24 Things I'm Looking Forward To In Season 8

1. Grandpa Jack - Jack Bauer is a grandpa? Looks like that's what we will see at the beginning of season 8. Looking forward to seeing Kiefer Sutherland's scenes with that cute little girl playing his granddaughter Teri. 
   
2. Retired Jack Bauer - What will a retired Jack Bauer be like? We know he won't be retired for long because this is 24, but it should be interesting to see Jack attempting life away from government service once again. Hmmm... I wonder what kind of pension he gets from CTU?
3. CTU New York - Although I enjoyed the FBI as the main agency last season, it's good to see CTU back again. It was a nice break during season 7 to change things up, but it's time to bring it back. Seems like a good move from the producers because from the pictures I've seen of CTU NY, it looks awesome. 
4. What's Going On With Renee? - Besides Jack, I am really looking forward to finding out what's going on with the Renee Walker character. It's such a mystery as to what happened to her after we last saw her right before she began to interrogate Alan Wilson. Can't wait for her return this season.
5. New CTU Director - I loved Bill Buchanan as the CTU Director and it was really sad to see him go last season. That being said, I am looking forward to seeing  Mykelti Williamson as the new CTU Director, Brian Hastings. An excellent actor and I can't wait to see the type of leader he will be at CTU NY.
6. Chloe's Back At CTU - Chloe's been a stay at home mom most of the time since CTU was decommissioned between seasons 6 & 7. Now Chloe will be back as an analyst at the new CTU NY but will apparently be behind the technology changes that have taken place since she's been away.  Can't wait to see Chloe working with Jack once again. I always look forward to seeing our favorite socially-awkward computer analyst. One of my all-time favorite 24 characters.
   
7. President Taylor - I really enjoyed Cherry Jones' portrayal of President Taylor last year and it was nice to see her win an Emmy for her season 7 performance. It should be interesting to see where this character goes this season in particular her interactions with the President Hassan character (Anil Kapoor). 
8. President Hassan - Speaking of Presidents, another fine actor, Anil Kapoor has joined the 24 cast as the President of the fictional Middle Eastern country, Kamistan. He is in NY for a historic meeting at the UN with President Taylor and is in danger of assassination. I haven't seen a lot of Mr. Kapoor's work so I'm looking forward to seeing his character in season 8.
9. Logan's Back!! - I absolutely loved the Charles Logan character in seasons 4, 5 and 6. I'm so glad Martha Logan didn't kill him with that kiwi knife and he lives on to possibly be a thorn in Jack's side once again!
10. Freddie Prinze, Jr. In 24? Freddie Prinze, Jr. - What? - That was the reaction when it was first announced that he would be joining the cast as the head of field ops for CTU NY. People were like huh?? I hear he's a better actor than he's been given credit for so I'm very interested to see how he will fit into 24. I don't think I've ever seen him play a dramatic part so it should be interesting.
11. Katee Sackhoff as Dana Walsh - OK, I'll admit it, I have never seen Katee Sackhoff in anything but apparently she was a very popular actress on "Battlestar Galactica". Another new character I'm interested in seeing. Her last name is Walsh. I wonder if she has any ties to a previous character, Richard Walsh from season 1? Hmmm...
    
12. President Taylor's New Chief Of Staff - Apparently Ethan Kanin is no longer President Taylor's Chief of Staff but is in a different position within the government. The new character's name is Rob Weiss. A lot of new characters to become acquainted with this season.
    
13. '24' In New York City - Jack Bauer in NYC! The energy of this city seems to fit perfectly with the energy of a Jack Bauer. D.C. was a nice change last season, but this year, I'm really looking forward to 24 being set in NY.
14. The Old Jack Is Back - As great as Kiefer's performance was during S7 when he was sick from the bioweapon, I much prefer seeing a healthy, strong Jack kicking terrorist butt! Based on the previews I've seen so far, looks like that Jack will be back for season 8!
15. Jack and Kim - I'm anxious to see Jack and his daughter's relationship during season 8. Since she did save her father's life and given him a granddaughter, it looks like they have grown close again which will be nice to see.
16. Ethan Kanin - As mentioned earlier, Ethan will no longer be President's Taylor's Chief of Staff; I've heard he's going to be the Secretary of State. I really liked his character so I am interested to see where this character goes in this new role within the government. 
17. The Assassination Plot - The first major threat of season 8 will be an assassination plot against the visiting President Hassan. I can't wait to see how this unfolds and who all the players are behind the plot.
18. 24's Signature Stunts - I want to see what great stunts and explosions the 24 crew comes up with for season 8. Looks like some awesome ones in the previews. 
19. Jack & Renee - What's going to happen between these two? Will they be just friends, maybe more? Hmmm...
20. Jack & New CTU Director's Relationship: Can't wait to see how Jack will work with the new CTU Director, Brian Hastings. Will it be like it was with Bill or more like his relationship with Erin Driscoll?
21. Jack & Chloe Back Together Again - Hope we will see Jack & Chloe working closely together again. Always enjoyed that relationship because they are VERY different characters.
    
22. How Will Jack Get Around NYC? - Taxi, Subway?...seriously, probably a CTU vehicle but it will be interesting to see if Jack takes any typical NYC modes of transportation during the season.
    
23. How Many Bad-Guys Will Jack Kill? - I wonder how many bad-guys Jack will have run-ins with and how many creative ways can they come up with for Jack to do away with them? 
24. Setup For Season 9? - Despite everything out there indicating that this is the last season of 24, I'm still optimistic that there will be a season 9. I'm anxious to see how season 8 will setup season 9 of 24. LONG LIVE 24 & JACK BAUER!!!!

-By 24FanForever


(Special thanks to my friend Lisa for contributing several of these on the list!)

The Other Side Of Jack Bauer (Part 3)

Season 5

Arguably the best season of 24, this season displayed several scenes of Jack's softer/tender side. Much of those scenes involve his reunion with Audrey Raines but there were other moments as well:

Jack & Diane: At the beginning of season 5, after faking his death at the end of day 4, Jack is living under an alias, Frank Flynn and renting a room from a woman, Diane Huxley who has a teenage son. On the surface they look like a regular family, Jack offering to fix the fence and verbally sparing a bit with the skeptical teenage son, Derek.

In these scenes we got to see the non-agent, domestic Jack. It was interesting that they were kind of ambiguous regarding whether there was a romantic relationship between Diane and Jack. It seemed Jack did like the family atmosphere Diane and Derek provided that he had not experienced for a very long time. Through these few scenes we got to see the family man side of Jack. Also in later scenes with Derek, Jack was very kind and patient with him even though before he found out how Jack really was, he didn't trust him and thought he was trying to take advantage of his mom. Jack was very much like a father to Derek in the scenes after the airport hostage situation and later at CTU.

Audrey Sees Jack Again: Thinking Jack was dead, Audrey learned early on in Day 5 that Jack was still alive but being sought for the assassination of David Palmer. Audrey didn't believe Jack killed Palmer and she was right of course. She sees Jack for the first time since his "death" while she questioning Diane Huxley. Diane noticed the way they looked at each other and realizes they apparently had a previous relationship.

Audrey goes out of the office to talk to Jack and they have a brief conversation. They both had so much they wanted to say to each other, but Audrey did  manage to tell Jack she  forgave him for what happened to Paul and that she regretted him thinking she hated him when he "died". Jack seems so relieved that Audrey forgave him and it was apparent they were both overwhelmed with emotion at the time.

More than anything, I thought this scene showed just how much Jack was afraid Audrey had never forgiven him for faking his death and how he handled Paul. When Audrey said she had forgiven him and understood why he had to go underground, Jack had such a look of relief on his face, it looked as if the weight of he world had been lifted from his shoulders. This scene really showed the vulnerable, contrite side of Jack very well.

Jack & Diane Depart / Does Jack Still Love Audrey?: Before leaving CTU to meet in secret with Mike Novick, Jack sees Diane one last time before her and her son leave CTU to go back home. She and Jack have a brief discussion where she asks him if he's coming home with them and she asks him about his relationship with Audrey.

When it is apparent Jack is not leaving CTU with her and still loves Audrey, Jack and Diane part ways. This was a very sweet scene where Jack and Diane hug and he simply says, "thank you" to her. He doesn't have to say anything more than that. We understand what Jack is thanking her for. For a brief time, Jack was able to experience what it was like to have a family again and that was because of Diane's openness and kindness to Jack when he needed it most.

Later, as Jack arrives to where he is meeting Mike, Audrey calls Jack to inquire as to what his future plans will be after what he's doing is over, Jack says he doesn't know and Audrey ends up asking if he still loves her. Jack  pauses and tells Audrey, "I've never stopped loving you, not for one second."

This isn't a surprising revelation on Jack's part, we all knew he still loved Audrey, but was another good illustration of Jack's loving, romantic side where he expresses to Audrey how much he still loves her.

Jack & The Russian Girl: When Jack locates Rossler, the man who was going to help Erwich reconfigure the gas canisters, to his surprise, Rossler is holding a young Russian girl against her will in his apartment and we later find out he acquired the girl after she was kidnapped by those involved in the sex slave trade.

I loved the scenes between Jack and the girl because Jack was so sweet and kind to her plus you could tell how angry he was that this young girl was being abused by Rossler. I like seeing the protective side of Jack Bauer as well.

There was also another scene where Jack tries to explain to her that she will have to go with Rossler temporarily until they get what they want from him and he promises her that they will get her away from him. She doesn't believe Jack, but he is so  kind and patient with her as he tries to explain that he and the other agents are there to protect her. Another good example of Jack's kindness to the young girl.

Jack and Kim Reunite: At Jack's request Audrey calls Kim and has her come to CTU. Jack wants to let her know he's still alive but doesn't want her to hear it from anyone else. Audrey tells Kim before she sees Jack to try and make it easier for her.  Kim is upset that her father deceived her by faking his death and going underground.

This is why Kiefer Sutherland is the perfect actor to play Jack Bauer. He shows in this scene with Kim the vulnerable, sad side of Jack in such an effective manner. Kiefer did such a wonderful job in these scenes with Kim because he acts not only using his voice, but uses his body to act as well. The next time you watch that scene, notice his body language; he conveys the feeling of a vulnerable, lost little boy. It takes a lot of talent to portray two very different sides of a character in such a real and effective way. Kiefer does it better than almost any actor I've ever seen.

Jack Cries For Tony: Jack finds Tony too late after Henderson injects him with the hyoscine-pentothal he intended to use to kill Henderson. Henderson escapes and Jack finds Tony lying on the floor. Jack tries to get Tony to hang on but Tony dies in his arms and Jack weeps for him. A very sad scene as Jack holds his friend and cries after he believes he is dead. 

Jack Interrogates & Then Rescues Audrey: Audrey is accused by Collette Stenger of giving her the schematics to the natural gas distribution plant that was Beierko's target for a nerve gas attack. She is taken into custody and Jack interrogates Audrey. A very powerful and intense scene, but later when he believes her and is not involved, Karen Hayes wants to be sure so she orders a medical interrogation.

Jack is sure Audrey is innocent and he and Chloe find evidence that she is. Jack then orders Burke to stop the interrogation and then there is a very sweet, tender scene between Jack and Audrey after Burke leaves. This was a good scene to illustrate how much Jack cares about Audrey and that she is protected.  Of course this nice moment does not last between them because Jack is called away on business.

Jack & Audrey Reunite For Good (Well, not quite. This IS 24 after all): Finally, it's hour 24 and the threat is completely over and Logan is arrested. Audrey is brought to where Jack is and they have a brief reunion. Audrey can't believe Jack is really there with her and they share a close moment and he kisses her. But this is 24 of course, Jack's happiness is not to last unfortunately. Jack gets called away by what he believes is a phone call from Kim but it was a ruse; Jack is kidnapped by the Chinese and put on a slow boat to China.

Conclusion: Although Jack was in a very different place during season 5, presumed dead, then setup for the murder of David Palmer; Jack was bent on bringing the real killers of David Palmer to justice. A very focused, revenge-minded Jack during this season, plus he was trying to help stop a nerve gas threat.

In spite of that, you still got to see a lot of the softer Jack moments as well during season 5. Audrey was involved in most of those moments, but you saw the protective side of Jack with the Russian girl and when he saved the little girl in the mall during the nerve gas attack for example.

Season 5 had a well-balanced mix of both sides of the Jack Bauer character and both tough and tender Jack were so wonderfully played by Kiefer Sutherland. It is not surprising Kiefer won a well-deserved Emmy & SAG Award for Lead Actor in a Drama for season 5.

-By 24FanForever

Coming Soon: Season 6

The Other Side Of Jack Bauer (Part 2)

PART 2

Season 3:

Looking back on season 3, there weren't a lot of Jack's softer moments perhaps because day 3 was a pretty rough day for him.

Here are the ones from Season 3 that come to mind:

Kim Tells Jack About Her Relationship With Chase: This was an interesting scene because it was early on in the season and it showed that Kim and Jack had gotten closer in the 3 years since day 2 ended. Kim was now working for CTU and she was anxious to tell Jack of her relationship with his partner, Chase Edmunds.

You could tell Jack wasn't thrilled with her news, but Jack out of respect for her feelings, didn't let on. He sure let Chase know he wasn't happy about it later.

One other part of this scene I thought was intriguing was as Kim was leaving Jack's office, Jack looked as though he was going to stop her to tell her something ,but he stopped himself. I always suspected Jack wanted to tell her about his heroin problem but backed off at the last moment. I thought that was an interesting, subtle aspect of that scene.

Jack Asks Claudia For Help: Because Jack's transponder in his watch was damaged, he couldn't contact CTU. Jack had to take a risk and tell Claudia, Hector Salazar's girlfriend that he was still with CTU and that he needed her help to get a phone so he can contact CTU. Jack then promised her that if she helped Chase (who was being tortured at the time by Salazar's men), he would help her, her father and little brother escape from Hector.

In one sense, you could argue that Jack was using Claudia's past feelings for Jack because of the relationship they had when he was previously undercover with the Salazars to get Claudia to help him out of the predicament he was in. I do think Jack genuinely cared about Claudia as we saw by the kiss between the two of them. However, at the same time he needed her to help him, so I think he played on those feelings to some degree.

You also notice Jack's feelings regarding Claudia later when he learned of her death. He had a clear, visible reaction of sadness that didn't go unnoticed by Nina at the time if you look at the scene closely. I liked that they showed Nina noticing Jack's reaction to Claudia's death. Subtleties like that are one of the reasons I love '24'.

Kim Tells Jack She Knows About His Drug Problem: After returning from Mexico, Jack and Kim are reunited at CTU. Kim lets Jack know she knows about his heroin addiction. Clearly embarrassed, Jack and Kim hug and he explains he didn't tell her because he was embarrassed and that it was his problem, not hers. This was another good Jack/Kim bonding moment where you got to see Jack as a caring father who tries to comfort his daughter not only about learning about his drug problem, but moments before, Kim had to see Nina being brought into CTU, the woman who murdered her mother.

Jack Breaks Down: If there was ever a moment where we got to see Jack at his most human was at the end of the day 3. Jack gets a moment alone in his SUV and breaks down in tears. The stress and weight of everything Jack went through that day was just too much and he let it overwhelm him and released all of it.

What made this scene so powerful was of course Kiefer Sutherland's performance. They way he gradually let the stress of that day overwhelm the character and breakdown couldn't have been acted more perfectly.

Season 4:

Jack's In Love Again: At the beginning of season 4, we find Jack Bauer in a very different place: happy. Not since the beginning of season 1 have we seen Jack so happy and content. The reason for Jack's happiness: Audrey Raines.

After being fired from CTU by the new Director, Erin Driscoll, Jack went to work in Washington D.C. working for the Secretary of Defense, James Heller. Also working for Heller is his daughter, Audrey Raines. We find out at the beginning of season 4 Jack and Audrey have become involved in a romantic relationship.

The first time we see Jack in season 4 he is in LA with Audrey where Jack is there to meet with CTU regarding defense & budget issues. Jack's opening scene with Audrey in their hotel room we see the romantic, tender side of Jack. I love the scenes between Jack and Audrey because it was a rare occasion to see Jack happy and really in love again.

Jack & Audrey Moments After Her Rescue: Some of the best moments that illustrate Jack's tender, sweet side are a couple of scenes after Jack rescues Audrey and her father, James Heller from the terrorists.

There is a moment right after the rescue Audrey walks by Jack and they stop for a moment to discretely hold hands since no one else knows about their relationship yet including her father. It was such a nice moment because though that simple gesture you could see how much they cared for each other and wanted to be close, but couldn't be completely open about it at that time.

Later, back at CTU, after Audrey was attended to in medical (yes, she survived going to CTU medical) lol, Jack came to see her and they shared a really nice moment where they kissed and were able to really connect with each other for the first time since Audrey went through the kidnapping ordeal. Just the way Jack looked at her in that scene (**melts**) really showed the viewer what a caring, loving person the character of Jack Bauer could be.

I realize the 24 fan based is somewhat divided on the Audrey Raines character, but I always loved her and Jack together and I thought Kim Raver's and Kiefer Sutherland's chemistry was amazing. I would love to see them back together again someday.

Jack's Thoughtfulness Toward Chloe: There is a brief moment after Chloe had become "Rambo Chloe" when she had to kill the hit man who came after her and an informant that stuck with me. Jack picked up the phone and asked Chloe how she was on a personal level since she had just had to kill a person for the first time in her life. I thought that was small, subtle way to show Jack's caring side that he took the time to ask Chloe how she was holding up after what she just had to do.

Jack's Plea To Audrey After Paul's Death: Jack and Audrey's relationship that looked so hopeful and promising at the beginning of day 4, changed in a dramatic way when Jack had to choose Lee's life (the informant who worked with Marwan) over Audrey's estranged husband Paul Raines when there was only one doctor available. Audrey of course was horrified at Jack's decision and it seemed at the time she would never forgive him.

When Jack tried to talk to Audrey right after Paul's death was heartbreaking because Jack was clearly devastated at the choice he felt he had to make and was tried to plead for her forgiveness. It was a wonderfully acted scene by both Kiefer and Kim and it showed how much the choices Jack makes sometimes hurts him and the people he cares about most.

Conclusion: Although the tough, action side of Jack Bauer is central to the character, equally essential in my opinion are Jack's emotional connections with people whether it's his daughter Kim or Audrey. It's in these emotional connections and the resulting tender Jack moments played out on-screen are what make the Jack Bauer character one of the most fully-developed, interesting characters ever created for television.

-By 24FanForever

COMING SOON: PART 3

(SEASONS 5 & 6)

The Other Side Of Jack Bauer

PART ONE:

When people think about the Jack Bauer character on '24', the first things that come to mind are he's a tough counter-terrorist agent, a maverick that goes off protocol, a man who can be very brutal when going after the bad guys and will do whatever it takes to get the job done.

Those are all primary aspects of the character, but there's another side to the Jack Bauer character that I've not seen discussed a great deal...the caring, sometimes very sweet and tender man that we have seen glimpses of throughout the first seven seasons of '24'.

I think this side of the Jack Bauer character is what makes him one of the most well-rounded, compelling characters ever in the history of television.

The primary reason this character is so good and so multi-dimensional, is because of the talents of Kiefer Sutherland. Kiefer has done a phenomenal job of playing both sides of this character in an equally compelling manner. He can play the tough, counter-terrorist agent side of Jack Bauer just as well as the caring side of Jack.

Below are some of the moments that I believe best show this side of Jack Bauer from seasons 1 & 2 of '24':

Season 1:

Jack The Family Man: Our first introduction to Jack Bauer is Jack the family man. Playing chess with his daughter Kim, playfully flirting with his wife Teri who he's trying to reconcile with after being separated. This is the Jack Bauer we first see who is happy and seemingly content before his series of bad days began.

Jack & Teri At The Hospital: After being separated for several hours after Kim sneaks out from the house & is ultimately kidnapped, Jack and Teri finally meet up at the hospital where Kim's friend Janet was taken. We see several moments of Jack's caring and loving side with his wife Teri.

The scene where Jack has to tell Teri that he thinks Kim's disappearance could be related to him being assigned to protect David Palmer is one of the best illustrations of Jack's caring and love for Teri in the whole series. You can also see how much it tears Jack apart that his wife is going through such pain because of his job.

There was another nicer moment where Jack and Teri talk about after everything is over, possibly taking a family trip to Canada (liked the Canada reference because the actors playing the Bauer family are all Canadians!). Jack the family man again, hoping just to take a simple trip with his family. So sad that never happened. :(

Jack Rescues His Family: What a wonderful, touching moment when Jack finally finds his family being held by Gaines is reunited with them. I loved how when Kim says they should get out of there, Jack wanted to wait a few moments longer just to savor having his family back in is arms again. Another nice Jack moment.

Teri Tells Jack She's Pregnant: In hour 23 of day 1, Jack realizes in order to save his daughter he is going to have to turn himself over to the Drazen's which means they will kill him. As bad as that was, Jack then has what turns out to be his final conversation with Teri and she tells him she's pregnant. Jack just loses it; knowing he is probably going to his death, his wife tells him he's going to be a father again. It doesn't get more heartbreaking than that.

As tough as Jack is, this news just crushes him because he believes he will never see the child Teri just told him she was going to have. This sadly turns out to be true, but it's because Teri ends up dying instead of Jack.

A beautifully acted scene by both actors, but Kiefer Sutherland's performance perfectly shows the mixture of emotions the character was feeling at that moment so poignantly that your heart breaks along with Jack's.

Season 2:

Jack Tries To Reconnect With Kim: At the beginning of Season 2, we see Jack at his lowest. His wife was murdered by someone he trusted at CTU, he's no longer working for CTU and is estranged from his daughter Kim. Jack goes to visit Kim and asks that they just spend some time together , but she rejects him. Jack was at such a low point and he was so sweet in his plea to Kim when he talked about how much he missed her, it was another touching, yet heartbreaking side of Jack Bauer that is not shown very often. It's not often you see Jack that vulnerable.

Jack's Goodbye To Kim: One of my all time-favorite scenes in 24: Jack has a tearful and moving conversation with Kim that he believes will be their last when he has to tell her he is the one who is going to fly the nuclear bomb out of city and detonate it in the desert. This was such a wonderfully written and acted scene. What made it so good was it's realism. Kim realizing she is going to lose her dad tells him how sorry she is for the way she's treated him and Jack letting his daughter know that she didn't need to be sorry for anything and he tells her how much he loves her and how proud he is of her.

No other scene in 24 other than Jack and Kim's reunion in S7 more vividly shows the loving, caring side of Jack and how much he loves his daughter.

Jack Comforts Kate: After Jack saves Kate at her home and retrieves the chip from the guys who stole it, Kate was upset thinking everything that happened that day was her fault. She believed she should have seen her sister was in trouble and was a terrorist, but Jack talked to her and told her it wasn't her fault and that there are things in this world that are out of her control. They shared a hug and it looked for a moment as if they would kiss, but Jack was interrupted by a CTU phone call.

I thought this was another good illustration of the sensitive, caring Jack. I think the scene also showed that Jack was beginning to reach the point where he was going to finally forgive himself for what happened to Teri and try to move on with his life. The scene was also a good way to wrap up that part of the story arc before Jack was off to find the creator of the Cypress recording, Alex Hewitt.

Jack Is Reunited With Kim: When Jack's bad day is finally over, Jack and Kim are finally reunited when she goes to see him as the ambulance is about to take him away after his heart attack. It was a nice scene where Kim promises her Dad that she will take care of him and we finally see Jack smile with relief that he and his daughter would be close once again.

-By 24FanForever

COMING SOON: PART 2
(Seasons 3 & 4)

Thoughts About Audrey's Non-Return To '24' - 8/16/09

"I love you with all my heart...and I always will."
-Jack Bauer (to Audrey Raines)

[Closing moments of Season 6]

As a big fan of the Jack and Audrey relationship in '24', I was disappointed to hear from the Entertainment Weekly article last Friday that the character would not be returning.

I have found it interesting that the 24 fan base seems to be divided on this character and I've noticed quite a large number of Audrey-haters out there. That's a fan's prerogative to not like a character, but as a fan of the character I wanted to take some time to defend her and the Jack/Audrey relationship.

When the Audrey character was first introduced, I liked her immediately and I thought she was a good match for Jack; not to mention the off-the-charts chemistry between the actors, Kim Raver and Kiefer Sutherland. She wasn't someone who worked for CTU or was another field agent. Audrey worked for the DOD as Jack did at the time. She seemed to be good for Jack while he tried to establish a new life away from CTU and field work.

Of course, 24 being what it is, the contentment between these two at the beginning of season 4 didn't last long.

First Audrey and her father, the Secretary of Defense were kidnapped by terrorists, then after being rescued by Jack and the Marines, her life is threatened again when she and Jack go to look at security footage to ID a suspect involved in her kidnapping. Then her estranged husband Paul comes back in the picture and she has to witness Jack torture him and when he does so, she sees a side to Jack she's never seen before and it scared her. Later, when out in the field with Jack, Paul gets shot and is paralyzed. Then Jack has to make a decision regarding a witness that has information about Marwan that ends up killing Paul. She ends up breaking up with Jack and ultimately Jack has to fake his death, but Audrey believes he is really dead and is devastated.

Audrey certainly had a bad Day 4.

Much of dislike of the Audrey character is based on the criticism that all she did was cry and was a victim all the time. Plus she wasn't worthy to be Jack's girlfriend because she didn't understand the kind of work he used to do and some of the things he had to do to get the job done.

While I can kind of understand why there would be that criticism, I think it's really a knee-jerk reaction to the character without really thinking about where this character was at the beginning of that season and why what she went through would have been so traumatic for someone in her position.

Here is what I mean. Audrey was working in an inside-the-beltway job at DOD. She couldn't really understand the kind of work Jack had to do until she saw it for herself when Jack had to torture Paul to make sure he wasn't connected with terrorists. I can understand how difficult it would be to see the man you love being that brutal to someone (your estranged husband no less) even though it was something she knew Jack had to do.

I also remember when Audrey and Bill were arguing about Jack going against the President and Bill said something to Audrey like politics and policy are are fine in Washington D.C. but out here things aren't always so black and white. I'm paraphrasing, but basically he meant that you can talk about what should be done and how protocol should be followed in theory, but sometimes in the real world you have to do what is necessary. In Audrey's sheltered little world of DOD policy and politics, she didn't understand that, so it made sense to me for the character to behave the way she did.

Again, while I can see why some 24 fans didn't like the Audrey character or had some criticisms of her, what I can't figure out why these same Audrey-haters completely forget how much stronger the character was in season 5 and showed some of the characteristics they wanted to see in the character in season 4.

Here's some examples of how Audrey "redeemed" herself in season 5:

• Audrey went against protocol in order to help Jack and enlisted Chloe's help several times to do so.
  
• Audrey actively worked against Lynn McGill to get him replaced when he was out of control and couldn't do his job.
  
• Audrey risked her life in order to help Jack secure the recording and was injured by Christopher Henderson in the process. She did not want Jack to give Henderson the recording.
  
• Audrey told Jack she was ready to do whatever it takes and was willing to go however far she needed to to get the recording back.
  
• In between seasons 5 & 6 (off-screen), Audrey put herself at risk again by going to China to try and find Jack and in the process was captured by the Chinese and tortured.
  

This piece isn't written to criticize those who never cared for the Audrey character, I just thought she was a good character and a good match for Jack as a romantic partner. This is just to give my perspective as a 24 fan and a fan of the character.

I would have liked to have seen a reunion between Jack and Audrey in season 8, but if the writers/producers want to pursue a future Jack/Renee relationship, if approached and written the right way I would be open to that. I just believe the Jack & Renee characters are too much alike to be romantic couple and I just see them more as friends or partners in the field.

I'm still holding out hope that if 24 goes beyond season 8 and/or if there is a theatrical movie, Audrey is still alive somewhere, recovered from her China experience and she and Jack will ultimately be reunited someday.

-By 24FanForever

Why I Love Season 1 Of '24' (Part 4)

8:00 am -9:00 am
Episode 9

Writers: Virgil Williams
Director: Stephen Hopkins

Episode Description:
Although he prevents Palmer's assassination, Jack is taken into custody where his story of his kidnapped wife and daughter is not believed. Knowing his family will only be kept alive if he is free to help Gaines, Jack knows he must escape. Back at Gaines' compound, Teri and Kimberly struggle to stay alive, while at CTU the traitor reveals that the whole unit has been wired to Gaines can watch their every move.
(Episode description source: '24' season 1 DVD special edition)

Episode Quote:
"I used to be in the military. Did field work for the CIA. I've been to some horrible places, seen some horrible things...I don't think I've ever been this scared in my whole life."

-Jack Bauer (to Lauren, the waitress)

Reasons Why I Love Season 1, Episode 9:

Jack Pleads His Case: After being caught by the Secret Service, Jack tries to explain to Frank Simes that his family has been kidnapped and he's being forced to do what he did. Of course, he is not believed. I enjoyed these scenes because this is when Kiefer Sutherland is at his best; a desperate man trying to get people to listen to him. You can feel Jack's frustration in these scenes. If you notice, the man playing Frank Simes is the same guy who was the lead Secret Service agent in Season 7 during the White House siege by Juma.

Great Direction: Stephen Hopkins only directed '24' during the first season. I wished he would have stayed with the show; his direction was excellent. I noticed in this episode a nice transition at one point showing Jack handcuffed at the power plant where he was arrested, then a quick shot showing Jamey's handcuffed at CTU. Always interesting direction by Stephen Hopkins. It's too bad he didn't stay with the show.

Jack Escapes The Secret Service (twice!): You have got to be good to escape the Secret Service not only once but twice. Only Jack Bauer could do that! Nicely shot sequence showing Jack escaping from the Secret Service at the power plant, and then once again at the construction trailer. Man, Jack is good!

Lauren The Waitress: What can you say about Lauren? This is the main reason I loved this episode and what makes '24' such a great show. '24' manages to cast some of the best one episode characters. I loved this character from the start. The actress' name who played Lauren is Kathleen Wilhoite. She was so realistic with that character; she really seemed like a waitress who got caught up in being held "hostage" by Jack. I especially loved the way she looked at Jack while he was talking on the phone with Nina. She just looked at him like he was a crazy man rambling on about assassinations, Secret Service, etc.

Another great scene was when Lauren tries to leave and Jack pulls a gun on her and gives the "I've killed two people since midnight..." speech. Classic Jack Bauer. One thing I never understood was why she turned Jack in. I was really surprised that when she went to get the car that was left for Jack, she went to the Secret Service and told him where he was. But I guess that is what makes 24, 24. They do the unexpected. Just a wonderful job by the actress and a great one episode character.

Teri Sacrifices Herself: Sensing immediately that when Eli wants Kim to go into the other room he wants to rape her, she volunteers to take her daughters place in order to spare Kim from that horrible experience. That was such a powerful scene to me because of how it shows the lengths a parent will go to in order to protect their child. I also liked how Teri manages to get his phone while she's in the room with him. Very smart move by Teri.

Jack's Tired: This is the first time we see the affects of lack of sleep has on Jack. As he's talking to Lauren, Jack drifts off to sleepy land if only for a very brief time. Of course, Lauren sees this as an opportunity to escape, but Jack wakes before she can completely get up from her seat. I liked the realism of this scene showing Jack actually tired and getting in a brief power nap.

Jamey Commits Suicide: This was a shocker at the very end of the episode. It didn't make sense to me at the time as to why she would do this. It didn't seem like something the character would do Now that I've seen the complete season, it makes sense; Jamey didn't commit suicide, she was murdered by Nina. At the time, this was a good '24' surprise ending scene for an episode. Then to complicate matters as 24 likes to do, as Tony and Nina are tending to an unconscious Jamey...Gaines calls.

Final Thoughts: Another one of 24's best episodes. Especially, the sequence with Jack and Lauren. That is what made this episode one of the best of season 1. We saw for the first time Jack coming in contact with a civilian when he was in a jam and their interaction was so well-written and had a genuine realism to it.

-By 24FanForever


Next Installment: 10:00 am - 11:00 pm

Why I Love Season 1 Of '24' (Part 2)

Season 1 (Episode 6)

5:00 am - 6:00 am

Writer: Howard Gordon

Director: Bryan Spicer

Episode Description:

Jack meets Teri and Alan York at the hospital where Janet has been admitted. But their reunion is cut short when Jack received a phone call from Gaines telling him to follow the instructions if he ever wants to see hid daughter again. Back at CTU, a dead body found in the car trunk is identified as that of Alan York. When Nina calls Teri and asks her to pass this information to Jack, Teri suddenly realizes she is also in danger.
(episode description source: '24' season 1 DVD Special Edition)

This episode of Season 1 was one of the best for two reasons: the storyline really begins to pickup momentum and the first big plot twist occurs in this episode.

Reasons Why I Love Season 1, Episode 6:

Jack Goes Off Protocol To Get the Job Done: Jack shows once again he's willing to cut through the bureaucracy even if it means going off protocol however many times is needed to get the job done. In this episode, Jack requisitions a helicopter for personal use (against protocol) to go to the hospital where Janet is. I always enjoyed that aspect of Jack's character.

David Palmer Finds Out The Truth: David Palmer finally finds out the complete story about Lyle Gibson's death and his family's involvement in the cover-up. Wonderfully acted scene between David Palmer and our favorite sleazy political operative, Carl Webb.

Jack & Teri's Reunion: I loved when Jack and Teri meet at the hospital. You can see how much they love each other but at the same time, you can see why Teri is frustrated with Jack at times when he leaves her in the middle of a conversation to confront a guy who Jack thought was a threat but turned out to be only a guy trying to smuggle medication to his brother. I liked how both parts of the relationship between Jack and Teri were shown.

We Start To See The Real Sherry Palmer: Sherry tries to explain to David why she and the rest of the family covered up Keith's involvement in Lyle Gibson's death. You start to see in this scene how Sherry's ambition to get to the White House overrides everything else, including being honest with her husband. I think this is where the personal Palmer storyline starts to build momentum and get interesting.

Jack's Job & His Family: I absolutely loved this scene where Jack has to explain to Teri that Kim's kidnapping may be related to him being assigned to protect David Palmer. For the first time, Jack's job is affecting his family directly and it scares Jack to death. Also for the first time we really see the loving, sensitive side of Jack which is nice because it adds another dimension to the character. Jack's not just a tough Federal Agent, he's also a loving husband and father. What makes Kiefer Sutherland the perfect choice to play Jack Bauer is that he is one of the few actors who can pull off both sides of this character in such a believable way. Leslie Hope was also wonderful in this scene portraying a mother's anguish at her daughter being kidnapped and in danger.

Introduction Of Two New Characters (Mike Novick & Milo Pressman): In this episode we get introduced to two characters: Mike Novick, Senator Palmer's Chief of Staff and Milo Pressman, an independent computer analyst called in by CTU. I loved Mike's character from the very beginning, a very believable Chief of Staff. Would love to see '24' bring him back someday. I liked Milo's character much better in Season 1 than in Season 6. Season 1 Milo was much more likeable as the laid-back computer geek. He seemed like a totally different character in Season 6. That was ashame because Milo started out as a pretty interesting character, IMO.

Gaines Gets To Jack: I loved this part of the episode. Jack under control of Gaines. It was hard to watch Jack have to leave his wife at the hospital and not be able to tell her why he was leaving. I really enjoyed the tension of the whole thing; Jack being put under control of Gaines in order to protect his daughter. After Jack puts in the earpiece as ordered, he says something to the effect of "If you hurt my daughter, I will kill you." Gaines then replies "There's a nice clear signal." I loved that exchange.

First Major Plot Twist: 24's first really memorable moment: we find out the man who we thought was Janet York's father is an impostor. I'll never forget the first time I watched this scene and when Janet said, "You're not my father." I literally gasped! I was completely surprised and did not see that one coming. Then there was the cold, chilling way he killed Janet. Wow! That's what makes this show so special, completely unexpected turns in the storyline. This scene showed '24' was not going to be a typical predicable drama like many on TV. This show was going to be different.

Teri Gets A Shock: Ok, now we know the man with Teri Bauer is not Alan York so at the end of the episode, we get to see Teri find out he's not Alan as well. Teri and Nina both have been trying to call Jack but can't reach him so Nina calls Teri to ask her to pass along the message that they ID'd the body as that of Alan York! Great way to reveal this to Teri while she's alone in the car with the man she just found out is not Alan York. The look on her face when she finds out from Nina is perfectly played by Leslie Hope. I liked how Teri finds this out really by accident in just taking a message for Jack. Great writing!

Final Thoughts: This episode is one of the reasons I love '24' so much. There was so much great drama packed into this one episode. The character and storyline development was excellent as was the pacing of the episode. 5:00 am - 6:00 am of this first season was when I really started to fall in love with this season and couldn't wait for the next installment.

-By: 24FanForever

Next Installment: 7:00 am - 8:00 am (Season 1)

Why I Love Season 1 Of '24'

On November 6, 2001, television drama changed forever with the debut the first episode of ‘24’. ‘24’ wasn’t an ordinary drama. It was a thriller with an edge-of-your seat quality and unique format that has drawn millions of fans all over the world.

Beginning today, I am going to post a series of installments with my commentary on the episodes of ‘24’ that made me love the series and that have made the series in my opinion the best drama ever in the history of television.

I will begin by commenting on my favorite episodes of season 1 beginning with the pilot episode.

Episode #1, Season 1

12:00 am – 1:00 am

Writers: Robert Cochran & Joel Surnow

Director: Stephen Hopkins

“Don’t trust anyone…not even your own people. We’ve got to find the shooter Jack…whatever it takes.”

– Richard Walsh

The first thing you notice about the pilot episode of ‘24’ is its unique format. The ticking clock, “Events occur in real time”, the boxes. No other show had attempted the real-time format before so that alone made the show very different. It was also interesting that the ticking clock had a much different sound to it in the pilot.

The pilot episode is special because it establishes the unique format, introduces the viewer to the characters and the basic storyline that’s going to take place over the next 24 hours.

The first scene shows a mysterious man in Malaysia who gets a message to a man in LA that warns of a possible assassination attempt on Senator David Palmer. Meanwhile, a guy named Jack Bauer is playing chess with his daughter looking like an ordinary family man. Little does he know the day in store for him.

The buildup of this story in just this one episode is brilliantly done. Not only are we introduced to the main characters, but there is a great deal of development of these characters as well.

Just as an example: in just the first exchange between Jack Bauer and George Mason, you get to find out so much about these characters. George Mason is a sarcastic smart-aleck who is willing to keep Jack in the dark and lie to him about a source for some information. We also find out that Jack Bauer is a take-no-prisoners kind of guy who is willing to do anything including tranquilizing Mason (who is also his boss!) and blackmail him in order to get the information he needs.

Other great aspects of Episode 1:

• Jack’s talk with Nina about compromise: Great glimpse into Jack’s moral center and character.

• Senator Palmer & Sherry Palmer: We don’t see a lot of their relationship in this episode ,but you get a good idea that at least at the beginning of that day they seemed like a happy couple with a successful marriage. Little did we know at that time about the real Sherry Palmer.

• Mandy is not what she seems: We are introduced to the character of Mandy who seems to be a just a passenger on a flight interested in the photographer she’s sitting next to. By the end of the episode we find out she’s an assassin who proceeds to blow-up a passenger airliner in mid air. I love how ‘24’ makes you think a character is certain way then totally does a 180 and shows the character as being completely different from your initial impression.

• Kim Bauer’s teenage antics: When I first saw this episode, I thought what does this have to do with the main plot? I wasn’t exactly crazy about Kim’s storyline at first, but I eventually found out this was actually a great way to build up to the kidnapping story and its tie-in to Jack and Palmer. I have found that patience is a virtue when watching ‘24’.

• Richard Walsh/Jack Bauer relationship: You can tell from the conversation between Jack and Walsh that these characters had a great deal of respect for each other and that Walsh trusts Jack more than anyone. Too bad this relationship didn’t get to be explored further since Walsh only lasted two episodes.
  
  
• '24' Look/Feel: The pilot episode also established 24's unique look. The lighting and dark "feel" to the show was quickly established in the first episode. Starting the season at midnight was another great way they made the show different from anything else on TV.
  
  
• Good Introduction Of Other CTU Characters: I liked the way the other CTU personnel were introduced in the pilot. Tony Almedia's character being hostile and not liking Jack too much was interesting. You didn't quite know if Tony was a good guy or bad guy at the beginning of the series. Jamey Farrell, CTU Analyst; seems like a good character in the first episode. A competent analyst willing to help Jack when needed. And of course, there is Nina Meyers. There are hints of her and Jack having some kind of history, but it is not specifically stated in the pilot. You also find out that she and Tony are apparently currently an item, not gone unnoticed by Jack.
  

Final Thoughts: You can’t talk about the episodes that made ‘24’ a great show without talking about the pilot episode. The way the basic plot and the characters were introduced it made you want to see what was coming in the next episode. '24' has this unique ability to draw in the viewer and make you want to see what happens next. I will be forever grateful that FOX decided to pick up this show after seeing the pilot and sticking with it despite surprisingly low ratings for the first season. If they had not picked up '24', TV viewers would have been deprived of many great hours of drama and suspense. I'm also thankful for the creators of '24', Bob Cochran and Joel Surnow. What a great concept for a television drama/thriller. Thank you Bob and Joel!

-By 24FanForever

Next Installment: Season 1, Episode 5: 4:00 am - 5:00 am

Episode 24 Recap & Comments

Season 7

Episode 24

7:00 am - 8:00 am

Episode Quotes:

“Please... as someone who was once your friend, let me die in peace. Don’t let them use me to kill innocent people.” – Jack Bauer (to Tony)

“I’m the one who saved lives today Jack, not you!” – Tony Almedia

“I’m sorry Daddy, but I’m not ready to let you go.” - Kim Bauer

Chloe and Janis are having trouble backtracing the laptop's signal to find Jack. Meanwhile, Jack tries to take refuge in a taxi garage. He closes the garage door, but Tony fires off some shots before the door closes, puncturing a taxi's gas tank. Tony begins to open the garage door with a fork lift. When he gets in, Jack is igniting a flare, intending to blow himself and Tony up. Tony overpowers him and drags Jack off.

Comment: Nice ‘Jack Bauer theme’ music as Jack stumbles into the garage.

Jack and Tony both have used heavy equipment this season. Jack using the bulldozer against Quinn earlier this season and now Tony uses a forklift to open the garage door.

At the White House, Ethan Kanin and Aaron Pierce confront Olivia with the recording of her conspiring to kill Jonas Hodges. This isn't about Ethan getting his job back. It's about the truth, even if it destroys the President's Administration. Ethan wants the President to decide what to do next -- prosecute or bury it. He'll let Olivia tell the President herself.

Comment: Now Ethan’s got Olivia. “But I was hoping I was wrong…” great delivery by Glen Moreshower.

Jack revives to find himself chained to a wall in an industrial space as Tony works intently. Jack begs Tony not to use him to kill innocent people. Tony reveals that everything he's done today, including the attack on Washington Square Station, was done in order to get access to Alan Wilson, the leader of the cabal that planned today's attacks. Wilson was also the man behind former President Charles Logan, who had ordered the hit on David Palmer and Tony's wife Michelle. Jack is disgusted that Tony has killed innocent people for revenge. He says that if Wilson dies, any chance of exposing the rest of the conspiracy dies with him. Tony doesn't plan on killing Wilson. He's going to have Jack do it.

Comment: Love this scene between Jack and Tony. We find out Tony’s true motivation for what he’s been doing… personal revenge.

Tony reveals what he's been working on: a belt of C-4 explosives, which he slips under Jack's shirt. Jack yells that Tony is not honoring Michelle's life, but reveling in her death instead. Michelle would despise him for this. Jack spits in Tony's face. Tony duct tapes Jack's mouth shut so that he can't warn Cara, who has arrived.

Wilson arrives with a motorcade. His men meet Tony and Cara in the parking lot and disarm them. Other men are sent to fetch Jack. As Jack is brought outside, an FBI helicopter bearing Agent Walker appears. A shootout begins, and everyone runs for cover. Jack frees himself from his captors and Renee finds him, disarming the detonator. Wilson and Cara run through the warehouse and find Tony. Cara's happy to see him. Yet Tony coldly shoots her point blank, then turns his gun on Wilson, telling him that he's responsible for the death of his wife and his son. Michelle was pregnant when she was killed. Just as he's about to pull the trigger, Tony is shot in the shoulder and drops his gun. Jack and Renee have arrived. Tony doggedly crawls towards his gun, ignoring Jack's entreaty to stop moving. Jack is forced to shoot him in the hand. As Tony is led away and Wilson is cuffed, he screams at Jack that these people think they can take everything away from them, and Jack is just running away. He's now one of them. "You're a coward, Jack," he says.

Comment: Jack looks so pitiful handcuffed to the fence & shaking as he waits to be brought to Wilson. I guess it’s the way Kiefer plays Jack, but you hate to see Jack in pain or vulnerable in any way. If it were possible, I would go through that TV screen and try and rescue him.

Alan Wilson is so creepy. Good job by the actor.

I like how the FBI comes in and the shootout. Jon Cassar directs these action scenes better than anyone on 24. Great stunt by Renee/Annie Wersching. I heard that she did actually perform that stunt herself.

Renee happens to know how to disarm the bomb that was strapped to Jack? That was a little weak but I know they had to move the story along.

Say goodbye Cara. That was cold Tony.

What great acting by Carlos Bernard in the scene where he confronts Wilson. Whoa, Michelle was pregnant when she was killed? That came out of nowhere.

Tony lost both his wife and unborn child. Same as what happened to Jack at the end of S1. I think it's interesting that both Jack and Tony both lost a wife and an unborn child and how they ended up dealing with it in different ways.

I really think Carlos deserves a supporting actor Emmy nomination this year. Whether you liked the “Tony turns bad” storyline or not, there’s no denying Carlos did a great job with this character turn.

Renee confronts Wilson and tells him he can avoid the death penalty if he cooperates. Wilson calmly claims he is innocent, and that she won't find a shred of evidence connecting him to any conspiracy. Jack is about to be taken to the hospital, and he and Renee have a moment alone. Jack asks why she didn't kill Wilson for his responsibility in Larry Moss's death. Renee says she doesn't really know what to do. Jack admits that he has been wrestling with this all his life. When he sees fifteen people being taken hostage on a bus, he knows in his head that the law is more important than those fifteen people. Yet he can't live with it. Renee asks if he regrets anything he did today. Jack says no, but he doesn't work for the FBI. He didn't take an oath to uphold the law. Tony managed to justify everything he did. When you cross the line, it always starts with a small step, but you eventually end up running full speed in the wrong direction. The only advice Jack can give is for Renee to make choices she can live with. Jack touches her face gently. Renee doesn't know what to say. "Then don't say anything," he says, as the med tech arrives to take him to the hospital.

Comment: I also loved the scene between Jack and Renee where she asks his advise on what to do about Wilson. I think Jack’s exposition summed up his whole character in one scene. Wonderfully written and acted scene.

Olivia confesses her role in Hodges's death to her disbelieving parents. The President is shocked when Henry advocates destroying the recording and covering up the murder. Henry, cruelly, says their family has already paid a steep enough price. He blames their son's death on her job as President, and he pleads with her that they've already lost one child. "Save what's left of our family," Henry asks. President Taylor is called away by Tim Woods to get good news from the FBI. Olivia breaks down crying, and Henry comforts her that they're going to figure this out. Later, in the Oval Office, a conflicted President Taylor sheds a tear as she looks at a photo of her family in happier days.

Comment: Nicely acted scene when Olivia confesses to her family about the Hodges hit. Henry wants the President to destroy the recording. Henry twists the knife by blaming her job for them losing their son, Roger.

As they get ready for Chloe to exit the office, Janis thanks her for all her help today. Chloe says, that considering what she has to work with, Janis does pretty well. Janis says she'll take that as a compliment. Chloe confirms that it was indeed meant as one. They both smile.

Comment: Nice short wrap-up scene between Janis & Chloe.

Jack lays dying at the hospital. Dr. Macer can give him morphine to ease him into a coma to avoid the pain, but Jack says not yet. He has a visitor. It is Gohar, Jibraan's Imam. Jack called for him. Jack says he has made so many mistakes, and he always thought he would have time to correct them. Gohar says he has the time, right now. Jack says he doesn't know what he has done, but Gohar says that they live in complex times. Nothing is black and white. "Let us both forgive ourselves for all the wrongs we have done," the Imam says. Jack thanks him. His breathing gets ragged. "It's time," says Jack.

Comment: This scene between Jack and the Imam has to be one of the most moving scenes I’ve ever seen on 24. First of all it was a surprise that he was the one Jack called. However, if you think about it, it’s not really. Jack was dying so I think he wanted to make peace with his Maker in some way so he remembered Gohar from earlier and called him to talk. I think that made sense. I have been reading some absurd interpretations of this scene that I will address further in my final comments.

“You don’t know what I’ve done.” – The way Kiefer delivers that line is heartbreaking.

The President returns to her family. She embraces them, then apologizes for never realizing how hard her job would be on them, or what sacrifices they would have to make. However, she has a sworn duty to protect the Constitution. She will do everything she can to support Olivia and help her through this. As President, this is what she has to do, no matter how much it breaks her heart. Aaron leads Olivia away to remand her to the Justice Department. The President turns to her husband, but he just glares and turns away.

Comment: Interesting way President Taylor comes to her family, she kisses them both then proceeds to have Olivia put into Federal custody. President Taylor believes her duty as President and to the Constitution come first. But now she’s lost another child and probably her husband. I felt really bad for President Taylor when she was in the hallway and spoke with Ethan. Wonderful acting by Cherry Jones.

Wilson, in shackles, is brought to a holding room at the FBI. Tim Woods is on his way to transfer him. Renee and Janis are in the observation room. Renee's face hardens, and she tells Janis to leave the room. Janis refuses. Renee pulls out her gun and forces Janis to cuff herself to the furniture. Janis begs her to stop because she is throwing away her career. Larry wouldn't have wanted this. Renee stares at her badge, remembering what Jack said. She then puts her badge down on a table and goes into the holding room. Wilson looks up as the door closes behind her.

Comment: Here’s where Renee completes her morphing into Jack. She seems to be willing to do whatever it takes to get Wilson to talk including securing Janis while she interrogates him. Janis brings up Larry to try and get her to stop, but this appears to make Renee more determined. Love the direction here where the door closes and it goes to black. The love the Renee Walker character. She is one of the best new characters 24 has introduced in a long time.

Kim arrives at the hospital to find that Jack has already been put into the morphine-induced coma. He won't be waking up again. Kim asks Dr. Macer if it is too late to try the experimental stem-cell treatment. Dr. Macer says no, but reminds her that the odds of success are low. Kim knows the risks, and though her father didn't want her to take them, it's now her choice. She has made up her mind. As Dr. Macer makes a phone call to prepare for the procedure, Kim goes to Jack's bedside and takes his hand. "I'm sorry, Daddy," she says. "But I'm not ready to let you go."

Comment: Love the way Kim looks at Gohar when she arrives at the hospital, like who in the world are you? Kim wants to do the stem cell therapy for Jack. No surprise there; that's how Jack will survive. Love the lighting of the final scene and what Kim says to Jack and Gohar standing the in the background through the window. Beautifully shot scene.

“I’m sorry Daddy, but I’m not ready to let you go.” I think Kim was speaking for the audience as well. None of us are ready to let Jack go yet. On to season 8!

Final Comments On Episode 24:

Hard to believe another season of 24 has come and gone. It went by so fast. Maybe because it was so good. A lot of people thought after season 6 '24' had lost it's way and "jumped the shark" but it has truly redeemed itself in season 7. It looks like the writer's strike turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it gave the writer's more time to go back and fine-tune scripts/storylines to make this season one of the best they have ever produced. The year long delay of season 7 was well worth the wait.

A lot has been made on the internet about the scene with Jack and the Imam in the hospital. It has been interesting to read comments on the message boards but I must say in my opinion, some of the commentary has been absurd.

Many have been saying that "Jack was converting to Islam" or "the show has gone PC with this, I'll never watch again"...blah, blah, blah. On the surface it may look that way but if one has a true sense of the history of the Jack Bauer character, this was one of the most brilliant scenes ever on '24'.

Jack believed he was dying, given the brief interaction with Gohar in an earlier episode, it made sense that Jack would want to speak with the only "spiritual man" that he would know of to call at the last minute. What made the scene so brilliant was that he was a Muslim. Given Jack's past history/job, it was ironic that he would want absolution and make peace with himself and his Maker through a Muslim Imam.

I just wanted to give my 2 cents on that given some of the commentary out there about this scene. I think sometimes people read way too much into things; especially a FICTIONAL television show. I just think within the context of this show and understanding the Jack Bauer character, it was a beautifully written and acted scene.

I believe the wrap-up of Tony's story was well-done too. I happened to have liked the turn Tony's character took this season and I was glad they didn't kill him off. I hope he returns in the future. I thought it was very believable that Tony would turn based out of personal revenge. Any other reason would have not made sense.

This season was one of the strongest years for the introduction of great new characters. I thought season 6 was weak in that area, but season 7 sure was a big improvement. There were really good, interesting villians this season in Dubaku and Hodges. The Alan Wilson character was a good villian too, but we did not get to see him nearly enough. Maybe we'll get to see him again in season 8.

I enjoyed all the FBI characters: Sean, Janis, Larry and especially Renee. I really wished they had not killed off Larry Moss however. I understand why for storyline purposes, but he was really a great character. Sad to see him go.

Speaking of sad good-byes, 24 fans lost a beloved character this year in Bill Buchanan. His send-off could not have been better. He truly went out a hero. This character will be greatly missed.

I have enjoyed Season 7 tremendously and I am anxiously awaiting January 17, 2010 for the premiere of Season 8. It can't come soon enough.

Until then I'll be re-watching Season 7 and past seasons on DVD to get through my '24' withdrawal.

Recap: FOX.com/24

Comments are mine: 24FanForever