The TV Zone

Here's something we can take a little bit of solace in: Jack Bauer may be back sooner than later.

The Hollywood Reporter is saying that Fox and producers are in the early pre-production stages of a prequel that will air this fall; of course, as you know, the actual series won't hit the air until January of '09.

Of course, as you also know, a prequel of this sort raises a few interesting questions: Notably, will this be the first two hours of the day? Or some sort of scene-setter explaining the move to Washington? Or telling people what Jack's been up these last few "months," or...

HR says it'll "bridge the two-year gap" between seasons six and seven; what does that mean? I'm not sure. My hunch is that it's simply smart scheduling by Fox. This - after all - isn't "The Sopranos," which had the luxury (thanks HBO!) of taking multi-year hiatuses between seasons. This is "24," which has to fight for mindshare among viewers with precious little time and even less patience. Getting SOMETHING on the air before January of '09 thus whets appetites and reminds people that evil is still out there and Jack is too.

As you also know, "24" was hit hardest by the strike by just about any show, given its reliance on the 24-hour gimmick. (And, umm, Kiefer was also somewhat indisposed for a little while too.)

Did we forget to list the Fox returnees? (And newbies.) Let us rectify.

Back to You – Original episodes air next Tuesday-Wednesday, Feb. 26-27 at 9:30. But the Kelsey Grammer-Patricia Heaton TV news sitcom then goes away again until Wednesday, April 16’s “time period premiere” at 8:30.

Unhitched – Sunday, March 2 at 9:30 p.m. for new Farrelly Brothers sitcom.

New Amsterdam – Tuesday, March 4 and Thursday, March 6 “preview” episodes of immortal NYC homicide detective; time period premiere is Monday, March 10 at 9.

Canterbury’s Law – Monday, March 10 at 8 p.m., a strangely early hour for Julianna Margulies’ dark NYC-filmed legal hour.

The Return of Jezebel James – Friday, March 14 at 8 p.m. for hour premiere of sisters comedy from “Gilmore Girls” creator Amy Sherman-Palladino; time period premiere Friday, March 21 at 8:30.

’Til Death – Tuesday, March 25 at 9:30 for original episode; time period premiere Wednesday, April 16 at 8 p.m.

Hell’s Kitchen – Tuesday, April 1 at 9 p.m. season premiere of Gordon Ramsay chef show

Bones – Monday, April 14 at 8 p.m.

House – Monday, April 21 at 9 p.m. time period premiere with encore; originals resume Monday, April 28.

Note that Fox’ New Orleans drama “K-Ville” isn’t mentioned here as going back into production.

And “24” stays on hold. The show will “conclude production on its seventh season,” the network says, but that adventure “will not premiere until January 2009, allowing the drama to once again run 24 episodes consecutively.”

[UPDATED with photo and May 20 release date]

Nothing new to report on the Fox TV network return of The Further Adventures of Jack Bauer. But since it looks unlikely we’ll see anything “24” on-air till 2009, Fox Home Entertainment has stepped into the breach.

A tricked-out Special Edition release of “24” Season 1 is being reported at our favorite TV DVD site, TV Shows on DVD. Fans will remember the show’s initial set didn’t get many special features -- it came out back in 2002 right when networks/studios were starting to realize the $$ to be made (and promotional value to be found) by rushing out the previous season release before subsequent episodes resumed the following fall/winter. And that was before bonus material was being created along the way during production.

TV Shows on DVD is reporting new commentary tracks to be added for Season 1, along with deleted scenes and featurettes about the series’ genesis. This special "24" set should hit shelves May 20.

"24" is a year away.

Get used to it.

Even though this has been in the press for days - with the Times saying this Monday that it was "official" - in fact Fox has YET to officially declare that one of the great signature shows of our era - or at least "great signature shows" when it's really really good which is most of the time, with the exception of some of last season when it was really not - is on hiatus for a year.

I can tell you now, though, with no equivocation, hairsplitting, or other forms of BS: "24" is off for another year, to return in January of '09.

It's official. Finally.

Is this a bad thing? Well, duh, YEAH. A very bad thing. A terrible thing.

But it is a real thing, and we'll just have to deal with it.

But just imagine what the world will be like a year from now? A new president - and very possibly an AFRICAN AMERICAN president, which would make dear old "24" remarkably prescient. It will be set in Washington. Kiefer Sutherland will be on the wagon. Chloe - or at least Mary Lynn Rajskub - will have a new baby.

Yup, it'll be a whole new world and whole new "24." Can't wait.

No, no, NOOOOOOOOOO

Oh, yes, yes, YEEEESSSS: Kiefer Sutherland is heading to jail.

Your hero and mine (although, Lord, I'd hate to be driving on a Los Angeles freeway or boulevard anywhere near the party that Kiefer Sutherland has just left) was sentenced yesterday to 48 days for his DUI conviction.

What does this mean? Well, for one, the drivers in Los Angeles can breath just a little bit easier during those forty-eight days.

But seriously, folks...No, not seriously. Don't drink and drive. End of story. Even if you're worth millions and millions of dollars and a franchise is dependent on you, and so are many fans. Don't drink and drive. Maybe Kiefer will get this message now.

Anyway, enough with the preaching. Here are the grim details from the AP:

"Sutherland appeared in court with his attorney for the sentencing. He had pleaded no contest for driving with a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit of .08 following his Sept. 25 arrest.

Assistant City Attorney Dan Jeffries said a Superior Court judge ordered that the actor serve 48 days in Glendale city jail. Sutherland must begin the sentence before March 30, Jeffries said.

The actor was already on probation for a 2004 drunken driving arrest when he was stopped by police shortly after midnight as he left a Hollywood industry party at the trendy Area nightclub. Authorities said he failed a field sobriety test after being pulled over for making an illegal U-turn.

He pleaded no contest in October to DUI and driving with a blood-alcohol level of .08 while still on probation for a previous arrest."

Meanwhile, unless this writers' strike is settled soon - very soon - "24" won't even be on the air next year.

So much for “Day 7” with Cherry Jones and Janeane Garofalo. In view of the current Writers Guild strike, the Fox network announced late Wednesday it’s postponing the planned January launch of “24” until it knows the entire seventh season can run “non-stop.” (Oh, well. We can watch the trailer over and over. And over.)

The first WGA-strike-prompted wholesale lineup revision also includes premiere dates for new Fox shows, along with some other shakeups: “Bones” moves to Friday at 8 on Jan. 4 to make way for “American Idol” (back Jan. 15-16), while “Prison Break” picks up on Monday, Jan. 14 at 8.

New arrivals announced include the action movie spinoff “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” which previews Sunday, Jan. 13 at 8, before moving the next night to its regular Monday 9 p.m. slot (where “24” was supposed to run).

Other shows are slated further down the line, which means their premiere dates could well shift depending on strike resolution (or lack thereof). “New Amsterdam” (due Feb. 22) is about an immortal New York homicide detective, while “The Return of Jezebel James” (March 7) is a city-shot comedy from “Gilmore Girls” creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, starring Parker Posey and Lauren Ambrose as estranged sisters.

The gritty Denis Leary-produced drama “Canterbury’s Law” (April 11) also shoots in New York, but was already delayed due to the pregnancy of Julianna Margulies, starring as a tough defense attorney.

Also slated: the single-camera comedy “Unhitched” (March 2), from the Farrelly brothers, about thirtysomethings who include Craig Bierko and Rashida Jones.

Fox’ strike-reflecting lineup loads up on game/reality/“unscripted” offerings. Mark L. Walberg hosts the lie-detecting hour “The Moment of Truth” (Wednesday, Jan. 23 at 9). “When Women Rule the World” (March 3) eavesdrops on women in charge of men in a “primitive, remote location.” Gordon Ramsay’s competition “Hell’s Kitchen” is back April 1.

January's upcoming return of "24" gets previewed during the World Series on Fox Thursday night, as well as online starting at 1 p.m. Thursday.

A trailer promoting the seventh season, starting Jan. 13-14 on Fox, will also be shown at 1 p.m. Thursday in Times Square and other locations around the world.

Here's how Fox PR teases the upcoming season: "Set in Washington, DC, 'Day 7' opens with CTU dismantled and Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) on trial. Bauer's day takes an unexpected turn when former colleague Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard) returns. Meanwhile, President Allison Taylor (Cherry Jones) leads the country alongside White House Chief of Staff Ethan Kanin (Bob Gunton) and First Gentleman Henry Taylor (Colm Feore). A national security crisis prompts an investigation by a team of FBI agents including Agent Janis Gold (Janeane Garofalo), Agent Renee Walker (Annie Wersching), Agent Larry Moss (Jeffrey Nordling), Agent Sean Hillinger (Rhys Coiro) and security specialist Michael Latham (John Billingsley). Although CTU is no longer, Chloe O'Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub) and Bill Buchanan (James Morrison) are back for another momentous day of shocking events."

Jack Bauer is back Jan. 13-14, the two-night season premiere event Fox announced today for its rebounding thriller "24."

But the big news is the return of Carlos Bernard as sorely missed -- and previously presumed dead -- CTU cohort Tony Almeida. Turns out maybe Tony wasn't killed when left horribly wounded [Fox photo above] in CTU's infirmary by a terrorist conspirator in Season 5. (Remember what a bloodbath that one was. Michelle Dessler. President Palmer. Sean Astin's new CTU head. A corpse cast of thousands.)

“Tony’s uncertain fate near the end of ‘Day 5’ left the door open for his return,” showrunner Howard Gordon said in Fox' press release. “And since there was no silent clock at the conclusion of his last appearance -- the '24' tribute to a major character’s demise -- we always kept this as a possibility.”

Kiefer Sutherland's Jack Bauer character will now be in D.C. and on trial for last season's renegade activities. In the vicinity will be Mary Lynn Rajskub's Chloe O'Brian and James Morrison's Bill Buchanan.

Others on hand include Cherry Jones (“The Heiress”) as President Allison Taylor and Colm Feore (“Slings & Arrows”) as prez hubby Henry Taylor. Bob Gunton (“Desperate Housewives”) is White House Chief of Staff Ethan Kanin. And Janeane Garofalo (“The Larry Sanders Show”) arrives as FBI agent Janis Gold.

It’s official -- Janeane Garofalo is joining the cast of “24” this season (which doesn’t start till January).

Fox just announced she’ll play “Janis Gold, an FBI systems analyst assigned to the team investigating the crisis befalling Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) and company” in this seventh season.

The show will again air Monday nights at 9.

Monday night’s episode was full of slam-bang action. But with next week’s two-hour finale looming, rather than recapping Monday’s show, let's fast forward to May 21 and pose these questions, which better be answered —  or else.

How many of the following will show up? President Logan, President Palmer, Audrey Raines, Bill Buchanan.

Will Jack hook up with Marilyn Bauer?

Will Josh be revealed as Jack and Marilyn’s love child?

What really creative way will Jack find to dispatch Cheng?

What really creative way will Jack find to dispatch his old man?

Will Jack walk away from the job  and decide he wants a gig that’s calmer and better-paid? We hear there’s an opening in a certain New Jersey mob family for an emotional  guy who’s really knows his way around with a gun.

What are your thoughts about the finale? Let us know here.

Lots o’ action Monday night, producing several adrenaline rushes for this viewer. But to reiterate my analogy from last week, it was like watching the 2004 Mets beat up on the Braves in late September when it no longer mattered. In other words, a dollop of satisfaction, but ultimately meaningless.

Anyway, here are random thoughts on Monday’s episode:

Glad to see Old Man Bauer back. Wouldn’t it be something if he concocted all this scheming just to take his grandson on that long-awaited trip to Disney World?

Boy, those mercenaries got into CTU easier than sneaking into a second theater at the multiplex. You might think after previous season’s nerve-gas attacks and bombings, CTU might think about upgrading its security a wee bit.

Now that she’s been spirited away by her father, are we ever going to see Audrey again? Or did the show just waste three hours of our time?

RIP Milo. Now, I bet Nadia really appreciates you.

Memo to Chloe and Morris: You know what, we are really really sick of your bickering.

Back in the day, Jack would have found a way of terminating all of Cheng’s invaders. The boy is definitely losing it.

Let's be honest here: I truly think “24” has not merely jumped the shark, but pole-vaulted the damn fish this season. Yet I continue to watch. Look, I’m a Mets fan of longstanding and out of loyalty to the team, I’ve watched September games when they were, like, 30 games out of place. I kinda feel the same way about “24.”

So here are my random thoughts on Monday’s episode:

Jack saves Defense Secretary Heller’s life two seasons ago — and this is the thanks he gets?

Does Heller have an office somewhere in the CTU complex? How the heck did he get to Jack’s holding cell so quickly?

Where did Chloe go? A) Ladies room to cry over Morris B) Beer run C) To Cheng, because she is the component “expert” whom the Chinese baddie so desperately needs.

Best line of the night: Nadia to Morris: You're asking me to indulge your personal melodrama when we're in the middle of an International crisis.

Where in the world is Old Man Bauer? He’s gotta show up sometime in the next three weeks, right?

That CTU shrink’s bedside manner made Dr. House seem like Marcus Welby.

Random thoughts on Monday’s episode:

That hour really was — for the first time in a long time — truly Old School “24.”

Although it would have been really Super Old School if Jack had pulled a Curtis on Doyle instead of just threatening to.

It seems as if only Dr. House can save President Palmer now. Say, that would be a helluva crossover episode.

Want to take odds that Tom Lennox doesn’t make it out alive this season now that Evil Veep knows he has the incriminating tape?

If Jack rescues Audrey — and is there any doubt he will even if jeopardizes Civilization as we know it — he better marry her.

Just five weeks left to the end of the season. Are we ever gonna learn what Doyle did in Denver? And are we ever gonna see Old Man Bauer again?

Random thoughts on Monday’s episode:

Did the show’s producers end the Fayed/nuke storyline prematurely because they knew it was running on fumes?

But gee, I wish we had one last chance to see Jack really torture the shaven-headed creep. (Fayed, not Morris).

Where in the world is this show going with the born-again Audrey-being-held-by-the Red Chinese plot?

If “The Nine” wasn’t canceled, would Jack still be chasing Fayed?

Did President Palmer collapse from the extra weight of the backbone he seemed to grow from last week’s hour?

One can only wonder: What the heck Jack smells like after hitching a ride on the undercarriage of a garbage truck?

What did you think of Monday's episode and what may be next? Send us a note....

What the heck is going on on “24”? Not only do I not know, I’m not sure I want to know.

The Fox thriller always goes through a middle-eight malaise. The producers are clear how they want to start each season, with a bang, which they usually do. And eventually, they figure out where they want to end up. But the middle outings tend to be middling, as old plots get wound up, new ones get fired up, and time gets killed off till the season-ending episodes kick in.

Which can’t come soon enough. Let me count the ways last night left me not impressed.

Milo and Nadia? Who gives a flip about their lovebird-pouting baby behavior in the midst of nukes-on-the-loose? (Why do producers keep hiring Eric Balfour?)

Could we not smell the Jack/Doyle fake-rubout-by-fake-terrorists coming a mile away? (Speaking of lovebird spats. Wasn’t the boys’ bickering cute?)

And how did that fancy scheme get set up anyway? Jack’s just half a day past his two-year Chinese captivity, only hours beyond being so strung out he wanted out of the game for good. Now suddenly he knows undercover “terrorist” Jamal, he’s up on every other agent, and he’s clear on all the conniptions of the fake-rubout’s Fayed-snatch plot, even though Jack’s been so busy derring-doing that he couldn’t possibly have sat down and mapped it all out.

For that matter, when did almost-dead prez Wayne Palmer have the time, much less the coherence, to design the dummy-nukes gambit with the Joint Chiefs to bluff the leaders of mysteriously unnamed “Fayed’s country”?

Not that I’d be wondering about any of this if “24” was actually doing its job and keeping me entertained enough to suspend disbelief.

I just feel like we’ve been here before. Round and round we go. While it was mildly surprising to see the nukes back in custody so quick, it was oh-please-don’t-do-that predictable to have another immediate phone call for Jack -- remember last season’s cliffhanger when he got snatched -- which revealed suddenly-not-dead Audrey begging to be rescued from the nasty ol’ Chinese.

Nuke recovery, I can get behind. Saving drippy ol’ Audrey? Don’t be so sappy.

After January’s socko season start, this whole year has been oddly limp. D.B. Woodside’s Wayne Palmer is a wet noodle as president compared to Dennis Haysbert’s majestic David Palmer. Or even Gregory Itzin’s turncoat prez. We were reminded of that when Itzin surprisingly reappeared for an episode or two as the disgraced chief, along with Jean Smart as the nutso ex-first lady, both doing galvanizing work -- and then they were gone, much too abruptly. (I miss Secret Service sweetie Aaron, too.)

Powers Boothe is indeed menacing as the undercutting veep. But he’s more sleazy than commanding. Peter McNicol may have made a fine wimpy lawyer on “Ally McBeal,” but I don’t want a wimpy chief of staff next to the leader of the free world. And Rick(y) Schroder as Jack’s new CTU running buddy? Yawwwwn. There’s mush all around Kiefer Sutherland this season.

Why isn’t impressively itchy Chloe doing something central? I’d also be happy to see her dry ex Morris back at the forefront again, even if he’s back barfing his booze by the dumpster. Mary Lynn Rajskub and Carlo Rota are interesting, dynamic actors, who always suggest more than the script demands.

OK, you want some good news. Here it is: Last night was 2007’s Episode 17. This season’s middling middle must finally be over.

I hope.

[Fox photos: Eric Balfour and Marisol Nichols; Kiefer Sutherland and cell phone]

Random thoughts on Monday night’s episode

OK, we’ll give props to the “24” honchos for making a mentally challenged character a hero... and for the writers not squandering their goodwill by having the young man get shot by one of Gridenko’s henchmen.

Gee, Wayne Palmer sure looked chipper after being roused from his medically induced coma. I’ve seen guys come back from two weeks at Club Med looking worse.

Best line of the night: Gridenko to Jack: “I am not martyr. I am soldier.” Boris Badenov sounded more convincing.

Did we really have to see Milo and Nadia suck face? Milo (who is probably not a mole after all, darn it) was also responsible for the second best line of the night: “Maybe this (CTU headquarters) isn’t the best place to start a relationship.”

Will they ever explain just what the heck Doyle did in Denver to piss off so many CTU operatives?

What did you think of the episode? Shoot me a message.

I know you're not supposed to think logically about what happens on "24." But Monday's episode left me with one huge head-scratcher that needs some itchin'.

Namely, where did Jack get that fancy suit and tie he wore when he made his, um, social call on the Russian consul? I've spent several hours pondering and here are my conclusions.

1. CTU has a valet on its premises.

2. Just like another comic book superhero, the Flash, Jack pressed his power ring and out popped his suit ready to wear.

3. He borrowed one from former President Logan. ("I don't trust you, Charles, but I do trust your fashion sense.")

4. CTU gave 1-800 We Dry Clean special dispensation to get through the cordoned-off steets of L.A.

5. Like MacGyver, Jack knows how to stitch together something out of found objects.

It's gotta be one of these reasons, no?

[Above: Kiefer Sutherland as Jack with Gregory Itzin as President Logan, in Fox photo by Kelsey McNeal.]

Yuck.

Suresh stapled to the ceiling, dripping blood. Jack Bauer clipping off people’s fingers. And I thought they were over this ickiness.

“24” actually chilled out a bit the past couple weeks after that early-season torturefest, but last night the Fox thriller seemed to be going back to its old games. Now that Jack Bauer has de-digitized and pistol-whipped the terrorist Russian consul, what will the Ruskies do with their captured intruder? Might it involve pain and suffering? (Well, are U.S. vice-presidents scheming evildoers here?)

“Heroes” got gross again last night, too, thanks to all-evildoers-in-one Sylar. The episode pretty much wasted a great twist, when resident professor/philosopher Suresh wised up to his masquerading companion and restrained the power-swallowing Sylar to “fix” the villain’s craving for other heroes’ brain matter. Too bad the script only let that last a few minutes. Then drippy flyboy Peter Petrelli arrived, and Sylar started in on buzz-sawing his skull. He should have consulted some “Heroes” fans first. We could have told him: There’s nothing in there.
[At right: Milo Ventimiglia in NBC photo by Chris Haston.]

Ah, but there was really something to this cliffhanger hour’s other great twists: Claire’s dad H.R.G. letting his “wife” in on his workplace secrets (Eric Roberts and the shapeshifting chick were not happy), and the Petrelli boys’ mom being revealed as wise to her sons’ (and granddaughter’s) otherworldly gifts.

Can’t wait till “Heroes” returns from NBC hiatus April 23 for its sweeps-month climax. In the meantime, Jack’s got the Monday night agony index all to himself.

[Rewatch last night's episodes online here: "24" and "Heroes."]

In conjunction with our Off the Wall column on the TV page of Newsday’s Saturday print edition, we’ll be clueing you in on some weird, wild and wonderful tube-related web sites here, too.

Like this one:
Television Week’s Backlot Talk

The industry trade paper presents weekly audio updates directly from the mouths of producers of such hot shows as “24” (Howard Gordon) and “American Idol” (Nigel Lythgoe). You can listen to their latest interview about each new episode, download it as a podcast for later enjoyment, or read transcripts of what they had to say.

TV Week also has archive chats with producers from shows like “Entourage” and “The Real World.”

There’s even a mighty spiffy weekly ratings chart.

I know that Monday's "24" really was effective because it's almost two hours after it ended and my heart is still pounding and I'm unable to fall asleep. Better I should tape it and watch it at 9 the next morning after a good night's sleep. But noo, that would be too smart, wouldn't it?

What dya know? Here was an episode with no torture -- hooray! -- just Jack being classic Jack. You knew he would come in at the last minute and shoot the thugs holding MIlo and Marilyn hostage. And Jack didn't disappoint. You knew he would get Josh out alive from the clutches of Grandpa aka the Psycho Pete Townshend lookalike. [See Fox photo by Kelsey McNeal.] And Jack didn't disappoint.

BEST MOMENT: I was floored when Jack dialed that phone number his father left him -- and disgraced former President Logan picked up. He doesn't look like Niixon anymore -- he looks like Saddam Hussein the day he was captured in his rathole. I'm sure that's a nice deliberate touch from the show's producers. Is Logan gonna emerge as a pivotal character? The 15-second preview of next week's episode sure makes it seem that way. I'm thinking here that Logan's (aborted) plan last season to kill the Russian president has something to do with the mad Russian Gridenko's current plan to set off the nukes. But what do I know?

WORST MOMENT: Morris' self-pitying. And now he's a recovering alcoholic, to boot. This kind of hooey belongs on All My Children, not 24. Jeez, I almost found myself wishinhg that Fayed had plunged his power drill into Morris' skull instead of his shoulder last week and we'd be done with him.

My heart is still racing and I'm still not tired.

Yuck. Gross. Enough.

Did we really need to watch a “24” baddie take a power drill to the shoulder of poor screaming CTU engineer Morris last night? We should have known they’d be getting out the gore more when hero Jack Bauer used his teeth to rip the carotid artery out of some villain’s neck on premiere night last month. (Right after they’d stabbed Jack in the shoulder. What is it with shoulders?)

But this season’s “24” is trying to top those other five seasons. It’s desperate to. And since earlier adrenaline-fueled plots involved duplicitous presidents, shootdowns of Air Force One, wanton assassinations, heroin addictions and other pedal-to-the-metal threats, the only place to go is up, up, through the roof.

This year they're nuking L.A. and plotting a White House coup. But they're also ratcheting up the body count, blood flow and torture level. We’re getting a weekly dose of one-on-one agony, inflicted by good and bad guys alike. Brother torturing brother. Father killing son. Using every weapon, tool and body part imaginable. How long till they start inflicting slow and excruciating pain on Jack’s teen nephew? Ick.

This antiterror racket is messy. We get that. People die. OK. That’s the action pact. We come for the danger, the thrills. We don’t need extended human suffering in extreme close-up before every commercial break. The “24” we bargained for is a heart-pounding serial adventure, not a gag-inducing slasher flick.

[Carlo Rota as “24” agent Morris: He knows the drill. Fox photo by Kelsey McNeal.]

Never let it be said the Fox folks aren't in either the Christmas spirit or the hyper-promo mode for next month's return of "24."

Fortunately for us, those two instincts merge beautifully in a cool holiday-card video where Santa taps the CTU computer to help complete his mission on -- you guessed it -- the "24th":