What’s it like being the new kid at CTU?
Katee Sackhoff: You know what’s funny is I think that had this been the first year where they had new people come out, I think that it would be awkward but because this is a show where every season they have someone new, if not multiple people new, they’re used to it. So Kiefer [Sutherland], Mary Lynn [Rasjkub] and the crew and are pretty much just like, “Hey, you’re the new girl, Hi, how are you? Welcome.” Because it’s been really great that way. Also, I couldn’t have found a more similar situation to BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. Its subject matter, not only subject matter but the crew is like a family. The shooting schedule is very similar to BATTLESTAR so for me, it was a very, very easy transition and it’s been great. 

Is there a sense of relief not walking around with Cylon-sized secrets anymore?
Are you f***ing kidding me? Like I don’t have to walk around with secrets anymore? I’m sorry to swear at you. No, it’s very funny that you say that because I went from a show that’s clouded in this secrecy of who the Cylons are and blah blah blah blah blah and then I come to a show where I’m told right before I come out here, “You can’t tell them anything. You do know that, right?” So it’s very similar. I think that because 24 airs so quickly, in fact that episodes come out so fast, that you kind of have to keep everything very secret because there are so many twists and turns that if I were to sit here and say some random thing, if it was a Starbuck thing, like I die in an episode or something, it could potentially ruin the entire season. So it’s one of those things where you just kind of have to keep your mouth shut, which I got accustomed to on BATTLESTAR.

Have you ever thought about taking on a comedy or something lighter?
I tried that. I did a pilot that was very interesting and funny and it just didn’t get picked up. I think something that I always thought that I would fight against is being typecast because I started out in comedy. That’s kind of where I should be or whatever and I just happened to end up on BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. So for me, I was like no, I’m going to do something different to prove that I can. Then I kind of thought to myself, “Well, that’s kind of stupid. If I have this fan base over here that wants to see me do this, why am I then on purpose going over here just to prove that I can?” When in reality I’m probably more cast-able and likeable on this side of things. So I kind of pulled myself back, came to that realization and I think everyone would be really happy to see me on 24.

Is it a challenge not getting to play a character that starts of kicking a** and taking names right out of the gate?
Yeah! When I came in and sat down with the producers and writers, we had a discussion as far as what they wanted from me and what I wanted to do and hopefully we met in the middle, so we’ll see. Because I wanted to just blow sh*t up and they were like, “I don’t know if we can do that.” 

And finally, now that it’s all over, can you level with us. Seriously, what the frak happened to Starbuck?
I think, when I read the final script or when I saw that they were pulling her away from Apollo, it just was naturally happening on the show, and I think I realized that when he had such a hard time losing Dee, I realized that he and Starbuck probably weren’t going to end up together just because of how grief stricken he was. And I was like well, knowing that Starbuck, from what the writers have told me and what Ron Moore told me is that the Starbuck you know is dead. I said, ‘I want her to have peace.’ I’ve always said that. When people are like, ‘What would be your end for Starbuck?’ I was like I just want her to be at peace. In some way, shape or form to just have some sort of closure for herself. I said, ‘She’s never going to walk into the sunset with Apollo. That’s never going to happen.’ So I slowly, Michael Trucco and I, kind of slowly had our characters come together. You don’t change dialogue. You just linger on things. You change the intention of what a line was and then all of a sudden now you’re more in love with this person. So when she at the end was saying goodbye to him, I think that she was saying goodbye to their bodily forms. I think she knew, especially if he says, ‘I’ll see you on the other side,’ I think she’s with him. I think they’re both dead but I think she’s with him. That was a decision that we made because I selfishly wanted her at peace and the only way to do that was to have her with someone at the end, or to be with the person she wanted to be with. I don’t know. That’s kind of where I think she is. She’s with Michael Trucco playing pyramid in the sky somewhere.

Related:
• On the Set of 24 with Katee Sackhoff (NSFW)

Although its only been eight months since Jack Bauer’s last really bad day, a lot has changed. There’s a new setting (CTU goes underground in New York), new cast mates (Freddie Prinze Jr, Katee Sackhoff, Chris Diamantopoulos and Anil Kapoor to name a few) and of course a new threat (Something to do with a peace conference, terrorists, moles, you know, the usual!)

That said, as the saying goes, the more things change the more they stay the same. And while Jack Bauer busies himself with saving our butts, fans will be able to count on one familiar face returning to CTU. Turns out, Mary Lynn Rajskub’s Chloe O’Brian is going through a crisis of her very own. An economic one. No seriously. In what is one of 24’s most surprisingly plot twists to date, it’s a lack of funds that brings O’Brian back into the CTU fold. And here to talk about her return, what it’s like to work with a whole new slew of agents, and the finer points of picking a wardrobe that one will be stuck with all year, is the actress herself, who was kind enough to take some time in between takes on the new and improved set of CTU to offer up some intel on the new season.

The TV Addict: Tell us everything you can tell us about this season.  
Mary Lynn Rajskub: Well, um… This season there’s a terrorist threat and there’s this peace conference happening that’s disrupted. You’re like, “I didn’t really want to hear about the plot of the show.”

It’s always a challenge interviewing a cast member on 24, because there’s so little you’re really allowed to spill.
I know. And… CTU’s on a spaceship this year. Not really, but it is underground. It’s under Roosevelt Island. My desk is down there. We’re paperless.  

What do you think of the computer screens being underneath the glass desks? 
This was my design and I hope you like it as much as I do. It’s so you can’t get to it. Because I often want to smash my computer, but this way there’s an extra barrier between being able to smash it.  

How much thought goes into your wardrobe at the start of the season, knowing that odds are fairly good you’ll be wearing the exact same thing for the next nine to ten months of shooting? 
Every year, I’m like, “Can I please wear a bikini and get muscles sculpted?” And they say no, it would be distracting. Every year I go, “Can I please get long braid hair extensions as Chloe? Can I please wear a long robe like Maude?” “No!” Every year, “No.” 

Can you talk about some of the new actors this season? 
We got a great new…! What kind of a line is that? [with a country twang] “Guys, we ain’t had a crew like this since… I can’t remember when!” Katee Sackhoff, Mykelti Williamson, Freddie Prinze Jr…. How cool is that? I was pretty nervous when I first saw Katee. I said, “Ah, there’s Starbuck!” And then I forgot, and now she’s Dana Walsh to me. And Mykelti as my boss, Mr. Hastings, had quite the few clashes already. It’s just been really, really fun.  

You’ve been here the second longest of anyone in the cast.  
That’s true!  

What’s it like when new blood comes in? Do you have a hazing ritual? Are you nice to everyone? 
Mary Lynn Rajskub: You know, it’s just, honestly, those first couple of days where I’m nervous and they’re nervous and then we’re all in it together after that.  

Chloe’s had some antagonism with a lot of her coworkers, but obviously as time went on she came to bond with Jack and with Bill. Is this a whole new group for her to clash with, as the season begins?  
Yes. I would say there is more clashing than getting around, especially at the beginning – especially since my character has been away being a mom for a couple of years and so I come back and everything has changed and Katee’s character tries to be really nice and gives me a pat like, “Don’t worry, you’ll catch up!” And I just want to kill her. And then Mykelti does not take into account the ideas that I have about some stuff that is going on, and I’m always kind of annoyed with him… as he is with me.  

Do you have a nice new headset this year? 
[Sighs] I got a little ear thing, yes, but it always falls off.  

It seems like Chloe’s the type, after all of these days, wouldn’t she get used to, “Oh, here we go again”? 
I thought you were going to say, “It seems like she would just have a computer implanted in her so that she never had to use a headset.” It would be, like, under her skin or something. Um… What do you mean?! What are you trying to do? Break the fourth wall? Like I’m gonna stop and look at the camera and be like, “Not this again!” 

It seems like she would sort of toughen up to it… I’m totally botching this. But is there any sense that she’s… 
Well, I think that she has. I think that if you go back and watch some of the earlier episodes, they wrote it very much like I was quoting rules and like, “You’ve got to do this and this!”, and I was lashing out at people. Now I still lash out at people, but I have more of a confidence about, “No, listen to me about this,” and I have a stronger bond with Jack. But it’s still upsetting, the stuff that’s happening. I don’t think you ever get used to that. So you know, we’re always playing with that. All this extreme stuff happening, but yet it’s still part of our everyday jobs. I’m not breaking down into tears every two minutes. But also, Chloe’s a mom, so that puts another interesting reason in there to question and to feel differently about what’s going on.  

How old is her baby now? 
We can’t remember. But Prescott, I do remember his name is Prescott. No, we filmed him! He looked older now. He’s like four. We filmed him last year, remember? In the bed? I was like, “Bye, Mommy might die now!” He was like three. He’s like three or four… Oh god. I feel a little sick. I’m suddenly like, “Is my son five on the show?” They grow up so fast. He’s not one of the primary storylines! The love of a mother is the same, no matter the age of a child!  

Are you used to the techno-babble at this point or do you still stumble when they have you say some extremely complicated thing? 
It’s weird, because there’s a certain rhythm that you get into. Like if I do have guest spots and other jobs and they say, “Here’s your second outfit,” I’ll be like, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I wear the same outfit.” I’m totally used to that. There is a rhythm, but at the same time I never get used to saying that stuff, because you can’t really attach it to anything logical, especially when you’re as dumb as I am about computer stuff. I can’t even stand updating my facebook. I just play with Play Doh at home. Finger-paint.  

Given your background and your comedy talent, is it funny to you that you are on this show that is very stoic and serious and action oriented?  
Yeah. This has been my life now. It’s kind of funny to look back, now that this is the norm for me. But looking back before the show, I never went on dramatic auditions. It was all comedy. In fact, a FOX executive – she no longer works here – but kind of gave me a backhanded compliment, because they would see me for all the rounds of comedy pilots and all the guest starring comedy things. She goes, “We didn’t know you could do drama!” I really thought I would get fired those first few episodes. Not that the approach is any different for me, but I think that the perception in the business… I was just used to going out on comedy. That’s where I went, you know? 

What do you think it is about the character that struck a chord with the audience and the producers? She’s survived massive death around her, on a show that’s not known to keep characters for too long.  
Well, number one, I think it was Joel Surnow, for bringing me in and trusting to create this character for me and with me and that I did get passed that four to six episode hump, where I was just doing weird things and people were just like, “She’s weird and annoying.” And then it was the writers writing me being loyal to Jack that I think sort of gave it that extra depth to the character. “Oh, that’s interesting!” Because she’s not just an annoying, bitchy, weird genius, but now we have more stake in here, because she’s helping our hero. And then that got really interesting for me too. And people would say to me that they know somebody like this character, that they work with.

You can catch a brand new episode of 24 starting at 8PM tonight on FOX (GlobalTV in Canada)

When Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) hears a knock at the door in the eighth season premiere of 24, both the viewer and our weary, retired super agent are in a shared consciousness: Here we go again. An old informant of Jack’s shows up at his doorstep bloodied and short of breath, desperate for help. Jack, who’s taken up full-time grandpa duties and has finally decided to settle down with his family, reluctantly agrees. There’s a hit out on the president of the fictional Kamistan, Omar Hassan (Slumdog Millionaire’s Anil Kapoor, in his first TV role), who’s stateside to hash out nuclear arms business with President Taylor (Cherry Jones).

Needless to say, Jack takes to the streets of New York, firearm in hand, kicking ass and busting knees with Sutherland’s usual grizzly machismo. He ends up at a newly reinstated CTU, packed with techno wizardry, a sleek, futuristic (almost science fiction-y) design, and a stable of new faces and one old, sour one. Even after setting off a nuclear bomb, sicking a cougar on Elisha Cuthbert, and assassinating a president, Mary Lynn Rajskub’s sardonic computer whiz Chloe O’Brian and her perpetual scowl has turned a character that could have so easily been overdone and made her a lovably prickly, impeccably smart source of much needed wit.

The opening four hours move along in 24’s usually well-paced, recognizable rhythm – it’s evident that this assassination conflict will quickly resolve itself before opening up into another story altogether.  Methinks a plot involving botched tech will surface before season’s end, given the focus on current CTU director Brian Hastings’ (Mykelti Williamson) technological tunnel vision, as contrived and strained a tension it is. It’s funny that a show that seemingly helped pioneer the use of preposterous gadgetry on TV would turn around and wag a finger.

Also among the new cast members is BATTLESTAR GALACTICA’s Katee Sackhoff, whose Dana Walsh is thus far sidelined behind a keyboard at CTU where she must be fulfilling some contractual obligation to continually sweep her long, platinum hair across her shoulders. Her story is of the Big Fat Secret kind, and beyond standing alone in weirdly lit hallways (really, I don’t know how anyone gets anything done at CTU with its Italian restaurant ambiance) looking petrified, is sparsely developed. It could turn around (there are 20 more hours to go), but to have wasted even a second of the actress’ talent is almost offensive. Her love interest and co-worker, played by a surprisingly believable Freddie Prinze Jr., is more interesting as a young Bauer protégé who hasn’t yet figured out that busting chops cuts through office politics much easier than paperwork.
24 remains predictable but precise and streamlined for pure explosive, action-adventure enjoyment. It’s mastered sequestering any pretense of novelty and set its twists to timers, clicking and clocking with its timestamp, almost ritualistically beckoning us to return for seconds. At this point, it’s like comfort food.

HUMAN TARGET meanwhile, is the kind of generic junk food that fails to provide the satisfaction of actually tasting good at the cost of being terrible for you. Based on the eponymous comic book series, it centers on all-around badass/detective/bodyguard Christopher Chance (the piercingly intense, nearly stoic Mark Valley, whom I would love to see against MAD MEN’s Jon Hamm in a literal face-off), who embodies a character close to his client in order to flush out enemies. A lost looking Chi McBride (PUSHING DAISIES) plays Chance’s number two and an almost disturbing looking Jackie Earle Haley is Guerrero, Chance’s hired tech master and arbiter of fear. (Haley has always had a meek appearance, but his ability to instill a fear of death in a single glare is uncanny.)

It seems that this adaptation is loosely based on the comic, in which Chance would don elaborate disguises and physically alter himself to blend in – not something inherently telegenic, so this creative liberty comes as no surprise. But I can’t shake the idea of what kind of show HUMAN TARGET could have been had it followed the source material: in the comic, Chance has difficulty differentiating the personalities of his covers and his own, creating the ultimate identity crisis. But DOLLHOUSE does something very similar, and if you’ve paid any attention to that show, you’d know that it doesn’t always work.

But I’m not a huge stickler for faithful adaptations – good is good. Bad is also bad. This is the kind of ludicrous blockbuster that’s gets graded on a curve, where bombast trumps all sense of realism because it’s so stupidly fun. This can be tricky: How over the top can everything be before it seems too over the top? Allow me to relay a snapshot of Monday’s episode: Chance, aboard a airline in search for a computer hacker who has created a “skeleton key to the internet” is at one point flying the plane on fire, in a rainstorm, upside-down.

Is this supposed to be fun? Yes, the fighting is well-choreographed and the gunplay is dutifully sprinkled throughout, but in the span of the two episodes I previewed, everything felt like a drag. The bulk of the pilot takes place aboard a state-of-the-art high-speed bullet train, where Chance is tasked with protecting its engineer (BATTLESTAR’s Tricia Helfer, so much better than a damsel in distress) from an assassin. Like the train, HUMAN TARGET has a linear structure: it’s exactly what a superfluous, action-packed beat ‘em up that we love to watch for pure enjoyment’s sake looks like – so textbook that it fails to command any attention. As much as I would have loved to have a big, dumb fun time with HUMAN TARGET, it just wouldn’t let me.

24: B; HUMAN TARGET: C-

With the clock ticking closer and closer to the January 17 launch of 24 Season Eight, this TV Addict thought now might be as good a time as any to meet the faces you’ll be spending the next 24 hours with. First up, Brian Hastings, CTU’s new (albeit not-so-much-improved as you’ll soon see) head of CTU played by Mykelti Williamson.

Where you know him from: Well, quite frankly, that depends. Explained Williamson on this TV Addict’s recent visit to the set of 24, “I can tell a little bit about a person by the type of movie they’ve seen me in. Forrest Gump fans are usually more sensitive, kind and like historical stuff. While Waiting to Exhale fans are usually woman. Free Willy means you’re probably a parent and Con Air, well, odds are you’ve been to jail!”

On what separates Brian Hastings from previous heads of CTU: “He’s an a**hole!” jokes the actor of his latest small screen alter-ego. “Well, at least for a while, but then he’ll surprise the audience by doing something redeeming so he can be an a**hole again later on.”

On whether or not he’s at all concerned about the somewhat short life expectancy of recent heads of CTU: “You know, it is what it is. Should Hastings be eliminated at some point before the season is over, then I know they [the writers] have done what’s best. These people in the midst of this process know exactly what they’re doing and to second guess them is foolish. I’m just happy to roll with the punches as long as it works for the show.”

On his new CTU co-workers played by Katee Sackhoff and Freddie Prinze Jr: “I admire them both and I love working with them. Katee is really full of surprises. When you read the script at home, come in and listen to her it’s completely different than what you thought  you heard reading it off the page. While Freddie is a lot more creative then I assumed he would be. I thought he was good but he is really, really good.”

On his choice of wardrobe for the next 24 hours: “I like what I’m wearing. Hastings wears a really nice Hugo Boss suit, and lavender shirt that shows the softer side of everyman. I like that, I’m cool with it.”

Photo Credits: Kelsey McNeal/FOX

With the clock ticking down to the special 2-night, 4-hour 24 premiere on January 17, this TV Addict wanted to share some just-obtained intel in the form of first look photos. More of which can be seen after the jump.

Although FOX is keeping a tight lid on what fans can expect from the upcoming eight season of 24 set to bow on January 17, this TV Addict has seen enough action-packed hours to know the following: 1) Not everyone in these just-obtained promotional photos will survive Jack Bauer’s next really bad day, (2) One or more of them is probably a mole, and (3) the apparent prerequisite for working at the new and improved CTU is supermodel-levels of hotness. But hey, don’t take our word for it, judge for yourself by checking out these first look photos after the jump.

Freddie Prinze Jr. as Cole Ortiz.

Mary Lynn Rajskub as Chloe O’Brian

Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer

Mykelti Williamson as Brian Hastings

John Boyd as Arlo Glass

Katee Sackhoff as Dana Walsh

Cherry Jones as President Allison Taylor

Annie Wersching as Renee Walker

Anil Kapoor as Omar Hassan

Chris Diamantopoulos as Rob Weiss

In September, you very own TV Addict was given the opportunity to visit the set of 24. And while I’m not at liberty just yet to share my photos of the unbelievably cool looking new and improved CTU (Think: Apple Store with orange highlights) or interviews with the cast (including new addition Mykelti Williamson and everybody’s favorite analyst Mary Lynn Rajskub), I did want to share — to coincide with last week’s release of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: THE PLAN on DVD — an unexpected and hilarious somewhat not-safe-for-work tale of Edward James Olmos’ directing the movie, courtesy of Katee Sackhoff. Enjoy.

2.8 million Americans reinforce the fact they’re indeed smarter than a fifth grader by tuning into MAD MEN’s record breaking third season premiere. [EW]

After umpteen seasons on 7th HEAVEN, David Gallagher is finally being let out of Hollywood purgatory, signing on (alongside WAREHOUSE 13’s Allison Scagliotti) to SMALLVILLE as the Wonder Twins. [io9]

Melissa Joan Hart and Debi Mazar’s career trajectories officially hit rock bottom with yesterday’s announcement that they’ll be just a few of the D-Listers to go DANCING WITH THE STARS. [TV.com]

Just when you thought the new season of 24 couldn’t get any frakkin’ cooler (see the addition of Katee Sackhoff) comes the news that ALIAS baddie David Anders will be joining the cast as an ‘Eastern Promises’-style godfather. [Zap2it]

Felicia Day asks, “Do You Wanna Date My Avatar?” Answer: Umm.. Yes Please! [Video]

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING:
GOSSIP GIRL (8PM CW)
After a brief detour into a GG-glamorized vision of the ’80s, Serena and Co. are graduating from high school — but not before they try to finally smoke out the titular blogger who has plagued them for two whole seasons. Like many past seasons of Josh Schwartz’s other drama chronicling the rich and beautiful, everything is wrapped-up nice and pretty in the finale, complete with tantalizing setup for next season to top it off. Grade: B+ — Aleks Chan

24 (8PM FOX, Global in Canada)
If you’re the type of person who reads the last chapter of the book first just to make sure your favorite character makes it out alive, then you’ll probably enjoy this just posted item on Watch with Kristin. If you’re not that type of person, well, we hope that you have enough self control to not click here. And, we’re sorry!

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (8:30PM CBS, E! in Canada)
Wondering who Ted will meet at his surprise 31st birthday party? Hint, it’s not the mother.

NEW & NOTABLE:
MEDIUM (10PM NBC)
Allison is seeing stars! With Rumer Willis, Anjelica Huston and Balthazar Getty all guest starring on tonight’s MEDIUM season finale.