Complete Coverage: TCA Winter Press Tour 2014
Pasadena, Calif. -- Cast and producers from Fox's 24: Live Another Day event series took the stage at Fox's portion of the TCA winter press tour to answer questions from eager critics.
24: Live Another Day will premiere May 5 with a two-hour special.
Here are some highlights from the panel:
On this being the same story as the rumored feature length film:
Kiefer Sutherland (Jack Bauer and EP): The script for the film is very, very different. Howard Gordon came up with an idea for a 12 episode run at this. If this ends up rebooting the show or [causing] a film to be made, so be it. Right now, we are passionately focused on these 12 episodes.
On a potential reboot:
Sutherland: When I said reboot, I never said I was a part of it. There are a lot of fantastic characters. The star of the show is 24 -- this concept -- and I still believe that very strongly. CSI had so many branch off shows. The format allows characters to have a moral objective in a world that is not so moral.
On it being a more ideal length to do 12 episodes instead of 24:
Howard Gordon (EP): Doing stuff that you're proud of takes time. More time is better to craft each episode. We are going to maintain the quality we had for 24. It was a marathon and was really punishing.
Manny Coto (EP): It opens us up to story telling possibilities. We can jump forward a couple hours.
On the show's format:
Coto: The show will progress in same format. All will add up to 24 hours. Might skip hours between shows.
On viewers being able to pick up the show from season eight:
Coto: You can pick this up without having watched season eight or the show at all.
Gordon: It’s part of our task to make the narrative abundantly clear. And those who have been [following] for the last 8 season rewarded for their knowledge.
Sutherland: Four years need to be explained. The exposition will not come off as straight exposition or explaining but actually a justifiable moment between characters.
On Jack Bauer fitting into a post-9/11 world:
Gordon: He’s an apolitical character. It is more of a complex world than it was before. This is about Jack and where he is 12 years later. [We are] going to do some current things. There are analogs for Snowden affair and the drone issue is a backdrop but the characters make up our show.
On the Chloe and Jack relationship:
Sutherland: One of the nice dynamics create something new for the show. Context of storylines and political issues is all very fresh. Chlose and Jack have had a relationship. They have been allies and at beginning of the show pitted against each other. It will evolve.
On where the show picks up:
Coto: Jack still fugitive. He is still hunted when show begins…Chloe is damaged over years. She has turned against the government.
On the show being produced in London:
Katz: When we decided to do this, we liked the idea of placing it somewhere that would automatically be differing. Putting Jack in a different context. Really want it to be event.
On the web's desire to have Chloe return to the show:
Mary Lynn Rajskub (Chloe): There’s no Chloe without Jack. It was pretty surprising for me. It was a strange two month period. Everyday on Twitter. And me waiting to see if I was going to be included…It’s interesting because I never thought 24 would come back, and I never thought it would come back in this format. I am ready for it to start back up again.
(Photo credit: Frank Micelotta/Fox)
