An unexpected bit of good news hit the Web earlier this year, when it was reported that Fox was abandoning its long-stalled plan for a 24 movie and would be instead resurrecting the show for a ninth (albeit shorter) season – titled 24: Live Another Day – with series star Kiefer Sutherland set to reprise his role as black ops agent extraordinaire, Jack Bauer.
Since the announcement of the series’ return, we’ve seen several season 9 updates revealed – including a word of a new setting, news of 12-episode count (as opposed to the usual 24 eps) as well announcement that characters like Chloe will be back. However, there has been the most obvious point: with less episodes, the real-time format would have to be revised, and how will that affect the show? Now the show’s producers and other Fox executives are shining light on the matter.
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Show producer Howard Gordon spoke openly about 24 season 9’s new, shorter, format while at the Televsion Critics Association. As reported by Crave:
“We’ll keep it a 24 hour story but we’ll tell 7-8, 8:15-9:15, 10-11 and then skip 3 hours if we need to. I think it’s going to actually make us not have to do the pretzel logic of some of the stuff. It’s still early, we’re still full of hope, but I’m sure in about 3 weeks, I’ll be under the table crying.“
Added Fox Entertainment Chairman Kevin Reilly:
“24: Live Another Day” miniseries will give us the “24” experience we want without stretching the story too thin… Everybody came in with a new vibrancy. The 12 episode format, Howard [Gordon] has always said, he always had 12 great ones, it was the next 12 that used to kill them.”
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Passport to Action
Reilly also confirmed the new setting for the show will be somewhere overseas (supposedly Europe): “This is going to be set in an international setting. They’ve got great ideas. I love doing it this way.”
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Chloe Is Back
Reilly went on to confirm Chloe O’Brien’s (Mary Lynn Rajskub) return to the show:
Chloe will be central to Jack Bauer’s new story, they have a really powerful arc for her in the next chapter. Look, I think the fans really would have been heartbroken to not see Chloe. I’m pretty sure that will be it for returning cast, but there are several new characters joining.“
But is Chloe TRULY the only character we’ll see coming back? In Tweeting with fans, executive producer David Fury had the following to say about a different 24 character – technically the first character we ever met in the series – female assassin operative Mandy, played by Mia Kirshner (Vampire Diaries):
“@CineTVworld: @TheDavidFury is there any real chance to see Mandy (Mia Kirshner) again? #24LAD” Always.— David Fury (@TheDavidFury) July 28, 2013
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Human Jack vs. Super Jack
Finally, a fan asked what sort of Jack Bauer we’ll be season in season 9: the man who took on more personal threats in the earlier seasons, or the super-agent tasked to perform world-saving feats, as seen in the latter seasons. According to Fury:
“@rwhiting: Will this season see a return to the smaller-scale, more personal plots / threats, as in season 1?” That’s our desire.— David Fury (@TheDavidFury) July 4, 2013
Happy to hear that Chloe is back? That we’ll potentially avoid any “Kim vs. The Cougar” story pitfalls with a shorter format? What do you think of the new overseas setting?
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24: Live Another Day premieres on FOX in May of 2014. We’ll keep you updated on the show’s return as more news comes to light.
Sources: Crave (via Spoiler TV) and Twitter
