A Busy Offseason: 24

 
Jack’s Back!  I don’t comment on television often but I’ve seen every episode of 24 since it debuted three seasons ago.  Kiefer Sutherland’s return comes as no surprise.  It’s his show.  Jack is its hero and Sutherland is 24’s driving force.  What does come as a surprise is the fact that nobody else will be returning. 
 This means two of my favorite characters won’t be coming back.  Carlos Bernard managed to survive 72 hours as Tony. 
 Michelle showed up 24 hours later, but Reiko Ainsworth certainly made the show a whole lot prettier.  Dennis Haysbert made a great president but obviously President Palmer is going to lose his bid for reelection. 
 In the world of 24 nobody is sacred except for Jack.  At the end of season one, his wife takes a bullet from Nina (pictured above) and dies.  The second season came and went without much brouhaha, but in the third, Penny Johnson Gerald and Sarah Clarke, two the greatest villainesses in television history, were canceled permanently from the show when their characters (Sherry Palmer and Nina Myers respectively) were executed.  
In some ways I’m glad to hear the series will be changing the beat.  Kim Bauer has to be the dumbest blonde ever to walk the planet.  That’s no reflection on the acting abilities of Elisha Cuthbert, just a comment on the plight of her character.  Every attempt to keep her involved after season one seemed strained at best, although it could be argued that Kim gave Jack his only measure of humanity.  The only problem is that the writers couldn't find something worthwhile for Kim to do.  Regardless, things are set to be shaken and not stirred on the set of 24 this season.
But isn't Jack all we need? (Nice jacket, huh?)  I mean... he has saved the world thrice already, right?  I guess we'll find out if Jack really is all we need in season four.