The clock is ticking.
And while this TV Addict is the first to admit that posting our review of 24’s new season isn’t exactly akin to saving the world Jack Bauer style. It’s what we do. And unfortunately, we’ve got a little more than five hours remaining to do so. Tick… tock… tick… tock…
Herein lies problem: After watching the season’s first four episodes, this TV Addict remains conflicted as to where we stand. I mean, far be it from us to critique the critics, but it’s almost too easy to simply write off the show as an unrealistic and irrelevant remnant of the Bush/Cheney post 9/11 era (see here, here and here).
Because the reality is, that as a result of what has become a somewhat constrictive real-time format, there is no denying the fact that the new season of 24 is a whole lot of the same.
Season seven kicks off in Washington D.C. where Jack Bauer is forced to defend his actions at the now defunct CTU in front of a congressional subcommittee. Of course, this not being an episode of THE WEST WING, it should come as no surprise that Jack Bauer is quickly pulled out of the hearing to once again save the world from terrorists intent on bringing America to its knees. All the while, newly elected President Allison Taylor (Cherry Jones) must deal with the aftermath of the choices made in 24: REDEMPTION with a First Husband (Colm Feore) at her side who may or may not have an agenda entirely his own.
In other-words, if you’re not a fan of 24’s trademark plot twists, conspiracies that miraculously find their way into the highest levels of government and the show’s seemingly endless supply of computer geniuses with social deficiencies, the Golden Globes start at 8PM over on NBC.
But if Mary Lynn Rajskub’s Chloe O’Brian is your version of Angelina Jolie, you’ll be pleased to discover that the 24 showrunners may have actually learned a lesson or two from their previous season’s mistakes.
Rather than send fans directly to jumptheshark.com as they did last season by having Jack Bauer survive a Nuclear Blast with nary a scratch. Season seven builds at a slower and dare we say more realistic pace. Replacing the ‘big bang’ with a mix of welcome surprises that include the return of a familiar face (Carlos Bernard’s Tony Almeida), a disapproving new FBI partner (Annie Wersching’s Agent Renee Walker) and most importantly of all, the promise that the middle portion of the season won’t go from “can’t miss” to “why bother” faster than Jack Bauer can utter the words “Dammit!”
And to those fans still bemoaning Tony Almeida’s implausible return back from the dead. Keep in mind that things could be a lot worse, he could be a ghost. 
24 premieres on Sunday, January 11th, 2009 at 8PM on Fox (Global in Canada).
Photo Credit: Kelsey McNeal/FOX