At 12:01 this morning, 24 star Kiefer Sutherland was released from the Glendale City Jail after serving 48 days for his second DUI conviction.  After his release, one of the officers on hand mentioned that Sutherland was an "excellent inmate."  Now that the actor is free, we can all go back to worrying about the state of 24.  FOX has delayed season 7 of the series due to the writers' strike, and there are currently some distressing rumors regarding their plans for the new season if the strike should continue through the coming months.

According to TV Guide's Michael Ausiello, there is very little chance that 24 will be returning this season.  With only eight episodes completed before the strike, it would be almost impossible for the writers to create 16 more hours to air this season.  Now the question becomes, what should FOX do with season 7 of 24?

One option the network is considering is to wait until next January and air the season consecutively as originally planned.  However, that will create about a two year gap between seasons, which the network is reluctant to do.  Another more controversial idea is to take the episodes that are in the can, and after the strike wraps up create a 10 to 14 episode mini-season to air in the fall.  This would then be followed with another 10 to 14 episode mini-season, featuring a completely different plot, that would air during the second half of the season.  Many people are against this idea, saying that it compromises the show's unique 24-hour concept, but desperate times could call for crazy decisions.

If FOX insists on airing the show in the fall, I don't see why they couldn't run 12 episodes, take a break, then return with 12 more episodes that continue the same plot.  Creating two separate mini-seasons would violate the concept of the series, and if that's the only option I'd rather just wait until January of 2009 to see Jack Bauer back in action.  I don't mind being patient, as long as the results are a step above the mediocre season 6.

- Don Williams, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: TVGuide.com
(Image courtesy of FOX)