The TV Watercooler

24 Returns

Day 7 finally begins for Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) when 24 returns tonight.

Fans have had to wait over a year for the new season because of last year’s WGA strike. A 2-hour prequel film did air this past November to help bridge the gap between season six and seven but we were fans were itching for the “real” season to begin to find out if the most buzzed about scoop of the seventh season was really true…was Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard) resurrected? And would he be the upcoming seasons “big bad”?

The four-hour premiere will air over two nights on FOX and Global beginning tonight and will conclude tomorrow night. Brace yourselves…because it will be a roller coaster ride. Don’t be so quick to judge Monday morning, you’ll have to wait until you’ve seen all four episodes of the premiere to understand what is really going on with the show. The premiere will be like any other episode. You’ll be on the edge of your seat and you’ll probably find those three to four minute commercial breaks unbearable.

It seems that the producers are starting fresh this season. A few things will be quite different than the sixth season, which critics deemed quite disappointing. The biggest change has to do with the location change. We’ve moved from Los Angeles to Washington…what does that mean for CTU? Well, CTU has been dismantled and Jack will be called in by the FBI. Don’t worry! Yes, Chloe (Mary Lynn Rajskub) will be back.

The FBI team will include agents Renee Walker (Annie Wesching from General Hospital), Larry Moss (Jeffrey Nordling), Sean Hillinger (Rhys Coiro…aka Billy Walsh from Entourage). You’ll also notice Janis Gold, played by Jeanine Garafalo who sorta looks like Ugly Betty but with black glasses instead of red. So start placing your bets on the first agent to end up getting offed.

The White House staff was introduced in Redemption…there’s President Allison Taylor (Cherry Jones) and the First Gentleman Henry Taylor (Colm Feore). Missing from the First family will be the First Son, Roger, played by Eric Lively (yes…brother of Gossip Girl’s Blake).

Without spoiling things, the downside to the whole premiere would probably have to be the gap in between Hour 2 and 3. But not much can really be done when there’s only 2-3 hours in primetime!

A plus is that the show will find a good balance between the veteran character, which will also include Bill Buchanan (James Marrison) and the new characters. It will also be interesting to have some action going on in two different countries. We’ll have all the usually 24 craziness in the U.S. and then all the bad genocide stuff happening in the fictional African country of Sangala.

Viewers will definitely notice the revamp. Things do seem a lot fresher. The location, government and terrorists will all be different but the classic 24 hook will stay the same. Get ready to become addicted to an old favourite on Monday nights.

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