24 (TV series)

24
The intertitle for the series which shows the number 24 in orange text on a black background
Genre
Created by
Starring
ComposerSean Callery
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons9
No. of episodes192 + 24: Redemption + 12 (24: Live Another Day) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Production locations
CinematographyPeter Levy
Rodney Charters
Jeffrey C. Mygatt
Guy Skinner
EditorsDavid Latham
Scott Powell
Leon Ortiz-Gil
Chris G. Willingham
Casey O. Rohrs
Larry Davenport
Elisa Cohen
David Thompson
Running time43–51 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkFox
ReleaseNovember 6, 2001 (2001-11-06) –
May 24, 2010 (2010-05-24)
ReleaseMay 5 (2014-05-05) –
July 14, 2014 (2014-07-14)
Related
24: Live Another Day
24: Legacy
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

24 is an American action drama television series created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran for Fox. The series stars Kiefer Sutherland as US counter-terrorist federal agent Jack Bauer. Each season covers 24 consecutive hours in Bauer's life using the real time method of narration, which is emphasized by the display of split screens and an animated clock. The show premiered on November 6, 2001, and spanned 204 episodes over nine seasons, with the series finale broadcast on July 14, 2014. In addition, the television film 24: Redemption aired between seasons six and seven, on November 23, 2008. 24 is a joint production by Imagine Television and 20th Century Fox Television.

At the start of the series, Bauer is already a highly proficient agent with an "ends justify the means" approach. This means that he will usually threaten, disregard and lie to anyone who refuses to cooperate with him.[2][3] Throughout the series, the plot elements contain both a political thriller and a serial drama, with each episode normally ending on a cliffhanger.[4] Furthermore, the action component shows Bauer using people on both sides of the law in his attempts to prevent terrorist attacks and bring down those responsible, sometimes at great personal expense. These attacks include presidential assassination attempts, bomb detonations, bioterrorism, cyberwarfare, as well as conspiracies that involve government and corporate corruption.

24 received generally positive reviews, with its fifth season being universally praised by critics. However, the series was criticized for perceived Islamophobia and glorification of torture. The show won numerous awards throughout its run, including Best Drama Series at the 2004 Golden Globe Awards and Outstanding Drama Series at the 2006 Primetime Emmy Awards. In May 2013, it was announced that 24 would return with a 12-episode limited series titled 24: Live Another Day, which aired from May 5 to July 14, 2014, bringing the episode count to 204.[5][6] A spin-off series, 24: Legacy, premiered on February 5, 2017, lasting a single 12-episode season.[7][8] 24 is the longest-running U.S. espionage- or counterterrorism-themed television drama, surpassing both Mission: Impossible and the UK's The Avengers.[9]

  1. ^ Tobey, Matthew. "24 (TV Series)". AllMovie. Archived from the original on May 2, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  2. ^ Smith, Patrick (January 21, 2010). "24: five ways Jack Bauer has changed television". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on June 17, 2012. Retrieved April 7, 2012.
  3. ^ Paskin, Willa (May 5, 2014). "Another 24 Hours". Slate. Archived from the original on April 9, 2015. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  4. ^ Lundegaard, Erik (January 8, 2006). "The Manchurian movie—Who took the politics out of the political thriller?". MSNBC.com. Archived from the original on June 23, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  5. ^ Rice, Lynette (May 13, 2013). "Official: '24' returns May 2014". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on June 7, 2013. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
  6. ^ Ausiello, Michael (January 13, 2014). "Fox Announces Spring Premiere Dates for 24: Live Another Day, Surviving Jack and More". TVLine. Archived from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  7. ^ Ausiello, Michael (May 16, 2016). "Fox Fall Schedule: Empire Gets Lethal Companion, 24 Scores Super Slot, Prison Break Held to Midseason". TVLine. Archived from the original on May 17, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Legacy canceled was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Krug, Kurt Anthony (May 27, 2010). "The final hours: '24' counts down to explosive series finale on Monday". Press and Guide. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 22, 2011.