Is the clock finally running out for Jack Bauer? According to Kevin Reilly, Fox Entertainment President, this season may be the last for Kiefer Sutherland’s oft-tortured hero.
At the recent TV Critic’s summer press tour, Reilly told iFmagazine that the upcoming season is the last one under the show’s current contract. And while Sutherland remains committed to the show, Reilly is unsure of its future.
“It’s our last contractual season of 24,” Reilly said. “There are a lot of moving parts, so we’re not sure what will happen after that.”
He continued, “We haven’t made any decision whether it’s back or not [after this upcoming season]. The producers are passionate, Kiefer is passionate and we don’t have any of them looking to jump ship. It’s a show we’re really proud of.”
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Reilly concluded that, “It’s going to come down to a business decision. It’s not an inexpensive show on the network books and we also want to finish strong. This is not a show we want to prop up. It will be a whole creative and business discussion and something we’ll have to deal with over the next few months.”
Admittedly the show’s numbers have slipped a bit in the last couple seasons — from a high of 13.78 million in season five to 12.62 million in season seven — but did place 20th in overall viewers this year. In the end, it may be just too expensive for the network, especially considering that the contracts are up for renewal. Though the commercials for 24 are, next to American Idol, the most expensive in primetime, the network’s ad sales are also down about 16% from last year.
Reilly maintained that the show might still continue after next year but his initial comments align with the plans of 24 Executive Producer Howard Gordon. He wants to take Jack Bauer and company to theaters and, earlier this year, Gordon said, “My hope is to go [shoot the feature film] after the eighth season. That’s sort of what we’re aiming for. I think that a big-screen 24 will be a fitting send off for Jack.”
What do you think? Is it time for Jack to say goodbye to the small screen? Would you realistically pay to see a 24 movie?
Image courtesy FOX.
As much as I love Jack Bauer, I think it’s time for him to move on. The show can’t go on forever. Give him one more season and maybe a mini episode ( less than 24 hours) and send him off in grand style (perhaps a peaceful retirement as a college professor or a corporate director of security)
Anything else would eleveate him to “comic book hero” status.
24 is a very good drama, but it can’t go on forever. Whether it’s one more season or two, it has to end at some point — and better it should end strong with a good plot that compares well to previous seasons. That said, no network ever wants to spend enough on good programming if it can help it; Fox’s desire to produce cheaper programs is totally in character for them. It’s a fatal flaw, but I don’t expect the Fox execs will ever see it that way. I’ll be happy to watch another season or two of Jack… Read more »
24 gone? no its just not something i want to think about!
I need 24 to continue.
Please dont end this show. i am so emotionally attached to it that u end it u end me. Please i beg u let Jack Bauer continue..Thanks
Sorry, Fox got me so upset, I meant Saving Grace!
Wow, does my day get any worse, first Amazing Grace, now 24… Fox needs to get a clue, a very big clue and very soon. This is ridiculous. Maybe I will just not watch anything new they come out with, I wouldn’t want to get attached to something else good and have them decide, oh we don’t want to pay for it anymore. I feel duped!
It seemed to me that it still has a couple more seasons to crank out after the eighth. There’s seriously a lot of things Jack and CTU and all our heroes haven’t done yet.
John, are you serious? The 24 movie, as I understand it, will be two hours long, covering a 24-hour day, the second hour of it being the last, in real-time. Odd, eh?
How can anyone watch a 24 hour movie??
24: Redemption did a good job of showing one day go by over the course of like 90 something minutes. A theatrical film could be a little over two hours long which is more than enough time to have a long compelling film.
I do hope they make a season 9 though. Season 6 sucked but Season 7 was an EXTREMELY fresh start for the show. I’m really looking forward to seeing what’s planned next
if they make a movie, they’ll have to change the name to something like 2, 2.5 or 3 🙂
I would pay to see and 24 in the theater. But why stop there this would just blow up the show even more. Everyone would want to continue watching this on TV.
It’s bad enough that I have to deal with the fact that “Lost” in 2010 will be ending for good but to have “24” just go…you guys have to do a movie now…PLEASE! You just can’t end it like this.
Bring on Season 9 ! Don’t let 24 w/ Kiefer Sutherland end !
I would love to see 24 on the big screen, and that the movie marks the end for the show.*