Kiefer Sutherland Reveals Radical 24 Revival, Would Fans Accept It?
Kiefer Sutherland thinks another 24 series might be great, but that it might be better without him.
Although our perception of telling time is apparently shifting, not many people utilize the full 24 hours in a day. One person who certainly did was Jack Bauer, the lead of Fox’s action thriller series 24. According to an article from Entertainment Weekly, actor Kiefer Sutherland, who is starring in the upcoming series Rabbit Hole, might have been using his time wisely these past few years to brainstorm his own ideas about a possible 24 revival without him in the role of Jack Bauer.
In the article, Kiefer Sutherland described working on 24 as the best time of his life and said that he’d be interested in seeing it continue in some shape or form with or without him reprising his role as Jack Bauer. The actor imagined what revisiting the concept of a show where events playing out in real-time that doesn’t involve Jack Bauer might be like, admitting that it “boggles his mind” and that it is “shocking” that real-time storytelling hasn’t been picked up more widely, calling it a “franchise-worthy idea.” Sutherland thought it would be a great concept whether or not they brought Jack back, saying that even if they were to make an iteration without Jack, he would “be its champion.”
Kiefer Sutherland’s proposal is an intriguing one for continuing the 24 franchise. Although counterterrorism is a thrilling profession ripe with action-packed, high-stakes moments, seeing what other professions or situations could make for a compelling 24-hour drama format would be interesting. Showrunners could also consider other kinds of stories outside of the action thriller genre.
Kiefer Sutherland’s 24 was an American crime drama television series created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran for Fox that first aired in November 2001. Although the plot was compelling, it was the show’s groundbreaking format that saw each week’s episode unfolding in real-time that made Kiefer Sutherland and 24 a hit—each season culminated in a single frantic, action-packed day in Jack Bauer’s life.
Kiefer Sutherland led 24 to become the longest-running U.S. espionage- or counterterrorism-themed television drama and fans tuned in at record numbers to watch the exploits of Jack Bauer and crew. The series originally ran for eight seasons until May 2010 before adding another ninth season with 24: Live Another Day in 2014. Set four years after the events of the original series, the limited series ends with Jack being flown away by Russian agents after giving himself up in exchange for the freedom of fellow agent Chloe O’Brian.
Kiefer Sutherland has been involved in Hollywood for years, long before 24, even at one point rooming with fellow actor Robert Downey Jr. before either of them had gotten their big break (aside from being born into enormously successful show business families). Sutherland got his first leading film role in the Canadian drama The Bay Boy before starring in films such as Stand by Me and The Lost Boys. His role as Jack Bauer ran from 2001 to 2010, and for 24’s fifth season, he received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
Kiefer Sutherland has since starred in films like Melancholia, Pompeii, and the Flatliners remake after he wrapped on 24. Sutherland is also starring in a new thriller series being released by Paramount+ and written by Glenn Ficaarra and John Requa called Rabbit Hole. Releasing on March 26th, he plays John Weir, a master of deception espionage who finds himself framed for murder by some of the world’s most powerful forces.
