Carlyle lands role opposite Jack Bauer in 24 film
By Grace Macaskill
The Sunday Mail
May 18, 2008

ROBERT CARLYLE is to star in the film version of hit telly series 24.

He has landed the part of central character Jack Bauer's friend and mentor, Benton, in the Africa-based thriller.

The Scots star will be reunited on screen with pal Kiefer Sutherland.

The pair became friends on the set of 2001 movie To End All Wars, the story of four prisoners of war.

In the 24 film, Carlyle's character is a former agent who quit and became a charity worker in Africa.

The two-hour movie will bridge the gap between seasons six and seven of the nail biting show.

An insider said: "Benton is not expected to appear in the seventh season but nothing is set in stone."

The film, to be shown on TV, will air in America on November 23.

A friend of Carlyle said: "Robert has done this kind of role before, so he will be fantastic as Benton. American audiences love Robert's gritty approach to that sort of character, as do producers.

"It would be great if 24 could find a continuing place for Benton in the seventh series."

Carlyle's agent was not available for comment.

The Glasgow-born actor shot to fame as Begbie in Trainspotting in 1996, which led to his internationally acclaimed performance in The Full Monty a year later.

He won a BAFTA for his role as an unemployed steel worker turned stripper in the movie.

Carlyle's role as the Highland bobby in Hamish Macbeth was another notable success.

But he is most famous for his darker roles including a Scouse psycho in Cracker, alongside pal Robbie Coltrane.

Carlyle also played a cannibalistic pioneer in Ravenous in 1999 and the shaven-headed baddie Renard in Bond film The World Is Not Enough.

In 2003, he took on his toughest role yet as Adolf Hitler in a TV mini series.

EMMY AND GOLDEN GLOBE WINNER "24" GETS A JUMPSTART ON THE CLOCK WITH SPECIAL TWO-HOUR PREQUEL SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, ON FOX

"Day 7" Season Premiere Clocks-In January 2009

Fans have been waiting almost a year for the return of 24, television's most addictive drama. On Sunday, November 23 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), the wait will be over as FOX presents a special two-hour prequel event.

Shot on location in South Africa, Jack Bauer battles an international crisis, while here at home the nation prepares for a new president on inauguration day. Taking place just a few months before the new day dawns, the prequel will set the stage and raise the stakes for Season Seven.

"We're excited about the prequel because it explores Jack's complex emotional state of mind and still has all the signature excitement and suspense that fans have come to expect from 24," commented executive producer Howard Gordon. "Shooting in South Africa affirms everyone's commitment to making this season especially memorable for our fans."

Celebrating its 150th episode this season, the series has resumed production on "Day 7" and will unfold without interruption in its regular time period Mondays (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) beginning in January 2009.

Set in Washington, DC, "Day 7" finds CTU dismantled and Jack Bauer on trial. Bauer's day takes an unexpected turn when former colleague TONY ALMEIDA (Carlos Bernard) returns. Meanwhile, President ALLISON TAYLOR (Cherry Jones) leads the country alongside White House Chief of Staff ETHAN KANIN (Bob Gunton) and First Gentleman HENRY TAYLOR (Colm Feore).

A national security crisis prompts an investigation by a team of FBI agents including Agent JANIS GOLD (Janeane Garofalo), Agent RENEE WALKER (Annie Wersching), Agent LARRY MOSS (Jeffrey Nordling), Agent SEAN HILLINGER (Rhys Coiro) and security specialist MICHAEL LATHAM (John Billingsley). Although CTU is no longer, CHLOE O'BRIAN (Mary Lynn Rajskub) and BILL BUCHANAN (James Morrison) are back for another momentous day of shocking events.

As part of News Corp.'s global commitment to fighting climate change, 24 has pledged significant and innovative changes to its production practices with the goal of saving energy and reducing carbon emissions.

Created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran, 24 is a production of Real Time Productions and Imagine Television in association with 20th Century Fox Television. Howard Gordon, Evan Katz, Jon Cassar, Manny Coto, David Fury, Kiefer Sutherland and Brian Grazer are the executive producers.

Kiefer makes TV’s sexiest stars for 2008 - "The Hottie List"
The May 5 - 11, 2008 issue of TV Guide

The "24" star was rated the Sexiest Badass for his role as Jack Bauer. Kiefer received 35 percent of the vote.

The runners-up were....

Sawyer, Lost
Dexter Morgan, Dexter
Tim Riggins, Friday Night Lights
Simon Elder, Dirty Sexy Money
The Devil, Reaper

'Rookie' Webisodes provide fix for '24' fans
By Matt Hurwitz
The Associated Press
April 29, 2008

LOS ANGELES (AP) - An agile, young agent from the Counter-Terrorist Unit slyly infiltrates a Mexican drug cartel to free a captured colleague, aided by images from tiny "marshmallow cams" and graphics sent to his cell phone. There's the familiar ticking clock, windows showing what every character is doing, and lots of people saying "Copy that."

We're watching "24," right?

Close. It's the Fox series' online offspring, "The Rookie," starring Jeremy Valdez as young Jason Blaine, a character first seen in "24's" fifth season aboard a Russian sub. "It's sort of like what 'CSI: Miami' is to 'CSI,'" says Valdez. "It's something similar, yet different. It definitely has its own legs."

The five-minute "Rookie" Webisodes, now in their third phase, couldn't have come at a better time for "24" fans, who, due to the writers strike, had to go without their favorite show this season.

Titled "Day 3 — Extraction," the current "Rookie" installment is presented as a 30-minute block of six parts and is available online at http://www.DegreeRookie.com, or on-demand through Comcast and DirecTV.

"It's becoming an incredible way to help people get through a long dry spell caused by the strike," notes "24" executive producer Manny Coto.

"If Jack Bauer and Jason Bourne had a love child, it would be Jason Blaine," says "Extraction" co-writer Kevin Townsend. "He's a younger more ambitious, less experienced - but no less talented - version of those two characters."

In the current installment, Blaine, now experienced and tiring of his "rookie" title, is sent to Mexico City to rescue his mentor, Alton Maxwell (Eric Beck), who's been kidnapped by drug czar, Estaban Salazar. The Salazar Brothers were introduced to fans in "24's" third season.

"We wanted to give die-hard fans something specific to tie it to the regular series," explains David Niles, a former "24" staffer who wrote "Extraction" with Townsend.

The story also features a "mole" inside the Counter-Terrorist Unit (CTU), adding the familiar "double-intrigue" theme for "24" fans. "It's kind of your prototypical '24' plot line," says Niles.

But "Rookie's" main tie-in to "24" is the production itself. All three "Rookie" Webisodes were directed by "24's" Emmy-nominated cinematographer, New Zealand-born Rodney Charters, who, while shooting "Extraction" in Mexico City, brought along his key crew members from Los Angeles.

"Fox wanted to make sure we kept the look and feel of '24.' They want it to be part of the franchise," says Charters, who took full advantage of his crew's experience to give "Rookie" that "24" look, including long scenes shot with handheld cameras. "We block the scene and shoot it as if we're a documentary crew that has stumbled upon the situation."

Fox brand and franchise vice president Mark Pearson notes the crew has worked together "for a long, long time - they know what feels right and looks right. They live and breathe '24.'" Fox also licensed other familiar "24" elements for "The Rookie" - the ticking clock, framed character windows and composer Sean Callery's music - to help complete the picture.

But there's an undercover element in "Rookie" not found in "24" imbedded advertising. The Webisodes are produced by Townsend's Science + Fiction studio, which he describes as "a hybrid between a film studio and an advertising agency."

The company marries content with a sponsor - in the case of "Extraction," Degree Men deodorant - to make "marketing look like entertainment," Townsend says. The brand is subtly introduced to the audience - here with the inclusion of Degree spokesman Chad Johnson of the Cincinnati Bengals, who appears as an FBI surveillance expert.

No word on whether such a technique would ever be used on Big "24," which went back into production on April 22 in Los Angeles in preparation for the January 2009 premiere of its delayed seventh season. The show had completed eight episodes of the season prior to the writers’ strike late last year, including shooting in Washington, D.C.

"Jack Bauer is under Senate investigation for crimes against humanity," Coto explains. But while in Washington, FBI agent Renee Walker brings him in to deal with a series of possible terrorist attacks instigated by former CTU agent Tony Almeida, previously presumed dead. "Jack's thrust into this mystery of how Tony is still alive, and why is he trying to bring down this country?"

To further fill "24's" gap this year, Coto says a two-hour "prequel" TV movie is expected to air this fall, which will bring Kiefer Sutherland's Jack Bauer to Africa and "lead directly into the events of Season Seven."

"He's a soul in turmoil and has been moving from place to place trying to find somewhere he can be at peace," Coto says. "But he winds up in Africa in the middle of a military coup."

Meanwhile, Bauer is subpoenaed to appear before the Senate hearing while in Africa, but doesn't want to go.

"He's not running away from anything," Coto says. "It's because they've taken everything from him, but they won't let them take his freedom."

On the Net:

http://www.DegreeRookie.com

Corner Gas: Kiefer adds fuel to Corner Gas
Sutherland spot pumps up Corner Gas season finale
By Bill Harris - Sun Media
April 21, 2008

It took 24 star Kiefer Sutherland only 30 seconds to make a comedic impact on Corner Gas last night.

The cameo appearance by the famous Canadian actor was the highlight of the fifth-season finale of Corner Gas, which aired on CTV. The voice of Sutherland's mom, actress Shirley Douglas, also was featured in the episode.

It was set up this way:

Wanda (Nancy Robertson) was planning a fireworks display for midnight, when Brent (series creator Brent Butt) was going to turn 40. But local policeman Davis (Lorne Cardinal) thought the display would be a fire hazzard and wanted to stop it.

After being thwarted in his attempts to mobilize a field team (i.e., the local field hockey team and the local football team), a frustrated Davis blurted to the mayor, "Fine, if you won't help me, I'll find someone else who will."

Davis slammed down the phone, then picked it up and dialed another number.

Cut to Kiefer, who since 2001 has played Jack Bauer on the groundbreaking action series 24. In this instance, Kiefer was dressed in a bathrobe, seated in a dimly lit room, staring intently at a computer.

Kiefer: "Hello."

Davis: "We have a problem. We need to set up a perimeter."

Kiefer: "Who is this?"

Davis: "Isn't this the coach of the baseball team?"

Kiefer: "No, you have the wrong number. This is Shirley Douglas' residence."

Davis: "Really?"

Kiefer: (slightly impatient): "Yes, I should know, she's my mother."

Davis (mocking): "Your mother? You still live with your mother? How old are ya?"

Kiefer: "I'm hanging up now."

At which point, the light in Kiefer's room changed as a door opened.

Douglas' voice: "Kiefer, who was that?"

Kiefer (exploding in anger): "Dammit, Mom, I told you to knock before you come in!"

The whole exchange took less than half a minute.

There probably was a practical reason why Douglas was not shown on-camera last night. Back in the third season of Corner Gas, Douglas had an acting role in the show, playing a woman who was attracted to Oscar (Eric Peterson).

Douglas, of course, is the daughter of former Saskatchewan premier Tommy Douglas, the father of universal healthcare in Canada, and is the former wife of Canadian actor Donald Sutherland, Kiefer's dad.

Other Corner Gas guest stars since the series hit the airwaves in 2004 have included Prime Ministers Stephen Harper and Paul Martin, former governor general Adrienne Clarkson, the Tragically Hip, Jann Arden, Duane (Dog) Chapman of Dog The Bounty Hunter, many past and present NHLers, and the judges from Canadian Idol.

Earlier this month, Butt announced that the sixth season of Corner Gas, which begins taping next month in Saskatchewan, will be the last for the show.

24 actor Kiefer steps out with raven-haired New York beauty
Hellomagazine.com
April 14, 2008

Asked about the state of his love life Kiefer Sutherland will only admit: "There is someone who I really like a lot". In the past few weeks he's been giving clues about who that "someone" is by sharing lunch dates with a glamorous brunette divorcee.

The 24 star - who says his punishing schedule as a counter-terrorist agent Jack Bauer doesn't allow time for romance - has enjoyed a series of cosy rendezvous with model-turned-journalist Siobhan Bonnouvrier.

Over the weekend the pair were spotted arm-in-arm in New York's meatpacking district heading for a bite to eat at trendy restaurant Pastis. Until her recent divorce, Kiefer's gal pal, who has a high-flying career as the style director of a fashion magazine, was one half of a Manhattan power couple with her business exec ex.

The chic New Yorker should find an attentive companion in the 41-year-old Canadian, who says casual flings aren't his style. "I think of myself as much more of a romantic than that. The point of being with someone is out of the hope and desire for connection."

Kiefer’s all touchy Feeling
By Gordon Smart
The Sun.co.uk
March 31, 2008

HERE’S one showbiz partnership I didn’t see coming...

KIEFER SUTHERLAND has become best mates with British band THE FEELING and will direct their next video.

The 24 actor can’t get enough of their quirky pop and has joined them for all-night tear-ups.

Frontman DAN GILLESPIE SELLS says Kiefer, who manages bands under his own record label Ironworks, is more than just a superfan now. He said: “Kiefer’s a huge music lover and we consider him a friend.

“We make time for each other and whenever he comes to London we meet for a drink.”

And Kiefer is always keen for a jam. As well as having a studio in his incredible LA apartment, the London-born star also has a 130-strong electric guitar collection.

After spending time with the band Kiefer now wants to direct the video for either album title track Join With Us or Turn It Up.

Dan says he likes us because he gets where we are coming from.”

Last week the five-piece performed to 7,000 snow lovers on the piste in the ski resort of Meribel, France, to celebrate where it all started for them.

Dan said: “We used to play ten gigs a week in Meribel. We have quite a big fan base out there.”

Their latest gigs were filmed as part of the band’s new documentary, due to be aired in November.

And Kiefer was never going to let this Feeling-based opportunity pass him by – he will do the voiceover for the programme.

Dan added: “He pretty much wants to get involved with it all, which is fine with us.”

Donald Sutherland: Kiefer's jail time
BBC - Newsbeat - bbc.co.uk
April 1, 2008

Hollywood actor Donald Sutherland has told Newsbeat his son Kiefer Sutherland's recent stint in prison has made him more determined to make 24 the "best television series in the US".

Donald, who is currently appearing in the Channel 4 lawyer drama Dirty Sexy Money, said Kiefer Sutherland had a tough time in prison but it helped him to focus on how to improve the explosive drama.

"Jail was tough for him. He had 48 days inside, 23 hours a day in solitary. It was very, very cold," he told Newsbeat.

"There were no windows. He had no community. I also made a deposit at the prison so he could call out. We were given 14 minutes for every call.

"When he would call, you weren't prepared and when I got to speak to him I didn't get to say everything I wanted to. I wrote to him every other day though.

"But now that he's out, he said that the next two seasons of 24 will be the best two years of television in the United States."

Previous offence:

Kiefer Sutherland was arrested and found to be over the legal alcohol limit after leaving a party last year. He was still on probation for a previous offence and he served a 48-day sentence for drink driving.

Donald also revealed how he turned down the chance to appear on 24 as Jack Bauer's father.

"We had a long dinner and he asked me to play his dad in 24," he explained.

"I said OK but on one condition, the relationship has to be the same sort of relationship Sean Connery had with Harrison Ford (in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade).

"He said, 'I'll go back and see what the writers have in mind'. He came back and said, 'No dad, they want you to try and kill me'. I said, 'No way, that's not going to work'. So they hired James Cromwell instead."

The actor did say that he tried to persuade the writers to bring him in during a later season though.

He added: "I said, 'Maybe you could have me at the very end, rescuing you from some place and I could look at you and you could look at me and I say 'He (Phillip Bauer) was your mother's husband but I'm your biological dad'. But I don't think they'll ever do that."

Four Stars Join Cast Of 'INTENT'

Madison Mason, Kirk Woller, Tim Kelleher and Muse Watson join independent feature film 'Intent'.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) March 20, 2008 - Stars from such movie and television hits as Transformers, Independence Day, Flightplan and Prison Break all joined the cast of the much anticipated suspense thriller, Intent. Madison Mason, Kirk Woller, Tim Kelleher and Muse Watson reached agreements with producers this week.

Madison Mason has appeared in dozens of box office hits, including Transformers, Red Dragon and Pearl Harbor. In addition to appearing in more than 80 television series, his films have grossed over a billion dollars worldwide. "His talent and box office success speak for themselves," said Intent screenwriter, Tim Crockett.

Kirk Woller has appeared in more than 30 films, including Steven Spielberg's Oscar nominated, Minority Report. He went on to play Jodie Foster's nemesis in the blockbuster, Flightplan. "Spielberg liked him and everyone here thought he would be a great addition. They were right," said producer, Max Weinstein. Some of Woller's other credits include Resident Evil: Extinction, Flags of our Fathers and The Ring Two.

Tim Kelleher's career spans more than 20 years of filmmaking. He has worked with everyone from Nicolas Cage on Matchstick Men to Will Smith on Independence Day. Kelleher also appeared in 35 television series including Law & Order, CSI and 24. "Tim always delivers an outstanding performance," said assistant director, Cheeba White.

Muse Watson first made a name for himself as a drifter in Richard Gere's award winning Somersby. From there, he worked with Julia Roberts and Dennis Quaid in Something to Talk About. "Muse is so versatile and convincing. We're excited to have him on board," said Tim Crockett. Although Watson has been in dozens of films, he's probably best known for his role as Benjamin Willis in I Know What You Did Last Summer. He's also been a staple on hit TV shows such as Prison Break and NCIS.

Intent has been described as a combination of Silence of the Lambs and CSI. The story begins with a kidnapping in a suburban Ohio neighborhood and leads police on a manhunt that comes full circle. The thriller continues to win screenplay competitions in the U.S. and abroad. Critics have called the screenplay "A breathtaking stunner."

Producers are in talks with additional cast members, which could include such names as Kiefer Sutherland, Maria Bello and Steve Schirripa from The Sopranos. Filming will begin in Florida in September 2008.

For more information about Intent, visit www.intentmovie.com.

Jack Bauer gets early start with 24 prequel
March 5, 2008

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Jack Bauer gets to save the world in the fall, after all.

The producers of Fox's "24" are developing a two-hour "prequel" to the upcoming seventh season of the real-time thriller.

The movie, designed to bridge the two-year gap between Seasons 6 and 7, is targeted to air in the fall, leading to the show's January return.

"24" was one of the biggest casualties of the writers strike. Three days after the work stoppage began on November 5, Fox decided against airing a partial season of the serialized drama with the eight episodes produced before and during the first weeks of the walkout.

Each season of "24" is a closed arc that takes place in real time over a 24-hour period. The upcoming seventh season of the Emmy-winning series is set in Washington and features the first female U.S. president, played by Cherry Jones. Kiefer Sutherland stars as Jack Bauer, the government agent with a busy work day.

At the end of the writers strike three weeks ago, there were rumblings about a possible split of the seventh season into two parts to air in the fall and in midseason. But Fox was quick to put those rumors to rest, reiterating that the show's scheduling pattern would remain intact with a January launch.

The "24" writing team is back at work, with production on the remaining episodes of the seventh season slated to begin in April. Missing from the writers room is the series co-creator/executive producer Joel Surnow, who left at the end of the strike.

Fox and series producer 20th TV declined comment Wednesday.

24 Season 1 R1 SE in May
DVD Times
February 22, 2008

Fox Home Entertainment have announced the Region 1 DVD release of 24 Season 1 (Special Edition) on 20th May 2008 priced at $59.98 SRP. Premiering on television in November 2001, “24” became an instant hit with its unique real-time element following characters throughout an entire day, and introduced audiences to Counter Terrorism Unit agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland), a man who will stop at nothing protect his colleagues, his family and his country.

Fox are re-releasing the first season on DVD as a new Special Edition set with over three hours of never-before-seen special features including a Season Seven trailer, over 25 deleted and extended scenes, two all-new behind-the-scenes featurettes and more. Additionally the set will be available in collectible metal tin packaging that features special introductory letters from both series co-creators on their inspiration and challenges working on the show.

A seven disc set, episodes are presented in widescreen with English and French Dolby Surround plus English and Spanish subtitles. Special features include the following content (** designates all-new DVD elements):

Season One Introduction by Kiefer Sutherland

All-new documentary The Genesis of 24**

Five extended episodes** (7:00PM – 8:00PM; 10:00PM – 11:00PM; 8:00PM – 9:00PM; 11:00PM – 12:00AM; 9:00PM – 10:00PM)

25 extended / deleted scenes**

Never-before-seen alternate season finale ending #2**

Commentary on the series premiere episode (12:00AM-1:00AM) by director Stephen Hopkins and Director of Photography Peter Levy**

Commentary on the series finale episode (11:00PM-12:00AM) by director Stephen Hopkins and actress Leslie Hope**

The Rookie online short films (sponsored by Degree)**

• “Coffee Run”
• “Get This To…”

Alternate season finale ending (with optional commentary by executive producer Joel Surnow)

'24' fans must wait until Jan. 2009
Associated Press
February 14, 2008

NEW YORK -- Fans of the Fox drama "24" will have to wait until next January to see Jack Bauer again, this television season's most prominent casualty of the Hollywood writers strike. The network has committed to air a full season on consecutive weeks, and had been planning to start last month.

But if it had started airing new episodes soon, the season finale would not have taken place until the summer, when TV networks rarely show their high-profile programs.

Even though eight episodes for this season had already been filmed before the beginning of the writers strike, producers would have had to ramp up production soon to complete the season.

A January 2009 start seemed the best way to comply with viewers' wishes that a season's episodes run without interruption to conclusion, Fox said on Thursday.

The company that produces the series, 20th Century Fox Television, also confirmed that creator Joel Surnow was leaving as one of the executive producers. Fox is owned by News Corp.

Surnow told Daily Variety that he had "decided it was time to see if there were other opportunities I wanted to pursue."

Number's up for 24 co-creator
By Nellie Andreeva
February 13, 2008

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "24" co-creator Joel Surnow, the highest-profile mastermind behind the Emmy-winning drama, abruptly left the show Wednesday.

His contract with the show's production company, 20th Century Fox TV, was set to expire April 30, but the studio agreed to his request for an early release so that he could focus on new projects.

"I did some soul-searching," Surnow said. "I took it as an opportunity to write on my own and do other things."

He said he was not sure what exactly he would do next, but "24" would be a tough act to follow.

"After doing '24,' I don't know if I want to do a mainstream show again," he said. "I like what's going on in cable; there is an opportunity to stretch dramatically there, which is something I'm trying to do."

Fox on Tuesday praised Surnow and left the door open for him to be involved with the show in the future. "Joel created one of the landmark series of this decade in '24', and his contribution to its creative excellence over the years has been immeasurable," Fox said. "His input will always be welcome."

Surnow created the real-time thriller with Robert Cochran, who continues to work on the series. In the past few years, the show has been run by executive producer Howard Gordon. Each season revolves around 24 hours in the life of a government agent (Kiefer Sutherland) who battles villains on all fronts.

The openly conservative Surnow, who jokingly labeled himself a "right-wing nut," made headlines in November when he asked, "Are we nuts thinking Hillary Clinton could be president of this country? Honest to God, just stand back and think about it."

Ironically, the upcoming seventh season of "24," slated to debut in January 2009, features the first female U.S. president, played by Cherry Jones.

LMR comment on article above: Good luck to Joel Surnow. I don't blame him for leaving "24". Hopefully, this "right-wing nut" will find success in the future. Hmmmmm, now that he has left, will "24" become a "left-wing nut" drama? It makes me cringe just thinking about it. I understand that Kiefer is somewhat of a "lefty" himself. My advise is for him to get out while he can. :)

LMR comment: The article below from The Wall Street Journal contains a whole lotta yadda, yadda, yadda, but it is worth reading. I have comments below the article.

Reinventing '24'
Jack Bauer's newest nemesis isn't a terrorist -- it's public opinion.
By Rebecca Dana
The Wall Street Journal
February 2, 2008

During its first five years on television, the terror-thriller "24" built a huge fan base by creating the first true superhero of the post-Sept. 11 era: special agent Jack Bauer. Ruggedly handsome and righteously defiant, Jack was willing to do anything to defend his country.

That "anything" has always included torture. Jack has snipped off fingers, poisoned associates, shot through kneecaps and faked executions, all in the pursuit of national security.

Against the real-life backdrop of global terrorist attacks, "24" at its peak fulfilled the fantasies of an insecure nation. It became one of the most important franchises for News Corp.’s Fox Broadcasting Co., with 17 million viewers tuning in some weeks and millions returning to watch on DVD. (News Corp. also owns The Wall Street Journal.)

But those who ride the tide of the times can also get upended by them. As public opinion about the Iraq War turned south, the show's depiction of torture came to be seen as glorifying the practice in the wake of real-world reports of waterboarding and other interrogation techniques used on detainees.

Ratings dropped by a third over the course of last year's sixth season. Producers would later experience trouble casting roles, once some of the most desirable in television, because the actors disapproved of the show's depiction of torture. "The fear and wish-fulfillment the show represented after 9/11 ended up boomeranging against us," says the show's head writer, Howard Gordon. "We were suddenly facing a blowback from current events."

Last spring, Fox executives asked producers to come up with a plan for what to do with their onetime crown jewel. The producers decided to take the radical -- and rarely attempted -- step of reinventing the show. While some fans complained "24" had grown too formulaic, the producers also grudgingly saw the importance of wrestling the show from its ties to an unpopular conflict.

The result: "24" is nowhere to be found on the TV schedule. For weeks the show's producers tried to reconcile the show's premise with the new public mood. Should Jack atone for his sins? Is Jack bad? The script rewrites and philosophical crises left the show so far behind schedule that when the Hollywood writers went on strike in November, Fox had no choice but to delay its premiere date. The show could premiere this summer, next fall or as late as January 2009.

At the center of it all is 46-year-old Mr. Gordon. The Princeton-educated intellectual and self-described "left-leaning centrist" finds himself in the awkward position of championing a television show he loves without condoning the real-life ideology it is so often associated with. "If anything, Howard is too thoughtful," says Dana Walden, chairman of 20th Century Fox Television. "His process is so thoughtful that sometimes it's hard to get a script out of him."

Events Occur in Real Time:

When "24" was first conceived, no one imagined it would court such controversy. In 2000, creators Robert Cochran and Joel Surnow developed the idea of a high-quality television action show in the mold of the "James Bond" or "Die Hard" movies: heart-pounding, if not exactly plausible. The major conceit of the show was that it would take place over a 24-hour period. Each hour-long show would depict an hour in Jack's life.

Fox introduced the creators to Mr. Gordon, who had enjoyed some success writing and producing for a series of popular television shows like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "The X Files." In 2000, Fox ordered up 13 episodes.

"Then terrorism arrived at our doorstep," says Gail Berman, former president of Fox entertainment. The show premiered 25 days after Sept. 11, 2001.

Instantly, "24" became inextricable from the aftermath of the terror attacks. Jack Bauer, played by Kiefer Sutherland, became a stand-in for the Bush administration's antiterror strategy. Jack's interrogation techniques and the numerous "ticking time bomb scenarios" he confronts -- situations where he must quickly extract critical information from a suspect to deter an imminent threat -- were raised during serious discussions of terror and torture on Sunday morning talk shows, in Republican and Democratic presidential debates, on newspaper editorial pages and in the halls of Congress.

At certain moments the show's ratings have dovetailed with the approval ratings of the president. Both spiked during the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, the capture of Saddam Hussein and the 2004 presidential election.

In the winter of 2007 the sixth season of the show premiered to more than 16 million viewers. The season began with Jack emerging from 18 months of captivity and unremitting torture in a Chinese prison.

Around the time that episode aired, the New Yorker ran a story heavily quoting co-creator Mr. Surnow, who referred to himself as a "right-wing nut job" and called the show "patriotic." Noting that many in the Bush administration were fans, it described Messrs. Surnow and Gordon hobnobbing with the conservative elite. The story also quoted high-ranking members of the U.S. military criticizing the show for leading soldiers to believe that torture, outlawed in 1949 by the Geneva Conventions, is effective and necessary to fight terrorism.

Mr. Gordon says the story was "highly agendized" and emphasizes the show still has broad appeal across party lines. "What really got to them, I think, wasn't so much stories like mine as the fact that the U.S. military was telling them that what they were airing was unpatriotic," says Jane Mayer, the article's author.

But some Fox executives weren't happy. To them, that story and others helped cement the show's ties to the increasingly unpopular Bush administration. Mr. Surnow is still involved in "24," particularly in the shaping of stories and in the edit room. An outspoken conservative, he has sought to distance his public profile from "24"'s. Mr. Surnow declined to be interviewed.

As President Bush's approval ratings began to sink so did ratings for season six, which ran from January to May 2007, dropping steadily month by month. Fox notes that viewers were increasingly choosing to watch the show on digital recording devices. But some fans also felt the show was retreading old ground, and that the characters had become flat. Undoubtedly "24" was showing its age, as all TV shows do, but the producers believed the public mood was quickening the decline.

It was a painful time. As allegations surfaced of prisoners being tortured by members of the U.S. military, producers felt themselves on the defensive. Mr. Gordon says he wasn't prepared for how strong the associations had grown between "24" and the growing political maelstrom.

At one level, the producers felt angry and insulted -- that they were being scapegoated by the media and politicians for larger problems they didn't create. "We think there's enough nuance in the show and enough complexity introduced into these ideas that we'd gotten a bum rap and we were p--- off about it," says Mr. Gordon, whose youngish appearance, casual attire and dark tan give him the ski-bum look of a Hollywood hot shot. "Even if you look at James Bond, he didn't follow the rules, he broke the law, he had a license to kill. At a certain level, it was a wish fulfillment. It's a fantasy, folks."

Yet at the same time, Mr. Gordon couldn't completely divorce himself from the concern that what Jack was doing was morally questionable at best. "24 is effectively an ad for torture," charges David Danzig, director of the Primetime Torture Project, sponsored by the New York-based Human Rights First. "In almost every episode, the good guys use torture. And when they use torture, it almost always works."

Says Mr. Gordon: "If you're a sensible person -- and someone with some kind of a conscience -- you have to worry about this."

By Any Means Necessary:

Come spring, the show's writers and their Fox bosses began having informal telephone conversations about how to recover for next season. By the May 21 season finale, the audience had dropped to just over 11 million. Fox gave the writers carte blanche to "reimagine" the show. One of the team's chief considerations was how to address the controversy surrounding Jack's use of torture. Should Jack be feeling the guilt the media would have him feel?

On May 31, the show's head writers went in for a meeting at the studio to present their first big idea: sending Jack to Africa. In various incarnations, Jack would begin the season digging ditches, building houses, tending to orphans, providing security for an embassy or escorting around a visiting dignitary. "One of the themes we discussed was penance, that Africa was a place Jack had gone to seek some kind of penance. Some sanctuary too, but also penance for things he's done in his life," Mr. Gordon says.

Ms. Walden and Gary Newman, chairmen of 20th Century Fox Television, were receptive but believed it was too much of a departure. "It felt like we were throwing the baby out with the bathwater," says Ms. Walden. The Africa plot also had several glaring problems, the first of which was that at some point Jack would have to fly back to the U.S. The writers proposed that for the first time ever, "24" would break from its real-time conceit; the show would skip the period when Jack was on his 14-hour flight.

The writers agreed to work on the plot. Just three weeks before they were due to start shooting the first episodes, Messrs. Gordon and Surnow joined fellow head writers Bob Cochran and Manny Coto for a pancake breakfast at an IHOP to talk through the elements of Jack-in-Africa that still weren't working. Jack was too far away, they felt, both from the immediacy of domestic terror and from the character he had been in prior seasons.

At the same time, the writers felt the plot lacked the freshness and vigor they sought. They went back and forth for hours until Mr. Gordon concluded the premise just wasn't going to work. "There's something broken in the DNA of the story," he recalls saying.

The others agreed and the foursome returned to Chatsworth, Calif., to the refurbished pencil factory where they film "24," to start over. The writers do most of their writing there in a cigar room, designed to look like a colonial outpost, which they call the "Calcutta Cricket Club."

Here, the technical crew keeps a billboard with hand-drawn pictures of Vice President Cheney with fangs and one Photoshopped image of President Bush eating a kitten. Mr. Gordon keeps on his desk a copy of his wife's book, co-written with prominent Hollywood environmental activist Laurie David, about the dangers of global warming. As part of a larger "green" movement within News Corp., "24" is aiming to be the first television show to go carbon neutral next season, limiting energy use and filming public service announcements.

The writers worked almost without interruption for two days, and the pressure began to show. There were shouting matches, not just about the creative substance of the show, but about how the writing process itself was working. But by Sunday afternoon, they had a new idea: Jack is Bad.

It was another significant departure for the show: In the first six seasons, Jack had an unfailing moral compass. In the next few weeks, the group wrote or "broke" scripts for the first two episodes, inventing a female character, an FBI agent, who would hunt Jack down from the dark side and drag him back to the light.

Near the end of the summer, the writers went back to Fox for a meeting with the studio chiefs and executives at the network, including the network's president, Peter Liguori. It didn't go well. Fox didn't believe anyone would buy the premise that "24"'s hero would go so awry.

The Clock Is Ticking:

By now the show was weeks behind schedule. The writers drove out to Mr. Gordon's house in Pacific Palisades for another marathon session. It was there that inspiration finally struck.

On the evening of July 21, Ms. Walden was driving down Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles when she got a call from Mr. Gordon. She pulled to the side of the road and listened as he breathlessly explained the latest vision.

The new season would introduce a female character, someone like Jack but at an earlier point in her career. Jack's made certain choices and is willing to pay the price, but this character's soul is still in play. "We decided that Jack is Jack, and these questions [about torture] are more deftly handled through a character who hasn't been defined yet," Mr. Gordon says.

The writers decided to scrap the Counter Terrorist Unit, the government agency for which Jack worked for the first six seasons of the show. Instead Jack would go to Washington to address head-on the accusations that his tactics were out of line. He will make his case. He has nothing to apologize for.

"For five years, this was a wish fulfillment show," Mr. Gordon said. "At the beginning, when everybody's fear was more acute, people's tolerance for violence, their own rage, seemed to make Jack's tactics more acceptable. But in the wake of our own abuses in prosecuting this so-called War on Terror, we feel Jack is getting a bum rap. So instead of selling out the entire show and its history and its legacy and apologizing for it and ultimately invalidating it, we decided to defend it."

It was as if they were defending the show itself from charges that it was reckless and partisan. Ms. Walden says she accepted it immediately, and other Fox executives followed suit.

"You can take the position that it is basically reflecting what's going on in the Beltway right now," said Mr. Liguori. "I could look at it and say basically it's the show that's on trial."

Perhaps it is in Hollywood, where the prevailing mood has been strongly critical of the U.S. presence in Iraq. Producers casting roles for season seven quickly encountered something they never had before. Two actors declined roles due to moral objections. One Muslim actor turned down a job as a terrorist. Another actor, the former "thirtysomething" star Dave Clennon, was threatening to turn down a role as the senator who would interrogate Jack at the hearings. Through a publicist, Mr. Sutherland declined to be interviewed.

In a series of emails with Mr. Gordon, which Mr. Clennon provided to the Journal, the actor and the producer debated the show's impact. "Perhaps my involvement in the show has created an elaborate system of rationalization, because I would hate to think that I've somehow been the midwife to some public acceptance of torture," Mr. Gordon writes in an email dated Sept. 26. "But I lack conviction that torture is, under any circumstances an unacceptable option. Mostly I lack conviction because I lack the knowledge."

Mr. Clennon decided to walk away. "At the end of the day, my sense of the show is that it promotes torture and I don't want to be a part of that," he says.

At least two actors who openly oppose torture have accepted parts on the show. In season seven, the liberal comedian Janeane Garofalo will play an intelligence agent. In season six, the Oscar-nominated actor James Cromwell played Mr. Sutherland's father on the show.

"I don't regret doing it," Mr. Cromwell says. He does add he was troubled, however, by Fox's position toward criticism of "24," which he described as "Hey, look, this is a television show. If you want to deal with torture as a reality, deal with the government. They're the ones doing it. I'm just making a buck."

In a statement, Fox says it "has never taken a position on the politics of '24,'" and producers who had commented on the matter "indicated that the show was not a documentary, a manual on interrogation, or a primer on the war on terror; '24' is a television show."

Mr. Gordon acknowledges the weakness of the it's-just-TV argument but says at the end of the day, his commitment to the show trumps any pulls at his conscience to set the record straight. For Jack to cop to everything he may have done wrong would have him "either suicidal or crazy, and that wasn't a viable emotional place to put that character," Mr. Gordon says. "Which isn't to say he won't get there, but not at the beginning."

I know we have seen countless articles about season 6, but here are a few opinions of my own. - LMR

I don't want to be preached to by cast members or crew. I believe there was too much of that in season 6. Make "24" a drama worth watching again and forget about being politically correct. Face it, there is good and evil in this world, no matter what sex you may be or ethnic origin.

The writers didn't know what to do with Jack or better yet, the entire season. They felt pressure and wrote a lot of hooey and hoped it would stick. Ask many avid viewers, and they will tell you the hooey didn't work.

Season 6 of "24" lacked continuity. Season 5 ended with Jack Bauer being held captive for 18 months by the Chinese. For instance, the cast and crew could have filmed the season in South Korea. After his return to the U.S., perhaps they could have shown Jack in flashbacks, while being questioned by CTU or U.S. government officials. Fans needed to know what happended to Jack and why he ended up lost and bewildered. How about Tony showing up somewhere during the questioning? What better person to help Jack get back on track? Fans would have been cheering during that scene for sure.

As for the success or lack of success of "24", it had nothing to do with the approval or disapproval of President Bush. The technical crew, according to the article above, has hand drawn images of V.P. Cheney and a photo-like image of President Bush on their bulletin board. How pathetic and child-like. I'm not interested in Mr. Gordon's or his wife's agendas. Go to PBS or NPR to air your opinions. I wonder why I chose those two media outlets? LOL The writers need to get back to their "Calcutta Cricket Club" and do some serious work.

Getting to the subject of "spoilers": There have been too many of them in the past. That somehow, needs to be stopped. Viewers want to be surprised. They don't want to be privy to each and every turn of "24".

Hopefully season 7 will be an improvement over season 6. This viewer will tune in, might turn on...or drop out.

Clock is Really Ticking Now For Pregnant “24” Star
Actress Archives.com
January 31, 2008

On the hit Fox TV show “24” star Mary Lynn Rajskub plays Chloe O’Brian, CTU’s technical backup support that field agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) needs to get his mission done. In real life the show is presently off the air thanks to the three-month-old writers strike. But if the strike were over tomorrow and new scripts for “24” could be pumped out right away the show’s creators would have to make sure to keep Chloe at her desk for the remainder of the season: it turns out that the actress is now pregnant with her first child.

Rajskub, 36, broke the good news first to People magazine. The father is her live-in boyfriend, personal trainer Matthew Rolph, and at 27, nine years her junior. The little one is expected to arrive near the end of summer and if mommy knows if it will be a boy or girl she didn’t spill it with People.

"With the strike going on, I had to keep busy!" Rajskub quipped to the magazine. "We are thrilled and couldn't be more excited." At least there was one good thing made from Hollywood’s work stoppage.

Now let’s run with this scenario: say the writers’ strike is over sooner rather than later. There are eight episodes of “24”’s seventh season already done but Fox doesn’t want to air them unless it knows that the rest of the season (the remaining 16 hours left in the day) can also be completed without any major delays to their broadcast order. If the writers got back to work next week and “24” resumed production there would still be several months of work left to be done – and Mary Lynn would start showing her pregnancy bump somewhere around hour 14 or so. It would only get more noticeable as the “day” went on until Chloe was wearing maternity dresses and glowing with her imminent motherhood by the time the season was over. Now that would be something worthy of further investigation by Jack, maybe in season eight.

Photo: Copyright: National Photo Group

Kiefer's emotional reunion with father Donald
Hellomagazine.ca
January 30, 2008

Since he was released from a detention centre earlier this month, Kiefer Sutherland has been taking time to reconnect with his friends and family. And last week the Canadian actor was reunited with a very special person in his life, his dad.

The 24 star – who did not include friends or family on his visitors list while at the centre – was pictured in California in a warm embrace with his father Donald Sutherland. Both Kiefer and Donald – who is a huge fan of his son's hit TV show – were evidently delighted to be back in each other's company, bearing huge smiles across their faces as they met outside a restaurant in Santa Monica.

Dirty Sexy Money actor Donald – who has had a turbulent relationship with Kiefer in the past - has praised his son's "perfect" behaviour in taking responsibility for his actions. "All I can tell you is that he is the most honourable, responsible decent man I know, and I love him with a passion," he said.

Donald Sutherland keeps passion alive with Fool's Gold
By Ian Caddell
Straight.com
January 31, 2008

LOS ANGELES—Donald Sutherland, who started out playing nonconformists in M*A*S*H, The Dirty Dozen, and Act of the Heart is, at 72, making a living by pretending to be successful members of the Establishment. He played a conservative congressman in the series Commander in Chief, portrays the wealthy patriarch of a troubled family in the current TV series Dirty Sexy Money, and is a tycoon hoping to renew his relationship with his spoiled daughter (Alexis Dziena) in Fool’s Gold. The latter film, which opens February 8, stars Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson as divorced treasure hunters looking for help to find a sunken Spanish ship.

In his off-screen life he is an actual patriarch of an acting family that includes 24 star Kiefer Sutherland and newly minted actor Rossif Sutherland, who stars in the upcoming Canadian film Poor Boy’s Game. When Sutherland arrived in L.A. for the media junket for Fool’s Gold, his first order of business was to go to dinner with Kiefer, who had gotten out of jail a day earlier. He says that he is very proud of him despite a 48-day jail stay that his eldest incurred for driving drunk, and he says he did what he could to be supportive when his son was in prison.

“I think Kiefer is as good a man as he is an artist,” he says. “And he is as good a man and artist as you can find anywhere. But I had him trapped when he was in prison. He wasn’t allowed reading materials, so I kept writing him letters. He had to read them. I went there often, but he could only speak to me every three days for 14 minutes. That was it. You can’t believe how fast 14 minutes is. It’s gone so quickly. You start to talk and then you have to remember to shut up or it will be gone.”

Sutherland says that if it seems as though he has changed his approach to choosing characters as the years have gone by, it isn’t true. He says that as he has grown older, he has continued to make the choices that will keep alive his passion for his craft.

“There was a Russian poet and Nobel Prize winner named Joseph Brodsky who did a commencement speech at Dartmouth College in 1988. He talked to the graduating class about how this was the best day of their lives and that from now on it was downhill. He said the more things they acquired the less they would want. In the middle of it, he told them that they had to try to stay passionate because passion alone was a remedy against boredom.

“I love the characters I play,” Sutherland continues, “and I try to learn more about the human condition when I play them. No matter who they are, I always try to inform them and give them as much of my own observation and truth and morality and immorality and poetry as I can.”

Law professor examines Jack Bauer’s influence on national security law
By the Iowa City Press Citizen
January 30, 2008

From the University of Iowa News Services Office

Sure, it’s just a TV show, but a University of Iowa law professor says "24" can have real-world legal implications.

"Ruminations on ‘24’ would be just an entertaining diversion if it were not for the fact that the show has slowly seeped into the national debate on antiterrorism tactics," said Tung Yin, an expert on national security law who laments the fact that the writers’ strike has likely killed off the current season before it even starts.

Yin points to such examples as Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, who has said that "24" "frankly, . . . re-flects real life" in presenting scenarios with "no clear magic bullet to solve the problem," and to former CIA Director James Woolsey, who has said that "24" is "quite realistic" about the threats that it depicts.

And then there’s the pop culture shout-out from former presidential candidate and U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, who said that if the government captured a would-be suicide bomber, "I’m looking for Jack Bauer at that point, let me tell you."

Yin said "24" is a useful tool to analyze the intersection of law and pop culture, to the point where he uses scenes from the show to illustrate points and generate discussion in a seminar he teaches on national security law. "24’s" conceit is well known by now-federal anti-terrorist agent Jack Bauer, played by Kiefer Sutherland, has less than 24 hours to track down bad guys intent on destroying America with assassination, nuclear weapons, viral releases and various other forms of mayhem.

Yin wrote a paper, "Jack Bauer Syndrome: Hollywood’s Depiction of National Security Law," that he presented at the recent Association of American Law Schools conference as part of a panel sponsored by the organization’s Law and Hu-manities Section. The article will be published soon in the Southern California Interdisciplinary Law Journal.

From a legal perspective, he said "24" justifies its torture with the "ticking time bomb" theory that argues torturing one person is acceptable if it's necessary to spare the lives of many more. But Yin said the show's portrayal of frequent torture is legally troubling because evidence suggests that torture doesn't work, and because it's against the law.

On top of that, Bauer never tortures the wrong person and he knows the torture will produce results, guarantees that can't be made in the real world.

"Even if we assume that government actors proceeded in good faith, there remains the possibility of making a mistake," he said.

He also worries the show's overly optimistic Hollywood view of torture could have consequences in the real world legal system.

"If a government agent were ever to be prosecuted for torturing a terrorist suspect and raised a defense of necessity, a jury influenced by '24' might demand that the agent had possessed the perfect information that Bauer regularly has," Yin said. "On the other hand, there is evidence that some military personnel have been influenced by the show to engage in more abusive interrogations. This shows the impact may well be greater acceptance of the 'necessity' for torture or other, slightly less coercive interrogation methods."

"24" has also come under fire from various groups for its portrayal of Arabs as stereotypical crazy terrorists and Arab-Americans as not altogether trustworthy and sufficiently patriotic. Arabs or Arab-Americans have been the show's primary villains in three of its six seasons.

Yin said these criticisms are fair, though overblown.

"'24' may not be as negatively biased as some critics complain it is," said Yin. "The terrorists are not always Arabs, and even in the seasons when the terrorists are Arabs, there are usually other, non-Arab villains as well. In addition, the producers appear at least cognizant of the fact that one-sided portrayals amount to little more than polemic; how else can one explain the sometimes heavy-handed inclusion of Arab-American characters who make speeches proclaiming their patriotism?"

He suggested the producers could improve its presentation of the terrorists by providing a better sense of their motivations, not for the purpose of justifying the terrorism, but to humanize them.

Yin presented his paper at the recent Association of American Law Schools conference as part of a panel sponsored by the organization's Law and Humanities Section. The article will be published soon in the Southern California Interdisciplinary Law Journal.

2008 SAG Award - January 27, 2008:

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series:

24

Contemplating 24's 7th Season
By Oscar Dahl - Writer
BuddyTV.com
January 25, 2008

The WGA writers' strike has hurt many shows, killed others, but perhaps the most high-profile hatchet-job involves 24. The highly-touted seventh season of the Jack Bauer-led drama was set to premiere this month, but 24 only got seven or so scripts finished and ready to shoot before the strike hit. Now, until the strike is resolved, fans will be without their beloved series. However, the question lingers – when the strike ends (and it will, eventually) what should FOX do with 24? It's not as simple as “finish filming season 7 and then air it,” though it'd be nice if it was.

For the remainder of this post, let's all assume that the writers' strike will be settled at some point between now and July. If it isn't, the whole business of network TV will be in serious trouble. It will officially be all reality, all the time. And no one wants that. Hence, the assumption. When the strike is settled, FOX will have to make some decisions. Will they wait until January 2009 to air the first new 24 episodes since May 2007? Will they move up the schedule to have the remaining seasons of 24 run in Fall instead of Spring? Will they forgo the 24-episode format and break season seven into two mini-seasons, spanning the entirety of the 2008-2009 TV season?

Realistically, FOX will do whatever they believe is the most financially beneficial and/or agreeable to Kiefer Sutherland. Joel Surnow, Jon Cassar, et al. In a perfect world, the 24 team would attempt to make up for lost time and get a season up and on the air as soon as possible. To do this, they would have to either do two mini-seasons in the Fall and Spring, or just decide to air the full season beginning in the Fall. There's absolutely no way that 24 can cobble together two full seasons for both halves of the 08-09 season – the production for a season of 24 is lengthier than almost any other series on television.

Either way, it's only going to be 24 total episodes next year. If we presume this to be the case (and it seems the most logical) then I would imagine that FOX and 24 would opt not to go for mini-seasons. There's no need to risk alienating the fans by toying with an unfamiliar format. Personally, I wouldn't be opposed to two mini-seasons, but I just can't see FOX truly entertaining that thought.

24 to restart this fall?
The Ausiello Report
By Michael Ausiello – TV Guide
January 28 – February 3, 2008

Jack Bauer may have pulled his last all-nighter. With 24’s seventh-season premiere postponed indefinitely due to the writers’ strike, Fox is toying with the idea of turning it’s eight completed pre-strike hours into a 12-episode mini-season to air in the fall. Another 12-episode arc – featuring a completely different plot – would follow in the second half of the season.

Although the movie would compromise the show’s one-of-a-kind 24-consecutive-hours concept, it would allow the network to get the series back on the air before viewers forget Jack Bauer even exists. After all, the alternative would to stick with the traditional uninterrupted 24-episode schedule – and wait until January ’09 return!

The network declined to comment for this story, but a 24 insider insists that the divide-and-conquer scenario is only one of several ideas that are being batted around by the powers that be, and no final decision has been made. So just in case, maybe for a little while longer, Jack should hang on to the NoDoz.

Sutherland out of jail after 48 days
By Keith St. Clair – Associated Press Writer
January 21, 2008

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kiefer Sutherland was released from jail early Monday after serving 48 days on a drunken driving charge, police said.

The actor was ushered out a back door and into a waiting car at 12:05 a.m. to avoid the media near the Glendale jail's main entrance, Officer John Balian said.

"It was a joint decision between him and our police department personnel that it would be better if he exited through the back," Balian said.

Sutherland spent most of his jail sentence by himself, interacting with fellow prisoners only when he was on the way to the laundry room where he worked cleaning sheets, pillowcases and blankets, Balian said.

The star of Fox television's "24" also had a cell to himself and ate alone, he said.

Officials rejected several requests from strangers who asked to visit Sutherland during his sentence.

"A lot of people came in to see him off the street: nutritionists, psychics, just random people who thought they could walk up and see him," Balian said. "That just wasn't going to happen."

Prisoners are only allowed to receive visitors already named on a list, he said.

Sutherland pleaded no contest in October to driving with a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit of 0.08 percent. He was sentenced to 30 days, as well as 18 days for violating probation stemming from a 2004 drunken-driving arrest.

After entering his plea last fall, Sutherland issued a statement saying he was "very disappointed in myself for the poor judgment I exhibited recently, and I'm deeply sorry for the disappointment and distress this has caused my family, friends and co-workers."

He was granted a request to serve his time in suburban Glendale's city jail rather than in the overcrowded downtown Los Angeles County jail. Prosecutors said at the time of Sutherland's sentencing that he might be released early if he did time in a county jail, due to crowding, but Sutherland attorney Blair Berk said Monday the actor would have had to serve his full term regardless of where he was incarcerated.

Sutherland must also serve five years probation and complete an 18-month alcohol education program and attend weekly therapy sessions for six months.

Balian called Sutherland a model prisoner who has paid his dues.

"He was very cooperative, humble, didn't give us any problems. He never wanted any preferential treatment," Balian said. "Forty-eight days is a long time, but as far as we are concerned, he paid his debt to society."

Kiefer Sutherland to Get Out of Jail Monday
By Ken Lee
People.com
January 17, 2008

After 48 days behind bars, Kiefer Sutherland will be released from incarceration Monday morning, a Glendale City Jail rep tells PEOPLE.

"He'll be let out the front door just like everyone else," Officer John Balian says. "I have no idea who'll be picking him up."

In jail for his second DUI conviction and for violating probation, Sutherland, 41, will have served his entire sentence. He spent his birthday, Christmas and New Year's at the Los Angeles-area facility.

"Throughout his stay, he never griped, never complained," Balian added. "He never wanted preferential treatment from the get go, and we respect him for that."

Wearing an orange jumpsuit, Sutherland is housed alone in an 8 by 10 foot cell, but is not confined to it, having access to a larger day room with a TV.

Thus far, Sutherland was only visited once by his attorney. The 24 star did not include any family or friends on his visitor request list. (His doctor was the only other approved visitor).

The actor spent his days on laundry duty, and occasionally did clean-up work, such as emptying trash bins and mopping up.

As for reading material, Sutherland only brought two books with him. Although the jail was deluged with fan mail for its star prisoner, all of it was rerouted to his publicist.

Sutherland did not make an excessive amount of phone calls either, Balian says, and kept largely to himself, having scant contact with other inmates.

Although actor Gary Collins is incarcerated for DUI at the same facility, the two are housed in separate areas.

"Dragons of Autumn Twilight" finds three friends battling an odd looking goblin. Tanis Half-Elven (Michael Owen Rosenbaum) and Flint Fireforge (Fred Tatasciore) come across a goblin hero named Toede (also voiced by Fred Tatasciore) and his goblin minions. A fight ensues and the dwarf and half-elven adventures are facing defeat when their friend Tasslehoff Burrfoot (Jason Marsden) comes to their aid. They defeat the minions of Toede, but do not kill the leader of the goblins. Later on that night, they join more of their friends at a local inn where the lovely Tika Waylan (Michelle Trachtenberg) works. The Majere brothers Raistlin (Kiefer Sutherland) is a wizard and Caramon (Rino Romano) is a knight after finding his father´s armor and sword. Their friend Sturm Brightblade (Marc Worden) is also in attendance at the inn.

LMR comment: A bit of light hearted news below:

Readers vote Kiefer hunkiest guy of 2007
hellomagazine.com
January 3, 2008

Hollywood's cute newcomers don't hold a candle to showbiz's more mature talents it seems, according to the results of a hellomagazine.com poll to discover the hunkiest guy of 2007. Age and experience apparently outweigh youthful allure in the eyes of our readers, who clearly had some strong opinions on the subject, casting an incredible 176,673 votes in total. The top two places went to talents over 40, with Kiefer Sutherland, who recently celebrated his 41st birthday in an LA detention facility, storming into first place with an impressive 47 percent of the votes.

The London-born actor's recent run-in with the law has clearly done nothing to diminish his attraction in the eyes of his fans, who voted for him in their tens of thousands. Between the 24 star and House's blue-eyed maverick medic Hugh Laurie - who came a close second with 41 per cent - there was little chance of glory for 20-somethings Zac Efron, Shia LaBoeuf and Kevin Zegers.

Third place went to another worldlier star, 39-year-old Daniel Craig, who is preparing to return to his 007 role as a secret agent. The youngest hunk to make it into the top five was The Tudors actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers, 30, who pipped Clive Owen to fourth place by just 670 votes.Atonement's James McAvoy and Prince Harry walked away with sixth and seventh position respectively.

He came in at number seven this year, but emerging international talent Shia LaBoeuf may fare better in future rankings after audiences have had the chance to see him in action in the latest Indiana Jones film. Also presumably looking to raise their profile in the next 12 months are Blood Diamond actor Djimon Hounso and Raza Jaffrey, of hit UK TV spy drama Spooks fame, who came in at ninth and tenth.