Kiefer Sutherland, nominated for best actor in a drama series for his work on '24,' arrives for the 64th Annual Golden Globe Awards on Monday, Jan. 15, 2007, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Kiefer Sutherland breaks onto list for the first time
America's Top Favorite TV Personality
According to a New Harris Poll
January 17, 2006

"24's" Kiefer Sutherland, who plays "Jack Bauer" on that show, makes his debut on the list, tied for eighth place. He is tied with Ellen DeGeneres and Conan O'Brien.

Jack Bauer, '24' return with a bang
By Gary Levin and and Robert Bianco
January 17, 2007

CHATSWORTH, Calif. - The stunning nuclear explosion that capped this week's premier of “24” was meant to “up the ante” on the can-you-top-this thriller and explain why dispirited hero Jack Bauer would return to crime fighting.

So says executive producer Howard Gordon as cast and crew of the Fox drama gathered with television journalists on the sprawling CTU set Tuesday in this L.A. suburb.

“It had to be that big to get Jack back,” he says. “If it had been an assassination attempt, I think he would have said, ’I’m done’ and headed off to Palm Springs to retire.”

While “24” has unleashed nukes before in an arid desert, they’ve never hit so close to home. But the mushroom cloud in Valencia, a real town near here, is no Hiroshima, Gordon says: While “there are mass casualties, they’re not on that scale, and it’s in an industrial area.”

Star Kiefer Sutherland says the “multiple smaller attacks” depicted this season echo “something real that’s a fear in this country” and is already seen in the Middle East. But “24” has always faced uncomfortable parallels, premiering just weeks after Sept. 11. “I long for the day we can go back to when the show is the fantasy it was designed to be.”

Viewers don’t seem to mind: According to preliminary ratings, the two-night, four-hour start averaged 15.7 million viewers, a slight increase over the record 2006 opener.

“The year is all about him finding reasons not to want to die,” Gordon says. “It’s a tragic exploration of Jack’s destiny.”

Sutherland relished the neck-biting escape in Sunday’s opener - “I liked that,” he says with a grin - and reveals a chunk of cantaloupe substituted for his captor’s Adam’s apple he spat out before his exit.

In future episodes, look for Chad Lowe to turn up as a White House aide, Ricky Schroder as a CTU worker, and James Cromwell as Jack’s dad: “You’ll see why Jack is kind of cursed,” Gordon says.

Jean Smart and Gregory Itzin will be back as Martha and the disgraced former President Logan (now under house arrest), and late this season, Kim Raver is likely to return as Audrey, who “represents all his hope, what he’s living for,” Sutherland says.

But he makes no apologies for the by-now familiar killing of a familiar face, this time Roger Cross’ strong-willed agent Curtis Manning, shot in the neck by Jack after he threatened former terrorist Assad.

“We’re all aware of a funny line around here: You don’t want to have too many scenes with me. You don’t want to stand next to me too long, or you might get shot.”

After opening with a blast, '24' will delve into 'what if?'
Hal Boedeker | Sentinel Television Critic
Orlando Sentinel : Television
January 17, 2007

PASADENA, Calif. -- The disaster that ended Monday's 24 was a gamble that producers took to ratchet up the terrorist threat and explore U.S. policy.

This is a spoiler alert: Actors and producers Tuesday talked about the new season with the Television Critics Association.

What about that mushroom cloud over a Los Angeles suburb?

"This was a tactical nuke, not a Hiroshima-size nuclear weapon," executive producer Howard Gordon said. "There are mass casualties, but not in that scale. It was in an industrial part of Valencia. You do learn that it was a catastrophe on the scale of 9-11, and then some."

The grim fade-out could be risky. But Gordon said the series will remain on the edges of the fallout zone, and the pace will slow down. He said the series needed a momentous event to prompt agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) to return to work after being forced to shoot to death colleague Curtis Manning (Roger Cross).

"We have been accused of killing our characters. It's never done randomly," Gordon said. "We don't intend to do any more killing of our characters. Frankly, there aren't that many left who we know."

Executive producer Evan Katz said the series would move to the political arena rather than linger over the destruction.

"What would an appropriate response be?" Katz said. "We forbid ourselves from doing current events, but we do like to be in the fabric of 'what if?' Unfortunately, that's a reasonable 'what if'?"

The new president, Wayne Palmer (DB Woodside), reached the White House because of public sympathy for his slain brother, former President David Palmer. Former first lady Martha Logan (Jean Smart) will return midway through the season; former President Charles Logan (Gregory Itzin), who is incarcerated, will appear before her.

The Counter Terrorist Unit will scurry to prevent four other nuclear bombs from detonating.

"The stakes are so high," says Ricky Schroder, who plays an agent starting in the 13th episode. "The country is going to be turned into anarchy and chaos if that happens again."

Sutherland dismissed the notion that Monday's blast might faze viewers.

"I think they would have been turned off by a lot of things before that," he said. "We're making a show about counterterrorism, and within the context of our show, that's obviously a reality. This time it happened. It's not the first time."

Sutherland objected to cable-news pundits' suggestion that the United States needs Bauer in real crises.

"I think that's dangerous," Sutherland said. "Trying to apply the logic of this show to the real world is absolutely ridiculous and insane."

On a lighter note.....

From the January 22 - 28, 2007 issue of TV Guide - Page 74

Fall Preview 2057:

24: Day 56 - A 93-year-old Jack Bauer returns from hip-replacement surgery in Boca Raton to stop a global terrorist group that's targeting early-bird specials by spiking the salad bar with Polonium 210.

LMR comments regarding first four season six episodes: Knowing how the 24 drama works, they needed to kill someone familiar within the first few episodes. From a TV Guide article, it made it clear who was going to be the next victim. It was a shame that it had to be Curtis. Curtis was surely doomed by getting too close to Jack. I'll miss his character.

If there wasn't a "don't get too close to Jack" rule, things might have been different. Jack could have ignored presidential and CTU orders like he has in the past. Shooting Curtis could have been prevented, especially in the neck. You could tell something was bothering Curtis in the third episode. Jack could have contacted CTU for background info about Curtis and Assad right then and there. Let CTU come up with a reason why Curtis is needed back at headquarters. Take him off the case and send in Ricky's new character to help Jack. I don't blame Curtis for going after Assad. Who would want a known terrorist to get a full pardon? Assad killed Curtis's men during the first Gulf War. Assad doesn't deserve a pardon - no matter what information he gives us. We assume he will cooperate. What if he doesn't? If and when Assad's importance has ended, Curtis could carry out his personal vendetta against him. Remember how Jack carried his out against Nina? Why couldn't Curtis do the same thing?

As for Jack, are we supposed to feel sorry for him crying, puking and quitting - a total breakdown after killing Curtis? I guess we are, even though killing Curtis did not sit with me. Jack is a broken man. He has returned from China with the scars to prove it. On the same day, he had to kill a fellow CTU colleague. Will Audrey be able to help him get through his "down time"? Will he be able to bounce back without her? Kiefer's contract isn't up yet, so I guess he'll be sticking around for a bit.

In the final moments of the fourth episode, when you see the nuke going off in the distance, the look on Jack's face is chilling. He realizes something else has been added to his list of "things to do today". He and CTU need to find the remaining four nuclear bombs. Could something like this scenario really happen? I know 24 is only a drama, but the show does make us ask questions. I believe that is a good thing.

A few more things.....

How in the world does Jack run around after being stabbed and tortured by Fayed? He finds new clothes after escaping - a sharp looking gray pull-over and jeans. I didn't see him dressing his wounds (maybe try ripped pieces of a shirt and tape) before changing into his new clothes. Wouldn't you have been able to see blood through his pull-over? Maybe they should have tried a dark blue jean shirt on Jack. That would give you reason for not seeing his wounds. He also had the side of his head banged up, but that somehow disappeared. I have to admit, Kiefer did look hot running around in that pull-over, but we need the old Jack back. His shirt sleeves rolled up, ready to whoop some ass, maybe a jacket and his "man purse/handbag".

Forget the triangle between Chloe, Morris and Milo - waste of time. That time could have been spent finding more info about Curtis. I know, been there, done that.

Get rid of President Palmer (he can't live up to his brother) and his pain in the ass lawyer sister. I'm not impressed with the Lennox character either. I don't think he and President Palmer's sister will be best of friends.

Maybe the Hayes & Buchanan relationship will grow on me. I know, the show needs some sort of relationship in the background without Audrey around.

I'm not looking forward to the political arena of 24. Like I said above, I've had enough of President Palmer's sister - already. Enough talk about civil rights, yadda, yadda, yadda. Tune into C-SPAN if you want to hear about that topic. Let's get back to the basics of the show - fighting terrorism.

Even with those short-comings, I'll continue to tune in each week to see how things progress. I need to know if Jack is going to recover, let alone find those four remaining nukes. Who would have thought one of them would go off with Jack back? Dammit!

Last but not least....Two thumbs up for a flash back - well, sort of. Seeing Jack bite that terrorist on the neck/shoulder made me think I was watching Kiefer in Lost Boys! Did you hear they are making a Lost Boys 2? Let Jack take a bite out of that crime! Have him take a break from CTU to set up CVU - Counter Vampire Unit.

"24" Bow Hit By Patriots Missile
Ratings For Fox Show's Return Hurt By NFL Game, But Recover Vs. "Desperate Housewives"
By Paul J. Gough
Hollywood Reporter
January 16, 2007

(Hollywood Reporter) Jack Bauer survived tangles with both the Chinese government and the AFC divisional championships Sunday, as the two-hour season premiere of "24" lost ground against the tail end of the Chargers-Patriots game but recovered to challenge ABC's "Desperate Housewives."

It was a big night for broadcast TV, which saw a drop in viewership for "Desperate Housewives" to its lowest-rated original episode ever in the face of both "24" and the attention-getting interview with President Bush on "60 Minutes" and diminished fortunes for NBC's "Grease: You're The One That I Want" in its second week after a surprisingly good premiere. And NBC was buried by "Brothers & Sisters" and "Without a Trace" for the season premiere of "Crossing Jordan." The preliminary ratings data was released Monday by Nielsen Media Research; final data will be released Tuesday.

CBS had an immense start to the night with the Patriots-Chargers game, which lasted an hour and 20 minutes into primetime; 33.6 million viewers tuned in between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. The game affected everything between 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. but it was especially profound for the two-hour premiere of "24," which was down slightly compared with last year's premiere. "24" averaged 15.7 million viewers and a 6.1 rating/14 share in adults 18-49, Nielsen Media Research said.

The first hour of "24" averaged 15.1 million viewers and a 5.8/13 in adults 18-49, which was still the non-NFL favorite between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. — but was down 21% compared with the premiere a year ago. But it rose steadily after the game ended at 8:20 p.m. ET, scoring 16.2 million viewers and a 6.3/14 in the demo between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. That was only 6% off of last year's 6.7/14 demo rating in the second hour, when it was also against "Desperate Housewives." The second hour was the highest-rated hour for the show since the Jan. 16, 2006, premiere and was up 5% compared with last year's 15.5 million viewers.

Fox had its highest-rated Sunday night since March 2003 and its most-watched Sunday night since February 2003.

"Desperate Housewives" (16.7 million, 6.8/15) is down 28% compared with last year's episode, which also went up against "24." This year it also had to deal with Scott Pelley's exclusive interview with Bush that highlighted CBS' "60 Minutes" (approximately 17.2 million, 4.7/10), which was an hour and a half late due to football.

NBC also had its problems due to football, with "Deal or No Deal" (9.2 million, 2.4/6) coming out ahead of ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" (8 million, 2.3/6) as the top non-football show between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. But "Grease: You're The One That I Want" (8.2 million, 2.7/6) was down 37% from last week's premiere, and "The Apprentice: Los Angeles" (7.3 million, 2.8/6) again couldn't hold the "Grease" lead-in and dropped 32% compared with its debut a week ago. The network was still up compared with NBC's performance last year during the same night.

The 10 p.m. hour was split by CBS and ABC, whose "Without a Trace" (approximately 14.4 million, 4.1/10) and "Brothers & Sisters" (12.5 million, 4.5/10) far overshadowed the season premiere of NBC's "Crossing Jordan" (6.8 million, 2.2/5). "Crossing Jordan" was down 41% compared with its Sept. 25, 2005, premiere, when it averaged a 3.7/9.

Nightly averages: ABC (11.9 million, 4.5/10); CBS (22 million, 7.0/16); NBC (7.8 million, 2.5/6); Fox (12 million, 4.7/11); and The CW (2.6 million, 1.0/2).

'24' hitting the shelves in half that
The day-after release of the DVD underscores the speed at which studios must operate.
By Meg James, Times Staff Writer
Los Angeles Times
January 16, 2007

In one of the quickest turnarounds ever for a television show to appear on DVD, Twentieth Century Fox Television today is expected to release the season premiere episodes of "24" less than 12 hours after the popular drama finishes airing.

The sixth season of the show starring Kiefer Sutherland as federal agent and terrorist fighter Jack Bauer was launched Sunday and Monday on Fox Broadcasting Network.

By this morning, DVDs of the shows will be on retail shelves. Usually, studios release a television DVD months, if not years, after the network run and package them as a boxed set with an entire season's worth of discs.

"This is an interesting approach to marrying the DVD format with the broadcast network," said Amy Jo Smith, executive director of Digital Entertainment Group, a trade organization that tracks the home entertainment business. "The entire industry has been discussing convergence — but this is an actual illustration of it."

Fox's release of the "24" premiere on DVD is as much a promotional device as it is an experiment in collapsing the windows that traditionally separate a show's network run from its appearance in other formats. The latest "24" DVD will contain the first four hours of the new season plus 12 minutes of the episode that is scheduled to air Monday.

But Fox's gambit also illustrates the speed at which studios increasingly must operate to keep up with a world where consumers prefer to watch shows on their own time schedule — not the networks'. Several networks, including ABC and CBS, have offered Internet downloads of an episode a few hours after the show airs.

"The trend of the network business is to try to tap into the value of shows earlier in their life span instead of waiting four or five years like we used to," said Gary Newman, president of Twentieth Century Fox Television, which produces "24." "Shows today have a relatively short life span. We've got to make money while there's heat on a show."

The DVD release also is aimed at hooking viewers early into the show, whose complex plots and building story lines require faithful viewing to keep up. Although this is the first year for the immediate DVD release, Fox over the last three years has tried to whip up excitement by running the first four hours of "24" over two consecutive nights in January.

"The window of opportunity is so narrow, particularly for a show as episodic as '24,' " Smith said.

Fox didn't want its scheduling quirks to leave viewers behind or discourage them from watching during its network run. Fox, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. empire, doesn't show reruns of "24." The series consists of 24 one-hour segments, set over the course of a single day.

"There are people, for whatever reason, who cannot tune in on those two nights, and this allows them to catch up and be part of the season," Newman said.

In addition to viewers who missed the premiere, the DVD, which has a suggested retail price of $14.98, should appeal to fanatics who buy the DVDs to dissect and replay the Bauer action sequences, he said.

"This is not going to be a huge moneymaker for us," Newman said. "It's more about servicing our audience."

Last year saw a high-profile experiment involving the near-simultaneous release of the Steven Soderbergh movie "Bubble" in theaters, on high-definition TV and on DVD within four days.

Fox studio executives have tried to keep under wraps the existence of the "24" DVD so they would not hurt ratings for network airings.

Adding the 12 minutes of next week's episode was another way for the studio to mollify executives in the broadcast network division and network advertisers. They figured that adding the first act of the upcoming episode would prime viewers to watch the rest of the season on TV.

"It's little baby steps into the world of '24,' " Smith said.

Photo by Brian Bowen Smith

”I’m not sure even Jack can get out of this one”
Kiefer Sutherland reveals inside scoop on the shocking new season
By David Hochman
TV Guide – January 15 – 21, 2007

Kiefer on 24’s explosive new season, living up to Emmy and trying to be more like Jack

On the set of 24 these days, everything radiates with double meaning. There’s the CD box set inside Kiefer Sutherland’s trailer with the title “Love/Death/Travel” that somehow encapsulates Jack Bauer’s very personal war on terror. There’s the anxious production assistant who interrupts the interview with a chilling “You’ve got ten minutes…five minutes…two minutes.” Then there’s Mary Lynn Rajskub’s pet Yorkie, who’s yapping and sniffing and generally not letting anyone forget her name: Emmy.

Coming off its most popular, critically acclaimed and Emmy-honored season yet, 24 ticks into Day 6 with enormous expectations and more than a little tail-wagging ambiguity. Is Jack still on a slow boat to China? Who’s running our country? Will we finally see the bathrooms at CTU?

On the eve of its two-night, four-hour season premiere on Fox, we’ve got the exclusive scoop from the set, and no, it won’t take months of torture in a Chinese prison camp to get out of us. Don your hazmar suits, comrades, and join us in the spoiler bunker!

Last season was widely considered the most dramatic yet for 24. Out of nowhere, major characters were killed off. One former president was assassinated and the current prez turned out to be aiding Russian terrorists. Jack Bauer saved the day, but was last seen battered and bruised on his way to Shanghai for crimes he committed in Season 4. Through it all, viewership was at an all-time high and the show landed five Emmys, including firsts for Sutherland and for the series.

“Do we feel the pressure to outdo ourselves?” Sutherland says, cracking a rare smile during an interview in his trailer. “How can I put it? Um, yes. Hugely. Definitely...Should I keep going?”

Day 6 certainly dawns differently (for starters, it begins at 6 a.m. instead of 7). In seasons past, 24 was all about hurling toward and staving off terrorist attacks. This time, the bomb’s already blown. The season opens with 11 weeks into a series of attacks in 10 cities that have killed more than 900 people. Islamic militants are the prime suspects in the plot, which balloons into a full-on nuclear nightmare (five bombs are set to explode at any moment). Coexecutive producer Manny Coto says, “It’s less Tom Clancy techno-thriller than last season. We wanted a believable scenario that’s been projected in real policy discussions – suicide bombers, the escalation of unseen enemies. We said ‘What if that happened here?’”

Apparently, we’d bypass the study groups and go directly to…Jack Bauer! But even by Jack’s normal sourpuss standards, he’s in crummy spirits this season. Sprung from 20 months in slave labor camp and with the back scars and facial hair to prove it, he’s a moodier, twitchier Jack. Even the familiar spark in his eyes is gone. “Indifference is never a word I would use to describe Jack, but that’s where we find him,” Sutherland says. “He’s indifferent to life, indifferent to death, indifferent to humankind. Any reason to live has been absolutely beaten out of him.”

Meanwhile, there’s drama at the White House, where new president Wayne Palmer (DB Woodside, sporting a most unpresidential goatee), brother of the late David Palmer, faces off against advisers in Washington who are sharply split on what to do. On one side is Thomas Lennox (Numb3rs’ Peter MacNicol), who’s ready to rewrite the Constitution to round up terror suspects. On the other is ex-CTU boss Karen Hayes (Jayne Atkinson), an advocate for Muslim liberties.

The first few episodes will raise as many questions as they answer. Jack’s first word after months of silence is “Audrey,” but even by Episode 4, there’s no sign of the Department of Defense diva (played by Kim Raver). She’s the true love of Jack’s life and she’ll be back, but not for a long while,” promises Coto. We also don’t have President Logan (Gregory Itzin) or his high-strung First Lady (Jean Smart) to kick around anymore. Word is the disgraced prez is awaiting prosecution and will reappear for at least four episodes in the spring.

Over at CTU, Bill Buchanan is in charge and “more definitively than last season, thank goodness,” says James Morrison, who says the spike in 24’s success last year made life interesting for him between seasons. He says, “I couldn’t go into Starbucks without somebody saying, ‘Ohmigod! Bill Buchanan!’ and whipping out their camera phone.”

Good thing Buchanan’s busiest worker bee is ready for her close-up this season. Chloe O’Brian (Rajskub) is all glammed up with a new ‘do and a sexier dark dress. “Chloe did a lot of maturing last year and we wanted to show she’s more of a woman, not just a total computer nerd,” Rajskub says. Or, as Carlo Rota, who plays Chloe’s snarky ex-husband, Morris, a new addition to CTU, says, “Chloe’s gone from geek to chic, and I mean she’s hot.”

Chloe and Morris, in fact, will rekindle their romance – at least as much exes can in the fishbowl that is CTU. (“You can’t really get it on in the CTU, but you have your shorthand,” Rajskub says.) Add to the mix a virile new supervisor, Milo Pressman (Eric Balfour from Season 1), and Chloe’s barely got time for her A-Number-One. “Don’t worry, I’ve got Jack’s back, as always,” Rajskub says. “There’s a lot of communication between us out in the field, whether I’m supposed to or not.” Incidentally, Chloe won’t be pulling her Rambo-style antics again this season, Rajskub says. “I can barely leave my desk, there’s so much going on,” she says, but adds, ‘there will finally be a scene inside a CTU bathroom, for everyone who thought we never go.”

Sutherland, too, knows the burden of a job that never lets up. “My children are grown, so my life has pretty much become [my work on 24],” he says. “I have very fond memories of doing other things and I would hate to become someone who only lives for work.” This past summer was the first Sutherland took off completely, and he’s forcing himself to enjoy more breaks than usual. On set, he plays chess with fellow cast members. (“Kiefer plays like Jack Bauer would,” says Roger Cross, aka CTU specialist Curtis Manning. “He’s super-aggressive and hates when you take too long to make a move.”) Over Christmas, Sutherland went heli-skiing in the Canadian Rockies with a select group from the show. “One of the things I admire about Jack Bauer is his incredible sense of responsibility,” Sutherland says. “He gives you everything he’s got. I’d like to be more like that, but at the same time, a guy’s gotta have a life.”

We’ll actually get to see more of Jack’s personal life than usual this season. As Day 6 unfolds, Jack’s estranged father, Phillip (James Cromwell), shows up, as do other family members, who, let’s just say, become major distractions. As executive producer Jon Cassar says, “I’ll say this: Jack’s family won’t be your regular TV family. This is 24. Whether they’re on the side of good or evil won’t be apparent until we’re deep into the season.”

We can tell you now, however, that Jack goes into an emotional tailspin in Episode 4 after he’s forced to kill a familiar character during a standoff. Does this development suggest a return to last season’s Sopranos-style bump-offs of beloved regulars like President Palmer (Dennis Haysbert), Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard) and Edgar Stiles (Louis Lombardi)? “That isn’t the plan,” says Coto, “At [last season’s] rate, we wouldn’t have any characters left.”

Saying goodbye to long-standing cast members was emotional for everyone on set, particularly Sutherland. “From a very selfish perspective, you work with actors like Carlos for four or five years, and he becomes one of your closest friends,” he says. “I was there when his daughters were born. That friendship allowed us to take the scenes to another level. I miss that. But it was in keeping with the show’s promise to our audience. You give us an hour and we’ll promise the hell out of you.”

As such, we don’t want to spoil all the surprises this season. But rest assured, Day 6 is chock-full of bombshells, especially as some big-name actors turn up later this season. Deadwood’s Powers Boothe will play Vice President Noah Daniels. Chad Lowe turns up as a savvy politico named Reed Pollock. And NYPD Blue’s Rick Schroder comes in as CTU agent Mike Doyle when Jack needs him most.

That nagging assistant knocks on Sutherland’s door to announce we’re finally out of time, and Sutherland dons his Jack Bauer shades and heads back to set, but not without one last reflection. “People love this show and we’ve worked hard these last six years to make it better and better each season,” he says. “In that way, we’re a little like Jack, out there battling for something we believe in. It’s why we put in all the hours we do.” Hey, it sure beats the heck out of Chinese prison camp.

WHOS’S WHO (AND NEW) ON DAY 6

The Bigwigs:

Wayne Palmer (DB Woodside): The new commander-in-chief is the strong-minded brother of the late President David Palmer. If nothing else, he brings hip designer suits to the Oval Office.

Sandra Palmer (Regina King): The sister of both the late and current Prez is A forceful lawyer who’s made a career of advocacy. Romantically linked to a Muslim, she becomes a thorn in the President’s side as he manages Middle Eastern threats.

Thomas Lennox (Peter MacNicol): The new chief of staff won’t let pesky things like the Bill of Rights stand in the way of defending “freedom.”

Karen Hayes (Jayne Atkinson): Tweedledee to Lennox’s Tweedledum, Hayes fights for the rights of Muslims, while juggling a cross-country romance with CTU’s Bill Buchanan.

The Good Guys:

Curtis Manning (Roger Cross): The burly field officer battles with Jack over how best to handle the terrorists. Guess who wins?

Phillip Bauer (James Cromwell): Jack Bauer’s estranged father arrives to make the political personal.

Chloe O’Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub): Back with a sexy new look and more responsibility, her biggest quandary is what to do now that her ex-husband is working one cubicle over in CTU.

Bill Buchanan (James Morrison): Back as CTU’s beleaguered boss – and more in control this time. At least until all hell breaks loose.

Milo Pressman (Eric Balfour): An old face from Season 1 returns as a tightly wound CTU contractor.

Nadia Yassir (Marisol Nichols): A Muslim CTU agent, she comes under scrutiny but ends up providing some of the sharpest insights of all.

The Bad Guys:

Assad (Alexander Siddig): A known terrorist, Assad fits the bad-guy profile, but Jack has other plans for him.

What '24' tells us about ourselves
By Frazier Moore
Associated Press
January 15, 2007

For Jack Bauer, saving America is all in a day's work.

Early in this new day on the Fox thriller "24," his calling as the counter-terrorist go-to guy has taken its toll.

"Tell the president I'm sorry," Bauer sobs into his cell phone just four hours into the current daylong ordeal. "I can't do this anymore."

By now, even staunch "24" fans may feel the same way, having suffered with Jack - and with the preyed-upon nation whose very survival depended on him - for the past five seasons.

But he will carry on, of course. And so will we. Hours three and four air tonight at 8 p.m.

Two years have elapsed since last season's crush of crises du jour, a day that saw Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) bring down treasonous President Charles Logan - and then get kidnapped and thrown in the hold of a China-bound tanker to face punishment for raiding a Chinese consulate.

Last night, we found the United States in turmoil as an L.A. city bus is blown up by a suicide bomber. Thought to be the work of Islamic militants, it's the latest in a series of bombings that have pushed Americans to the brink of hysteria.

"They're afraid to leave their homes," says President Wayne Palmer (younger brother of former President David Palmer), reaching out to Bauer in desperation. "They're actually starting to turn against each other."

The president has sprung Jack from the Chinese and returned to L.A. He needs him to stop the carnage.

It will mean (what else is new?) Bauer's almost certain death.

"It will be a relief," says traumatized, tormented Jack.

But relief is something Bauer never gets. Always in motion and obliged to cheat death, he's a slave to against-all-odds endurance. For the sake of America. And at the price of high anxiety for "24" devotees.

It's been that way since the series premiered.

"24" took flight from an ambitious, if gimmicky, concept: a multi-strand narrative of action and intrigue whose indefatigable hero would fight domestic terrorism in an hour-by-hour, real-time rush tracking a single day that would span a full season.

Just weeks before its premiere, "24" received unbidden, awful validation: the events of 9/11. Indeed, the series got off to a particularly uncomfortable start when, on its first episode (aired Nov. 6, 2001), a terrorist blew up the jetliner in which she had been a passenger, cleverly parachuting to safety.

Through no fault of its own, "24" arrived seeming far too close to real life. The hopped-up dread that propelled "24" must have struck many viewers that first season not as sleek escapism, but as quite the opposite: a disturbing ricochet off their own altered world.

The first season, "24" won critical acclaim as Bauer foiled an assassination plot against David Palmer, then a U.S. Senator on the fast track to the Oval Office. But "24" wasn't a hit. It ranked 74th place in viewers.

Its ratings ascendancy has come thanks to the series' knack for somehow raising the apocalyptic stakes of each crisis Bauer confronts. And to the growing assurance with which "24" somehow straddles the extremes of hyper-real and preposterous - "24" is patently absurd on so many levels, yet it's as white-knuckles gripping as anything on TV.

If we look too close, it's laughable. But it cuts too near the truth to not keep watching.

"24" fans were blown away by last season's fearsome frolic with President Logan. A foppish wretch, he turned out to be behind a cockamamie plan to manufacture deadly nerve gas and sell it to foreign terrorists. But then they threw him a curve by making Los Angeles, not Russia, their intended target. Compounding his villainy, Logan had a hand in David Palmer's murder.

Now it's a new day, and if 6 a.m. through 10 a.m. proves anything, this season will up the ante.

Created in a nation that no longer exists, "24" has adapted to the post-9/11 era in which it's unfolding. When the ground shifted beneath it, "24" shifted, too: from a series that would dramatize the unthinkable, to an all-too-thinkable vision of someday looming soon.

So "24" triumphs as a series it surely never set out to be: an exceptional adventure about lowered expectations.

James Morrison, 24: CTU's Boss Teases the Next 22 Hours
By Matt Webb Mitovich
TV Guide.com
January 15, 2007

To hear James Morrison sum up his 24 alter ego, "Being Bill Buchanan is like trying to romance a beautiful woman in a crowded bus with a love poem about the Terrorism Index, while a pit bull gnaws its way up my leg." In other words, this guy really knows what his character is about. TVGuide.com welcomed the opportunity to chat up Morrison about Buchanan's wedded bliss, the new day's first two hours gone by, and what lies ahead for Bill, Chloe, Audrey et al.

TVGuide.com: So, when did this whole Bill-Karen Hayes romance happen?

James Morrison: It started to happen at the end of the last day. I invited her to breakfast, she asked for a rain check, and sure enough, we ended up going out for a few breakfasts. [Laughs]

TVGuide.com: He pursued her ardently?

Morrison: He did, yeah. Once Bill decides that flowers grow wherever a woman steps, he has to pursue her.

TVGuide.com: Did you like that they took their relationship that far for the new season?

Morrison: I thought it was an amazing idea. Jayne [Atkinson] and I had a chemistry, so we in our own way sort of pushed for it, but not in an overt way.

TVGuide.com: It provides extra stakes for the two characters.

Morrison: It's also an interesting statement for both of them. That a woman who comes into a situation like [she did last season] and wrests power from a man — and to find that they both can be attracted to each other in spite of that — is actually a compliment to both their characters. It also speaks to a level of integrity and honor — that they would place the country's well-being before their personal needs, and then make a circle back to, "We're human beings, let's explore this."

TVGuide.com: Is Bill fully aware just what an ass Peter MacNicol's character [presidential advisor Thomas Lennox] is being to Karen?

Morrison: Yeah, there's a history there that will be fully explored in episodes to come.

TVGuide.com: But being on opposite coasts, Bill won't get a chance to wipe the floor with him?

Morrison: You never know. [Laughs]

TVGuide.com: Watching the first few minutes of the new season, the 24 viewer had to be rather taken aback by the sacrifice that Jack was being asked to make, to give up his life for the country. Were you similarly wowed?

Morrison: Interestingly enough, I wasn't, because when you're in a position like that, you know it's in the job description. You know when you sign on that you may be asked to make the ultimate sacrifice. When Jack asks me if I know what it means to die for something versus nothing, of course I do, but at the same time I've never been asked to do that. Jack certainly has, because that's the nature of his job in the field, [whereas] I'm more of a bureaucrat. But we all know that ultimately the job might ask us to make that sacrifice. What did Martin Luther King say? "If you haven't found a thing you're willing to die for, you haven't lived." That's the problem, frankly, with public servants and politicians today — they're not willing to sacrifice anything. They weren't willing to sacrifice themselves when they were asked to serve. This is not another subject, because this show examines this stuff every day. It asks the audience to take a deeper look at themselves and what they are willing to ask of themselves. That's one of the brilliant things about the show — it examines those subjects on a real, human level. We don't just take apart the Terrorism Index and say, "OK, this is what causes people to do this." We actually look at the relationships and feelings that are involved.

TVGuide.com: In the current TV Guide cover story, Kiefer Sutherland says 24 "hugely" and "definitely" feels the pressure to outdo itself each season. Is that how you feel?

Morrison: Well, not that I disagree with him, because you always are faced with the challenge of exceeding yourself if you are the kind of person who challenges themselves moment to moment — Kiefer certainly is, and we all are as artists. But in relationship to what is real and important in this life, the biggest thing is that we are ultimately only privileged and grateful to be doing what we love, on this level. Whether or not it's going to be as important or earth-shattering as last time we did it is not ultimately the issue. The issue is, can we bring 110 percent of our hearts and our souls into this moment? That's the thing that's going to draw the audience back to us.

TVGuide.com: On a lighter note, a little continuity question: Is Bill Buchanan a barber? Because when grizzly Jack went to clean himself up at that airport-hangar sink, he came away with a salon-quality haircut.

Morrison: Yeah, I guess it's only appropriate that if you're going to ask Jack Bauer to give up his life, you at least give him a good haircut. Before Buchanan became an expert in terrorism, he probably did a few coifs here and there.

TVGuide.com: How has your life changed since being part of the 24 phenomenon?

Morrison: I was thinking about that this morning. In terms of the things I used to do before and the things I do now, I'm the same guy. I have the same concerns as an artist. The same things drive me and my work. It's just that for years and years, no matter what you do, you sort of float on the periphery. Sure, we have excursions into the mainstream to make a living, but now, it's a visibility issue. Mary Lynn [Rajskub, Chloe], was in New York City the other day for Letterman, and she said people will holler at her from across the street, "Hey, Chloe!" They may have known her before, but they just couldn't put a name to her.

TVGuide.com: Is Bill Buchanan going to have a bit more job security on this particular day? It'd be nice to see him stay at the company for a while.

Morrison: I'm going to be there for a little while. There's no guarantee of anything — regardless of what your contract says, even, as we have found out in a lot of instances.

TVGuide.com: Who is your favorite new character? I'm really liking Chloe's "boyfriend," Morris.

Morrison: Oh, Carlo [Rota] is great, and they're a great foil for each other. He certainly brings a new sensibility to the room. You know that there's a world outside of CTU when he's around, and that's a great quality. And it also reveals a lot about Chloe, that she would [have] actually be married to a cat like this. Marisol [Nichols, Nadia] is great, Eric Balfour is back [as Milo], Ricky [Schroder, field agent Mike Doyle] is great; we're having fun.

TVGuide.com: When I spoke to Kim Raver in November, she hadn't started shooting scenes, but said that she definitely would. Has she been to the set yet?

Morrison: It's not exactly clear how that's going to happen. Did I tell you that we're at like [Episode] 16 now?

TVGuide.com: And when Kim's The Nine went on hiatus, you were already halfway through the season.

Morrison: Yeah, I'm not even sure that [Audrey's appearance] is going to happen.

TVGuide.com: It'd be nice for her to show up, if only because her name was the first freakin' word Jack said after more than two years!

Morrison: Yeah, no kidding! But these guys... not only will [the powers-that-be] off somebody unexpectedly, but they'll also [bring them back] unexpectedly.

TVGuide.com: Worst-case, she shows up at 23:55 to give weary Jack a hug.

Morrison: It'd be nice to see her no matter what.

TVGuide.com: As a yoga teacher, do you think Bill ever decompresses in his office with some meditation?

Morrison: No, but I thought about what the yoga background would be for these characters. We have such bad days, you think they would have been doing yoga for the previous 18 months just to prepare for the next one! [Yoga] might be the reason that Bill remains so calm and stalwart and down-to-earth. But it's like eating or going to the bathroom or any of the things they claim these people don't do during the day: If you put that in this [24] world, it would be incongruous. We just have to assume that the yoga is there, whether you're seeing it or not.

Kiefer Sutherland Sets Fire to '24' Action Figure Prototype
World Entertainment News Network
January 15, 2007

Kiefer Sutherland only has himself to blame for the delay of his 24 action figure - he set fire to the prototype during a drunken night out. The action man's new figure has been developed by McFarlane Toys and will hit stores later this year, but the mini-Jack Bauer should have hit shelves much earlier.

Sutherland explains, "They tried to come out with one a couple of years ago and they had sent me the doll for my approval... We took the doll out for a night to have some fun and we'd had some drinks. We sat it on the corner of the table. We started torturing him around 11 o'clock at night, and, by two o'clock in the morning, we had set him on fire in the parking lot.

"We got up the next day and there was just this puddle of wax. His clothes didn't burn, which I thought was pretty cool... and then I got a call the next day saying, 'Did you like the doll?' I said, 'Yeah, it was great.' And they said, 'Well, OK, good, you gotta send it back to us because that was the prototype... It took that guy a year to make it.' I said, 'Well, let me look for it, I think I left it in the trailer.' This went on for about a week and then I had to just kinda come clean."

MCFARLANE TOYS ANNOUNCES '24' ACTION FIGURES
Two Jack Bauer Boxed Sets to Be Released Mid-2007
Copyright 2007 TMP International, Inc.
January 11, 2007

20th Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising and McFarlane Toys announce a licensing agreement to produce action figures based on Fox's multiple Emmy-and-Golden Globe Award-winning Drama -- 24.

Two figures of the show's hero, Jack Bauer (played by Emmy Award and Golden Globe winner, Kiefer Sutherland) are currently in production. Both are packaged as boxed sets and re-create scenes taken directly from the action-packed drama on Fox.

"Without question, 24 is one of TV's biggest cliffhanger programs," says McFarlane Toys' CEO Todd McFarlane. "Kiefer Sutherland does an amazing job as Jack Bauer, the biggest reason people tune in each season. I know a lot of our fans will be excited to hear about us making figures of one of TV's top action stars."

"All of us here at Fox are genuinely excited about the upcoming 24 product release from McFarlane Toys -- Todd and his team have built their reputation on bringing innovation, creativity and magnificent attention to detail across all their intellectual property offerings. says Michael Peikoff, vice-president of domestic licensing for 20th Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising. "The passionate fans of 24 will not be disappointed and are eagerly awaiting this product launch."

One of the most ground-breaking, thrilling and acclaimed television dramas, 24 follows twenty-four consecutive hours in the intense life of Jack Bauer, a maverick anti-terrorist agent from the state-of-the-art Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU). Each episode covers one hour of real time and each season's unique storyline unfolds in one heart-stopping day.

McFarlane Toys' first 24 action figure is expected to hit store shelves in August, with the second scheduled for holiday season 2007 release. Check back on Spawn.com for more information as it becomes available.