If there's one person who knows that time is of the essence, it's superagent Jack Bauer of Fox's 24. However, don't expect to see Mr. Bauer to do anything hastily other than pound a few daiquiris over the next year.
The show's seventh season was set to begin last January and run without a break, but in November, strike complications forced Fox to delay the season premiere to an unspecified time. Now, Fox has called 2008 a loss for the show and will run season seven in January 2009.
The crew has already shot eight episodes of this season, which sees the action move to Washington, DC, instead of Los Angeles. If Fox had opted to continue production of the show this year, there would have been a lengthy break before the newly produced episodes would air. Because 24 is heavily serialized, Fox wanted to ensure the seventh season was aired uninterrupted.
ABC took a very different tactic with its serialized hit Lost, opting to air the episodes it has now and finish the season with an additional five episodes. However, Lost's original season order was only 16, whereas 24's was appropriately 24.
Star Kiefer Sutherland must be kicking himself now. The actor opted to serve a portion of his jail sentence for a DUI charge over the holidays in order to avoid slowing down the production of the show.
24's seventh season will be the first without cocreator Joel Surnow, who announced earlier this week he was leaving his duties to pursue other projects.
Comments (58)
Why is E1 still griping about the writers when now the actors want to strike again? The reason we have "reality" shows is cuz of the actors strike from last time! I loathe reality shows!!!!! And let's not forget that Crossing Jordan took a year or two off also, which I think ruined it for E1, so the show lost alot of viewers.
I really love 24 and I'm glad that I now know that it's coming back! But one year??? That's a bit too much for my taste. That the writers went on strike is one thing, but did they have to screw US so bad???
All I know is, I can't WAIT for January to come!! Screw the holidays, gimme 24!!! Monday nights SUCK w/out 24, prison break, and heroes! All there is to watch, for me, is csi Miami. I'm interested to see what Jack Bauer must do next! Who will be returning to the show, and who or what will be the next terror threat!
24 is the best
First they sign on the barking moon-bat to insult us, then Joel Surnow leaves and now they say no show for a year. *pfft* I guess it's true; all good things must come to an end.Don't bother taping another minute because we won't be bothering to watch.
i'm happy becuse iknow season seven from 24 is starting in 2009 that's really good news c ya
24 is about the greatest TV ever! I mean, now there is nothing to watch. I think I am going on strike and not watch TV ever again until 24 is back on the air. :(
We are a couple and my b/f is a big fan.He is very disappointed that Fox can't air 24 this year.I think that the studio is punishing 24's fans for a situation they created.Fox has great shows so y shouldn't the writers b paid what they r worth ?? So yeah anyway , very disappointed here. Would b great if they could pull their asses together and air the season in the fall.Y should people who have cable and pay to watch this show b disappointed for a whole entire year ??
We have to wait till 2009!
This doesn't really surprise me at all. With Kiefer Sutherland in jail, the writer's strike, and rumors of the show being pushed off, it seemed inevitable! Still sad though :( Love 24!!!
D@MN YOU WRITERS...YOU RUINED 2007...THANKS...I HOPE YOU ARE NOW IN COMFORT WITH THE EXTRA MONEY IN YOUR POCKETS...
I'm gonna miss it. I can't wait till 2009!
I think it will be great for the show to have enough time to really write a great storyline. After having failed to make a good season in 07 they now have the chance to rewrite the script and change it for the better.
I agree with the decision to take time and do it right... they need to rebound from Season 6 ... which was horrible... especially coming after the Amazing ( emmy award Winning) Season 5...which I felt should have been the last year due to stuff that happened in the season.... let's hope they finish with a Bang
Maybe now the movie studios will realize who is in charge, and stop jerking off the writers. Who remembers the pimp ass that sold tickets to Shakespeare's play? Nobody. And I think it's smart that 24 do it's whole season right. But this year is a wash for all shows, not just this one. What's funny is hearing off of you whine about it. Just like the studio's.
I don't think they are srapping the 8 episodes filmed; I think they will continue filming now the remaining 9-24 episodes of the 7th season and air them in Jan 2009. That's what I have gathered from the articles posted.
They won't be scraping those 8 episodes. They stated in an interview they may have to change a few minor things but nothing major. Filming will resume shooting episode 9 soon.
they will have to scrap the 8 episodes, because there will be a whole year of change in all of the actors, scenery etc. I think this is a foolish decision when the logical move would be to air the series in the fall. Unfortunately TV executives are complete idiots, it's a pre-requisite for the job.
the crybaby writers ruined everything
I guess will have to wait until jan 2009.
I wonder if they will keep the same plot and the 8 episodes already made
What a meaningful comment!
I am not a fan of this show, though I am glad it is returning for those of you that enjoy it.
"So do they scrap the eight episodes they filmed? Do they scrap that storyline entirely?"Maybe they'll be available as a bonus on a DVD? I suppose we can hope.
Comments blaming the writers for this delay piss me off. You really want them to let the greedy studio execs walk all over them and exploit their work without proper compensation, just so you can have your fix?You seem to forget that the bosses do not create this fine show. The writers do. And the writers did not decide to shelve the existing episodes. That is the studio's decision. So if you want to blame someone, blame the studio.
If waiting a year means I'll get a super next season, I'll gladly wait
So do they scrap the eight episodes they filmed? Do they scrap that storyline entirely?
Cool, hopefully get a much better season, prefer matured quality than hastily conducted tv for example, season 2 of heroes.
I'm a big "24" fan but found the past season to be a little disappointing, honestly. I think the coming year will be a great way for "24" to reinvent itself. In fact, I'd be in favor of the writers' really taking the extra time to go to the drawing board on the season's storylines. We FANS will eagerly await the next Day of Bauer Power. Writers, knock our socks off!
Although 6th season ended here last week, i already missed 24.
Well good things come to those who wait. Better to give the creators the time to get it right and have a great season in 09 than a thrown together one in 07.....time to fire up the 24 DVDs
That's probably the best way to do it. Although over a year without 24 could be a risk.
yeah i think the writers ended up the big losers in this strike. a) i hear they got nothing more than was being offered week 1, b) the public went from 100% support to saying frig you for ruining my favorite show, c)now they gotta work twice as hard to make up for lost time. seems like they should have settled after a week when they had good press.
dont talk behind my back!!!
Any Ideas what the story for season 9 will be about?
welll i will just have to spend that time watching the past 6 season over so i can get m jack fix
Wow thanks a bunch writers! I hope it was worth it breaking our hearts!
Why can't they just run it in the fall?? Would that be so difficult??
Hopefully this means they can come back better than ever in 2009 and not have one of those ten episode WTF moments like season 6 did. Still, it's too bad they just can't complete them and run them in the fall... then again that's about 5 months of straight 24 bleeding into 2009 when they should be airing season 8 straight. Or complete them now and air them in the spring..
noooo a whole year??? if they had guts they'd shoot the entire season in 24 hours (real-time), that'd be awesome yet sucky at the same time, which is, I guess, why they didn't do it, which is good
No I cant live without it 4 a year no;[
This is too much! A year is too long without 24. I hope that this delay doesn't affect the ratings of the show when it comes back.
Jack needs some rest, he saved the world 6 times, let's leave him on holiday...
Perhaps once they wrap shooting on this season, they'll start making the 24 Movie they've been talking about. I'd love to see them bring it out in the fall as the trailers that were showed makes it look like it's going to be the ride that Season 6 wasn't.
nooooooooooooooooooooo i can't wait so long
NOOOOOOOOok ok, i guess i can wait for jack bauer. as long as he comes back...lol
To bad this is one of my top shows.
But I can wait, plus I can understand the reason why FOX decided to do this.
you know as long as this doesnt turn out to kill the show, it could actually be great for the show. i mean the show has been on for 7 years straight, 24 episodes for a year. its an amazing show, but most shows like this dont last more than 7 seasons, so this could revitalize the show, after a year and a half of waiting it could develop new life. but then again, the show has been solid for 7 years, so maybe it could only hurt.
OMG.I'm wondering
I think it would have been smart for them to air it during the summer. Maybe they'd pick up more audience.