Day 3: 5:00 a.m.-6:00 a.m. (6 Apr. 2004)

President Palmer gives into Stephen Saunders's strange demand of placing an seemingly nondescript phrase into a speech in the hopes of delaying another viral outbreak. Michelle takes control of the situation inside the hotel. Jack and Chase bring a suspect to the local branch of MI-6 as Saunders launches an attack on the building.

Director:

Ian Toynton

Writers:

Joel Surnow (creator), Robert Cochran (creator),

Stars:

Kiefer Sutherland, Elisha Cuthbert, Carlos Bernard

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Kiefer Sutherland	...	Jack Bauer
Elisha Cuthbert	...	Kim Bauer
Carlos Bernard	...	Tony Almeida
Reiko Aylesworth	...	Michelle Dessler
James Badge Dale	...	Chase Edmunds
Dennis Haysbert	...	President David Palmer
Paul Blackthorne	...	Stephen Saunders
Lothaire Bluteau	...	Marcus Alvers
Jesse Borrego	...	Gael Ortega
Paul Schulze	...	Ryan Chappelle
Andrea Thompson	...	Dr. Nicole Duncan
D.B. Woodside	...	Wayne Palmer (as DB Woodside)
Doug Savant	...	Craig Phillips
Mary Lynn Rajskub	...	Chloe O'Brian
Glenn Morshower	...	Aaron Pierce

Storyline

President Palmer gives into Stephen Saunders's strange demand of placing an seemingly nondescript phrase into a speech in the hopes of delaying another viral outbreak. Michelle takes control of the situation inside the hotel. Jack and Chase bring a suspect to the local branch of MI-6 as Saunders launches an attack on the building.

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Plot Keywords:

black u.s. president | digit in title | period in title | black president | punctuation in title | 

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 April 2004 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

20th Century Fox Television, Imagine Television, Real Time Productions

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was the second of three episodes submitted for Emmy consideration.

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Goofs

When Jack is taking Diane White into custody, she takes off her robe and puts on a shirt. While doing so we see her from the back and she has no bra on. In the next couple of shots we can see her bra through her shirt.

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Quotes

Diana White: [Jack is about to take Diana away for interrogation from her house] I am not going anywhere without a lawyer!
Jack Bauer: [Smiles] You are not under arrest. We are taking you to MI6, where you will be interrogated by an agent of a Foreign Government. Your constitutional rights no longer apply. Let's go.

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Soundtracks

"24 Theme"
(uncredited)
Written by Sean Callery

User Reviews

'The Sky Is Falling'

One key thing that happens here early on puzzles me. Why would Alvers give up his boss? Anyone involved in something of this horrific nature (terrorism) would not identify his boss, but that's what happens here after the C.T.U. produces a possible list of suspects according to a description Alvers gives. Through photos, he then identifies them. What does he get in return? He just wants to be shot instead of dying with the virus. No, it is credible enough.

Anyway, we discover the name a little history of the main villain who is "Stephen Saunders (Paul Blackthorn, who looks just like actor Peter Gallagher), a former British Intelligence man who was presumed dead in a mission in Kosovo in which Jack was involved.

This guy Saunders also reveals what he's up to. The vial in the hotel is a just a warning, a test to show he business with the other 11 vials. His goal is not money, it's power. He tells Bauer to get the President on the phone and he's tells him he (Saunders) will dictate policy in the U.S., not him. What kind of policies? He will get back to us on that. So, the President and the country is being blackmailed by this lunatic unless Jack and the C.T.U. can find this guy and obtain all those virus vials.

The first thing this maniac requests is that the President hold a press conference and use the phrase "The sky is falling."

Later, we see some very dramatic action at the MI-6 building and, a very disturbing request to the President.