Watching 24

So, you’re a little behind on your TV watching, and you haven’t caught up with the whole serial TV phenomenon. All you’ve been hearing about at work is the aticipation for the 6th season of 24, but you have no idea what it is, or what it’s about.

Well, here’s a short and simple guide for you. A little who’s who, what’s what, and where’s where of the show. It’s all the basics with minimal spoilers from previous seasons. No big spoilers at all. The thing that’s great about 24 is that you don’t actually have to have viewed the previous seasons, it helps but it’s not needed.

I didn’t get into 24 until the 4th season, and I understood what was going on and was sucked in by the intesity of the show. Then I had to go out and buy the rest of the seasons. So give this little guide a quick look over and then sit down this Sunday and hang on for the ride of your life.

What’s What?

The plot of 24 is simple, yet it’s the reason why 24 is one of the highest rated dramas on TV.
You take one day, a full 24 hours (making time for commercials of course) and throw a terrorist attack in the mix. Now Jack Bauer and the rest of the CTU team has 24 hours, which are all filmed in ‘real-time’ (meaning a minute to us is a minute to them), to stop (or lessen) the attack.

The show gives us an hour a week to watch the insane day unfold. We watch in awe as Jack Bauer races around L.A. to find terrorists, torture and kill them, all without taking a bathroom break.

Who’s Who

Now entering the 6th season there isn’t many people left alive that were in the previous seasons. But, in case you are just getting into 24 for the first time here’s a quick rundown of the characters.

Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland)—No Doubt you’ve heard of him, even if you haven’t seen the show. He’s the Man! Jack Bauer started off as the director of CTU. His background is varied in Special Forces operations from around the globe.

Jack was married once, and has a daughter named Kim. He’s had girlfriends throughout the series’ run, but has never been able to settle down. Jack is the true definition of a “work-a-holic.�? His work is his life. Everything he’s ever loved has been sacrificed for the good of the country.

Jack has lived through five excruciating days of terror-filled chaos. He’s an expert with weapons, interrogation and torture.

If the sixth season is the first season you will be seeing, you need to know that Jack is now returning from a 20-month stint in a Chinese prison camp.

Jack Bauer is 24, and 24 is Jack Bauer…’Nuff said.

Kim Bauer (Elisha Cuthbert)—Daughter to Jack Bauer. She has appeared in most of the seasons. Seasons 1 through 3 she was a regular. Season 5 she appeared for a brief time. No word yet on if she’ll appear in season 6, but I’m sure she will.

Kim has also had her share of hard times. It seems that whenever her Dad (Jack) is saving the world, Kim is in dire need of saving herself. Constantly being kidnapped and held by terrorists, survivalists, and yes even a cougar Kim has had quite the wild ride.

She blames her Father for her rotten life, and wasn’t too fond of seeing him in season 5.

Kim also had a brief stint as a CTU computer tech, which wasn’t very believable.

Wayne Palmer (DB Woodside)—Brother of David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert, the first President featured on 24) is going to be President in season 6.

Wayne is good friends with Jack and has been helped by Jack especially in seasons 3 and 5. Wayne is apparently the man who has brokered the release of Jack from the Chinese.

Wayne isn’t as Presidential looking as David was, but whether he will be a good President…Only time will tell.

Bill Buchanan (James Morrison)—He’s head of CTU now, and is just about the only CTU head that has believed Jack about most things, and isn’t afraid to say “Yeah Jack I agree lets do that.�?

Bill is something that CTU needs badly. A man that doesn’t deal in inter-office politics as much as past CTU leaders.

Chloe (Mary Lynn Rajskub)—Chloe is by far Jack’s strongest ally at CTU. She has helped him out of many a tough spot. Jack usually asks her to do things that are against “protocol�? which she gets reprimanded for but then she is let out in order to save CTU with her extensive computer knowledge.

She’s also perpetually scowling, but don’t let her fool you she’s not always mad.

Where are we?

The locations in 24 are varied. As Jack travels to and fro around Los Angeles following leads it seems that the locations are always changing. Yet there are a few static locations that need mentioning.

CTU (Counter Terrorist Unit) Headquarters—This is where all the Los Angeles agents are based. This is the central hub for all counter terrorist activity.

Many scenes take place within the confines of the CTU walls. It’s also seen its share of terrorist attacks, but continues to be a force in fighting terrorism every new television season.

Division—While this place is talked about quite often there have been very few visits there. These visits are usually brief and consist of an upper management CTU officer talking on the phone.

I’ve always thought the Division is a very generic name to name the overall head of CTU, but it’s ok, it’s a word you hear often but will likely never see. Although it seems that Division spawns the most anal retentive people of all time. Anyone that “comes over from Division,�? watch out for them.

The White House—Believe it or not, throughout five seasons of 24 the President has never resided completely in Washington D.C. for the entire season. This season is different the President is in Washington, with a full replica of the Oval Office. Every other season the President has been at some sort of retreat/bunker during the happenings of the season.

Now that you know what, where and who 24 is all about you are ready to tune into the upcoming season premiering this weekend on FOX.

2 hours on Sunday and 2 on Monday, then it will go to one hour every week.