which is then given. Larry then sends a team, along with U.S. Navy Seals, to invade the location, but it turns out to be false. Seaton bluffed them to by time for Hodges, which leads to Larry's team being surrounded. The emotion when it is revealed that jack is infected in certainly genuine. And the scene where he talks to Renee, and all of Jack's scars are seen might be one of the best of the season. In that moment, viewers can see how deeply invested Kiefer Sutherland is in the character. I called the Seaton bluff a mile away, and the cliffhanger ending here was "meh", but I still thought the episode was terrific. 9.0/10.0
DISC 5
Day 7: 12:00 AM - 1:00 AM - While surrounded, Larry creates a diversion that allows Tony to sneak off and pursue the bioweapons, while the FBI pulls out. As Jack shows symptoms, he must decide whether or not to involve his daughter Kim in the experimental treatment. Meanwhile, Olivia blackmails a reporter to keep the crisis from going public. Tony receives help from Starkwood chairman, Doug Knowles, who had been assisting Senator Mayer. This prompts President Taylor to order an air strike on the facility. Before long, Knowles is captured and beaten to death by Hodges, who then threatens to launch missiles. This forces the President to abort. This was an entertaining episode, and it has Hodges beating a guy to death with a whiskey bottle, so that rocks. 8.0/10.0
Day 7: 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM - The President has a meeting with Hodges and Seaton, who hand her a booklet declaring that they will launch the pathogen if they are not given a higher role in the nation’s military. As part of a covert operation deniable by the President, Tony destroys the rest of the pathogen, which forces the President to arrest Seaton and Hodges. Jack reunites with his estranged daughter Kim, and together they discuss his condition and the treatment. Larry and his team secure the compound, but an operative named Galvez escapes with a canister. What follows is a chase and fight, which results in Larry being shot. Tony then betrays him by smothering him to death. Larry’s death was shocking, and seeing Elisha Cuthbert is always a nice thing. The meeting with the President and Hodges was a bit of a joke. You cannot tell me that they expected to get away scot free with those stipulations. Anyway, this was still great thrills. 8.0/10.0
Day 7: 2:00 AM - 3:00 AM - Galvez hides inside the FBI perimeter, while Tony shoots himself to mask his involvement. Renee and Jack are told of Larry’s death, and join the hunt. Tony orders Galvez to create a trap that will blow up the FBI agents in a building. Meanwhile, an unknown figure, Cara Bowden, impersonates Hodges' lawyer and pressures him to commit suicide due the failed mission, or his family will be in danger. Galvez poses as an FBI agent and lures the team into the building. Jack realizes via tracking devices that the agent Galvez is impersonating is away from the building; Jack warns Renee, but the building explodes before the team can escape. Walker is unharmed, but a suspicious Jack learns that Tony lied to him regarding his source on the White House raid. With all evidence pointing to Tony's involvement, Jack confronts Tony, but has a seizure, allowing Tony to escape. Hodges consumes the suicide capsule handed him by Cara and is rushed to the hospital. Tony escorts Galvez and the pathogen to an ambulance, which Galvez promptly hijacks. The confrontation between Tony and Jack was fantastic, as was Renee’s reaction to Larry’s death. This new group, involving Will Patton, seems a bit too covert. But they could be interesting. Also, Galvez is an ok character. 8.0/10.0
Day 7: 3:00 AM - 4:00 AM - Jack reveals to Renee that Tony and Galvez were working together. Tony pays Galvez for the canister, but he refuses to deliver it. The two get in a fight and Galvez ends up dead. Tony meets up with Cara Bowden who posed as Hodges' attorney and they set up a video conference with their conspirators. The anonymous conspirators reveal that they had planned to use the bioweapon six months later, at which point the country would be thrown into disarray and the group could assume control of the government. Realizing that Hodges' ill-timed action actually made this plan viable immediately, they decide to use the last canister to launch another attack on the US and frame a Muslim terrorist cell. At the same time, Hodges brokers a deal for witness protection, and Olivia is not happy about it. In return, Hodges tells Jack about the impostor and the shadow conspiracy. President Taylor authorizes the use of decommissioned CTU servers and Chloe is asked by Jack to manage the servers. Meanwhile, Tony, Cara and a team kidnap a Muslim scapegoat for their operation while Jack begins to display signs of dementia. Jack’s condition is really starting to get fascinating, and the reappearance of the CTU computers was very cool. It seems odd to me that this group is so secret. Someone must know the names. Again, the Olivia storyline bothers me. The stuff with the President’s kids is just bad. The Galvez death seemed unnecessary, but this was still a solid episode. 7.5/10.0
DISC 6
Day 7: 4:00 AM - 5:00 AM - Jibraan becomes Tony’s scapegoat, and is coerced into helping with the terrorist attack after they threaten his younger brother Hamid. Chloe is unable to find an address, and Jack and Renee do not get help from an Imam. Meanwhile, Olivia has a change of heart about hiring someone to kill Hodges, but when he is led to a transport car, it blows and he is obliterated. They find his address through a police incident report, and save Jibraan’s brother, but he wounds one of the enemy, the only person that can give them a new lead. Tony had already left, and it is revealed that the attack is on the Washington Metro. They keep the storylines suspenseful because at this point, we have no idea how Jack and Renee will locate Tony, let alone stop him. These new characters seem like they are set up to die, but I could be wrong. If no one discovers Olivia’s actions, I will be very upset. 7.5/10.0
Day 7: 5:00 AM - 6:00 AM - In the race to find Jibraan, Chloe and Janis do some nice hacking that enables Jack and Renee to locate Tony. They ram his van, and capture him. Despite not liking each other, Janis and Chloe also recover Tony's damaged data, and find Jibraan. The canister is intercepted, and Jibraan reunites with his brother. Olivia meets with her contact Martin Collier, who reveals that he forced Hodges' murder through. She tries to cover her tracks, but Agent Pierce calls Ethan Kanin for help in accessing an electronic recording device in her office, with which he plans to uncover her misdealings. Finally, Jack is contacted and threatened by Tony's accomplice, Cara Bowden, who has a pair of operatives covertly shadowing Kim at the airport. Cara informs him that she will have Kim killed unless Jack helps Tony escape. Thank goodness for the return of Bob Gunton, who makes this episode worthwhile. Of course Jack saves the canister with seconds to spare. I am glad that the Olivia storyline seems to be coming to a close. I did enjoy the Muslim characters, in addition to the airport moments with Kim, but it seems silly that Jack would be forced into saving Tony yet again. 7.0/10.0
Day 7: 6:00 AM - 7:00 AM - Jack helps Tony escape, and tells Renee the nature of the escape. Tony is freed from FBI custody, and then Jack is taken hostage. Without the canister, the plan is to back-engineer the pathogen from Jack's body. At the airport, Kim becomes suspicious about the couple she got acquainted with; while receiving her boarding pass, she receives a call from Renee warning her of the threat. Former chief-of-staff Ethan Kanin recovers the audio recording which proves Olivia's involvement in Hodges' death. Olivia attempts to destroy the recording, but Ethan pulls a bait and switch, leaving Olivia with a blank recording. As the FBI closes in on Kim at the airport, the operatives covering her attempt to hold her, but in a chaotic shootout, the woman is killed, and the man runs. Kim follows him, and secures his labtop. This is used to pinpoint Jack and Cara's location. Tony continues to negotiate for a higher role with a major anonymous conspirator as he reveals his plan of launching another attack. Wilson says a face to face meeting with Tony "seems a bit, premature", but reluctantly agrees. Jack manages to escape from the doctors who were working to extract the pathogen from his body. I enjoyed the action with Kim at the airport. Seeing Elisha Cuthbert get down and dirty is fine by me. The audio recording bait and switch was predictable, but made me happy since it means Olivia will be gone soon. The Jack/Tony story is getting a bit odd, but is still engaging enough. 8.0/10.0
Day 7: 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM - Jack attempts to escape, but is recaptured by Tony in a garage. At the White House, Ethan reveals to Olivia her failure to destroy the audio recording. With Agent Pierce behind him, Ethan confronts Olivia and gives her the option of admitting the truth to her mother on her own. Tony reveals that his plan all along was to get revenge on Alan Wilson, the man behind most of the attacks, and Michelle's (Tony's wife) death, and the death of his unborn son. As Wilson arrives and meets Tony and Cara, FBI agents invade the complex. Cara and Wilson flee from the scene, but Tony catches them. He kills Cara, but is prevented from killing Wilson by Jack and Renee. Wilson denies all involvement, which causes Renee to presumably take drastic action. At the White House, Olivia confesses to her mother and father. As President of the United States, President Taylor decides she can't cover up her daughter's mess, despite the fact that Henry disagrees. With Jack's health deteriorating, he turns to Gohar for spiritual advice. Kim arrives and decides she cannot let him die, and agrees to the treatment. Of the 3 storylines, only 1 was really resolved, and that is a problem. This season is obsessed with cliffhangers, and from episode to episode that's fine, but you cannot end a season on 2 cliffhangers, those being the fate of Wilson, and the fate of Jack. This was a good "episode", not a good season finale. I am glad to see Olivia leaving, but how will this affect President Taylor's future? And I'm sorry, but Will Patton is not a convincing bad guy. 6.5/10.0
The Video
The Audio
The Packaging
The Extras
* 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM: Carlos Bernard; director-producer Jon Cassar.
* 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Carlos Bernard; writer-producers Manny Coto and Brannon Braga.
* 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Annie Wersching; Cassar.
* 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Hakeem Kae-Kazim; writer-producer David Fury.
* 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Wersching; Coto; Braga.
* 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM: Tony Todd; director/producer Brad Turner.
* 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM: James Morrison; composer Sean Callery; Turner
* 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM: Bob Gunton; Wersching; writer-producer Juan Carlos Coto.
* 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM: Jeffery Nordling; Bernard; writer-producer Howard Gordon.
* 5:00 AM - 6:00 AM: Mary Lynn Rajskub; Glenn Morshower; writer-producer Evan Katz.
* 6:00 AM - 7:00 AM: Morshower; Fury; writer-producer Alex Gansa.
* 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM: Gordon; Cassar.
All in all they are solid commentaries. They feature both cast and crew members, which is nice. They are not only informative, but entertaining. I would have loved to see Kiefer Sutherland on one or two, but that’s ok. These tracks will provide hours of entertainment after all the episodes have been watched. I couldn’t even begin to scratch the surface on some of the stand out moments of these tracks, but I do advise you to give them a listen.
The Fimucite Festival Presents: The Music of 24 (13:05) - This is footage of an orchestra performing the score combined with a montage of scenes from this season, and previous ones I'm pretty sure. It is nice to put on while you're doing other things around the house.
Hour 19: The Ambush (12:46) - This is an extended behind the scenes featurette on the building explosion in that particular episode. An experienced guy named Stan takes us on a tour of the set, and explains all the props and machinery that are incorporated into the scene. Apparently 81 explosions took place. You have interviews with Director Michael Klick, the Director of Photography, the stunt coordinator, and more. This was interesting, but it would have been great to have mini-extras like this on each disc.
Deleted Scenes (26:00) - All the deleted scenes are included on the last disc, and in truth many of them are just extended scenes, but you will find many moments that fill in the gaps of things that occurred. Case in point, when Sean Hillinger uses Larry's access to move his wife's plane to the front of the line. You also have the missing sequence where Renee tells Kim that her father is sick. This extra has some superb work from Elisha Cuthbert, and a few other worthy deletions. Most of this has been cut for obvious reasons though.
24-7: The Untold Story (15:49) – This is a bonus that covers the writing dilemma’s between season 6 and 7. They recap season 6 briefly, and then discuss all the obstacles they encountered, such as the writer’s strike for instance. This was quite interesting because you get a look at how they came up with certain ideas and why.
The Series: 9.0/10.0
The Episodes: 8.0/10.0
The Video: 8.5/10.0
The Audio: 10.0/10.0
The Packaging: 7.5/10.0
The Extras: 8.5/10.0
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Article Link: 411mania.com
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