An enthusiastic crowd was on hand in Ballroom 20 at Comic-Con International in San Diego, to see the star-studded panel of actors and the writing team behind the Emmy winning show, 24, and hear about season eight of the show.
Showrunner Howard Gordon kicked things off by answering the question
he felt was on everyone’s mind; the cliffhanger ending of season 7, and
the impending death of star Keifer Sutherland’s character, saying
“Well, he [Jack] did make it through, as you’ll see at the beginning of
the show.”
Sutherland spoke at length about how this upcoming season differs
from others, saying “I think it was important to get back to where life
was worth living for Jack. His partner, the reconnection with his
daughter...the development of those relations took on new sides, so
season seven and eight probably more than any other seasons we’ve done
before, are really connected together.”
Manny Coto also spoke about the beginning of the new season. “You
see Jack, and his daughter and granddaughter, and it’s a really
interesting place. You realize "Gosh, we have not seen this sight in so
long, and we know this is not going to last, but it makes those moments
so much more important,” he said.
Anil Kapor, introduced this season as a new character, President
Omar Hassan, started by thanking everyone “Thank you all, thank you for
being so kind and generous. I’d ask what attracted them [the executive
team] to me?” Gordan nodded, saying “It’s very hard to play a
President, to play a leader, and we were very lucky to have been
introduced to Anil, and I look forward to what we will be seeing.”
Freddie Prinze Jr. is also new to the show, and said “It’s not a big
secret, I’ve been a huge fan of the show since season one, I remember
thinking, "Gosh, it would be great to be on that show someday," so when
the opportunity came around, I jumped at it. I’m incredibly grateful, I
play a field op for CTU, he’s a former marine. I think a few years ago
he got involved in the Marines with a lot of emotion and rage, and the
Marines brought him some focus and control, ”
Katee Sackhoff, the final new member of the team, said of her
obtaining the role “I think that I found out that there was a role,
and, it’s a long story, but I said “Get me on 24. " I play Dana Walsh,
who is engaged to Cole [Prinze], who is a data analyst at CTU. I read
the script and said ‘This is fantastic.’”
Turning to Mary Lynn Rajskub, returning in her role as Chloe, said
“I’m happy to be back on the show in general, and yeah, I’m a new mom,
and on the show [also a new mom], and I’m bringing it with me...my
character starts off a little behind, if you can believe that, for
being such a genius, because I’ve been at home with my [new] son, and I
have to catch up. And [the show] is still so smart and there is so much
energy behind it, it’s been fun.”
Gordan presented the audience with an introductory clip of the new
season, prefacing it by explaining that CTU is restarted. The clip
begins with someone familiar coming to Jack’s door, after having been
shot. He claims to have critical information regarding a plot to
assassinate the President,
Back
at the new CTU, everything on the set is different, yet familiar. Katee
Sackoff’s character is, ironically, helping Chloe catch up on some of
her computer work as Chloe adjusts to being back after the birth of her
child.
Jack calls in to Chloe, explaining the level of the assassination
plot threat, and the race is on to formulate the case. The clip ends,
to loud applause from the audience.
This season is taking place in New York City for the 24 hour period.
Sean Callery, music composer for the show, was asked how the setting
influences his composition. “Even the new CTU set has a really
different hue and appearance to it, and as you can see from that clip,
all the work that was done to the point where I got started on it is so
good, from the writing to the directing to the acting, ”
Regarding that pretty new set, Sutherland remarked “Don’t be alarmed, we do still blow shit up.”
Asked about a feature film for 24, Sutherland said: “Fox and I are
still researching ideas for a film. I think for us, the energy required
to shoot them and all that...and we agreed, I think back in season two,
that we would put off any serious discussion of a film until the show
had run its course.”
Regarding great, strong female characters, an audience member asked
why there were no women writers on the creative staff. Gordon: replied
“The fact of the matter is, you tend to work with the people who you
have worked with in the past, and these are all people I have worked
with before. It’s like putting a band together, ”.
Asked how they will capture the audience this season, Gordon said
“It’s peace, with the possibility of peace. What Keifer said, this next
year is really the culmination of Jack, of everything that Jack has
worked for, it takes a lot to keep the peace”.
Focusing again on what the theme of the season will be, Rajskub was
restrained from answering with complete clarity by a whisper from
Gordan. So she did her best and answered, after joking around, “When
life gives you some lemons you make lemonade? Uhhh more redemption?
Peace?, CTU is looking really cool, there’s an underground tunnel.
That’s not really a theme though. I’m not good with themes.”
The next question was directed to Katee Sackhoff asking, after her
aggressive role on "Battlestar Galactica," what was it like to take on
this new role? “This is, I guess, the sweeter side of myself, for a
while."
Sutherland ended the presentation with what a heartfelt message to
the audience and fans. “Thank you so much. These last 8 years really
are my best years, and I can’t tell you how grateful I am.”
Finally, speaking a bit more to the theme of the season, Sutherland
said “One of the things that is most interesting about this
season...we’ve had some amazing scenarios that are pretty far fetched,
but this season is much more realistic. There is a sense of reality and
what could actually happen more now than ever before. Basically, the
theme surrounds a threat to peace at the UN, and if you are watching
the news, it’s amazing how close our writers come to what really
happens sometimes, and I’m looking forward to everyone seeing it.”
