For the past three seasons of 24, Chloe O’Brian has done more to thwart terrorists than anybody not named Jack Bauer. On the importance scale, Jack Bauer is 1, Chloe O’Brian is 2, Curtis is probably 3, and Kim Bauer is 8,458. Yet, Chloe doesn’t seem to get her due. Her computer wizardry is essential to Jack’s survival and, without it, the show would be in trouble.Although half of her lines are computer mumbo-jumbo, Chloe is as different as you’ll get from your typical stock computer geek/expert hacker character. She is horribly anti-social, yes, but has a rough outer core that is difficult for anyone to breach. She is fiercely loyal, independent, mean-spirited, and brutally honest. Her honesty makes her disliked by colleagues, and she feels no remorse for this.
I love Chloe’s character. I love that 24 has taken what could’ve been a boring, plot-necessity of a character and gave her an edge. As far as main characters on mainstream shows go, Chloe is one of the weirdest. And that takes some guts, something we can all agree that 24 has in spades.Chloe is played by Mary Lynn Rajskub, who got her start as a comic actress. You can kind of tell, too, because Chloe is played almost as a comedic character, only without the punchlines. Chloe has grown considerably over the three seasons and, although it doesn’t seem like it, always shows heart when she needs to. The character is complex and we have much more to learn about her.The character is also divisive among fans. I have two friends with whom I watched the entirety of season 4. They hated Chloe; I defended her to the death. Their reasons were simple: Chloe O’Brian annoyed them. But that’s the point, I thought. She’s supposed to be a little grating, supposed to get on your nerves for awhile before you’re used to it. Chloe O’Brian is the new female lead character coming into season 6, supplanting Kim Raver’s Audrey Raines. Mary Lynn Rajskub will receive second billing in 24’s credits, second only to Kiefer Sutherland. Not bad for a computer geek.-Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer