The next series of 24 could be a legal thriller featuring a female lead. The original 24 TV show focused on Kiefer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer, a CTU agent often tasked with racing against the clock to stop terrorist attacks. The show pioneered a real-time format, with each episode encompassing an hour within a single day. The real-time element, combined with quality writing and Sutherland’s intense performance, helped make the series a big success.
The series called it a day with season eight, but numerous attempts have been made to relaunch it. After a proposed movie featuring Jack Bauer failed to get a greenlight, the character was brought back for the 2014 miniseries Live Another Day, where Jack had twelve hours to stop an assassination plot in London. Sutherland ruled out another return when the show ended, so a reboot featuring a new character launched in 2016 called 24: Legacy. The show was cancelled after one season due to disappointing ratings, but FOX made it clear they weren’t done with the franchise just yet.
A new report by Deadline reveals that the latest iteration of 24 could revolve around a female prosecutor who discovers a conspiracy, while trying to save the life of a man on death row. The show will be focused on criminal justice instead of fighting terrorist threats. The report also states the show could become an anthology if successful, with each season featuring new characters in a different race against the clock.
It’s hard to argue that 24 needs a dramatic shakeup. While the last few seasons have been entertaining, they’ve relied too heavily on a set formula and lack the freshness of earlier seasons. 24: Legacy did little to break new ground, and while Corey Hawkins made for a fine lead actor, the show missed Sutherland’s gruff authority. Legacy was also content to recycle storylines the show had tackled many times before, meaning it lacked any real surprises.
This latest reboot attempt sounds like it will completely redefine the show. The series creators always claimed the real-time format was the real star of the show, so it appears they’re putting that to the test by removing familiar characters and settings. A similar anthology concept was actually pitched in the early days of the series, with producers briefly considering a brand new story and characters for 24’s second season - but ultimately featuring the same returning actors. After seeing how popular Jack Bauer had become, they quickly reconsidered and focused the show around him instead.
MORE: The Most Shocking Deaths on 24
There’s no word on a possible airdate for this new version of 24 yet.
Source: Deadline
