Ignoring a few of the many issues to come out of the 00s, it was a good time for a lot of things. Harry Potter was quickly taking over the world, motion capture became a huge thing for films, HD became a thing and so many other things. It was also an interesting time for TV as well with
Doctor Who returning to our screens after a long hiatus and shows like
24 becoming instant hits with its style, layout and other things. It was quite a revolutionary show in which every season was basically one day told across 24 episodes, with each one covering an hour in a real time 24-hour period. Something that, for a long time, no one would have ever thought would work and yet it did. It became a huge deal that made Kiefer Sutherland (who before this was probably only known for being in
The Lost Boys) a household name. It had nine seasons, a spin-off series, a video game and a made for TV film with a big screen film currently in development hell and other projects in the works too. A very interesting series for sure, so let's crack on and take a look:
Day 1
The director of the Los Angeles based Counterterrorism Unit, Jack Baur (played by Sutherland), learns of an assassination attempt on Democratic Party candidate David Palmer (played by Dennis Haysbert) that is planning to take place some time on the day of the primary in California. He also learns that his family may be in danger and the people he works with, may be involved in both situations, which he vows to resolve at any cost with his "ends justify the means" approach. The first season very much establishes how the show would work. While it may have been an experiment that might have not amounted to anything, it quickly ended up becoming a huge success and I can see why. It's very intense with twists and turns in every episode, and we get to see each hour from the perspectives of all the characters. A great first season that got me hooked instantly. 9/10
Day 2
Set 18 months after Day 1, Day 2 sees Jack who has since resigned from CTU, being bought back into action to prevent a nuclear bomb from being detonated by terrorists with help from David Palmer who is now President of the United States. As all that is happening, Jack also worries about the safety of his daughter Kim (played by Elisha Cuthbert) despite their strained relationship among other things. This season continues the heart pounding action that the first one had and giving us more twists and turns and one of the most shocking finales in television (at least for me anyway). Great second season overall. 9/10
Day 3
Three years after Day 2, Day 3 sees Jack and David's attempts to prevent the spread of a deadly virus by terrorists. During the day, Jack meets Mexican drug dealers, David faces the trails and tribulations of re-election, relationships come to blows with one another and all sorts of other things happen too. Watching this season in 2021 made me think a lot about how Covid got out of hand, and it just feels a bit too close to home. Nevertheless, it's another solid season that continues to keep me guessing as to what happens next. 9/10
Day 4
18 months after Day 3, Jack Baur has been fired from CTU due to a heroin addiction and now works for Secretary of Defence James Heller (played by William Devane) alongside Heller's daughter Audrey (played by Kim Raver). As the day progresses, the trio get caught up in a terrorist plot which, unlike previously and in the future, seems to be the work of one Habib Marwan (played by Arnold Vosloo). To combat this threat, Jack decides to return to CTU to deal with it while facing the challenges of the new staff and also a new president or two. As this series goes on, it becomes a lot easier to work out that it is quite literally one bad guy this time instead of several as has been done before and in future seasons. Once again, very intense (particularly around the nuclear parts), action packed, and I just wonder when enough action is enough. Another strong season overall. 9/10
Day 5
18 months after Day 4, Jack Baur has gone off the radar and is once again no longer a CTU agent. But on the day of a monumental event for President Charles Logan (played by Gregory Itzin), a group of attacks see David Palmer and former CTU agents Tony Almeida (played by Carlos Bernard) and Michelle Dessler (played by Reiko Aylesworth) either badly injured or murdered. Chloe O'Brian (played by Mary Lynn Rajskub) is also targetted in these attacks, but Jack manages to save her in time at the cost of revealing himself. As the day progresses, he sets out to prevent more attacks before learning that this conspiracy may be the work of the most unlikeliest of people in government. It was probably inevitable that the show would have the enemy be someone no one would suspect, at least at first. But that is one of the good things about this show. We're always guessing who did what and left surprised by the reveal. Its another solid season that further pushes how far someone with power and someone wanting revenge will go to get what they want. 9/10
Day 6
20 months later in the wake of several suicide bombings on US soil, a man called Abu Fayed (played by Adoni Maropis) makes a deal to hand over the man supposedly responsible for these attacks in exchange for Jack Baur of which he has a personal grudge. President Wayne Palmer (played by D.B. Woodside) manages to negotiate his release, as Baur has been a prisoner for China following what went down in Day 5. But events transpire which causes Jack to return to CTU and bring down Fayed while also dealing with his Chinese captors (who also have a grudge) and even his own family too who also have issues with him. This season is very much a Jack Baur centred season in that every villain in it has a grudge on him for whatever reason. But at least this gives us a chance to learn more about him while also having the usual twists and turns and each hour being seen from all perspectives besides Baur. Solid season overall. 9/10
Day 7
So I should stress that the made for TV film
Redemption that is part of the franchise, takes place between Days 6 and 7. Will probably look at that film at a later date, but let's talk about Day 7. 46 months have passed and Baur starts the day being on trial for alleged crimes he has committed while working for CTU. CTU meanwhile has disbanded as the result of President Taylor (played by Cherry Jones) and her push to be against the use of torture. His hearing however is interrupted when the FBI require his assistance in another terrorist threat that puts the White House in danger and has him meet an old friend turned enemy. I have always enjoyed it when Jon Voight is on-screen playing a villain. He's always great at it and especially in this role, he actually comes across as more James Bond than 24 as a villain (which I know is what other people have said, but I do agree with that). Also like Cherry Jones's character, which is the sort of president that is fair, but at the same time is conflicted between her duties both as president and as a mother/wife. What else can I say but another great season. 9/10
Day 8
Marketed as the final season, Day 8 sees Jack in New York wanting to live a normal life with his family, but assassination attempts during a historic peace treaty in the UN building, causes him to join up with CTU's New York branch (which had been reactivated) and take on the Russian mafia and Kamistani terrorists. Until eventually, he forces himself into a one-man war that may make him the most wanted man on the planet for what may be a long time. New York got jacked quite literally in this season and I got to say, as the original final season, this is by far the most twist driven and action packed one there is. And it all ends with an emotional farewell to characters and the reveal that all of this could have been avoided, or so we are led to believe. Great season overall. 9/10
Day 9: Live Another Day
So in the States quite a few years ago, Fox decided to do a series of limited run event programming and this led to the return of
24 which honestly made sense because the ending of Day 8 left us pondering what became of the many characters we've come to love from this show. Four years have passed since Day 8 and James Heller (who is now president) is in London working with the prime minister (played by Stephen Fry) on sorting out a treaty. Chloe O'Brian is also in London having joined a hacker collective that preaches freedom of information and funnily enough, Jack is here too having been tracking her activities. But when Jack hears an attempt on Heller's life, he is forced to resurface to save him at the cost of revealing himself to the likes of the CIA's London branch, the military and even the government. Although much shorter than previous seasons at only 12 episodes long (but with a time jump within the final episode), the action sequences are very strong, the acting is well done, and I feel a sense of satisfaction on where the characters end up at the end. As the supposedly true final season, it's great, brings us the formula that many will have missed and its just good to see Baur in action yet again. 9/10
So yeah, I really enjoyed 24. It was a revolutionary series that did what it set out to do and made it clear that small screen action can be just as big as on the big screen if done right and with a big budget. I hope we do get more of these kinds of shows in the future because it's just one way to keep us craving for more each and every week. 9/10
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