This was the premier that I was most excited for. I discovered 24 in 2007; if I recall correctly, Borders was having a 3 for the price of 2 sale, and so I picked up the first three seasons on DVD. After watching a few episodes returned to buy seasons 4, 5 & 6. Needless to say, I absolutely love this show (even season 6). Despite the wooden dialogue and the constantly reoccurring storylines, Jack Bauer is definitely the most badass character on television. Because I had only experienced the show on DVD, I was quite nervous come January 2008, as I didn’t know how I could stand waiting a full week between each episodes. Little did I know, I would be waiting much longer than that. Just a few days before the premier was set to air, the writers guild strike began, and Fox decided to postpone season seven for a full year.
ARGGGGGGHHHHHHH!
After 18 months of wait, Jack Bauer is finally back. In the four hour premier (8PM to 12PM), we learn that there have been a lot of changes this season; with LA reduced to a nuclear wasteland by terrorists in season 6, the show has relocated to Washington DC. The episode opens with Jack Bauer on trial for torturing suspects while under the employment of the now disbanded Counter Terrorist Unit. However, before long, Bauer is subpoenaed by FBI agent Renee Walker, who needs his help prevent an imminent terrorist attack being masterminded by his former ally Tony Almeida (even though he was killed in season 5.) The explanation they give to explain his reappearance would be unacceptable in most other shows, but because it’s 24, we forgive it almost instantaneously. In a storyline running parallel to these events, newly elected President Allison Taylor is contemplating sending US troops into the African nation of Sangala to prevent genocide, whilst her husband, First Gentleman Henry Taylor, is looking into the events of his son’s supposed suicide.
24: Redemption, the two hour television movie that bridged the gap between seasons 6 and 7, was pretty bloody awful. The introduction of Allison Taylor was good, but the parts set in Africa felt like Blood Diamond if it had been made for a couple of hundred bucks. Never the less, this season has started really promisingly. Tony Almeida was one of my favourite characters, and so it’s great to see him back. The story involving the death of the First Son is really compelling, and reminds me a lot of season 1. Colm Feore is great as Henry Taylor, and Allison Taylor (played by Cherry Jones) is fast becoming my favourite 24 president since David Palmer. Moving the show to Washington adds to the conspiracy theory vibe that this season is trying to put out, and the Sangalese invasion storyline is one of the more interesting political storylines the show has done. Annie Wersching as Agent Walker is another great addition to the cast, although the rest of the FBI characters are yet to make a strong impression on me. And, of course, Keifer Sutherland is wonderful as the Flag Waving Terrorist Torturing Jack Bauer. God bless America!
Despite the changes that have been made this season, this is still very clearly the 24 we know and love. We get the personal lives crossing with the job, the morally questionable torture (the end justifies the means, of course) and it’s not a spoiler to say that yes, there is a mole in the FBI. I am really looking forward to seeing Jon Voight appear later in the season as the overarching villain. If you didn’t like 24 before now, the first four episodes of this season aren’t going to change your mind. But if you love it like I do, then you will not be disappointed.
24 Season 7 will premier in Australia on Channel 7 in 2009. I in no way encourage the streaming and/or download of television programs online, but if I did, I would recomend www.alluc.org
See below: The cast of Season 7, Jon Voight as Jonas Hodges
