There’s been a lot of speculation over 24: Live Another Day’s upcoming time jump and the writers have been keeping those details tightly under wraps. We can reveal that the final episode is titled “10:00 P.M. – 11:00 A.M.” meaning this single episode will cover a span of thirteen hours!
What’s interesting here is that the time jump isn’t occurring between episodes like everyone thought, but rather within the episode itself. This will be the first episode in 24 series history to not take place in real time.
One potential scenario would be Jack Bauer (recently pardoned) flying back to Los Angeles and reuniting with his daughter Kim. A flight from London to Los Angeles takes approximately eleven hours.
That’s if the writers decide to go with a happy ending. Kiefer Sutherland recently teased they’re aiming for “closure” but cautioned “it ain’t gonna be tied up with a bow.”
The finale has been closely guarded with not even key cast members receiving certain portions of the script. Series star Mary Lynn Rajskub recently said the last ten pages of the finale were omitted from her script, which could mean the time jump happens near the end (as an epilogue of sorts).
The writers had difficulty implementing time jumps into the plot previously with Howard Gordon admitting “there were more moving parts than we imagined.”
David Fury said “It sounded like a great idea, but we always have multiple storylines running. And while it was conceivable to find a pause in one story, finding a pause in all of the stories that happened to be simultaneous was not possible.”
“We have what we think is a pretty cool way to get us to 24,” promised Manny Coto.
(Special thanks to Rob.)
97 Comments
Comments ClosedChlojack
June 21, 2014 at 7:51 pmAAA
June 21, 2014 at 8:09 pmV
June 22, 2014 at 12:41 pmshazpot
June 22, 2014 at 9:30 pmV
June 23, 2014 at 6:44 am24fan24
June 21, 2014 at 8:10 pmVery interested to see what they will do with the final episode of the season and possibly the series.
24fan24
June 21, 2014 at 8:16 pmSo excited for the final four episodes!
Chlojack
June 21, 2014 at 8:24 pmGerry Mander
June 21, 2014 at 10:00 pmForgive me for beating a dead horse, and I know it won’t happen this way, but this could’ve been the perfect opportunity to do the movie; have ‘Live Another Day’ take place in real-time twelve hours over twelve episodes ending with a cliffhanger, then have a two-hour movie take place over the remaining twelve hours of the day as Jack dodges Russians and Chinese and who know’s who else to finally get home. It could be done for a relatively modest amount if shot relatively quickly (around 45 shooting days would do it) and somewhere cheap, something like $35m would do the trick, and with all the writers’ still available, the script could easily be written and readied to shoot next year with Jon Cassar directing.
I know, I know, it won’t happen this way, but surely it would’ve been better to tell twelve hours over a two-hour movie rather than a 43-minute episode… still, one can dream and I’m very much looking forward to see just how they cram this much time into a single episode…
Gerry Mander
June 21, 2014 at 10:07 pm24fan24
June 21, 2014 at 10:42 pmBruce
June 21, 2014 at 11:14 pmXAM
June 21, 2014 at 11:28 pmFor me the time jump issue was real simple.
1. Take care of Margo and the drones, and have Cross, Navarro etc go to ground (by episode 9)
2. Do the time jump and have Cross, Navarro and the other final villains resurface for the final arc at the end of the day.
Tyler
June 21, 2014 at 11:40 pmHere’s how I think it’ll pan out:
Jack etc. resolve the threat. Jack gets seriously injured.
Timejump (surgery, etc.)
Kim etc. come to London to see Jack. It’s revealed he’ll be disabled the rest of his life (but still able to be somewhat mobile and fully lucid of course, just not able to field work). He’s effectively retired, but still able to live happy ever after and remember what it’s like to be human. I can see the final scenes being quite heartwarming, with Jack in a wheelchair. Maybe the door will be kept open EVER SO SLIGHTLY for a return, but we’ll have pretty solid closure this way.
XAM
June 22, 2014 at 12:50 amI was excited to see how Jack would change after his capture by the Chinese… sadly he was back to his old self in 3 episodes.
Then there was the season 8 finale where Jack had to disappear again – but it wasn’t hard this time to call their bluff and know that if Jack ever showed up again it would be the same old shit as before. Cue 24: Just Another Day and that’s exactly what happened.
No matter what happens to Jack, they always without fail manage to bring it straight back to the familiar time after time. I wish they’d burn their bridges and send Jack past the point of no return, and I think a life changing physical injury is the only way to do it. A Jack that so badly wants to save the day (I don’t think that will ever change) but is physically unable to do so would be such compelling television… if a little difficult for us to watch.
Imagine Jack in season 10 with an eyepatch and a walking stick bossing around a bunch of new recruits… oh and that’s another thing, if Jack IS coming back in the future PLEASE give him a bastard job. I speak for everyone – even if they don’t agree – when I say we’ve had enough of the whole “Jack comes out of hiding and saves the day on a provisional basis” wankery.
Clayton
June 22, 2014 at 4:09 amBrad
June 22, 2014 at 5:44 amCatherine
June 22, 2014 at 8:42 amJoe
June 28, 2014 at 4:54 pmPhee
June 21, 2014 at 11:56 pmBruce
June 22, 2014 at 12:02 amXAM
June 22, 2014 at 12:53 amI still get major goosebumps thinking about the attempt on Palmer at the end of Day 2, and it’s eerie connection to Day 1.
Steeley
June 23, 2014 at 3:15 pmSteeley
June 23, 2014 at 3:16 pm24 Spoilers
June 23, 2014 at 7:27 pmChloe
June 22, 2014 at 12:21 amBruce
June 22, 2014 at 8:54 am24 Spoilers
June 22, 2014 at 3:38 amI’m not sure if that would play well, but I like the idea of bringing things full circle.
Brad
June 22, 2014 at 5:46 amBob
June 22, 2014 at 9:09 amOlivia
June 22, 2014 at 9:17 amXAM
June 22, 2014 at 12:02 pmNew West Virginian
June 23, 2014 at 1:00 amI REALLY hope they don’t do something like this in the finale.
Chlojack
June 22, 2014 at 9:12 amPhee
June 23, 2014 at 12:50 amConnor
June 27, 2014 at 4:21 pmCraig Lloyd
June 29, 2014 at 11:32 amGod
July 1, 2014 at 3:32 amSharan
June 22, 2014 at 3:50 amClayton
June 22, 2014 at 4:12 amChlojack
June 22, 2014 at 9:11 amA real time violation would be if they skip time gradually from scene to scene and try to cover most of the 11 hours during the finale. That would make it feel more like a regular TV episode. If Jack or someone else is getting on a plane, then I think the big time jump during the episode is more likely.
Chlojack
June 22, 2014 at 9:17 am24fan24
June 22, 2014 at 11:13 am:)
TomW
June 22, 2014 at 5:01 amHaving Jack back in the US and working for the government again would be absolutely ridiculous.
Daniel Shaw
June 22, 2014 at 9:25 pmTomW
June 23, 2014 at 2:14 pmX
June 30, 2014 at 12:30 amV
June 22, 2014 at 12:19 pmRonnieTheC
June 22, 2014 at 1:18 pm24marathonman
June 22, 2014 at 1:23 pmWhat is Kiefer going to say at the start of episode 12: “The following takes place between 10:00PM and 10:20PM and then between 10:24AM and 11:00AM?
Or at the start of the episode say “The following takes place between 10:00PM and 10:20PM” and after the commercial break he says “The following takes place between 10:24AM and 11:00AM”.
Either of the two above would be better than ditching the real time aspect entirely. If they do ditch the real time aspect they darn better say at the start of the episode “Events do not occur in real time”.
Shannon Ryan
June 22, 2014 at 6:21 pmThen after coming back from the ad break, we will see a silent title that says “12 HOURS LATER” and the clock will be the small one at the bottom of the screen showing 10:52:01, 10:52:02, 10:52:03, 10:52:04 superimposed on a wide shot of the setting which is probably somewhere in the UK or US.
At the end of the episode I think we will see the same clock as the end of season 8 had, which is 00:00:03, 00:00:02, 00:00:01, 00:00:00. I think the end of Jack’s storyline will signify closure as they have said, so the clock needs to match this feeling. They thought they were done in 2010, now they think they are done in 2014, so the audience can also get closure of the show.
Jack
June 22, 2014 at 7:58 pmIf the clock ends like all of the ’24’ seasons except 8, then some will think that this isn’t closure and in fact represents a possible willingness by FOX to do more ’24’.
Suppose you can look at it both ways.
Gerry Mander
June 22, 2014 at 9:44 pmBut that’s a whole month away, I’m worried right now how they’ll handle Heller’s non-death last week; that was a near-perfect episode, a resoundingly emotional one (how great was Kim Raver?), and easily one of the best episodes the show has EVER produced… I’m still not entirely onboard with Heller surviving, had he been killed and the episode ended with a silent clock, not only would it have elevated the current season to new heights and given the remaining episodes an emotional urgency, they would have had the audience in the palm of their hands for the rest of season without a doubt!
If they blow the explanation, they blow the season overall… they better have one great solution to Heller’s survival or that sound we’ll all be hearing will be the sound of a season deflating before our eyes…
#HopefulYetCautious.
New West Virginian
June 22, 2014 at 10:06 pmI wonder if they’ve done any filming in Los Angeles or if Elisha Cuthbert has been seen filming.
stalyn
June 22, 2014 at 11:39 pmShe lives with Jack, Back The U.S?
New West Virginian
June 23, 2014 at 1:02 amIf Jack’s not with Audrey, THEN he can be with Kate I want Jack to be with a love interest.
Phee
June 23, 2014 at 1:32 amNew West Virginian
June 23, 2014 at 10:05 pmPhee
June 23, 2014 at 1:22 amIt could work quite nicely thematically if we see Jack finally back home in LA with his family, and Kate unpacking her things (including photos of her and Adam) at home in London because now she’s staying. Jack’s come full circle but Kate’s just discovered who killed her husband, similar to the end of Jack’s Day 1.
The real thing I’m curious about (if international flights do happen) is which side of the pond Chloe could end up on by day’s end. And will she be arrested over Open Cell shenanigans or pardoned due to her assistance with the Day’s events? Or will she slip away into the underground (and by underground I don’t mean dead because Chloe needs to not die plz)?
stalyn
June 23, 2014 at 10:49 am24fan24
June 23, 2014 at 11:56 amChlojack
June 23, 2014 at 12:30 pm24fan24
June 23, 2014 at 1:50 pmHey, let me make it even worse. Technically, Jack could be Kate’s dad…
Lol.
Chlojack
June 23, 2014 at 5:38 pmTeriBauerHasBeenBehindEverythingSinceDay1
July 1, 2014 at 9:03 pmLisa
June 23, 2014 at 3:24 pmuncle carol
June 23, 2014 at 4:12 pm24marathonman
June 23, 2014 at 8:36 pmChris H
June 24, 2014 at 10:53 amNew West Virginian
June 23, 2014 at 11:21 pmI would HATE for it to be a twist bad ending, like Jack arrives in Los Angeles after his flight but Navarro had contacted an assassin (like Mandy) to target Jack upon his return. Mandy attacks them at the airport. Then either Jack OR Audrey/Kim gets killed like Jack was so close to happiness. That would be a cruel twist but someone had brought up this possibility.
Ozgur
June 24, 2014 at 4:15 amWell, at least this would be an organic way to kill Audrey unlike all those out-of-the blue deaths that scream plot device from the rooftops.
New West Virginian
June 23, 2014 at 11:33 pmColdhatez
June 24, 2014 at 9:23 amV
June 24, 2014 at 9:33 amWatcher
June 24, 2014 at 9:23 pmperry braud
June 24, 2014 at 9:44 pmiggy
June 24, 2014 at 10:52 pmEvil Logan
June 25, 2014 at 11:30 amNot sure u like anything involving this Series… I wonder why u write “bad” things about the show and still have the nerve to keep watching it. If I don`t like something like for example The Walking Dead after the second half of Season 3 I stop watching the entire Series instead of continuing to dislike it on the I-Net. Some might say trolling to that…
brian
June 25, 2014 at 12:37 pm24 Spoilers
June 25, 2014 at 12:43 pmuncle carol
June 26, 2014 at 1:40 amRonnieTheC
June 26, 2014 at 11:07 amjjuk
June 26, 2014 at 11:34 ambasically many coto was asked how the time jump was going to happen and his replay was:
“there will be a timejump, one or more, and we will be happy to tell you how we’re going to deal with it….. right after the last episode airs.”
why if its going to completed in the 12th and “FINAL” episode are they telling us they will explain how they are going to deal with it after the episode finishes ???
I personally think were heading for a season break.
theres too much going on right to be able wrap it all up in 3 last episodes it doesn’t seem doable to me
im probably wrong but this sounds the most likely answer to me.
Jack
June 27, 2014 at 11:48 pmAnd they wouldn’t say “with only three episodes left” in this promo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KwdMHHsT5c
RonnieTheC
June 26, 2014 at 1:51 pmWe will find out in 18 days!
New West Virginian
June 27, 2014 at 3:22 pmChris
June 26, 2014 at 2:01 pmGlenn
June 29, 2014 at 2:48 pmSteeley
June 29, 2014 at 6:45 pmNew West Virginian
June 30, 2014 at 1:41 amjjuk
July 1, 2014 at 5:56 amSpongebob
July 1, 2014 at 1:38 pmWouldntYouLikeToKnow
July 1, 2014 at 10:48 pm2) 11PM-12AM
3) 12AM-1AM
4) 1AM-2AM
5) 2AM-3AM
6) 3AM-4AM
7) 4AM-5AM
8) 5AM-6AM
9) 6AM-7AM
10) 7AM-8AM
11) 8AM-9AM
12) 9AM-10AM
13) 10AM-11AM
Hmm
July 2, 2014 at 12:21 ambuck
July 3, 2014 at 10:23 amJack saves the day, as usual, but at the cost of Chloe who died at the hands of Chang. US drones eventually catch up with the device and Chang and level a building he is in, killing him we are led to believe. As it seems all is at peace with the world and jack flies back on air force one to the states with Audrey and Heller. Once arriving jack gets word that Kim is waiting for him at the airport. Eventually they see each other in a crowded airport and begin to walk towards eachother. As this is happening, the camera quickly switches to a rifle scope that is watch the two walk towards eachother. Just as they are about to hug, a shot is fired and strikes Kim in the heart. As Kim falls to the ground, jack catches her and cradles her as she is bleeding out and unable to speak. camera quickly switches back to the sniper, who is revealed to be Chang (who was not killed in the drone attack), who naturally escapes quickly and out of sight. We switch back to jack and kim, and as kims eyes are slowly closing, the scene starts to fade black with a silent clock for Kim Bauer.
After that, a promo for season 10, in which jack goes ballistic and stops at nothing in good old fashioned revenge to foil a terrorist plot by Chang and evently fades out with Chang with his hands tied in a chair in a dark room, where it is reavealed that Jack has him captive and about to perform the most epic torture in the 24 series for him killing his daughter.
BOOM.
VanillaLimeCoke
July 8, 2014 at 11:13 pm6am in New York
3am in California
We also know that the sun set in London in the 6pm hour so it’s gotta be around March or September there. In any case I don’t think it’s daylight out at 6am in New York in March or September, or at least bright daylight.
So we can assume the trailer has scenes only from London in it.
ACheteonolit
November 19, 2014 at 2:37 pmYour help is highly appreciated!