Jon Cassar at the 24: Live Another Day Premiere Party in NYC
Jon Cassar at the 24: Live Another Day Premiere Party in NYC

Jon Cassar urges 24 fans to give 24: Legacy a chance

By 24 Spoilers , January 26th, 2016  ·  95 comments

Former 24 director and executive producer Jon Cassar has chimed in on the upcoming 24 reboot. Although he is not creatively involved in the new installment, he offers a level-headed take on the project, suggesting that fans give it a shot before writing it off.

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95 Comments

Comments Closed
Mary
January 26, 2016 at 5:21 pm
I hope they pay that guy to lead our group therapy sessions, even if he’s not (yet) back to direct.

Acer4666
January 26, 2016 at 6:39 pm
Any news on when the pilot will start filming?

24 Spoilers
January 26, 2016 at 7:59 pm
Most pilots usually start filming in early March and shoot for the entire month I believe.

I think the pilot process typically goes something like this: pilot scripts are finalized and ordered by the networks in January, casting process/wardrobe/table reads occur in February, filming during the month of March, editing/post production/screenings throughout April, and then networks make their final decisions in early May.

Marlon
January 26, 2016 at 8:38 pm
So we could have a premiere during winter or fall season?

24 Spoilers
January 26, 2016 at 9:45 pm
It would be possible, yes. However I suspect they would probably hold it back and premiere sometime in 2017 (with the reasoning being that FOX likes the idea of no reruns/breaks for 24 since it’s so heavily serialized). If it premiered later this year, it would most likely have to be interrupted for the World Series.

And holding it back would also give them more time to promote it and find the perfect show to pair it up with.

Justin
January 26, 2016 at 10:00 pm
And Fox has the Super Bowl next year as well!

Marlon
January 26, 2016 at 11:35 pm
I suppose pairing it up with Homeland is a bad idea then so a September start is not likely.

So….2017 then!

Felipe Nogueira
January 27, 2016 at 9:30 pm
If Fox approved 24Legacy’s pilot, we’re talking about a new show/series – as season 1 – or this is going to be a “event-series”, such LAD and the new returnings of Prison Break and X-Files?

Justin
January 26, 2016 at 10:01 pm
The biggest promotion you can get in a year!

Bill
January 27, 2016 at 5:10 am
Jack is nice, but Kiefer won’t be around forever. There will come a point that he will retire, and I think it’s good that 24 is taking steps to ensure the longevity of the series through multiple generations. Plenty of shows like Star Trek and Dr. Who have found new ways to innovate through different casting choices. I’m excited to see where this ensemble of characters can progress the show!

Mary
January 27, 2016 at 4:34 pm
Totally! Dr. Who and Star Trek are great examples. The Scottish crime series Taggart ran for 27 seasons through several new protagonists and remained popular and compelling t.v.. Stuff like Inspector Morse/Lewis has worked like this for a long time. 24 is more serialized than a British crime drama, sure, but it’s story structure is such that it could easily continue to be engaging and topical for a long time to come.

Felipe Nogueira
January 27, 2016 at 10:35 pm
And the point of his retirement (of playing Jack) is more close than ever… I don’t think there are any challenges left for him to play Jack Bauer on TV, in a series-format.

Even if LAD was good and it was profitable for FOX, in some sense, it was the same all over again – in some aspects this is not a bad thing in my opinion at all, but maybe it is for an actor. I do think he is right that every time they bring Jack in 24 again, they could risk damaging the legacy of the show.

However, I do think Kiefer would play Jack Bauer on movie/theathers easily.

Mary
January 27, 2016 at 10:48 pm
I think they have one really wow beat left– Mole!Jack. After that, there’s not a lot left. I’m tender-hearted, though, and would rather they just kind of end his story without killing him. I think he’s paid enough for his multitude of sins and should get some measure of peace. Or, at least some measure of peace before they come back around to him and kill him off. Some place forever ago had a Howard Gordon interview where he said he wanted to do something like give Jack some peace then have him reach for the newspaper one morning and be killed by a sniper. (So, very David Palmer.) If they decide to kill him, I really, really like that ending, especially if Tony is the source of his peace for awhile and if they then make figuring out who killed him a focus of whatever season this happens in, like they did with Palmer on Day 5. But yeah I agree with you saying that there’s not a ton left for Jack right now.

Brad
January 27, 2016 at 10:53 pm
Yeah, I could go for that. Especially if it was Tony playing the role of the avenger.

Mary
January 27, 2016 at 11:38 pm
That poor guy lol. I’d like that plot, though.

Felipe Nogueira
January 30, 2016 at 8:36 am
Well, Jack being a really mole is something I might consider worst than killing him. Honestly, is totally out of Jack’s character…

One of the possible stories writers considered for season 7 is that Jack was a bad guy, but he’d working undercover. Kiefer and Jon Cassar didn’t like the idea – the audience would be waiting for the revealing moment. So this idea was discarded.

Season 7 became a mix of this idea, with the “bad guy” being Tony, and the very first and discarded one they had for season 7, which would have Jack in africa in the first episodes and time jump of 12h put him back in US/DC.

Brad
January 31, 2016 at 11:59 pm
It’d be ridiculous to have Jack be the bad guy. There’s just no way you could sell that. If it was ever going to happen, it was Season 8 and it didn’t.

Mary
February 1, 2016 at 3:55 pm
There is a difference between the “bad guy” and “the antagonist”. I think Felipe is saying that Jack would be the antagonist and I think he’s totally right– because the show already told us this at the end of Day 9. Neither Jack nor Tony are “evil” men or “bad guys”. The “bad guy” of Day 7 is Alan Wilson, whereas Tony is the antagonist– he’s the character causing headaches for the protagonist, Jack. However, in order to make this plot even happen on Day 7? They had to give Jack a mind-altering virus that kept him from “seeing” Tony’s motivations which, let’s face it, were pretty bleeping clear as day, especially for someone who knows him as well as Jack does. What’s worse is that if Jack *hadn’t* been suffering from a mind-altering virus, he would have been all about helping Tony get to and stop Alan Wilson– hell, had Jack been the last “canister” of the virus, he would have *volunteered* to be the potential human sacrifice to stop the Big Bad of Random Cabal Members in the series. He would have done that *for* Tony– and for Teri and for David Palmer. That’s Tony’s point– that the virus has robbed Jack of everything that made him Jack. (You notice they parallel it to Jack’s heroin use with the needles, etc..) From Tony’s perspective, the end of Day 7 is watching the slow, suffering, horrific death of the only reason Tony still had to keep on breathing. Jack isn’t just physically dying on Day 7, he loses his damn mind. (Tony does, too, as a result– already on the edge of nihilistic despair, Jack’s impending death pushes Tony over the edge into full-tilt, foaming-at-the-mouth bananas land because, as he tells a dying Jack who is assaulting him, “What else do I have to live for?” In other words? His family is gone and avenging them was all he had, until Jack showed up and then maybe there was some hope that after they sorted out the day, Tony might have a reason to go on. So, of course, what happens then? Jack gets infected with the damn virus and Tony has to watch him die, which includes fun stuff like seeing Jack put needles in his arm again and turn into a raging coward. Is it any wonder, then, that Tony almost puts a bullet in him to put him out of his misery? Because this isn’t the Jack Bauer he knew, thanks to the virus.)

Anyway, the point is that when Jack eventually re-emerges, the show has already told us that he’s an antagonist because even if he has some tricks up his sleeve, he’s stuck now working for the Russians to protect Chloe & his family. He’s compromised for the sake of family, which is the only way you could ever compromise Jack (just like how it’s the only way they ever could have compromised Tony.) Neither character is “evil”, so it’s not a muhahahahaha kind of bad guy– they’re not Victor Drazen, here. But Tony was and Jack presently is/will be when he returns an antagonist.

jufy
January 28, 2016 at 5:21 am
Keifer had a new deries, that’s where I’m going

Miau
January 27, 2016 at 5:13 am
Sorry, dear Jon, but I do not want to be urged into anything. I have my own opinion – that Fox should have ended the show after 24-LAD instead of milking the trademark 24 until it collapses and the “real” legacy is damaged.

Felipe Nogueira
January 27, 2016 at 10:39 pm
Well, the “real” legacy could be damaged by this new installment? Part of writers’ team are invoved – Howard Gordon, Evan Katz and Manny Cotto, but if we’re talking about new characters, I’m not sure they could damaged the real legacy.

With the info we have now, it shouldn’t be called Legacy, for the same reason above: new characters, what are the legacy?

Mary
January 27, 2016 at 10:58 pm
If you kind of speculate a bit, you can see some beginnings of reasons why ‘Legacy’ could be an appropriate title. Since Carter lives in Virginia and the producers were talking about the next season taking place in D.C., it seems likely that D.C. is the central location (at least at the start of the day). If ‘Legacy’ takes place shortly after Solitary, like it’s been implied by plot that it will, then it means that Legacy takes place in D.C. during the next Presidential election season in the 24 world. Legacies being what is left behind or inherited when someone dies or moves on, the election alone ties into the title because we’ll have a sitting President who will be considering his legacy during the campaign. We also know we have a character in Rebecca, who is leaving her career at CTU– that’s a consideration of legacy because she’s essentially made the choice to walk away from a big part of her life for something else. (Probably her husband’s political career but we don’t really know yet.) CTU still exists in Legacy and CTU is a character in its right with quite the complicated history– what will wind up being the legacy of this agency? Legacies are also families and your name– issues close to the heart of Tony’s plot if he were to get out of prison (which he’s in because of his lost legacy) and go be epically badass and save the world (a reparation of his name/legacy.) That’s just off of what we know so far. I’m sure there’s probably a lot more in each plot that turns up and likely, given the title, maybe a familial connection or two to past characters– making the new characters the living legacies of old characters.

TJ
January 28, 2016 at 1:12 am
Agreed – just like we saw with the Bourne movies that tried another lead character and failed miserably, there are some iconic characters – and actors that play them – that are so intrinsically fused to that series identity that they will fail in any other incarnation. Kiefer/Jack is one of them just as Claire Danes/Carrie is on ‘Homeland’. If the writers really think that the whole CTU/terrorist theme/time format is greater and of more appeal to viewers than the individual lead characters of the first 9 seasons, they’re delusional. The new casting will just blend in with all of the other tv series/movies with similar plots/themes. ’24’ is not ‘Law & Order’ where the cast comes and goes but the formula survives.

JCPrime
January 27, 2016 at 5:30 am
I’m excited about the new 24. I hope they continue to go forward with this despite the negativity around the Net.

shafagh
January 27, 2016 at 11:33 am
go to hell casser with your chance!

Pat
January 27, 2016 at 12:15 pm
If they didn’t dick us around with Solitary and a stupid ass ending, I’d agree with him. But they had to go and not finish then start a new series and ignore things. So pfffft to him.

Mary
January 27, 2016 at 4:13 pm
Except that roughly half of what he said amounts to ‘sit tight, what you want is coming’, so…

Pat
January 27, 2016 at 4:20 pm
lol that’s taking things how you want them. Doesn’t make it true. But we shall see.

Mary
January 27, 2016 at 4:35 pm
Indeed we shall. :)

Gevorg
January 27, 2016 at 2:39 pm
First they say there’ll be references to original characters, then they say it’s reboot (like remake – all that happened before is no cannon any more, like Casino Royale).

JCPrime
January 27, 2016 at 3:34 pm
They never said that.

Mary
January 27, 2016 at 4:26 pm
It’s sounds like both. It’s a reboot in the sense that we’re getting new characters with on-going stories but the room they’re leaving open for the old characters to be referenced/return/cross into the new plot is also something they’re talking about. It doesn’t sound like a traditional spinoff, more like a Day 10 that begins with new characters and either stays that way until Day 11-ish or sees the old characters popping up throughout the day. Part of it is the fact that 24 is serialized storytelling– it’s not a police or medical “story of the week” procedural. It’s an on-going story. They’ve already said they’re referencing old characters in the pilot and the odds of at least Tony showing up at some point in Legacy are very high. The second they bring in even one old character, they’re continuing the same story of the original series. Legacy already feels more like 24: Day 10 than 24 Spinoff: Day 1.

Amy P
January 27, 2016 at 3:56 pm
I’d totally give it a chance if the last season and a half of 24 hadn’t been so weak. The killing off of primary female characters got old, FAST. Now, if Renee or Audrey was around to spearhead a new series, or, heaven forbid, the amazing Mary Lynn Rajskub, I’d be 100% down. But why should I invest in a new cast when the old cast was literally the only thing I was sticking around for??

Mary
January 27, 2016 at 5:08 pm
Eh, they kill off all the primary male characters too– and even more of them. I’m about as feminist as they come and killing off Audrey or Renee didn’t bother me. It’s not like the show didn’t also kill Palmer, Buchanan, Edgar, Curtis, Omar Hassan, (kinda sorta) Heller, etc.. 24 is equal opportunity, in that every character gets to be equally tragic and miserable, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sex, or sexuality. Atop that? They write some of the best female characters on tv. Audrey and Renee didn’t die for Jack’s man pain, they died because they’re caught up in this crazy depressing and tragic spiderweb of dramatic irony, like all the other characters.

Felipe Nogueira
January 27, 2016 at 10:43 pm
Both Audrey and Renne’s death were farfetched.

Renne’s death should not put Jack in the mood he was (it was cool to watch, I’m glad they did); it had to be Audrey in that time. That would make a lot of sense.

And then, they bring the show back, they bring Heller and Audrey back – and without any surprise, Audrey is killed just because Jack needs to suffer, especially in the way they did with Audrey goint to meet someone in a park, at open, knowing Cheng was involved… It doesnt make to much sense…

24Fan1980
January 27, 2016 at 6:03 pm
Miranda Otto (Homeland, Lord of the Rings) has been cast as the female lead. She’s a fantastic actress.

http://deadline.com/2016/01/24-legacy-sets-miranda-otto-as-female-lead-1201691684/

TJ
January 28, 2016 at 1:17 am
Well, if the testament of great acting is one’s ability to portray a character viewers come to hate, then I guess you’re right – but I found her role on ‘Homeland’ as annoying, aggravating and loathesome to watch each week as was the Dana Walsh character in S8. Every episode, I kept waiting/wishing that she’d get killed off. I can’t imaging becoming endeared to her in another series.

Tran
January 27, 2016 at 6:42 pm
Everyone should give 24: Legacy a chance including me.

Brad
January 27, 2016 at 9:25 pm
I’m lacking interest right now but, in all honesty, I’d also be really freaking amazed if no old characters turned up at all. That’d be immensely stupid. Surely there’ll be *someone* with strong existing ties to the story.

Mary
January 27, 2016 at 10:34 pm
Rebecca’s name literally means “to tie”/”to bind”, she’s the female lead, and she’s in her late 40s/early 50s and she used to work for CTU. At the very least, she’d have at least been at some boring budget meetings a few times with Jack & Tony. To make the female lead someone who has a link to the past suggests the past is far from over and combined with a title of ‘Legacy’ and the fact that they’ve told us they don’t even get past the pilot without references to/photos of old characters…

The photos thing is interesting. That almost has to mean that one of the new characters has a personal connection to at least one of the old characters?

Mary Ann
January 27, 2016 at 10:35 pm
Mr. Cassar I hope you get to read this: I get it , you cannot force an actor to continue in a part he himself has flatly rejected. It is not as if Keifer Sutherland wants to return and the producers are refusing to bring back his character. Having said that : I believe it is asinine to strip the legacy of all its past characters. The fans need and deserve some continuity to remain loyal to this show. Otherwise just rename the show because it certainly does not deserve the title 24. The production crew is ingenious and to smart not to recognize the importance of retaining the millions of followers who love this series and the surest ways to guarantee viewership is to make certain we can relate too and have familiar characters from this series. That is the only way to make a successful transition other wise I am afraid you will not enjoy the longevity of the past with 24 the legacy!

jufy
January 28, 2016 at 5:31 am
[/spoiler keifer has a new tv series , I believer that’s where the true keifer fans will b.

Mary
January 28, 2016 at 3:21 pm
Like all twelve people who watched Touch, you mean?

Miau
January 29, 2016 at 4:34 am
“Touch” was watched by so many more people and it was really, really good where Kiefer could show the whole range of his acting skills. Maybe the ratings were not high enough because people had to think while watching – which obviously is too difficult for many!

Mary
February 1, 2016 at 4:06 pm
That’s why I’m looking forward to Designated Survivor. I think Kiefer’s an awesome actor and am looking forward to seeing him play a different part. I totally agree with you that he has a real range– I’ve seen Melancholia, Behind the Red Door, Eye for an Eye, etc.. I get it. My point was that it seemed like Touch was less successful than 24 because a lot of viewers might have gone into the show believing that he was playing a Jack-like character and found it disappointing in that way. It seems that the show believed so, too, since the character became progressively more and more Jack-like as the series went on, in an attempt to make it appeal more to people who watched 24 to see Kiefer growl at terrorists. I’m wondering what kind of reaction Designated Survivor will have, since I’m not so sure it’s the kind of show where the President gets a gun and kicks ass every week. It could be, I have no idea, but based on the premise so far, it kind of sounds like someone overlaid the premise of Mary McDonnell’s character’s plot from Battlestar Galactica over the plot of Madam Secretary, and while that sounds like it could do better than Touch in terms of getting the attention of action-oriented 24 fans, will it keep them, if it’s a quieter, less action-oriented show? I know it’ll keep me either way and it sounds like it would keep you, too, Miau, but I know I’m at least not at all the target demographic for either of these shows, so…. :)

James Delora
January 28, 2016 at 10:39 am
I will be watching….Im sure it will lead to the direction we are all looking forward to, the rescuing of jack in a daring exciting 24 hour mission with Tony leading the way with the new players involved…….

Miau
January 29, 2016 at 4:32 am
That is just wishful thinking! That’s what they want us to believe in order to lure the audience into watching the new Show.

Mary
February 1, 2016 at 4:09 pm
If that’s their plan, that’s pretty nefarious. More shows should try to hook me with epically obvious promises of Carlos Bernard. I’d watch every damn show on tv. ;)

RonnieC6
January 28, 2016 at 11:29 am
If the new show never brings back Tony, Chloe, Aaron Pierce, Kim, Kate Morgan, James Heller, Wayne Palmer, or any other character who we think is dead, I can live with it. But not to have Kiefer in the lead role as Jack Bauer, forget about it. 24 was 206 broadcast hours (136 hours without commercials) of Jack Bauer.
Kiefer as Jack Bauer WAS, IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE 24. It is my favorite show ever. No Kiefer, no Jack, no Ronnie.

Mary
January 28, 2016 at 3:23 pm
If you had to pick between the following options, which one would you choose? I’m curious.

Option A: The character of Jack is in every episode but has subpar story similar to his last few seasons.
or
Option B: The character of Jack is not in every episode and takes a bit of a break, only to return with the strongest story he’s had since arguably either Days 5 or 7, possibly ever.

RonnieC6
January 28, 2016 at 5:06 pm
If the show is called 24 and it is the same format as the original and CTU is the main agency, then it is nothing more than 24 with a new cast, whichI have zerouse for. So option A is my choice. I have been way too emotionally involved with 24 and Jack for many years. I will stick to watching Homeland, Ray Donovan and a few other good shows and not waist my time with 24 without Kiefer. As I said before, FOR ME, Kiefer as jack Bauer IS 24.

Miau
January 29, 2016 at 4:29 am
I am with you. Do not forget “Designated Survivor”, Kiefer’s new show in fall, where he plays the POTUS!

Mary
February 1, 2016 at 4:19 pm
So, you proved my point, though– by choosing Option A and wanting to have Kiefer in the show less in order to have a better story for Jack, you’re choosing the option it appears the show is choosing right now. That’s to say that benching Jack as a character for awhile right now is actually honoring the idea that Jack is the essence of 24, so him sitting it out for a spell while they cook up some other plot that leads back to him is ultimately more respectful to the character than lather-rinse-repeat-ing a formulaic story *just* to have Jack be in every episode.

I’m not disagreeing with you that Jack is the core of 24. I’m saying that what makes up “Jack” and his story is more than just Kiefer– if Jack is the root of all story and plot and characters in the show, then it’s impossible for Jack to simply disappear. It’s impossible for this to be a completely new show and it won’t be. There will be shades of Jack everywhere that inevitably lead to Jack himself at some point… and maybe, in the future, after his story is given a proper ending, characters who mirror him carrying on in his wake. I want Jack back on 24– I just want a really good story for him more than I need him to be in every episode and I disagree with you saying that having all the elements of 24 in an episode but no Jack means that it’s “not 24” because all that stuff you say is not Jack? Only exists because of Jack. The characters and stories and settings and everything else of 24 exist to mirror Jack’s character and his conflicts and stories. These new characters? They’re all going to mirror aspects of Jack. (You can see that *already*, just in what precious little we know about them so far.) I don’t think anyone’s taking the Jack out of 24 because there is no 24 without everything having roots in Jack. That doesn’t mean that Kiefer can’t have some episodes off, though, IMO.

Will Always Miss Jack
January 28, 2016 at 5:56 pm
If I’m limited to your two choices, I’d pick A, because Jack was the reason I watched 24. Not ticking clocks and moles and a one-day format. It was his journey and the actor who gave him life, that drew me back week after week for all these years. However, I think the premise of your question is wishful thinking on your part. It’s clear that FOX and the creators want a new cast and direction to go in. I don’t believe they are looking to bring back the old 24 universe or characters in any meaningful way. And I’m not interested in watching this show in the hopes that they name drop a past character here and there or have the odd cameo appearance or walk on if they feel the ratings need a boost. Unless they want to give us another 2 hour movie to continue Jack’s story, I can accept at the end that Jack gave up his freedom to save the one true friend who always remained loyal to him, Chloe.

Miau
January 29, 2016 at 4:28 am
Agree! In my eyes it was not the format that made 24 a success, but Kiefer’s talent and charisma that drew us into Jack and made us feel for him.

Mary
February 1, 2016 at 4:37 pm
Like RonnieTheC, you’re picking Option A, which is ironically the one I also pick and I’m saying I don’t need Jack in every episode. You and Ronnie are saying that everything else wasn’t why you watched and that you watched for the character of Jack only. What I’m saying is that everything else you watched existed *because of* Jack– that Jack is the root of all characters, all story, all plot, all conflicts, all damn everything on 24, so that even if Kiefer takes a few episodes off, shades of Jack will be all over the story. (See: what I posted to RonnieTheC above.)

I respect you thinking that my feeling that they’ll bring back old characters is wishful thinking. I get where you’re coming from. I just think you’re wrong– there really is no such thing as a *completely* different direction to go in on 24. There hasn’t actually been anything new in the story since the end of Day 4. Days 1-4 are a complete character arc for Jack Bauer– it’s the whole story from beginning to end. Days 5-8? Are a mirror of Days 1-4. There is not a single thing in 5-8 that isn’t a mirror image of something in 1-4. (Seriously. You can have my thesis notes if you want lol.) Day 9 then becomes something even more fun– it’s the start of a mirror of the complete series of 1-8, mashing up seasons from the first half of the original series with seasons from the second half of the original series. It covers roughly 50% of plot and story from Days 1-8. The other 50%? That’ll be Day 10/Legacy S1/Whatever We’re Calling This. You can already see it forming just in what they’ve released to us already. There’s nothing new under the sun here, there’s just beautiful, endless mirrored stories. So, if that’s the case? It already proves that they’ll bring back characters for how can you mirror plots like Michelle returns on Day 4 or surprise! Mandy just popped up again! with an entirely new crop of characters? They can’t and they won’t. There will eventually be returning characters at some point in Legacy and where there’s smoke, there’s fire, so those characters returning means that at some point down the line– in Day 10 or on Day 11 or who knows when but at some point– there will be Jack. Sitting out the story now just means missing a chunk of stuff that will be relevant to Jack’s story when he comes back around.

Brad
February 3, 2016 at 11:01 pm
I’d actually be super keen on reading said thesis notes…

Miau
January 29, 2016 at 4:30 am
I cannot make that choice, Mary, I would like both. The one thing that I cannot accept is a Jackless-24.

Mary
February 1, 2016 at 4:48 pm
Well, you’re in luck, since there’s not really any such thing, even if Kiefer might be taking a break for a little while. (See: what I posted to RonnieTheC & WillAlwaysMissJack above.)

Bizarrely, Miau? I think there might be a chance they might let us have the both you’re talking about. I think the odds of Tony being in Legacy are about as high as the odds of me enjoying this chocolate cake I made– roughly 98% likely– and if that’s the case? Then he might need to chat with whoever is on the other end of the phone in Solitary. Since there’s a pretty solid chance that it’s Jack, then they could have different actors from the past voicing “Jack” for hours until Kiefer actually reappears and we see Jack again, thus keeping Jack actually in the story. It would be funny if, after all this complaining we’re all doing, we didn’t even have to go an episode before Jack was actually back in the story again.

Will Always Miss Jack
February 1, 2016 at 11:36 pm
in response to your early post to me and RonnieC:

We agree that on 24 all roads led to Jack. I also agree that the writers found themselves repeating many scenarios and tropes as the seasons went on because they burned through so many ideas through each season. But that’s where our agreement ends.

I believe that the writers couldn’t think of another arc for Jack that they haven’t already done and still stay true to who Jack is and therefore have decided to try and recreate the wheel with new characters that they can grow in a relatively new space, but still keeping the ticking clock, which I consider the shows biggest drawback at this point. Perhaps even have the freedom to kill off their new star if it seemed the right move for them.

Even if I agreed with your premise that everything about the new show in one way or another is a reference to Jack or, as you say, “shades of Jack” – or maybe more aptly, Jack’s “legacy,” as I stated previously it’s Jack himself and Kiefer’s portrayal of Jack that I watched all these years. Not Jack’s legacy. Not shades of Jack, or a show that may make reference to what came before and maybe pays homage to its predecessor(s) as subsequent Star Treks did to their predecessors.

It may be enough to whet your appetite to have Legacy characters mention original 24 characters just by talking about them in conversation or by inference of comparisons or shades that may or not be there between Legacy characters and 24 characters, but it’s not why I watched 24. And it won’t bring me back to Legacy.

If Jack were to ever return for a season or 2-hr event movie as the main character, I would come back and watch that season/movie. If that means I missed whatever new history or canon might have been established about Jack in the intervening year(s) of Legacy without him, I could always catch up on that back story on the Internet without having to sit through Legacy without Jack.

If Legacy chooses to end Jack’s story by telling us instead of showing us what has happened, also not interested. If Legacy chooses to bring Jack back for an episode, I’ll watch the one episode. But at this point, I’m not sure there is an ending that the writers/Kiefer could give Jack that would satisfy all loyal Jack fans. My favorite endings for Jack – and I know they’re not everyone’s – were the ones where he headed into the unknown alone. Sad, I know. And after all his sacrifices, in my heart it seemed unfair, and thematically and story telling wise seemed the most fitting and true. And on a selfish note, this also meant that I didn’t have to see him die and mourn his death. I could imagine for myself that Jack is still out there and maybe at some point he found some kind of peace and happiness — or not.

If the show actually shows Jack heading off into the sunset happy, as much as I might wish that for Jack, unless it was handled and crafted very, very carefully, I worry that it would come across as false or just plain sappy to a great character. But then again, unlike many fans, I can accept the present ending, knowing by the end that Jack found his humanity again, found himself again and ultimately sacrificed himself to save another – and perhaps even found a way to escape and is out there somewhere

as for belief that there is no new direction for the writers to go

Miau
January 29, 2016 at 4:31 am
Amen to that.

Rob
January 28, 2016 at 5:08 pm
What will be hilarious after all this fan reaction, is that if fox doesn’t pick up the pilot. I’ll laugh my ass off. However, I’m planning on watching.

24Fan1980
January 28, 2016 at 6:59 pm
Their other pilots will have to be amazing for that to happen. But it’s possible Fox executives could pass if it fails with the test audiences.

Ted
January 30, 2016 at 12:30 pm
Agreed. This show will tank so hard

Mary
February 1, 2016 at 4:49 pm
It would be pretty embarrassing for them not to pick up a project of such priority for them that they announced it at their TCAs, so it’d have to be an epic disaster for them not to.

Jack Ryan
February 1, 2016 at 11:25 pm
I won’t be watching the new politically correct 24 with a lead who isn’t Jack Bauer and none of the fan favorite characters.

I’ve been a fan since episode 1 season 1 and this has nothing to do with race. They’re manufacturing what they think is an appealing reboot and it’s NOT for the true fans.

Mary
February 2, 2016 at 3:32 pm
I’m a “real fan” (whatever that is) and I’m totally jazzed to have lead characters who are African-American and female– *just like 24 has always had since Day 1*. Don’t pretend what you said isn’t racist and sexist because it very much is, since you stated your problem was with a 24 that was fronted by a woman and a black guy. Just because it isn’t an appealing reboot to you doesn’t mean it isn’t appealing to other people. It’s one thing to say you won’t watch without Jack but to not watch because he’s being parked for a little while in favor of characters who aren’t white men makes me wonder how/why you ever got to be a fan of this feminist and socially progressive show in the first place.

XAM
February 3, 2016 at 11:46 am
I’m totally jazzed that seasons 1-9 had a lead character who was white, straight and male.

RonnieC6
February 4, 2016 at 12:19 pm
XAM. Question for you. Can I assume that you are also totally jazzed that Donald Trump is running for president?

"BethM
February 4, 2016 at 9:30 pm
Just love it when people on the left tell others what is and is not acceptable to say. Glad you are jazzed that the hero is left hanging in limbo so that a more timely, politically correct or whatever version can be made. I get the feeling if it was a straight white male replacing an African American male or a female you would
not be particularly jazzed. The point is a popular character, who made the show is being replaced because of his race. it doesn’t matter if it is a black man being replaced because of race or a white man, it is just as wrong.

Brad
February 5, 2016 at 12:54 am
How the hell can you possibly ascertain that Mary is ‘on the left’ and ‘would not be particularly jazzed…if it was a straight while male replacing an African American male or a female’?

This is extremely arrogant and presumptuous of you.

BethM
February 4, 2016 at 9:17 pm
My husband and I will not be watching the new version of twenty four. I do not watch much tv but made sure to watch every episode of twenty four staring Kiefer Sutherland. His portrayal of Jack Bauer made that show. I strongly disagree with Dana Walden’s decision, to leave Jack Bauer’s character forever being tortured by the Russians, so she could replace him with a man of African American heritage, and a strong female lead. I watch television to be entertained not to make a political statement. Its a shame the same cannot be said of Ms Walden.

Brad
February 5, 2016 at 12:52 am
24 made political statements all throughout Kiefer’s tenure on the show….

Luke
February 13, 2016 at 8:33 am
Couldn’t agree with you more . It’s stupid how gays and blacks have more rights than us , them being the minorities . If we really live in an equal world , how come you’ve got all the minorities who should just keep quiet calling all the shots ? When you get black people saying “There aren’t enough ethnics” is like going to Africa and saying “There aren’t enough white people .” I’m half German and live in England and I don’t go around saying that there aren’t enough Germans . Also , I find it funny how they can call us white honkers and nothing happens , but if we call them niggers , we get arrested . If Jack Bauer is white , he should stay white .

Marlon
February 4, 2016 at 10:06 pm
I think we should all calm down

There is so much speculation and ‘reading between the lines’ stuff happening which is what tends to happen when announcements are made. Don’t believe what you read as things will change.

I will say with some confidence that Jack Bauer and his story will be concluded if not in Legacy then perhaps in a different way.

Brad
February 5, 2016 at 12:55 am
Agreed, Marlon. I’d like to think the extremism common on the internet can be avoided on this particular site.

Alan
February 5, 2016 at 2:02 am
No interest in watching this

David Nora
February 7, 2016 at 8:21 am
I for one am happy they are going to try and continue the series. When the star says no more, you either don’t renew or you recast. We’d all love to see more Bauer in this role, but it isn’t going to happen. I thinking prejudging a spin-off before the entire cast is cast and a single episode is shot is ludicrous. It may never be 24 good, but it may be a good spin-off. All of this woe is us before an episode is shot I hope is venting not based on reality. I hope we watch a few episodes before making up our minds…..

RonnieC6
February 7, 2016 at 11:32 am
I do not consider the new show a spin off. A spin off is when an actor from an existing or canceled show gets
a new show with a new theme while playing his/her original character. The new 24 is going to be the same as the original with all new characters and actors. I have been watching the new season of The X Files. It has been brought back after a prolonged absence with the original actors and characters. This is very cool. 24, more than any show of it’s kind in history, was first and foremost about Kiefer playing Jack Bauer. Even several US presidents spoke about Jack Bauer. 24 without Kiefer as Jack….forget about it.

Luke
February 13, 2016 at 8:26 am
No , you just don’t renew or you call it something else with a different cast .

Catherine
February 9, 2016 at 12:10 pm
It’s fascinating for a non american like me, to see how 24 continues to set fire to the political debate.
As far I’m concerned, I hated the 24 LAD ending so I’d have liked another Jack’s story to have a better closure for my favorite hero.

Luke
February 13, 2016 at 7:49 am
I don’t think 24: Legacy will work to be honest . Having 24 without Jack Bauer is like having James Bomd without James Bond . Also , what about what happens to Jack Bauer whilst in captivity with the Russians ? You can’t leave major plots unfinished ! 24 : Legacy would only work if it’s a completely different series , but set in the same place . Then Fox can have aliens and weird shape-shifting Bears if they want ; that would be better than ruining a fourteen-year-old TV show and global favourite . Please Fox , just think before you start shooting scenes for 24 : Legends , or call it something else , but have it like a branch from 24 , so it’s like a sub-series — a bit like 24 and Homeland or Holby City and Casualty ( these are English soap operas by the way , so I don’t expect you to know
them ) . But Holby City and Casualty are both set in the same hospital .

Glenn
February 13, 2016 at 8:22 am
I can’t believe that there’s a black man replacing Jack Bauer . What ? Was there some sort of protest that was organised by some ignorant , braindead black people who think everything’s racist ? Please ! They might as well have this lead character as disabled , gay , and sitting on his arse all day ! After all , these things mentioned are fashionable . You’re pretty much an out cast if you’re a white , able-bodied heterosexual who works . It’s stupid ! I have nothing against a black main character , but if the main character is white , I’m sorry , but they shouldn’t turn him/her into a black person because ONE black person moaned about too many white people being around [*cough* Idris Elber ] . It’s not realistic to have a white hero turn black or gay just to make the minorities happy . You didn’t get the American sniper suddenly going from being a white heterosexual man with a white family to suddenly a black homosexual man to having a black civil partner and having black adopted children . You might as well have this new “black Jack Bauer replacement” as having super powers as well and have him wear a cute , brightly-coloured swimsuit , with a cute little cape and cute little boots — maybe even a cute little helmet ? Whatever gets you off , 24 : Legends directors . I bet a lot of people are probably gob smacked at this comment , probably branding me racist , but I’d rather be honest than be a gushing fake like a lot of people on here , saying , “Yes , what a great idea to have a minority play Jack Bauer !” But I can’t lie and if you change Jack Bauer from being a white , heterosexual badass with huge muscles to a little black , metrosexual looking twig who looks like if he was to take a bath , he would fall down the plug hole , then the best TV series of all time has gone to shit . I’d much rather they just said that Jack Bauer was killed in captivity by the Russians and left it at that than have some knobhead who looks like a 1990s Tupac Shakur piss-take replace him .

XAM
February 14, 2016 at 6:13 pm
I’d have no problem whatsoever if the best person who auditioned for Carter turned out to be black… but that’s not how it went down at all. Fox insisted he be black/not white, meaning they too are in on this pathetic anti-white diversity agenda and for that they can go fuck themselves. It looks like they filled their transgender quota with this new actor too.

They’re trying to pull this diversity shit with James Bond too. And the only reason anyone can come up with for making Bond/any established white character black is… “It’s 2016”. Fuck off!

Theo_Cui
February 21, 2016 at 5:22 am
When is the series going to be released?

24BIGGESTFAN
March 2, 2016 at 4:10 pm
Well at least they should tell us what happened to Jack….and please give him a happy ending, DAMN IT!!!

David Nora
March 11, 2016 at 7:07 pm
Everyone but Keifer wants another hour of Bauer, so I am going to watch the reboot. I love the passion on this thread, but let’s not prejudge the reboot before it airs. Entirely possible it is a dud, but the flipside is CTU always had other field offices, so this idea isn’t revolutionary. We all fell in love with Bauer, but I’m going to watch 24 Legacy. I’m try to figure out people who call themselves fans, but don’t want to watch even one episode. One could argue Star Trek generations was better than Star Trek. Mash got better when Colonel Potter came on board. We can all agree we’d love to see more Bauer, but to dismiss the reboot without seeing what the show is about is ludicrous…

FORMER24FAN
March 22, 2016 at 4:51 pm
I WILL NEVER GIVE IT A CHANCE I HOPE ITS GET CANCELLED JACK BAUER IS ALWAYS KIEFEER SUTHERLAND THIS CRAP WILL FLOP.