The TV Addict 

On our recent visit to the set of 24, actress Cherry Jones (President Allison Taylor) let it slip that the big joke among the cast when shooting a scene is that, “whoever gets the last look is the mole (read: bad guy).”

Which is why this TV Addict couldn’t help but wonder, as the camera lingered on certain cast members just enough for the audience to register the obligatory “shifty eyes,” who will be the seventh season’s ultimate baddie when 24 returns in January?

Here’s our take on the suspects (left to right). As per usual, feel free to add yours in the comments below.

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24 Executive Producers Manny Coto and Evan Katz (right)

First the good news. On a recent visit to the set of 24, your very own TV Addict (alongside a small group of fellow journalists) got to spend a good thirty minutes grilling the incredibly affable 24 executive producer writer hyphenates Manny Coto and Evan Katz on everything from which fan favorites might soon be following in Tony “Back from the Dead” Almeida’s really lucky footsteps to the twosomes take on what went wrong with season six. The bad news, I’m holding off on to all of those goodies (plus more!) until just before 24 returns in January. So for now, enjoy these five REDEMPTION related questions and don’t forget to tune into 24: REDEMPTION tonight on FOX at 8PM (Global TV in Canada)

How did the 24 Prequel come about?
Evan Katz: It’s an interesting story because the prequel came about directly because of the WGA Strike. Originally we were going to start season seven with Jack in Africa for three episodes and then do something the show had never done before; a time jump so that Jack could continue the adventure in America. We [the writers] all decided we didn’t want to break the show’s trademark 24 hour format so the idea was ultimately thrown out. But then when the strike hit, the studio was looking for a two hour movie to bridge the seasons and we had all this wonderful material to work with already at our disposal.

Prior to this season’s move to Washington D.C. there was a lot of talk about shaking things up by moving the show to New York. What made Washington D.C. possible?
Evan Katz: We’ve also talked about doing it in London.
Manny Coto: This year we talked about doing it in London actually.
Evan Katz: I think with the way we shoot 24, with many of the scripts being written as we go along, the production complications of doing the show in New York or London were simply too much. And in terms of D.C. we felt that there were enough exteriors where we could make Los Angeles look like D.C. that it would work.
Manny Coto: Next year it’s possible we’re going to do New York.
Evan Katz: Or London.
Manny Coto: Or Chadsworth.

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By Melissa Girimonte

24 has quite a bit to atone for. It’s been 18 months since the end of its lackluster sixth season. Filming Season seven hit roadblock after roadblock, from scrapped storylines, to California wildfires, to the infamous WGA strike. Will fans welcome back the action series, and their hero, Jack Bauer? If the upcoming two-hour TV movie is any indication of what’s in store. Absolutely.

24: REDEMPTION sets the ball in motion for its long awaited seventh season premiere by filling in the gaps following Jack’s triumphant walk off into the sunset at the end of season six. A female president is about to be sworn in, war is about to break out in the fictional African country of Sangala and Jack Bauer is desperately trying to escape his past.

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The TV Addict on the set of 24 with Cherry Jones, August 2008

What exactly does one do for an encore after creating the Tony award winning role of Sister Aloysius in Broadway’s critically acclaimed stage production of DOUBT? 

If you’re actress Cherry Jones, you decide to trade in the job security that comes with 708 performances in a critically acclaimed play and parlay it into a higher profile, yet far less secure faux political gig. Hillary Clinton may have failed to become the first female president in United States history, but the same can’t be said of Jones, who steps into the oval office as president-elect Allison Taylor on 24 this Sunday on FOX (Global TV in Canada).

In the grand tradition of 24, voters… er, viewers will have about five minutes to reflect on the fact that 24 gave us an African-American president (Dennis Haysbert’s David Palmer) several years before Barack Obama took office and what legacy Jones’ Taylor will have on the pop culture/political landscape before all hell breaks loose.

And while chaos may be the last thing an actual president wants, Jones is relishing every minute of the bedlam rocking her administration.

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In anticipation of 24’s return this Sunday on FOX, theTVaddict.com is re-posting our report from the set that we ran way back in August. Tune in later in the week for our exclusive interviews with showrunners Manny Coto and Howard Gordon and new President Cherry Jones

The following takes place between 10AM and 1PM.

10:00AM — If six seasons of watching the FOX hit 24 has taught this TV Addict anything, it’s that when Jack Bauer is involved, anything can happen. Not about to be caught off guard in preparing for a visit to the set, I make sure to have not only my passport [useful in getting back into the country after being kidnapped by foreign nationals], but also SPF40 sunblock, a Swiss army knife, two days worth of rations and my iPhone. The last time someone prepared this well for a three-hour tour it was Ginger packing all her gowns before setting sail on the S.S. Minnow.

10:30AM — Although I’m half-expecting Bauer’s black SUV to pull up, instead a white bus arrives to take me — along with several other scoop-seeking reporters — to the set. I suspect at least one of the supposed “journalists” is actually an undercover operative from a rival network hoping to somehow waylay production and push the seventh season premiere to an even later date. Who would do such a thing? Let’s just say there’s a lot of pressure to make sure HARPER’S ISLAND, also slated for a January 2009 debut, is a success for CBS.

11:24AM — Something you never see on 24: An entire hour-long episode devoted to Jack getting from one location to another. Two words: Bored now!

11:35AM — Having finally arrived at our destination, it’s time for another thing you never see on 24: a much-needed bathroom break.

11:45AM — If the staff of CTU were vetted with the care taken to grant me clearance to the set, Nina Meyers would never have infiltrated the place.

11:50AM — What happens when you keep a bunch of entertainment-lovin’ bloggers sequestered together for too long? It’s Nerds Gone Wild as we start quizzing one another on which famous folks have — and have not — done guest gigs on 24. Quick, without zipping over to IMDB, which of the following never clocked in on the show: Zachary Quinto [HEROES], Leighton Meester [GOSSIP GIRL], Richard Burgi [DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES], Tony Plana [UGLY BETTY], Connie Britton [FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS], Nestor Carbonell [LOST] or Daniel Dae Kim [LOST]. For geeky bonus points, give the first name of the character each of the others played on 24.?

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Filmed on location in Cape Town, South Africa and Los Angeles, 24: REDEMPTION stars Emmy Award winner Kiefer Sutherland along with new series cast members Cherry Jones, Robert Carlyle, Gil Bellows and Academy Award winner Jon Voight.

The two-hour event finds Jack Bauer and his mentor CARL BENTON (Robert Carlyle) battling an international crisis, while here at home the nation prepares for a new president on inauguration day. Taking place just a few months before the new day dawns, U.S. State Department officer FRANK TRAMELL (Gil Bellows) and JONAS HODGES (Jon Voight) are pulling the strings that will set the stage and raise the stakes for Season Seven, which will debut in January 2009.

Good News: 90210 netted the CW a record 4.9 million viewers, making it the highest rated debut for a scripted series that the CW has ever had. Bad News: To quote Zap2it.com’s Daniel Fienberg, “Just as an FYI: In its final season, staring cancellation in the face, “BEVERLY HILLS 90210″ averaged nearly 8.4 million viewers per week.” [Source]

Good News: Ted Danson’s career resurgence continues having just signed on to play Jason Schwartzman’s mentor in the HBO comedy pilot BORED TO DEATH Bad News: Possibly cutting short his critically acclaimed [read: awesome] turn as the duplicitous Arthur Frobisher on FX’s addictive legal thriller DAMAGES. [Source]

Good News: The oddly addictive soundtrack to Joss Whedon’s somewhat overhyped DR. HORRIBLE SING-A-LONG BLOG is now available on iTunes. Bad News: Someone’s going to have to explain to this TV Addict why the soundtrack costs $9.99 while the three act Dr. HORRIBLE series that costs over one hundred thousand dollars to produce only costs $4.99. [iTunes Link]

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The following takes place between 10AM and 1PM.

10:00AM — If six seasons of watching the FOX hit 24 has taught this TV Addict anything, it’s that when Jack Bauer is involved, anything can happen. Not about to be caught off guard in preparing for a visit to the set, I make sure to have not only my passport [useful in getting back into the country after being kidnapped by foreign nationals], but also SPF40 sunblock, a Swiss army knife, two days worth of rations and my iPhone. The last time someone prepared this well for a three-hour tour it was Ginger packing all her gowns before setting sail on the S.S. Minnow.

10:30AM — Although I’m half-expecting Bauer’s black SUV to pull up, instead a white bus arrives to take me — along with several other scoop-seeking reporters — to the set. I suspect at least one of the supposed “journalists” is actually an undercover operative from a rival network hoping to somehow waylay production and push the seventh season premiere to an even later date. Who would do such a thing? Let’s just say there’s a lot of pressure to make sure HARPER’S ISLAND, also slated for a January 2009 debut, is a success for CBS.

11:24AM — Something you never see on 24: An entire hour-long episode devoted to Jack getting from one location to another. Two words: Bored now!

11:35AM — Having finally arrived at our destination, it’s time for another thing you never see on 24: a much-needed bathroom break.

11:45AM — If the staff of CTU were vetted with the care taken to grant me clearance to the set, Nina Meyers would never have infiltrated the place.

11:50AM — What happens when you keep a bunch of entertainment-lovin’ bloggers sequestered together for too long? It’s Nerds Gone Wild as we start quizzing one another on which famous folks have — and have not — done guest gigs on 24. Quick, without zipping over to IMDB, which of the following never clocked in on the show: Zachary Quinto [HEROES], Leighton Meester [GOSSIP GIRL], Richard Burgi [DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES], Tony Plana [UGLY BETTY], Connie Britton [FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS], Nestor Carbonell [LOST] or Daniel Dae Kim [LOST]. For geeky bonus points, give the first name of the character each of the others played on 24.?

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WINNER: The TV Addict! Not only was this TV Addict the only reporter in the TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES press room with the cajones to ask Brian Austin Green about 90210, theTVaddict.com got a very nice shout out from star Thomas Dekker [audio coming soon!]

LOSER: The TV Addict! Who apparently isn’t quite the Hollywood Power Player he wishes he were. How else to explain not being able to bypass around one thousand or so attendees to make it into the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA panel? But on the plus side, Ronald D. Moore [see picture above] and HEROES star Zachary Quinto did walk by whilst I waited in line. Oh the glamour of Comic Con!

WINNER: Showtime’s critically acclaimed series DEXTER played to a packed crowd of almost five thousand strong.

LOSER: Anyone who doesn’t own an iPhone or an iPod Touch. Since it was revealed, much to the disappointment of fans in the audience, that the upcoming DEXTER video game will only be available on the popular Apple devices.

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By: Kevin Kelly, Special TCA Correspondent

Recipe for disaster: take one room full of ravenous journalists, cram them into an area that is entirely too small, populate entire area with waist-high tables, serve scones and hot coffee, then unleash the stars of the next season of 24 on the crowd. Stir well, and serve at room temperature.

Fox decided not to have a panel for 24 at the TCAs, and instead present us with the opportunity to take a coffee break and hobnob with Kiefer Sutherland, Jon Voight, Robert Carlyle, and Gil Bellows. It quickly turned into the feeding frenzy of dozens of microphones shoved into the faces of Jon Voight asking about Angelina Jolie’s new twins, and mobbing Kiefer Sutherland wanting intricate details on the plot of the next season of everyone’s favorite real-time show.

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