07.22 | '24' season four news and predictions
Season three is over. Sky One finally broadcast the finale episode, 12PM - 1PM, tonight. It was roughly half excellent, half damp squib.
The excellence was supplied by Jack cutting off Chase's hand with an axe. Holy fuck! Blotted out like a damp squib by Jack disposing of the virus in a fridge. IN A FUCKING FRIDGE! Is that all it took? Might as well as just sent some guy from Rumblelows around to save the world, then.
As for that final scene? Genius. I bet the deleted scenes on the DVD will include the ending where Jack gets into his car and shoots up at the end.
I still think when Jack told Kim "he had some things to care of", coupled with his breakdown, might have meant that whatever he has to deal with next season is shit he cannot come back from. Like, we think that he's crying about what has happened to him, but in fact he's upset at what he is about to do. Meaning that season four will bring a whole conclusion to the plot of 'Jack's downfall' and hopefully bring about his 'redemption'.
Anyway, it's '24' law that Sherry has to do something really naughty in the last few episodes of a season - putting Kim Bauer's life in danger, trying to sell out Jack to Peter Kingsley - that messes up the plans that Jack and Palmer have. Being shot at the end of episode 23 kind of blew Palmer's chance of relection. Still, him deciding to stand down after all that Jack did to defend his presidency over the past two series: it's enough to make you break down and cry.
I was hoping for the return of Jonathan the German photographer/sniper from season one. There was no chance of that happening, really. It would have been neat if Marie Warner had been the person carrying the last dose of the virus, but obviously the writers aren't as smart as I am. Well, my ideas sucked, frankly.
The 'hanging thread' plot point I wanted to find out more about: what came of President Dave working the phrase 'the sky is falling' into that press conference? Was it just so that Saunders would know Palmer was going to go along with the plan? Or was it a signal so that that vial couriers would know to set out to plant their devices? Or was it just a way to work in a cool plot device and phrase into the show? Or what?
'24' is going to have an extra three months off between seasons, so it'll start in the US in January rather than October. It looks like we're getting another '12AM - 12AM' series since that'd fit in with the shooting schedule.
Here is the biggest news you'll hear about '24' all summer: season four will be the last season. Read the last sentence in the bottom paragraph. Well, I'm convinced. And if they are putting together a 'straight to video' DVD special, that only confirms it. Four seasons would give us 98 episodes, and a two hour featurette could push that up to 100, which is the magic number needed to get a decent sell-on price for a syndication deal.
The second biggest news about '24'? The only returning character will be Jack Bauer. Executive producer Joel Surnow confirmed that Dennis Haysbert, James Badge Dale, Elisha Cuthbert, Carlos Bernard, Zachary Quinto and the rest of the cast won't be returning. Expect a few 'guest appearances', though. Elisha Cuthbert was asked to stay on, but she refused. Apparently she's in the running to play Lois Lane in a new Superman movie.
Variety magazine also confirmed what a lot of us knew a long time ago: David Palmer won't be the President for season four.
Geoff Pierson, who played Palmer's Republican rival John Keeler, has been confirmed as returning. He'll take over as the President in the series' universe.
It's not all bad for the actors, though:
Reiko Aylesworth, who played Michelle on '24' for the past two seasons, is set to join the original 'CSI', as a lab-based detective.
It might be bad for the viewers, though:
Hit US drama '24' will have a rare collection of guest stars for the new series, including Sylvester Stallone.Please, all-seeing, all-hearing, supreme over-lord - don't let this Sky News report be true. I'll give you my first-born. No, just kidding.The Rocky star was approached by the show's producers after his latest movie Spy Kids proved to be a great success.
A source told me: "Sly is really keen to move into TV drama and loves the show."
America's TV Guide magazine had quotes from a '24' 'insider' in a recent issue, who said: "The inner workings of CTU will not be as central to the plot with Jack on the outside". So take this to mean that Jack's in Washington (on the day of the Presidential inaugeration?), he investigates a threat and invites any remaining CTU characters to travel up and help him out for a few hours. I guess this means Michelle, since I doubt he'd bring Kim into a trouble zone.
TV Guide also wrote that:
A source close to the series reveals that the show will jump forward at least a year.Probably wise, since another two or three year 'jump' would push the Jack Bauer character well into his mid-40s.
Oh, and like I reported last week, expect Jack to join the navy. Maybe that why he's been practising his Village People YMCA dance.
As for new characters?
Ex-'La Femme Nikita' star Alberta Watson will play the as-yet-unnamed new head of CTU. As you may remember, the 'La Femme Nikita' TV show was directed by '24' supremo Jon Cassar. Alberta has her own website where you might find some '24' info...
Shawn Doyle will play the character taking Jack's old CTU job, Head of Field Ops.
Sam Elliott has been offered the role of James Sinclair, the Secretary of Defense.
Expect the Secretary of Defense to be a major character, as one of his aides -Audrey Raines - will be Jack's new love interest. Apparently. The part is uncast so far, but they're looking for an actress in her late 20s to early 30s.
I have a horrible feeling that season four will be at least partially about Jack having to stop a suicide bomber from blowing himself/herself up in the middle of Los Angeles. Please - if any of the people behind the show are reading this - don't do it.
My suggestions for season four:
No Jack 'going rogue'
He must have done this at least three times during the course of the previous three seasons. Let's give it a rest, eh?
No assassinations
David Palmer (nearly, three times), Syed Ali (sucessfully), Ryan Chappelle - it's been covered. Forget this.
No kidnappings of goodies by baddies, although goodies are allowed to kidnap baddies - but not the children or wives of baddies
Let's face it, if Kim doesn't appear, there isn't going to be any kidnapping.
No special guest appearances by old co-stars from season one or two
Mike, Lynne, Carrie, Alberta Greene - they were written out for a reason, remember. They were boring. I'd quite like to see the return of Palmer's advisor Karl, though.
No agents 'going dark'
See 'Going rogue' above.
No moles
Ditto.
No references to old plots; '24' is about the here and now, not the past
There's something we should all remember about '24', and it is pretty simple: expect no closure.
The show is set in real time. There's no room for flashbacks, or flash-forwards, or back story, or explanation of hanging threads from past seasons. This is exactly why I hope '24' never explains about Palmer's knackered hand, what Jack whispered to Nina, whatever happened to Max and Trepkos, bringing back Kate Warner or hanging onto characters like Tony and Michelle.
I think they're going to get a lot of stick if they don't explain in season whether Tony is in prison, or whether he got a Presidential pardon, but - for the good of the series and the entire basic premise - I don't think they should, regardless of what viewers want.
