Quote:Clock Will Keep
Running for '24'


By STEPHEN BATTAGLIO
Daily News Staff Writer

ox's drama "24" and its star Kiefer Sutherland will live to see another day.


Kiefer Sutherland in '24'
The critically acclaimed first-year series, a middling performer in the Nielsen ratings, was picked up for a second season and will keep its unique format, in which a single day is played out hour by hour over 24 episodes.

The show, in which Sutherland plays a government agent who has to prevent the assassination of a presidential candidate and rescue his kidnapped wife and daughter, ranked 74th among all prime-time shows, averaging 8.6 million viewers a week, according to Nielsen Media Research. The show ranks higher — No. 39 — among viewers between the ages of 18 and 49, an audience craved by advertisers. But it has a loyal following hooked on its unusual storytelling.

As Fox executives were deciding whether to bring the series back, they considered abandoning the serialized format in favor of self-contained episodes that will tell a single story every hour. The current "24" format makes it difficult to repeat the series, since the story's conclusion will be known after the season finale airs Tuesday.

But Fox Entertainment President Gail Berman said "24" producers Bob Cochran and Joel Surnow won her over when they presented a plan for the next season that maintains the format.

"It blew us away," she said during a telephone press conference yesterday.

Fox Television Entertainment Group Chairman Sandy Grushow said he isn't worried about the economic impact of getting a single run out of "24." He said demand among advertisers who want to reach the upscale audience that watches "24" has been so strong, "It will be profitable in one run."

Grushow added that "24" has become a hit overseas on television and DVD. A DVD version will also soon be available in the U.S., which will help offset the show's expensive production budget.

Fox executives did not want to tip their hand on which cast members are returning, so as not to spoil Tuesday's finale. But they did say Sutherland's character, Jack Bauer, will be back.

Quote:So, who's dies tonight? I'm still going with the senator....

Quote:i have been saying his wife will die for like 4 weeks.

Quote:Did I miss much?