24: Live Another Day (2014) User Reviews

Events occur in real time!

[richard-abeysinghe428 · 9/10 · 6 May 2014]

Wow. What an exhilarating start to the return of 24! Bombs, interrogations, shootouts, drones presidents in danger (of course!), cover-ups, & a potentially high-quality villain in Michelle Fairley ...plus a heavily transformed Chloe (still the same at the core) looking hot with that new punk-rock style!

• Don't recall a previous season of 24 that was as fast paced or as adrenaline rushing as this, though we are still to see whether they maintain this same pace, but is a high possibility with the shortened season.

• In short it is everything I loved about 24 but made more modern, which only adds to the quality. Couldn't hope for a more high quality return and it reminds viewers that 24, especially this new fresher version, can give blockbuster action films & even Game of Thrones a run for their money!

• "Events occur in real time"! Hearing Jack saying this at the start was the moment I truly realized how much exactly I missed 24.

• Last but not least...it wouldn't truly be 24 if there weren't a healthy dose of DAMMIT's from Jack which were in abundance!

Wait and see...

[p-oxford-743-863295 · 7/10 · 11 May 2014]

The first five seasons of 24 remain, in this reviewer's opinion, the gold standard of the series in terms of intelligence, creativity, casting and emotional resonance; arguably the most riveting television ever. I gave them all ten stars, ranking up in the stratosphere with ground breaking TV series like The Sopranos, The Wire and Breaking Bad.

These seasons were very much the product of writer, co-creator and self- described Hollywood right-winger Joel Surnow and were adept at reversing liberal expectations, for example providing a villainous-and black- First Lady, and imposing agonizing choices on the protagonists. When Surnow's full time commitment ended following the masterful fifth season the franchise shed a dozen IQ points. But 24 still scored as more entertaining than your average fare thanks to the compelling- if arduous- format he devised with Robert Cochran and the always reliable Kiefer Sutherland.

Critics and many fans considered Season 6, featuring Jack Bauer's pathological family (who knew?), a misfire. The chastened producers were determined to right the ship and the first half of Season 7, set in Washington DC,re-captured some of the old magic (Surnow agreed to return as exec-producer for the fist eight episodes) before entropy set in and the show collapsed into terminal silliness (those ridiculous missiles!). NYC based Season 8 proved a disappointment although the final episodes were admittedly thrilling even as Jack stepped out of character in his quest for vengeance.

Only two episodes in, one is impressed with the driving energy of Season 9. It resembles an expertly constructed amusement park ride. But the quieter, character defining moments are not much in evidence- so far. Condensing the number of episodes down to twelve may to blame, but showing Jack Bauer's conflicted nature is essential.. I'll keep an open mind and may revisit this review later.

Incidentally, I and a friend ran into Sutherland last year in an LA supermarket parking lot. He was loading his SUV (natch) with grocery bags. A very personable, down to earth man.

24 & Jack Bauer is Back!

[joonas134 · 9/10 · 6 May 2014]

(May contain minor spoilers) I was thrilled to see first episode of newest season and guess what? It delivers, I was so focused every second what's gonna happen and yeah there are still similar situations as other seasons before, but still exciting and thrilling! What we know about Bauer it was really confusing to tell what's her plan to escape for interrogating him and what happens next and so on.. it was really intense to watch and every minute passes game changes and it's on, THIS episode doesn't not disappoint one bit, everything is so well executed, but maybe repetitive way, but that doesn't bother me at all. Just sad to see this is only 12 episode series.

End scene was brutal and make me wonder, there is someone behind all this again and it's time to Jack save the Heller again. Welcome back JACK! Total 24 fan and maybe watched all the series 7-10 times. No kidding.

Hands down to the best television series ever!

24 - back to its former glory - love it!

[david-497-331474 · 10/10 · 6 May 2014]

After so much build up to this 24 re-launch, I had a horrible feeling that it would all be so much hype, with nothing to justify it. I am glad to say, after seeing the premiere, this is the 24 I have known and loved and it is everything a 24 nerd such as myself could wish for! I think using London as the setting was an inspired choice, as being a Brit myself, I love London and there is so many great locations to choose from. It's nice to see that, so far, the landmarks everyone associates with the place have been absent (Big Ben etc.)and instead, we see some of the seedier areas, which to me gives a good feel for the kind of life Jack Bauer has had to endure since he disappeared 4 years earlier.

From the start, I love the energy, drive, enthusiasm and the feeling that the cast really wanted to be doing it (which is what made the Season 8 first episodes so flat because that was so obviously lacking). As ever, there are Jack's incredible escapes and anticipation of what people will do that make this always so exciting to watch. He's always one step ahead.

The new characters, even at this early stage, seemed to be getting proper development in terms of depth, and the return of the earlier characters seemed quite natural and not contrived in any way.

There is so much promise here for a powerful story, featuring the usual twists, surprises and shocks, it sure will be hard to wait for a week each episode.

All in all, this new 24 still has the power to keep me glued to the TV as it always has, something that very few other shows have ever done, and I await the remainder eagerly. Great TV!

This Won't Be Breaking Bad or True Detective... But It's Gonna Be (the good) 24. What else You Want?

[jigsaw-91 · 10/10 · 5 May 2014]

Since the original series premiered in 2001 and ended in 2010 the television has changed too much. TV Shows like Breaking Bad or the newest True Detective (just only with its powerful and unique Season one) showed than the gold era of the small screen wasn't dead and the bar could be raised far beyond the sky. That kind of shows included a truly intense and masterful psychological touches in the personality of its characters and in its stories. That stories and characters kept growing and growing never stopping challenging the audience (and our hype). A TV show like 24 had that amazing point in its era... until the last three seasons ruined it all. A show like 24 can't be a psychological show or an incredibly intelligent show because of its limited plot. In the first seasons the menaces were global but very intimating, close to the main character (the invincible Jack Bauer)and truly intense and groundbreaking to the television. But if the plot and the type of storyline were becoming repetitive since the beginning as a mechanical of the series, the last three seasons were truly disappointing in that terms. After a masterpiece like Season 5 was (in the same level of the very first one) the next season was make just for business and money reasons. Without a proper storyline and repetitive action, the show began its downfall. Season 7 was good. Very good. Could be one of the most entertaining of the series and the truly remarkable season of the last three. But it was no Series 1-5. And Season 8... Despite the last ten episodes were tense and heartbreaking, overall was disappointing and without the strength that a final season (like Breaking Bad, for example) could and MUST have. The ending could be fine to the season, but not very much for the series. And if the way was marked by a feature movie... Guys, don't call it an ending. Just say that it's a transition to make more money.

The movie didn't came out and the time was expiring. Then the miniseries appeared. I was truly happy with the plot and the teasers. In fact, the first episodes confirmed me that. 24 is back in the most entertaining of its ways. It could not be that masterpiece and that surprising fresh air of the Days 1 to 5, but it's truly better than the last seasons. We don't see Jack Bauer do extremely creative things, okay. It's running, escaping from his custody after being trapped by the CIA (IN A VERY COOL WAY THAT I WONT SPOIL), stopping attacks and trying to clean his name and helping his friends (?) (although this time he claims that he has no friends at all... and that could be truth).

24: Live Another Day is not truly original or innovative. By the first episodes, it's 24 compressed in 12 episodes. It's more of the same but with a plenty of energy and in the half of time. That allows to the show to be more flexible, to cut off poor story lines (the very weak point of the original series!), and to deliver the whole plot in a faster and (could be) better way. In fact, the most distinctive change from the original series is the jumping forward in the time. I think I remember that after the first episode that begins. And if the creators and writers take it in the best of the ways that could deliver a lot of chills, false clues and twists along the predictable way. Also is a clear opportunity to send off the (incomplete) plot of the Final Season of the original series recurring to "lost characters" (Audrey and Heller, for example) and with a more attractive plot than the typical nuclear bomb. This time, the drones and the leaks give us chills and it's treated in a very interesting way (at least, in the first episodes). In that terms, I'm very happy to say that Live Another Day delivers. I hope that this won't be ruined by the end of the miniseries.

And finally... My dilemma. The final day or not? Well, I'm a fan of 24. Really. But I wish this could the truly final day of Jack Bauer. He survives or dies... He is walking under the sun with a lover or going to the hospital dying... I'm risky, but I think that another season or another miniseries "if this is successful" it's not a proper treating for this or any show. Every story has an end. And I personally think that Live Another Day (if continues the same rhythm and the same top notch quality from its powerful start) could be that awesome final season that we didn't received in 2010. I clearly think that could be a very good end to Jack Bauer. Live Another Day could be the perfect movie to end Jack Bauer story in a happy or sad way. If the creators want a spin off with Kate Morgan (such an interesting character) okay, I let it go on. But let Bauer apart. The business is not a way to treat a show like this. It's only the way to drop it down in quality and excitement (look at Season 6 and the first half of 8, please).

The performances are terrific, the action is like a big budget movie, the tension is awesome and the storyline is not original but very good on its own terms. The menaces are more palpable and different from the usual ones (VERY GOOD!) at least until episode 3 (although I won't be surprised by the future moles, possible bombs... to come).

Let's hope that 24: Live Another Day would be an excellent miniseries, a rushing season and that last season that we didn't got when we need it.

Sorry for my English. I'm trying really hard to improve.

Best series ever , no question!

[thesikaleon · 10/10 · 14 July 2019]

I am a simple man: I see Jack Bauer I rate 10/10.

24 has everything, it's no question the best TV show ever.

Have watched all 9 seasons several times. Nothing is close to the quality of this series.

Superb Start Of Another Day

[jigsaw-91 · 10/10 · 5 May 2014]

Without giving away too much (mainly because this beginning shows that talking too much about the premise can destroy some of the surprising twists to come) I say that if this the ending of 24 (I HOPE SO!!) this is gonna be that hell of a season that we were expecting from the eighth and final of the original series.

Jack Bauer is running and is crazier and angrier than the last times we saw him. This beginning builds up his character and his new motivations slowly without looking boring to the audience but far more interesting than the last turns. He even doesn't speak anything until 30-35 minutes of the episode. His look and his face are colder than ever. His character is fueled of suspense and looks that is gonna be a little mysterious and twisted. That's the only thing I'll give away. Trust me, I'm not a fake user to hype the show. I only want that anyone experience it in the same way that I did and without any more spoilers.

There's a lot of formula. This miniseries looks like it won't change anything in the premise (attacks, trust no one -even Bauer, Oh My God-, president in danger...) but is far more entertaining, far more interesting and far more intense than the last three seasons episode premier. This is one of the best series' start! (if we make comparisons with the original one). That says too much from the quality. Playing in a game that the writers and the creators know too much well and playing it fair and without any resurrection or any ludicrous twist, the writing is top notch and delivers fast pace and great entertaining.

I think that the reviews from critics (Rotten Tomatoes or Metacritic) are bashing a little the show. It deserves a better note (they are placing this series at the same level of the disappointing final season!). Episode 1 from Live Another Day could be more of the same, but with substantial changes, fresh action, new and great characters and an interesting menace.

Great first hour! Oh... And Welcome Back, Jack!

24 is back and is was... Perfect!!

[micahratchet · 10/10 · 7 May 2014]

The 24 Live Another Day finale was fantastic!! Wow! The season as a whole was brilliant, intense, sad, epic, twisted, and exciting to watch! I think this season goes down as one of my top favorites! What a great comeback to be off the air for 4 years then just show up and be as good as it was! 10/10!

Premiere review: 24 Live Another Day has now come back with one of the strongest season openings I think in the history of 24! It's so far looking to be an amazing return! Some of the things I've noticed so far is the excellent pacing and story structure! In just 2 episodes we already have plot lines following a story about Jack Bauer making his return from the shadows, a US Drone pilot being set up for an attack he didn't commit, A planned terrorist attack with the intention of starting world war III, A President who's mind is degrading by an illness, A man who is trying to keep his wife safe from her past, A shamed CIA agent who is trying to prove herself, and many more smaller plot points! IF this wasn't writing at its finest then I don't know what is. Pretty much everything about what I've seen was simply put.. AMAZING! The Action, Writing, Cinematography, Sound, Editing, ACTING! The whole package really builds the intensity and overall suspense!! I am very much looking forward to the rest of what is looking to be one of the best seasons of 24 yet!

the best TV show ever4 made

[bbuteo7 · 10/10 · 5 May 2014]

I have to agree that 24 it is one of the best shows ever produced, from acting, storyline, directing, photografy, emotion....dam epic rush, God i love this show so dam good and im not action movies fan but 24...is another championship. the first time i watched i was hooked for good, im a music producer and even the soundtrack involved in the show is well refined, i cant say that the show hasn't have some flaws, or some mistaques during the 8 seasons(specially the 2nd season...if im not wrong, president palmer and the atomic bomb..or was the 3rd? ) but the story came always quickly to the right track. i already watched the 8 seasons twice with my girlfriend, the 8th season was pretty sad because was the last one and after watching 24 what can i watch after? homeland? the only show that i enjoyed, was house of cards, anyways i cant say how happy i am to see jack again, so i hope they go all the way till 20th season lol long live to most heroic guy of the TV Jack Bauer

The Legend Returns

[Harun_Karali · 6 May 2014]

The story kicks of with Jack being Caught by the CIA. Morgan(Yvonne) is surprised of how Jack is taken. So She decides to look deeper into the matter although she doesn't have the clearance. Yvonne's character Morgan reminds me a little of Jack. The way she breaks ranks. I think they picked the perfect actress for the part of Morgan. I was a bit worried about the storyline, but from the first 2 episodes I can say that it met my expectations if not passed them. I hope that they can keep this tempo in the show cause it has even more action scenes then before, if that's even possible.

I especially enjoyed Chloe's transformation, it's like she's become a whole a new person.

Going from 24 to 12 (or Keeping up and actually outrunning with the Bauer)

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 26 October 2015]

I can only assume that people are or were very happy to see Jack back in Action. And I was and kind of am still too. That doesn't change the fact, that the show overall (the whole 12 episodes, not 24 anymore) is not really actually getting up. Sutherland is doing what he's supposed to do and he is Jack (which makes you wonder, why and when people will finally just start listening to him, without doubting his apparent strange motives - why is he doing it again? Oh yeah, because he's a good guy with strong fists).

The character of Chloe (and I'm assuming you know your 24 at least a bit and have seen the previous seasons) is back, but so are other characters. You'll find out soon enough. So while it is not necessary, you might want to revisit those earlier seasons. Although they may remind you, how great this show once was. But to Chloe: The actress portraying her, is able to act (as seen in Californication to name one example), but has some issues with her lines and the role itself here. That pouting and sad face does not become her, but it also doesn't work.

Normally you wouldn't have time to notice all that, because once upon a time this show had a pace that was really tough to keep up with. So any logical mistake or anything at all (like the convenient timing of events happening in order or people being able not to sleep for 24 hours and still be up for anything), but not here. Even though it's only 12 episodes that had to be written, the show actually achieves something that is both extraordinary, yet the silliest thing it could do: you get fed information more than once. And while it makes (kind of) sense to review what happened in earlier episodes, one episode in particular goes way beyond that. You get fed one piece of information three times in a row!!! That's right! It plays in a hospital, and after a conversation we listen in to, someone says what was talked about in that conversation right after that. Just so we get the same information again (!) for a different person.

This is lazy writing and it is a shame, not to mention a complete "no go" for any decent writer. Things like that mess up the story flow (and it's not the only example) and undermine the greatness of the show. If Sutherland weren't that charismatic and other things would work in its favor, you could actually go way lower than my vote. Or if you don't care at all, about character motivation, Jack punching (innocent) people and generally repeating "I promise you once all this is over ..." - Jack haven't you learned? It's never over! So if you don't mind all those things and actually thrive on them, you might rate it higher. Which actually would be a slap in the face of other really well made shows - including the first few seasons of 24 ...

24 Yes's! 24 is back and it's better than ever!

[Richasantos · 10/10 · 9 May 2014]

After an amazing journey through 8 seasons and Redemption, Jack Bauer is finally back! If you can remember, and specially for me, those last 5 to 7 episodes of 24 previous seasons were full of action and kept me waiting for the next episodes with my hearth pumping blood all over the place. This new season, since the start, makes me feel those feelings again. This is a season full of action since the first episode. Jack Bauer is back with style since the first minute of the show! I really hope this new season can be considered a test pilot to release new seasons in the future. I really hope, more and more people start to watch this show.

Basically what you'd expect

[kgiesing · 7/10 · 24 May 2014]

I have to admit, I'm a bit baffled by the appearance of "24: Live Another Day" in the top 10 rated TV shows on IMDb.

Those who watched the main run of the series 24 will know basically what to expect. Before the story even begins, we can safely assume Jack Bauer will be fighting a major terrorist threat, hampered by both political infighting at the top of the government food chain, and by ignorance and mistrust within the intelligence agencies that should be on his side. Some familiar faces will return, as evidenced by the poster art; new ones will rotate in to play familiar roles.

Having watched the first three episodes, it's safe to say 24 fans will not be disappointed, as all the elements are in place. Jack provides a constant stream of action sequences as the backdrop for personal and political drama, while the overall puzzle slowly emerges. Is it well executed? I'd say yes. Is it predictable? Of course. Is it brilliant enough to hold its own against the likes of "Breaking Bad" or "Game of Thrones"? Not even close.

The only explanation I can see here is the self-selecting nature of 24 fandom. The folks who came back to 24 are, one could reasonably guess, precisely the ones who love the show's formula. It's also interesting to note that 24: LAD is rated significantly higher than the original series; while the original run did have some dud moments to dilute the pool, I'd say LAD is a far cry from the show's peak.

Can't Recapture The Old Magic

[zkonedog · 5/10 · 4 July 2019]

When I heard that 24 was being taken down of the shelf for another run, I was as excited as anyone. I mean, I consider the show to be my second-favorite of all-time (right behind LOST). Those first couple episodes, I was thrilled to see Jack Bauer back doing his thing on the big screen, and I was really hoping that the show would step right back into where it left off. What I had forgotten? After the eighth season, the show had gotten out just in time.

For a basic plot summary (minor spoilers), "Live Another Day" takes place on foreign soil in England. With President James Heller (William Devane) and daughter Audrey (Kim Raver) on a diplomatic mission involving the British, a device is stolen by terrorists that can control American attack drones and use them to launch missile attacks. Margot Al-Harazi (Michelle Fairley) and daughter Simone (Emily Berrington) have a vendetta against the current U.S. President, and nothing will stop them from extracting revenge. Of course, it doesn't take long for Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) to get wind of what is transpiring, as he is hiding out in London as a fugitive from the law. In order to help out an old friend (the President), Jack once again enlists the help of Chloe O'Brien (Mary Lynn Rajskub), but can she be fully trusted? Also, a current agent (played by Yvonne Strahovski) crosses paths with Bauer, but is she a friend or foe?

For the first few episodes of "Live Another Die", everything seems to be progressing nicely. Old friends make their way back, new characters are introduced, and the plot shows much promise. While watching, I felt like it was the "glory days" of 24 once again, back when the show was on the cutting edge of political drama.

But then, my hopes for greatness were slowly dashed over the remaining 8-9 episodes. The reason? All those plots/characters that were introduced in the beginning don't provide nearly the type of drama that they could/should have. Some examples (again, minor spoilers may be present here):

-It was great to have Heller as President...until he turns into the worst POTUS in show history. He isn't bad, per se, but the list of incredible Presidents of 24 is daunting. There are also a number of subplots involving Heller that don't have nearly the emotional payoff that they could have. -Jack is back, indeed...but with very little insight into his mind. For most of "Live Another Day", Jack is just a gun-toting machine being sent on missions. I wanted to know more about his emotional state or what he had been doing since the end of Season Eight. -The first main plot is interesting, but once it runs its course none of the other ones could get me emotionally invested. -The potential of Strahovski's character was off the charts...until it was never realized. Once again, a great opportunity for an interesting backstory and some chemistry with Jack, but it just doesn't come together. -For the first time I can really remember in this show, some deus ex machina was obvious. Maybe they have used that kind of plot resolution method before and I missed it, but in earlier seasons they could cover it with political intrigue and emotion. Not so here.

So, despite my initial excitement for the return of 24, "Live Another Day" ends up being the worst single season in show history. Now, granted, having your worst single season still garner three stars isn't anything to sneeze at, but still. In its prime, 24 thrived on real-feeling, hard-hitting political intrigue and Sutherland's intensity/emotion. Maybe we've moved on as a country (less enthralled by terrorist-centered plotlines the further 2001 is in the rear view mirror of history) or maybe it's just impossible to sustain that kind of writing, but this ninth season just didn't resonate with me like the others did.

When I wrote my review for Season Eight, I remember titling it "Got Out Before Too Many Cracks Began To Form". In that season, the show was starting to "lose it" just a bit, but it managed to pull together for one more sterling campaign. Sadly, though I thought "Live Another Day" could reverse the trend, it did not. It ended up just slipping a little more, now into the "okay" category.

Would I like to see the show continue? I think it could, as long as next time it realizes its potential. All the pieces were present in "Live Another Day", but it just didn't come together.

very exciting, like before, like always!

[dark_prince277 · 10/10 · 1 June 2014]

Jack is back, with no changes at all! but more brutal, lonely as much as before, 24 series fan will like this season! like always terrorist wants to attack on west and jack Bauer wants to stop it before It's too late. but As we saw in last season, He isn't like a normal agent. So you see a nice interaction between jack and other agents. seeing new character as well as old characters (Chloe O'Brian)will satisfy 24 series fan. but for whom that is new with 24, I strongly recommend to watch all 8 seasons before watching 24: Live another day.because IF you don't know the jack Bauer as we know (fans), you'll hardly can accept the behavior of the jack in this season! 24: Live another day has 12 episodes at this moment. we are expecting to extend this episodes from 12 to 24, like previous season, like always. If you want to watch an action series that can boost your Adrenaline level, don't miss 24: Live another day!

24 Live Another Day 2-hour episode

[ssvramdeen · 10/10 · 6 May 2014]

After watching the 2-hour premiere on Fox one can easily say that this carries you back to the days of season 1. 24 continues to prove it is ground- breaking. Kiefer Sutherland is excellent as Jack Bauer. From beginning the show has been nothing but excitement. There are the new cast who are doing well so far and formers cast members like Mary Lynn Rajskub, William Devane and Kim Raver fit right back into character. Jon Cassar also took to twitter quite recently to thank fans for their continued support and said it was because of them that '24' is back. The new setting of London didn't fit too well with me at first but now it seems just nothing short of exciting with the beautiful backdrops. Kim Raver is now married but goes by the name Audrey Heller as well.

Jack in Ole London town

[starjump · 8/10 · 13 May 2021]

8.5 Love this miniseries so much, would love there to be another series in this format. The 12 episodes work brilliantly, so much action in dreary ole London, car chases and shootouts etc.

I won't give anything away but it had me on the edge of my seat for all 12 episodes. The last 10 minutes of the final episode had me feeling emotional as I've watched this plus the main series back to back over the last few weeks and knew it wouldn't be quite the happy ending we'd all hoped for.

Thank goodness for all the Jack Bauers in the world who allow us to sleep well at night.

Should have had a happy ending

[Keith_in_Brighton_UK · 9/10 · 18 August 2017]

As a Brit it was great to see 24 brought to London. The change of location injected some refreshment into the formula and it worked well. My only disappointment with this excellent season was the ending. We all knew this would likely be the last outing so why not give Jack and Audrey a happy ending?

Jack Bauer pursues Simone Al-Harazi on London Underground

[phil-forster · 10/10 · 29 May 2014]

As an Englishman, I'm finding this series extremely fascinating with London providing an interesting alternative to American locations used in preceding series. At the time of writing (up to and including Episode 5), London-specific attention to detail by the show's producers appears to be virtually faultless - one notable exception being the London Underground faux-pas in Episode 3.

While she and Jack are tracking terrorist Simone Al-Harazi from Kennington tube station, Chloe notices she's taken a northbound Northern Line train (the only line there). North of Kennington the Northern Line splits into two - the 'Charing Cross' and 'City' branches - and Chloe identifies Simone's train as the former. So far, so good.

Jack then drives them helter-skelter to the next stop Waterloo, where he dashes out into the underground to intercept the train... which, hey presto, is now JUBILEE LINE (Neasden-bound - as shown on the front of the train and as announced while stopped at Waterloo). OK, Simone could conceivably have changed trains from Northern to Jubilee at Waterloo but, as they're at opposite ends of the station's underground complex, that would involve an extremely long walk (or run) between the two. And of course, Chloe would have tracked all this and directed Jack accordingly (which she doesn't).

Of no real consequence perhaps, however I'm surprised they didn't use the Northern Line at Waterloo for continuity - or else show Simone making the long trek to the Jubilee platform, with Chloe providing Jack with a running commentary as she tracks Simone's movements via CCTV... which could all have added to the suspense (though obviously at the expense of other footage - probably not an option).

But hey... who's complaining? Love it!!!!

I can't wait for the next episodes...

[tootihamza · 10/10 · 7 May 2014]

Alright, after 2 years of being member in IMDb.. This is my first review ever...

I had to write this because seriously guys after nearly 4 years of 24 TV show absence.. it came back as charm.. it never left our hearts.. I was one of 24 big fans.. and I won't lie.. I cried when I heard that they aren't going to make another season...

And now it is like our life came back.. When I just watched 2 first episodes of Live another day.. Maaan I gotta say I loved it..Heller being president, Audrey ( Jack Bauer Ex-Girlfriend ) being married to one of president Superior ( Who hided some information that Jack Bauer is back in action from president and Audrey ), Chloe changed a lot from wife & mother to group member of hacking organisation.. US military's drone hacked, etc Everything changed.. Just everything.. Which makes it interesting and which make the next episodes unpredictable like the last few seasons.

The most powerful words that Jack Bauer said was: I don't have friends... It is just that no matter how hard he tries how well he does.. No friend would help him out... But Chloe just proved that she would be there for him always.

However that Kate agent Morgan.. whose her husband betrayed his country by selling confidential informations to Chine.. I loved her from beginning. especially how she tried to prove how well is she as agent.. It is like she is female version of Jack Bauer.. Let's hope that she would be working side by side with him.. or even better against him.

That US Military Drone that got hacked by ex colleague of Chloe and killed 4 soldiers ( 2 Americans soldiers and 2 British soldiers ) is seriously very interesting story.. I mean We gotta see how Jack & Chloe prove that It was hacked and controlled not by an American pilot who can turn the world to the 3rd world war.. It is all in Baour's hand to stop that war.

S1: Like an old rock band doing the classics but without quite the gusto they did back in the day (SPOILERS)

[bob the moo · 4 August 2014]

When the whole 24 movie thing never came to pass I assumed that the series was done when Jack really did never come back; no shame in that with 8 years under the belt and a couple of season in there that would be good enough reason to pack it up. Anyway, this series extends the story and sees Jack resurface at a time in London when President Heller also happens to be there. With Jack identified and captured by whatever we're calling CTU London, it appears that a big step is taken to shutting down the threat – however Jack and other players may have other things in mind.

When I heard of this series I admit I was planning to watch it but was hardly excited about it; perhaps some have forgotten that part of the fun of 24 was laughing at the "living in the moment" plotting which often produced ridiculous situations that are great in the moment but really make no actual sense – probably more have forgotten that in at least some of the seasons, such nonsense was so prevalent that it stopped being so much fun. This London-based story starts off a little clunky, with Jack being on silent unstoppable form – or at least I think it was the show's doing, it may have been me getting back into the flow of the show after so much time away. Once I was with it though, it was fine – totally fine; never more than this really, but everything you have come to expect from 24 was in this 12-hour long series.

At first it offers some topical interest – we have drones, we have what appears to be Julian Assange and some other things that turn out to only really be tick boxes as we get down to the business that we know. And it very much does this once it shakes off the cobwebs and gets into gear. Soon the potential topical relevance, commentary or satire is all gone and what remains is still a solid meal – although perhaps nothing as different as the idea of an England-based reboot may have made you think. There are moles, there are cold-war enemies, there are races against time, there is Jack endlessly saying "dammit", there are sacrifices and there is tragedy. All of it works for what it is, but you will not shake the feeling that you have seen it many times and it is not clear what about all of this made them think that it was worth doing another one (apart from of course money, franchise and brand-loyalty).

The main thing that this 24 ensures stays in place from the previous outings is that no plot device too illogical will be ignored as long as it can produce a big moment or plot twist. So we get the nuclear submarine captain who has never seen Crimson Tide and fires his missiles with all the brisk decisiveness of a man who just wants a medium regular coffee in Starbucks; nobody asking about (or even mentioning) that fact that both of the people behind the drone attack seemed to have been thrown out of the same window (one in restraints) – got the characters out of the way quickly I guess; we also get the snap conclusion that if CTU and Mark Boudreau had Jack's tracking info then it 100% must have been Boudreau who gave it to the Russians – which of course it was, but logic would have pointed at the mole they just discovered was managing the CTU office and had just been caught minutes prior to this. As ever, all of these are acceptable in the minutes because they generally replace the "wait, what?" question with something happening or something dramatic.

The cast do what is expected, although nobody excels. Sutherland could do this in his sleep and although he is capable of more it does seem this is what the viewer wants; so as ever he goes from Terminator to "I'm emotionally broken and go do this no longer", back to Terminator mode several times as he always have; generally though he is a good presence and if you want someone to talk low and talk fast then he is your man. Strahovski is unlikely but does okay, with the Wire's Akinnagbe in support. Rajskub seems out of place with her character, while Donovan, Devane, Wincott and Bratt all just work through what the material gives them.

24 Live Another Day is like an old band playing out the classics. The show doesn't have the joy, freshness, energy or stamina it once did (hell, it can only put in a 12 hour shift now) but it is still enjoyable for fans to get to hear all those classics played one more time even if we have heard them all before many times and perhaps better. It will nto win over any new or undecided viewers, but for fans of the series it is a chance to hear them play "I'm dead, no I'm not, you're a mole and someone I love just got killed" one more time.

Not as good as hoped for

[je-remy · 6/10 · 17 February 2015]

My disappointment may be partly due to watching on a TV rather than my projector which packed up. Much more impact on a big screen, so I recommend one. I got hooked and bought all the other series on DVD, and now this the latest. And had high hopes.

People's high score may be skewed by existing fans being most drawn to watch and score. It wasn't available on the main channels here in the UK. Only Sky - and then on DVD.

The main weakness is the plot repetition. We've had the override device before. We've also had Jack being taken away at the end of the series ... that was REALLY predictable. Thankfully the family-peril cliché wasn't used this time. No sign of Kim. Only one "running out of time" from Jack that I noticed. And nobody said "I understand" that I noticed. Everyone understands in the other series! Its the most sticking out over-used phrase for me.

I didn't experience any kind of bonding with Jack's sidekick. Not clear who and why he was there. Very underdeveloped.

Jack himself has clearly aged. The character's cleverness and thinking ability less used in this series. Helpful clues just appear on cue. He's not a good role model. He murders people. He threatens to kill people on his own side... a piece of Neanderthal strutting they always accept... and back down to. Domestic abusers might relate to that behavior but I don't. He gets angry and becomes even more of a killing machine. Another device we've had before. In reality the anger would more likely lead to him making a mistake.

Whilst, yes, its a must watch for any 24 fan. It isn't one of the best 24 series. New viewers might be better starting with the earlier series. The best bit for me was the short "Solitary" bit on the DVD extras with Tony Almeida hinting at his return in the future.

We need another season of intensity and suspense

[lenigabs · 10/10 · 27 June 2021]

I've watched this show (seasons 1-9) 5 times and it never gets old. If only it is possible to contact Keifer directly, I'd really love that.

This is the best shows of this generation, it keeps me glued to the screen 24/7.

Bravo 👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽

Jack Bauer v Wiki-Leaks - The Return of '24'

[GlenFalkensteinTodaytoKnights · 7/10 · 16 June 2014]

Jack's back, and he's taking on Julian Assange.

After 8 seasons and a four year hiatus the first few episodes of '24: Live Another Day' have caught up with current affairs nicely. Jack traces former co-worker/tech-guru Chloe O'Brien to a hacker haven operating out of London which in the words of her new friends 'just acquires information and disseminates it.' Jack retorts 'you make it sound like what you do is benign, but we both know it isn't.' Sound like someone we know?

The debate over Wiki-leaks plays out on our screens, events occur in real time:

Chloe – At least I'm doing something to fight against it

Jack – How, by leaking classified information, military secrets, people are out there dying in the field Chloe

Chloe – Intelligence agencies keep secrets because what they're doing is criminal

Jack – You're smarter than that

Jack has always operated in a clandestine world where secrets are kept, and acts are done, by a man at least the audience entrusts with doing the right thing, and anyone who gets in his way, like people who leak secrets, are fair game. When 24 was at it's height the NY Times published an unauthorized series of essays detailing the political theology and cultural magnetism of '24.' Author Jerome Copulsky wrote:

"When Bauer operates against his orders and beyond the law and conventional morals in order to interrogate a suspect – employing torture to obtain crucial information – we understand that he is merely doing what is necessary to fulfill his patriotic duty."

The latest episodes maintained the traditional 24 motifs of 'enhanced interrogation' and encompassing surveillance and like Season 8 had a strong focus on drone warfare. Jack is no stranger to controversy and with the vast majority of entertainment media treating the actions of the US government with barely concealed contempt, if that, Jack takes a very different tack.

Though Jack is not alone. 'Skyfall' villain Raoul Silva leaked military secrets and the identities of undercover MI6 agents because of a vendetta against Judi Dench's M. The film saw Bond heroically defeating Silva, alleviating chaos and restoring order. For England, James.

'The Dark Knight,'widely lauded as the greatest comic book film of all time, was simply '24′ on steroids. Batman mercilessly pounded the Joker to find out what happened to Rachel while Gordon and Gotham PD stand on the other side of very thick glass, not to mention dropping Maroni from a three-story building as an incentive to spill his guts. Wayne goes solo to kidnap Lau from Chinese soil because the US can't extradite him, not unlike Jack raiding the Chinese consulate in Season 4 to extract a national without the Chinese knowing.

And then there's Batman's 'let's turn every cell phone into a sonar emulator and map out Gotham to find the Joker' which would have broken more laws than there were Presidents on 24. Jack is catching on, but its not just the appeal of watching someone do what it takes to get the job done, it's watching him do it alone.

Jack, Bond, Batman, they're all loners who sacrificed so much to do whats right, and they have all lost their nearest and dearest, Teri, Vespa/Tracey, Rachel, in the name of duty. 'Secrets of 24′ goes on to say:

"We trust his intuitions,intentions and judgments knowing that he is simply doing what is necessary to keep his nation safe the lone man who stands outside of the system, battling evil and bureaucracy in order to protect society. Everybody wants a hero."

Sound familiar? Jack is a hero to many, but by the same tack so is Julian Assange. While so many praise Jack for his vigilante approach and willingness to operate outside the law and government to protect it's secrets, others laud Assange for his efforts to expose government secrets at great personal risk. Assange is no stranger to sacrifice, having been stuck in the Ecuadorian embassy for years; at the cost of his personal life taking a vigilante approach to his stated goal of exposing government actions and ensuring accountability.

In a sort of Karla-like 'We're not so different, you and I' way Jack and Julian, while very much on opposite sides of the coin, attract very similar followings by people who genuinely believe, like the protagonists themselves, that they and their counterparts are doing what is necessary to advance society and keep us safe.

I'll be watching out for Jack Bauer and the new 24. Maybe Julian Assange is too.

Originally published on TodaytoKnights on Wordpress and Tumblr.

A Return Was Inevitable I guess

[vonnoosh · 5/10 · 15 May 2014]

It's hard to imagine four years has already passed since 24 ended it's run. The ending of the series was fitting and it suitably left the possibility of a return for Jack Bauer either in a mini series or perhaps a feature film. Well, the feature film never happened (was sure that's what would happen, events would be in real time of course but the storyline would be like Redemption, over a couple hours instead of 24). I thought 24 : Redemption was a test run for the format more than a TV movie prequel to Season 7. What you have after Sutherland's imaginative TV series Touch ran its course is a limited 12 episode run for the show.

The change in format makes perfect sense. Firstly, because the 24 episode format always had a different villain to chase after the first 8 or 12 episodes concluded the initial storyline and second shifts to maybe 6 or 8 episodes and the final conclusion in the last 4 to 6 episodes., the financial investment wouldn't be such a burden for the network. One of three things sink every TV show eventually, either the ratings are lack luster or the cost of production eventually outweighs the advertising value. Cost of production includes salary increases for regular cast members which grows significantly after three successful seasons. The last being a creative decline because the well of imaginative ideas ran dry. A key informant can suddenly die before talking only so many times. It gets to be like those nameless ensigns on Star Trek who beamed down with all of the regular cast. It was just a matter of time before the cliche was going to happen.

24 survived two of the three listed above. The show plateaued ratings wise which led to its cancellation but there was never a major drop off. The cost of production skyrocketed by Season 5 and I can't imagine anyone feeling Season 6 wasn't a sign of trouble in the writing room. Worse yet for 24, Season 6 with its sour ending was followed by the writer's strike which held up production for two years. I for one never returned to watching the show after the strike and I am sure others felt the same. Bringing Bauer's daddy into the story smelled of Fonzy jumping over a shark to me

I recently watched both Seasons 7 and 8 in their entirety and found it departed from the bizarre (and I felt quite hackneyed) plot twists in 6. The show was back in form specifically in 7 with its blend of drama ,action, political intrigue and mystery. The writers looked to be developing their story lines along a basic theme as well.

Season 9 was a kind of mixed bag in terms of good ideas and after such a delay, the season felt unnecessary. The storyline picks up awhile after season 8 ends. Jack Bauer again defies the odds, again is forced to outrun tue authorities before they make a mistake because they don't know the facts on the ground as quickly as they do.

Both Chloe and Jack return working with many of the same political interests they fought against. This Jack Bauer could have been one of the terrorists along the side of Vladimir Bierko except Bauer is cautious not to turn his activites on the US. They drag the Hellers back and Cheng Zhi. The series could have benefited with more new characters to go along with the new setting.

The show did prove that 24 could work in 12 episodes. Obviously there are gaps and less shifts from villain to villain via shifts in storyline. The plot twosts are good. The action is good. The show is more violent than it was in the past at times.

In hindsight, i wish they left it at 8 seasons. This final series is like closing the barn door after the cows left. The American public seemed to lose interest in 2010 and it hasn't returned except in international markets. Which was proven with 24 Legacy. Im still interested in seeing how 24 India turned out though It only ran 2 seasons.