American television network Fox has confirmed that after eight seasons, 24 will air its series finale this year.
Emmy-award winning actor Kiefer Sutherland has commented that even though the news that 24 will not continue into Day 9, a movie version of the popular real-time drama is the next step to continue the franchise.
Still, it is very sad to hear that one of my favourite television drama is coming to an end. The acting and story-telling in the last eight years have been hit and miss to be honest, but the concept of real-time and split-screen action was a masterstroke in setting the overall feel of this show. We shall see the fate of CTU and Jack Bauer at the end of the current season and I look forward to the movie with great enthusiasm.
Anyway, read the full extract of the story in full below, as taken from Hollywood Insider:
Kiefer Sutherland told EW.com that producing a ninth season for another network like NBC was not an option because he and executive producer Howard Gordon were ready to call it quits.
“The writers are producing the equivalent of 12 films a year, which is unheard of, and Howard felt to do a ninth would be potentially damaging,” said Sutherland. “We both felt strongly that there has been a demand and an interest in a 24 film, which would be a two-hour representation of a 24-hour day, so we felt it was time to move in that direction.”
Sutherland promised the series finale would tee up the 24 movie that’s in the works at 20th Century Fox. Billy Ray (State of Play) is writing the screenplay. “We wanted to create a definitive end for Jack Bauer,” explains Sutherland. “Since we do have the intention to make the feature film, it would lead into that and certainly set that up.
“Something we’ve dealt with in the series is how the crisis always has to come to us because we don’t have time to move anywhere in a real time world,” he continued. “In a two-hour (movie) representation of the 24 world, planes, trains, and automobiles all of a sudden become a factor because you are not required to go scene by scene in real time. That’s something I can say I am very excited about.”
As for the actual series finale, Gordon told EW.com that he and Sutherland considered everything from a happy to a tragic ending for Jack Bauer and ended up with episodes that take some risks: “We go to a very definitive, very complex place.”
Source: The Hollywood Insider
“24’s” time is almost up.
20th Century Fox TV and Fox appear ready to end the long-running hit after this season, the show’s eighth.
Studio and network execs declined comment — but it’s believed that the final decision will be made in the next day or two. Move is not a huge surprise, but still reps the end of an era for Fox.
“24” helped usher in Fox’s ratings surge in the 2000s, as the franchise — along with “American Idol” and “House,” among other series — led the network’s adults 18-49 ratings crown.
But the cost of producing “24” has continued to increase, while ratings have dipped. A one-time critical darling, “24” has also received its share of knocks from reviewers this season.
The studio is said to be considering shopping “24” to other nets — but given the thriller’s age and price tag, it’s believed that the interest from other outlets will be limited.
But even as bell tolls for “24,” the franchise is far from over. Sutherland and the “24” team have been keen on turning the show into a movie property, and have made major strides in recent months toward making that long-term goal a reality.
Twentieth Century Fox’s film side recently hired scribe Billy Ray (“State of Play,” “Flightplan”) to pen the script for the feature version. (Daily Variety, Feb. 8.)
Ray’s pitch, which takes Jack Bauer to Europe, was a hit with Fox execs and producers of the high-concept television series.
Script is said to have come through “24” star Sutherland, who’s also an exec producer on the series — and is said to be eager to turn the long-running TV skein into a movie franchise.
Such a move into the features world was considered impossible while production continued on the TV series — given that “24” takes much of the year to produce, given its feature-like shooting schedule. But with “24” expected to end its run, the ability to focus on a movie could now finally be in sight.
“24” was created by Robert Cochran and Joel Surnow, while exec producer Howard Gordon runs the show through his Real Time Prods. banner.
Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment produces the show along with 20th Century Fox TV.
Sutherland has starred throughout all eight seasons as Jack Bauer, a federal agent and member of the Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit (and who has saved the world several times over). “24” made noise for its real time format, in which all 24 episodes take place as consecutive hours in the same day.
Although it was developed before the terrorist attacks of 9/11, “24” debuted several months afterward — and in many ways began to mirror the changed world, given the real-life fears over terrorism and debates over torture methods. The show’s depiction of an African-American president was also seen as a ground-breaking precursor to the 2008 election of Barack Obama.
Show has also won both the Emmy and the Golden Globe awards for outstanding drama, while Sutherland has scored both an Emmy and a Globe for drama actor. “24” has also received Emmy Awards for writing and directing; last year, Cherry Jones won an Emmy for supporting actress in a drama.
This season’s edition of “24,” which takes place in New York, stars Sutherland, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Cherry Jones, Anil Kapoor, Annie Wersching, Katee Sackhoff, Mykelti Williamson, Freddie Prinze Jr., Chris Diamantopoulos and John Boyd.
Howard Gordon, Evan Katz, David Fury, Manny Coto, Brannon Braga, Brad Turner, Alex Gansa, Kiefer Sutherland and Brian Grazer are executive producers.
Source: Variety
EW broke the news story that 24 is over – http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/03/26/breaking-clock-stops-on-24/
Mary Lynn Rajskub (Chloe O’Brien) confirmed via Twitter that “we [just] got the word officially… this is 24’s last season.” Her Twitter site is – http://twitter.com/rajskub
BBC News report – http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8591709.stm
TV Squad’s news articles on 24. See links below:
http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/03/26/24-is-canceled/
http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/03/16/yup-nbc-is-seriously-thinking-about-picking-up-24/
UPDATE: NBC decided not to pick up the show and instead a movie will be made.
And so the time has arrived then. It will be a mighty shame that there will be no more days in which Jack save the day.
Now while the last few season have never reached the hights of the early shows, there has always been the hope that the next new series will capture the thrill once more. While that hasn’t happend, it’s still been 24. It’s still had that incredible feel;that real time effect that just lends itself to exciting moments.
You know that when someone says I’ll be there in 15 minutes then in 15 minutes they will infact be there. Or a deadline will end in just under one hour means that by the end of the show you’ll know wether the crooks will win or Jack.
It’s a brilliant format, but if I’m honest, it has in fact been the thing that has carried the show as long as it has. As we have got ever increasingly stupid and far fetch stories, it’s still had the thing that grabbed us all from the very start. The cliffhangers, the double crosses (which have now gotten ridiculous and so damn conveinient for a plot twist), and just the fact that a ticking clock or bomb where by a minute does actually last for…. A MINUTE!
So calling it a day is absolutely the right call. Far too much stuff now is more compelling to watch and once you lose viewers, it’s damn near impossible to get them back. You can do over a few series, but the show just wouldnt have had that time to play with.
It’ll be interesting to see what they do with the film. It could help untie the noose that was around the writers necks all these years, so here’s hoping it’ll be best to greatness for JB and Co.