24

The two-hour 24 prequel, which will air November 23 on FOX, is coming together.  The prequel, which will take place between the end of season 6 and the start of January 2009's season 7, will be shot on location in South Africa, and will see our hero Jack Bauer become embroiled in some sort of international incident.  He will likely kill some bad guys, thwart some terrorists and have an all-around gruff demeanor.  Robert Carlyle (of Trainspotting and Full Monty fame) has already been cast, but today, three more new cast members were announced.  Gill Bellows (Ally McBeal) will play a State department official who serves Jack with a subpoena, eventually forcing him to return to the States.  Eric Lively, best known as Blake Lively's brother, will play the son of the new President of the United States (who will be played by Cherry Jones).  And Tony Todd (Chuck) will play an African dictator. 

Filming is set to begin on the prequel any day now.  The 24 team, despite missing an entire season due to the strike, are being quite generous to the audience with this two-hour prequel.  I know they feel like they have to redeem themselves after a poor sixth season, but 24 has always been the most difficult production on television.  Filming has almost always been year round on 24, and adding this two-hour prequel is going to mean a heck of a lot more work for the 24 team.  Of course, they already have about seven Day 7 episodes filmed and in the bag, so that helps.

24's most important task in regards to the two-hour prequel is winning back an audience that was universally disappointed with season 6.  The prequel, if pulled off well, could serve the necessary purpose of getting 24 fans legitimately excited for Day 7.  The premise of Jack Bauer in Africa is a winner, and one has to have faith that the 24 team will bring the goods.  After six seasons in Los Angeles, spending time in both Africa and Washington D.C. Should be a lot of fun.


-Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer
(Image Courtesy of AP)