24: Live Another Day

Gravelly-voiced government agent and one-man murder machine Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland)  has earned his place in popular culture. Since 2001, 24 has proved a hit with the audience because of its real-time format, complex tales of action, espionage and political intrigue and the portrayal of its hero, a man who does what he has to do for his country. As a new series approaches, I’ve taken a brief look back at the other longest days of Jack’s life.

Series 1

Bauer investigates a plot to kill Senator David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) and rescue his kidnapped wife Teri and daughter Kim (Elisha Cuthbert ), with the help of fellow CTU agents Nina Myers (Sarah Clarke) and Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard ) Encountering waves of assassins and hampered by a mole in his own team, Jack eventually discovers the mastermind behind the day’s events is supposedly dead face-from-the-past Serbian war criminal Victor Drazen. Meanwhile, Kim develops Stockholm syndrome, Teri develops amnesia and Palmer learns his wife Sherry is scheming against him. We end on a low as mole Nina murders Teri and her unborn child.

Series 2

With the aid of CTU and the sister at a terrorist’s wedding, President Palmer and Jack save Los Angeles from a nuclear blast, the only casualty being CTU jobsworth George Mason. A tape emerges of three countries supposedly plotting war on America, so Bauer and President Palmer investigate. Palmer faces traitors in his cabinet, who replace him with Vice-President Prescott, whilst Jack uses the evil Sherry (Penny Johnson Jerald) to prove a conspiracy headed by Peter Kingsley, oil tycoon. And Kim spends the day babysitting for an abusive father, hiding with a loner or being chased by cougars.

Series 3

Jack infiltrates a Mexican drug cartel and discovers a plot to influence US foreign policy with a biological weapon. He encounters fan favourites Chloe and Nina, on whom he finally gets his revenge. Palmer has troubles in his battle for re-election – he turns to Sherry, who commits murder before being killed herself – and is blackmailed out of office by rival Keeler. The virus is released in a hotel, trapping agent Michelle Dessler (Reiko Aylesworth), in a relationship with Tony, but she survives and the gas is destroyed when Jack gets handy on his new protégé Chase with an axe. The series also boasts one of the best episodes of television – 6-7a.m., in which Palmer is ordered to kill CTU busybody Ryan Chappelle.

Series 4

Jack’s new boss Secretary of Defence James Heller and girlfriend Audrey (Kim Raver)  are kidnapped by terrorists, who launch a cyber-attack on Los Angeles. Audrey’s ex-husband Paul is wounded as the terrorists, led by Marwan, take out Air Force One and incapacitate President Keeler. Nixonian President Logan takes charge, and he calls in Palmer for help. Marwan steals the nuclear football, and leads connect to a Chinese national. An embassy raid wounds this man, and Paul dies as Jack commands doctors to save the national. The nuke is destroyed and Marwan killed, with Jack faking his death to escape Chinese retaliation.

Series 5

Palmer and Dessler are murdered, so Jack reappears, and follows the trail to former boss Christopher Henderson. A plot is discovered to release nerve gas in Russia, and this gas is also released in CTU. Lovable analysist Edgar and temporary boss McGill are amongst the casualties, as is Tony when Henderson murders him. Aid from Palmer brother Wayne reveals that President Logan is the villain behind the affair, so he and Jack try to collect proof. Logan tries to have Jack killed, and after Bauer deals with a submarine full of nerve gas and a final fight with Henderson, he gets Logan arrested and is kidnapped by the Chinese.

Series 6

Jack is released, and saves suspected terrorist Al-Assad, but is unable to prevent the detonation of a nuclear bomb in Valencia – it transpires that Jack’s brother and father are partially responsible. Plotters incapacitate President Wayne Palmer, leading to Vice-President Daniels taking power. True terrorist Abu Fayed is killed by Jack, and the remaining bombs recovered, but the Chinese swarm CTU and demand a potentially war-starting circuit board. Jack and retired chief Bill Buchanan raid an oil rig, saving Jack’s nephew and leaving Phillip Bauer to die in an air strike authorised by Daniels. Former love Audrey has been tortured and Jack must regretfully leave her life.

Redemption

Jack is hiding in Sangala, working as a missionary in his friend Benton’s school, and is subpoenaed regarding torture charges. Soldiers come to forcibly conscript the boys, so Bauer must fight back – he gets the boys to the US embassy, Benton dying along the way, and must surrender himself to ensure they can escape to America. Meanwhile, in the US, Daniels prepares to hand over to President-elect Allison Taylor.

Series 7

Helping F.B.I. agent Renee Walker, Jack learns not-dead Tony, Chloe and Bill have been working undercover to expose governmental corruption. Sangalan warlord General Juma attacks the White House, causing Bill’s death, and it leads Jack to defence contractor Starkwood, led by Jonas Hodges. A bioweapon appears, to which Jack is exposed, and it transpires that Tony has been working with the terrorists to attack the US. Then, it further transpires that this was all a scheme to get to Alan Wilson, who was somehow responsible for Dessler’s death. Tony is defeated, Hodges arrested, Renee gets torture-happy on Wilson and Jack’s life is saved when Kim reappears for an experimental treatment.

Series 8

A treaty is to be signed between America and the Islamic Republic of Kamistan, but terrorists and Russians plan to kill Kamistani President Hassan. Jack and Renee chase a nuclear threat, but when Hassan learns of it, he turns himself over and is executed. Taylor continues the treaty with Mrs Hassan, and the Russians murder Renee. Jack goes murder-crazy on CTU mole Dana and many Russian diplomats, prompting Taylor, eager to protect the treaty, to work with Logan and have him stopped. As Jack intends to kill Russian President Suvarov, Chloe talks him out of it, while Taylor is shocked by her actions and has herself arrested. Logan tries to kill himself, and Jack, now a wanted fugitive, flees…

… Bringing us to the release of the new series, 24: Live Another Day, set four years after the events of series 8. What new trials are in store for Jack over the next 24 hours?