I would ordinarily observe the Tivo 48-Hour Grace Period, but since K-Lo is talking about 24 , I guess I can, too. (Stop reading if you don’t want details.) I thought it was a good end to a great season. The intrigue within the White House was always interesting, and I was glad to see Chief of Staff Mike Novick and Secret Service Agent Aaron Pierce front and center when the day was finally saved. Their characters are perhaps the most honorable on the show, men of commitment to country and duty. It was a bit odd for the writers to keep Jack offscreen at the ultimate climax of the plot, however, as Jack uses brain power instead of his fists, gun, or willingness to torture to get the Prez to confess. And while it sure looks like next season will start with Jack in a Chinese prison, don’t be so sure. I heard the producers are considering taking the show out of L.A. next year, but I doubt they will go that far. More than likely, we will find Jack somewhere more or less safe and sound, but with a hell of story to tell about how he got out, and what lady love he left behind. We do know that Kim Raver’s Audrey Raines won’t be back, as she is on the new ABC show The Nine.
And finally, while K-Lo thinks it nice work if you can get it to not come back until January, the fact is that airing 24 hours of TV without repeats or pre-emptions means a gargantuan workload for everyone involved. Writers are probably back to work within a few weeks if not already, and shooting has to begin no later (I would estimate) than September.