I mean seriously.
Details below the fold
Fox has set a start time for Jack Bauer’s 7th worst day.
“24″ will have a three-hour premiere over two nights, 8-10 p.m. Jan. 13 and 9 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 14. Original episodes will air in its regular 9 p.m. time period every week and into June.
In addition to the previously announced castings of Janeane Garofalo and Cherry Jones as President Allison Taylor, as well as the surprising return of Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard) from the presumed dead, the executive producers also announced that Chloe O’Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub) and Bill Buchanan (James Morrison) survived the gutting of CTU.
They’ll transfer to Washington, where the seventh season is set, and where Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) faces trial for all those broken fingers and whatnot in pursuit of justice. What will be even better is if the new setting leads to sharper writing and a coherent plot.
Here’s the press release Fox sent out this morning, which explains (sorta) Tony’s resurrection:
“The innovative, addictive, Emmy Award-winning television series 24 resets the clock for Season Seven with a special two-night premiere event Sunday, Jan. 13 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and Monday, Jan. 14 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
In keeping with FOX’s commitment to airing original programming year-round, the intense season will unfold in 24’s regular 9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT time period beginning Monday, Jan. 14, and will continue to air all originals all season into June.
“Day 7″ of 24 will continue the show’s unique and trend-setting format with compelling new elements. With CTU dismantled, the show’s setting moves to Washington, DC, where JACK BAUER (Kiefer Sutherland) faces trial for his actions in the pursuit of justice. Bauer’s day gets off to a shocking start when former colleague TONY ALMEIDA (Carlos Bernard), last seen in “Day 5,” returns after being left for dead by a terrorist conspirator in CTU’s infirmary.
“Tony’s uncertain fate near the end of ‘Day 5′ left the door open for his return,” said executive producer/show-runner Howard Gordon. “And since there was no silent clock at the conclusion of his last appearance – the 24 tribute to a major character’s demise – we always kept this as a possibility.”
As much as I loved Tony Almeida, I’ve got to wonder if this wouldn’t constitute a moment when 24 not only jumped the shark, but jumped the Blue Whale.
There sure as hell better be a plausible explanation for why Tony is still alive.
