I'm not talking about a TV movie a la '24: Redemption,' I'm talking about an adventure that Jack Bauer will have on the big screen. TV Guide is reporting that a screenwriter has been hired to write the '24' movie. Billy Ray, who wrote the movies 'Shattered Glass,' 'State of Play,' the remake of 'Westworld' as well as many episodes of the mid-90s sci-fi series 'Earth 2,' is going to do the screenplay for the movie.
Of course, since this is a big screen movie of a small screen show, they have to do something a little "larger," so Jack won't be saving Los Angeles or New York or even Ottumwa, Iowa. This movie will be set in London, which means Jack will have to get used to saving the world in 24 hours several hours ahead of when he did it here in the United States. Also, any car chases or car explosions will now take place on the other side of the road.
(S08E07) I'm going to whine a lot about this episode, so that's just a little warning to anyone absolutely loving this season of '24.' But first, let's talk about the great scene where Renee goes ballistic, stabs Vladimir, then accidentally stabs Jack. Then Jack takes the knife out and hurls it at the other guy coming in the door. Awesome!
Ok, now for the bad stuff. For one thing, I thought we were going to get to see Renee kick some major butt this season. So far, she's just a wimpy female with a big fat vengeance chip on her shoulder who still gets knocked around by the bad guys (excepting that awesome scene noted above). Come on, Renee! I want a female Jack Bauer, not some sniveling sap!
What is going on with Jack Bauer? Have you been watching '24' this season, the first time set in New York City? There were high expectations that this might be the best season yet for '24' because we'd be seeing a lean, mean, older Jack who has been through the wringer and knows all the tricks and turns of the business. Comparisons were made to Jason Bourne, but with the Bauer edge.
Unfortunately, we're not seeing the vim and vigor of 'The Bourne Identity' or any of the other Bourne pictures. We're not even seeing the quality of '24' from seasons past. Instead, '24' has turned into something else entirely -- an empty shell of its former self. It's time to call it a day for '24.' The show has definitely jumped the you-know-what.
(S08E06) "If you're talking about what I think you're talking about, we don't do that anymore." - Hastings to Jack, on using unsavory methods with the Russians
Oh, snap. The Russians may have bought Renee's cover, but that doesn't mean she's out of danger. Just the opposite, especially given the fact that she's a loose cannon and doesn't seem to care whether she lives or dies at this point. Or maybe that's not necessarily true.
At 8, ABC has a new, two-hour episode of'The Bachelor.'
CBS has a new'How I Met Your Mother' at 8, followed by new episodes of 'Accidentally on Purpose,''Two and a Half Men,' 'The Big Bang Theory,' and 'CSI: Miami.'
NBC has new episodes of 'Chuck,' 'Heroes,' and'The Jay Leno Show.'
FOX has a new 'House' at 8, followed by a new 24.
The CW has a new 'One Tree Hill,' then a new'Life Unexpected.'
PBS has a new 'Antiques Roadshow' at 8.
ABC Family has a new 'Secret Life of the American Teenager' at 8, followed by new episodes of 'Make It or Break It' and'Greek.'
At 9, USA has a new 'Monday Night RAW.'
TLC has a new 'Cake Boss' at 9.
History Channel has a new 'American Pickers' at 9, then two new episodes of 'Pawn Stars.'
At 10, TNT has a new 'Men of a Certain Age.'
FX has a new 'Damages' at 10.
A&E has a new 'Hoarders' at 10.
Food Network has the season finale of 'Worst Cooks in America'at 10.
TLC has a new 'Ultimate Cake-Off' at 10.
Also at 10: Travel Channel has a new Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.
(S08E05) "I think this operation just blew up." - Jack
I think this season just blew up. After loving the first four hours in last week's two-night 24 premiere, hour five of Jack Bauer's eighth bad day crashed and burned pretty hard. While the main plot involving Jack and Renee is worth watching, it still has one big glaring misstep that I had a hard time getting over last night. As for the rest of the minor subplots? We can only hope they tie in to the rest of the story, because right now, very little of it is interesting.
(S08E03/S08E04) "Renee, I know where you are and it's a dark place." - Jack
24's two-night four-hour season premiere continued tonight with the season's third and fourth hours and, by the end of it, we finally got a pretty clear picture of what the larger threat is and where it's headed... at least until next week.
Renee finally made an appearance, Hassan didn't get taken out, and Hastings figured out that Chloe actually knows what she's talking about. But was any of that enough to make up for the numerous shortcomings this season has already displayed?
(S08E01/S08E02) "You don't look like a Grampa..." - Jack's granddaughter, Teri
As if we needed another reminder that, yes, 24 has begun its eighth season and maybe, just maybe, Jack Bauer is getting too old for this crap. Good thing for us, this guy doesn't know how to say no.
Bauer's eighth very bad day kicked off tonight with a bang (literally) and with NYC as the show's newest (gimmicky?) setting, there's hope that season eight can reclaim some of 24's lost glory because, lest we forget, seasons six and seven started off wonderfully, too, only to falter as the clock kept ticking. Can Grampa Jack do the one thing that all old folks yearn to do and turn back time?
Mid-season is getting to be an even more exciting time for TV premieres than the fall. We have Lost, Chuck, American Idol, Archer, and a whole bunch of other shows to look forward to. That includes 24. The new season launches with a two-hour episode on January 17 (with another two-hour episode airing the next night).
Kiefer Sutherland talks about the show in this new interview over at Parade.com. He says that not only will a New York City setting revitalize the show a bit, he confesses that no one believes they've ever done a perfect season of the show, and they want to keep doing it until they do. He also says that he'd love to keep doing the show until he's 60 years old, but "nobody would accept it."
Hmmmm, I don't know about that. It seemed to work OK for Edward Woodward on The Equalizer, right?
Though it's not something you'd expect to hear an angry Jack Bauer scream at an unsuspecting tourist, people familiar with New York City are going to be amazed that he doesn't need to.
Season eight of the real-time drama drops Bauer into the borough of Manhattan and when 24 returns in just a few days (it premieres this Sunday January 17 at 9 p.m. ET and Monday January 18 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX), it's almost comical how easy Bauer seems to get around the city. That's half the fun of it though -- eight seasons in and haven't the terrorists learned their lesson yet? Jack Bauer will always find you.
However, that doesn't mean Jack's alone in this. As many of the previews for the new season have pointed out, Bauer is a retired man, a grandfather to boot, and there's a whole new crop of CTUers ready to pick up the torch.
Details and spoilers on the new season after the jump.
The final panel of a very eventful FOX day was for the upcoming eighth season of 24, and there were a number of questions that were hanging in the air. How are they going to deal with Jack Bauer running around New York City? Is the show something that people still want to watch when real life is scary enough? But the big question was: Is this Bauer's last roundup?
First, the hats: FOX gave critics Yankees and Mets-ish looking baseball caps to commemorate the season.The caps were fitted, and they were HUGE; they were too big for even my 7.5-sized melon. But I took 'em anyway, because they looked cool.
The reporters pretty much got at the question of another season right away, and as far as Kiefer Sutherland and executive producer Howard Gordon is concerned, they'll keep doing the show as long as FOX wants them to.
I'm not talking about a TV movie a la '24: Redemption,' I'm talking about an adventure that Jack Bauer will have on the big screen. TV Guide is reporting that a screenwriter has been hired to write the '24' movie. Billy Ray, who wrote the movies 'Shattered Glass,' 'State of Play,' the remake of 'Westworld' as well as many episodes of the mid-90s sci-fi series 'Earth 2,' is going to do the screenplay for the movie.
At 8, ABC has a new, two-hour episode of The Bachelor, followed by a new Castle.
At 7, ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos.
The final panel of a very eventful FOX day was for the upcoming eighth season of 24, and there were a number of questions that were hanging in the air. How are they going to deal with Jack Bauer running around New York City? Is the show something that people still want to watch when real life is scary enough? But the big question was: Is this Bauer's last roundup?
In the first podcast of the new year, 
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. on 'Faces of America' and the Beer Summit
Six Reasons Why '24' Has Jumped the You-Know-What
The Super Bowl Commercials: The Best
