'24' stops the clock

Even Jack Bauer can't get us out of this fine mess.

Fox announced Wednesday that it is delaying indefinitely the premiere of the seventh season of "24" because of the ongoing writer's strike. "Day 7" was supposed to premiere in January and run through mid-June, with a summer blockbuster-type finale, executive producer and show runner Howard Gordon said. (Read how your other favorite shows are faring here.)

Now, who knows when we will get to see Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) in action again. A summer premiere is unlikely because of low viewership, so that means we might have to wait until next fall -- or January 2009 -- to find out how Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard) came back from the dead.

Holy cow! What is this, "The Sopranos?"

"Hopefully it will have the same effect it had on 'The Sopranos' and it will whet fans' appetites even more," Gordon said. "I really appreciate the integrity [Fox and 20th Century Fox Television] have toward the show. The only other alternative was a shortened order. Airing 23 episodes of a show called '24' would have felt like less than the optimal way to present the show."

Another option would have been to air it in two parts. But as fans of "Lost" well know, splitting a season of a serialized drama is never a good idea.

"It really depends on when the strike is resolved and what the optimum window is," Gordon said. "I hope it's not an entire year. You get impatient doing the show. You want people to see it. It's disappointing obviously as well. You've worked on a show. You really look forward to having people see it and respond to it."

-- Maria Elena Fernandez

Comments

[Jessica]

Wow this was unexpected for me any one else who thinks the same?

[rosalyn r burton]

Please, Please air 24 it is one of my favorite shows. Me and my husband love watching 24 every Monday, we can't wait for it to come back on. Please air it this fall or summer. We can't wait anothe r whole year.

[jachearts14]

I must say that I have a huge personal attachment to this show ("24"); but, as has happened in the past, when I used to plan my day around the recording and watching of my favorite shows, when the schedule keeps changing and I can no longer rely on the weekly run of a show, it becomes too much like work to keep track of it, and I lose interest. By the same token, while I admire the integrity of "24" not airing repeats and not wanting to break up the 24-hour series (caused by the WGA strike, and other extenuating circumstances), waiting another year might just afford me the time to contemplate living without television in my life at all!

[clare hobbs]

Please this is torture i need Jack Bauer i my life ! I have all the box sets but i cant wait to see what happened to Jack . I have most of Kiefer Sutherland's other films but this is his best role ever . We Brits have waited long enough i'm begging you please we miss Jack .

[Jeanie]

It makes no difference to me WHEN 24 returns, just so long as it DOES return...the sooner the better...the show is totally addictive.

[Margaret]

Please air 24 can't wait any longer not even whole year i'm so addictive me and my husband miss this show ALOT.

[Stacy Merkel]

What say all you TV viewers......let's us have a VOICE. STOP paying your cable...can't see the shows anyway due to the writers strike. I am sick of watching nothing but reruns and commercials. I have loads of old movies to shove in the VHS and watch to my heart's content. I'm not on strike, the don't PAY me to watch........I am not paying for NOTHING !