Jack is Back! (And apparently Tony Too)

The much anticipated return of "24" debuted on Sunday night and apparently it is picking up some new viewers. When the show first was first put on the schedule in the fall of 2001, I thought the lifespan would be one season, three tops, but here it is going into season 7 (would be 8 if the writers strike hadn't pre-empted it last year) and seemingly is going strong.

I've only reluctantly watched Days 5 and 6, as my wife watches the whole season at once. It started with the first seasons on DVD, and then in later years, I've recorded all the episodes on DVR and then she watches them in a few days. During season 6 we started in late April watching 3-4 hours a week, but that didn't seem to be as entertaining. My mocking comments probably didn't help.

So in an effort to speed things up for the non-watchers, here is an outline of a 24 Season

Hour 1--Jack Bauer is generally relaxing (or hiding out somewhere), when a major event takes place killing people.

Hour 2--Jack wrestles with a decision on whether to help out, and eventually always chooses to help out. His Supervisor (which changes year to year) exhibits concern about Jack's decision.

Hour 3--Jack's hot on the trail of the suspects, and something goes wrong at HQ. The sinister subplot begins with some mole at a high level.

Hour 4--Jack has to defuse a situation--not with the suspects, but his supervisior and his/her superior--to allow him to stay on the case.

Hour 5--Jack evades the thugs that his supervisors have sent after him, while stumbling onto the hideout or next target of the suspects.

Hour 6--Jack kills at least 10 people, but the suspects are partially successful in carrying out their plan at the target. Someone Jack knows is taken hostage.

Hour 7--Jack confronts more terrorists, saves the hostage, and puts someone he loves in danger.

Hours 8-10--The loved one in danger is either a counter-spy or is held by someone who is a friend of Jack's, who is a counter spy. Jack discovers this, and will spend the next 3 hours defusing the situation, while the suspects take a short break.

Hour 11--Jack is back on the trail of the suspects, when the people at HQ realize he broke the law in saving his loved one, and is ordered brought in.

Hours 12-13--Jack evades the HQ people and is finally brought in to HQ just about the time that HQ becomes a target of the suspects.

Hours 14-18--Jack is at HQ, while Chloe and another person (who will die before the end of hour 18) breaks the rules to help Jack out. Usually at least one other lovable character dies during this span.

Hour 19--The mole(s) are identified by Jack, (although the "Big Guy" remains a mystery) and Jack subsequently leaves/escapes HQ in the confusion and is back on the trail of the suspects.

Hours 20-22--Lots of dis-jointed things happen, causing mayhem at 2-3 locations, and HQ finally realizes (again!) that Jack is still a good guy, and they finally help him out.

Hours 23-24--The two hour finale, where in the first hour, things go miserably wrong, followed by the ultimate saving of the world by Jack Bauer and the taking down or saving (temporily--they will kill him/her off in a future season) of some big political figure.