September 29, 2008
If he were running for President, Jack Bauer would win in a landslide. Everyone loves 24's Jack Bauer. The man is a patriot, a hero. Television's most beloved bad ass returns to the TV screen after over a year's absence in November with a 24 prequel film, and it's fitting that Bauer's return more or less coincides with the most important political season America has seen in years. Barack Obama or John McCain? The most important question of the year has reached a fevered and ubiquitous pitch. Friday's nationally televised debate didn't appear to sway many undecided voters. However, Jack Bauer, BuddyTV's most famous political correspondent and star of 24, had something to say about it. He wrote into us at BuddyTV soon after the debates ended with the below analysis. It is unedited for your reading pleasure.
September 15, 2008
Jack Bauer returns to rock our collective worlds on Sunday, November 23 in a two-hour season 7 prequel movie. The movie, mostly set in the fictional African nation of Sangala, was previously titled 24: Exile. FOX has since renamed the film, which is now dubbed 24: Redemption. I find the name change peculiar, because 24: Exile was an excellent name, while 24: Redemption is far too on the nose and, I admit, a tad bit wussy. Why would Jack Bauer need redemption? The man is a national treasure who has saved the world from utter destruction on numerous occasions. He's in Africa, presumably on his own personal exile. I seriously doubt that he's actively searching for redemption. He may be, but again, he shouldn't need to. Nonetheless, FOX has unveiled the full trailer for 24: Redemption today, and you can find the full video below.
September 10, 2008
Time will stop again on the set of 24. As reported earlier this week, production on the FOX series will cease for two weeks, beginning September 15, to re-evaluate the program's creative direction after executive producer Howard Gordon expressed dissatisfaction with scripts. But with the long wait ahead before the new season kicks off in January 2009, the network is doing everything it can to ease the wait.
On September 14, the network is inviting viewers to buckle up starting at 8pm for a “FOX Sunday Night Thrill Ride” as it airs the encore presentation of the series premiere of Fringe, the heart-pounding first four minutes of Fringe's second episode, an exclusive first-look preview of the science fiction remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still and an advance look at the highly anticipated film 24: Redemption.
September 8, 2008
Not again. The long road to get 24's seventh season to the air has hit another snag in a long, arduous line of snags. Production was delayed over a year ago, rewrites were had, there were more delays, then came the writers' strike and Kiefer Sutherland's DUI incarceration, the season was then put on hold for an entire year and, now, when it finally looked as if 24 was free of production drama, production has been delayed once more. The good news is that it looks as if 24 will premiere in January 2009 on schedule. When production halts, eighteen episodes will already be in the can, but still – another delay, this time for creative reasons, has to make one wonder about the quality of the final product. Executive producer of 24, Howard Gordon, has decided that the series needs a two week production hiatus for rewrites. He was upset with the direction the scripts for the last six episodes took. The hiatus will being after production wraps on episode eighteen.
September 4, 2008
24 is on its way back, thank goodness. It's been a long, long time since we've watched Jack Bauer inflict his unique style of badassery upon the viewing public. The buzz around both the new season of 24 and its upcoming Africa-set two hour prequel movie is high, and the rotten taste that the end of season 6 left in 24 fans' mouths has seemingly been washed away over the long hiatus. Fans, and I say this as one, are ready for 24 and Jack Bauer and Kiefer Sutherland to return. But, are they ready for another Bauer to return to the 24 universe? Well, it appears that this will be the case in season 7. A Bauer returns, and some fans might be a tiny little bit upset about it.
MINOR SPOILERS BELOW!!!
August 28, 2008
There are those who like the to say the wall has been torn down between television and film, that actors in this day and age are allowed to move freely between the mediums, and that television is no longer a back-up option. This is not true, and will continue not being true until people go out and start seeing movies starring television actors. Quick – name one current television actor with sustained and concurrent film and television success. I can think of one, and that person is Steve Carrell (though, it's not like Get Smart or Evan Almighty set the world on fire). Film stars end up on television when they stop being bankable film stars. For this new TV season, Christian Slater's starring role on My Own Worst Enemy is a prime example. Better yet, there's Kiefer Sutherland and 24.
August 13, 2008
You're out in the San Fernando Valley, dealing with the sweltering heat, and then you're in the Oval Office, face-to-face with the new president. It's a magical transition – walking from the real world into a fictional one. I've visited a few television sets over the last couple years, and this is the best part of it. The images on your TV screen suddenly grow a third dimension. Last Tuesday, the good people at FOX took a select group of journalists and local media affiliates on a set visit of 24, which is currently shooting the latter third of its upcoming seventh season. Fellow BuddyTV writer John Kubicek (pictured with Cherry Jones) and I had been flown down to Los Angeles to take part in a FOX press junket, where we had the chance to interview various cast members from FOX's Fall shows. It was a jam-packed weekend. Two days of interviews, a trip to the Teen Choice Awards, backstage at the taping of So You Think You Can Dance's final performance episode and, on the last day, this set visit of 24.
July 29, 2008
Mary Lynn Rajskub gave birth to a baby boy last Thursday. The child, Rajskub's first, was delivered two weeks after the baby's due date. The father, physical trainer Matthew Rolph, did not want to know the sex of the baby, so the couple kept it a surprise until birth. Rajskub has taken a short maternity leave from her role on 24, where she plays terse computer whiz Chloe O'Brian. While FOX has not been specific as to how they've dealt with Rajskub's absence during the current filming of season 7, it was reported earlier this month that Carlo Rota was being brought in to spell Chloe during her mysterious leave from the action of 24's seventh season. Rota plays Morris O'Brian, Chloe's ex-husband and possible father of Chloe's now-young child.