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This article's subject relates to Season 8 of 24.This is a production article written from an out-of-universe perspective
Season 8 Cast

The principal cast: John Boyd, Katee Sackhoff, Mykelti Williamson, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Freddie Prinze Jr., Annie Wersching, Kiefer Sutherland, Anil Kapoor, Cherry Jones, and Chris Diamantopoulos

"All he wants is his family. All he needs is to survive one more day."
— Season 8 promotion

Season 8 of 24 premiered in the United States on January 17, 2010 at 8pm on Fox. The premiere was a 2-night, 4-hour event (January 17 and 18 from 9-11pm/8-10pm on FOX/Global).

On March 26, 2010, it was announced that Season 8 would be the show's final season. However, this later was rendered null with the release of the 24: Live Another Day mini-series that followed.

Season overview[]

CTU has been reinstated by President Allison Taylor in a New York City-based pilot program under the direction of Brian Hastings. Cole Ortiz, an ex-Marine who wants to follow in Jack Bauer's footsteps, runs the division’s Field Operations. Expert data analyst Dana Walsh collaborates with systems analyst Arlo Glass inside CTU. Rob Weiss serves as President Allison Taylor's new chief of staff, and Meredith Reed is an ambitious journalist with ties to the unfolding situation.

As President Omar Hassan of Kamistan comes to the United States on a peacemaking mission, he is targeted by a group of Russian terrorists, led by people from within Hassan's own country. CTU has to stop the impending threat, with the help of a reluctant Jack Bauer.

Series conclusion[]

On the afternoon of March 26, 2010, a statement was issued from Fox explaining that Season 8 would conclude 24's run on television. Kiefer Sutherland gave a statement:

This has been the role of a lifetime, and I will never be able to fully express my appreciation to everyone who made it possible. While the end of the series is bittersweet, we always wanted 24 to finish on a high note, so the decision to make the eighth season our last was one we all agreed upon. This feels like the culmination of all our efforts from the writers to the actors to our fantastic crew and everyone at Fox. Looking ahead to the future, Howard Gordon and I are excited about the opportunity to create the feature film version of 24. But when all is said and done, it is the loyal worldwide fan base that made it possible for me to have the experience of playing the role of Jack Bauer, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Executive producer and showrunner Howard Gordon was also a part of the decision. He was quoted saying:

"Kiefer and I have loved every minute of making 24, but we all believe that now is the right time to call it a day. I echo his sentiments of gratitude toward the show’s amazing creative team, as well as the studio and network who have always believed in us and shown us unbelievable support."

"24 is so much more than just a TV show – it has redefined the drama genre and created one of the most admired action icons in television history," said Peter Rice, Chairman, Entertainment, Fox Networks Group. Kevin Reilly, President, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company added, "We are extremely proud of this groundbreaking series and will be forever thankful to Kiefer, the producers, the cast and crew for everything they’ve put into 24 over the years. It’s truly been an amazing and unforgettable eight days."

Plans to continue the show in feature film form were explored, with Billy Ray being contracted to write a screenplay. Plans for shooting were scheduled to commence in late 2010 or early 2011, but Ray's script was turned down by FOX and the film effort is at a standstill.

Timeline[]

Day 8 begins 18 months after Day 7 at 4:00pm ET, the latest in the day of any season. This is the second season to use Eastern Time as opposed to Pacific Time. According to the date on Pavel Tokarev's phone, the day takes place on February 27-28, contrary to Operation Hero stating it takes place in late May. Day 8 takes place about 14 years and 6 months after Day 1.

Format[]

As with Season 5, Season 8 can be divided into three acts:

  1. Jack is unwillingly dragged back into the world of CTU when an assassination plot is underway targeting Kamistani President Omar Hassan during a peace conference at the United Nations with U.S. President Allison Taylor. The main antagonists of this act are Davros and Farhad Hassan. (4:00pm7:00pm)
  2. It is then discovered that Kamistani extremists are planning to acquire stolen nuclear fuel rods; after CTU fails to intercept them and the group is unable to return to Kamistan with them, the splinter group threatens to use them against the United States if their demands are not met. The main antagonists of this act are Samir Mehran, Vladimir Laitanan, Sergei Bazhaev, Tarin Faroush and Dana Walsh. (7:00pm8:00am)
  3. After a hard-hitting personal loss, Jack, fueled by revenge, goes rogue to hunt down the members of the Russian government responsible for the day's events. The main antagonists among the Russian officials are Yuri Suvarov, Mikhail Novakovich, Pavel Tokarev and Dana Walsh. During this time, Jack frantically evades the enforcement apparatus of the federal government, which is trying to force Jack to stand down in order to cover-up the truth behind the Russian complicity, in a desperate attempt to save the peace treaty. The main antagonists among the cover-up conspirators of this act are Charles Logan, Jason Pillar and Allison Taylor. (8:00am4:00pm)

Major subplots[]

  • Jack Bauer's attempts to leave New York and be with his family.
  • Dana Walsh's mysterious past as "Jenny Scott", and the hoops she has to jump through to satisfy Kevin Wade, a man from her past that she would rather forget.
  • President Omar Hassan's paranoid behaviour because of his brother's betrayal, resulting in distrust amongst even his closest allies.
  • Renee Walker being reactivated, despite being fired from the FBI.
  • An EMP is detonated at CTU, leaving them unable to assist with the mission to find the nuclear rods.
  • The presence of a mole at CTU who is aiding the terrorists.
  • High-ranking members of President Taylor's administration work behind her back in order to resolve the nuclear fuel rod crisis at the risk of destroying the peace process between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Kamistan.
  • The reappearance of Charles Logan and his impact on other characters.
  • Chloe O'Brian replacing Brian Hastings as the head of CTU and the impact it has on others.
  • Renee Walker is murdered, prompting Jack to go rogue and defy Chloe and President Taylor to avenge her death.
  • President Allison Taylor's questionable actions to keep the peace treaty alive.
  • Russian President Yuri Suvarov is revealed to be the mastermind behind the day's events.

Impacts on future seasons[]

  • Jack Bauer, after committing a rampage that could've initiated another World War if successful, disappears at the end of the day and becomes a highly-sought after fugitive for the four years leading up to Day 9.
  • The death of Renee Walker, and the botched suicide attempt of Charles Logan.
  • Allison Taylor plans her resignation for her complicity in covering up the Russian involvement in the deaths of Omar Hassan.
  • The arrest of Chloe O'Brian.

Cast[]

Main article: Season 8 cast
Jack Bauer S8 Alt

An alternate promotional image of Jack Bauer from Season 8

See also: Recurring characters, Character appearances for Season 8

Starring[]

Special Guest Stars[]

Guest starring[]

Crew[]

Main article: 24 production staff § Season 8

Producers

Writers

Directors

Airings[]

The following episodes were broadcast as back-to-back as two-hour episodes:

Episodes[]

Picture Title Number Production Code Original Airdate
8x01a "4:00pm-5:00pm" 169 8AFF01 January 17, 2010
At the United Nations in New York City, US President Allison Taylor and Kamistan President Omar Hassan are putting the finishing touches on an historic peace treaty. With a new lease on life, Jack Bauer plans on moving back to Los Angeles with his daughter Kim and granddaughter Teri, but his plans are put on hold when an old informant comes to him with information on an assassination plot against Hassan.
8x02a "5:00pm-6:00pm" 170 8AFF02 January 17, 2010
CTU New York arrests a journalist for breaking into the UN database, but Chloe O'Brian suspects a frame job and asks for Jack's help to find the real culprit. Meanwhile, a secret from Dana's past comes back to haunt her.
8x03a "6:00pm-7:00pm" 171 8AFF03 January 18, 2010
Hot on the assassin's trail, Jack finds himself set up as a cop killer and endures torture by a corrupt NYPD officer. President Omar Hassan argues with his brother about telling CTU about his affair with Meredith Reed, even though it will help prove her innocence. Presidents Taylor, Hassan, and the rest of the United Nations building are evacuated due to a bomb threat.
8x04a "7:00pm-8:00pm" 172 8AFF04 January 18, 2010
President Hassan takes temporary residence in the CTU New York building after the failed assassination attempt. Uranium-235 particles are discovered on the dead body of Davros, indicating that his organization has possession of weapons-grade nuclear material. A damaged Renee Walker returns and is given an undercover assignment in the Russian mob, but not everyone thinks she's ready.
8x05a "8:00pm-9:00pm" 173 8AFF05 January 25, 2010
Renee, with Jack following close behind, takes Ziya Dakhilov to meet Vladimir Laitanan in order to reestablish her cover. President Omar Hassan must decide what actions he will take against traitors in his country. Concerned for his brother's safety, Sergei Bazhaev's son, Josef takes him to a medical clinic to seek radiation treatment.
8x06a "9:00pm-10:00pm" 174 8AFF06 February 1, 2010
Kevin Wade coerces Dana into getting him into an NYPD evidence lock-up worth more than a hundred thousand dollars. President Omar Hassan's harsh measures against dissenters continue to raise eyebrows at the United Nations. After a brush with death, "Renee Zadan" gets the sting operation back on track, but not without a horrifying concession to Vladimir Laitanan.
8x07StabJack "10:00pm-11:00pm" 175 8AFF07 February 8, 2010
As Allison Taylor struggles to hold the peace process together, her administration's paranoia about Omar Hassan continues to grow alongside the number of people he orders arrested. Meanwhile, Jack's undercover meeting with criminal Vladimir Laitanan concerning the stolen nuclear fuel rods quickly unravels due to Renee's fraying mental state.
8x08a "11:00pm-12:00am" 176 8AFF08 February 15, 2010
When it becomes clear that Kevin has no intention of upholding his end of the bargain, Dana Walsh prepares to take drastic action. Kayla Hassan attempts to intervene against her father on Tarin's behalf. Jack Bauer brings Sergei Bazhaev into custody, but an unforeseen betrayal derails the operation, placing the nuclear rods back in enemy hands.
8x09a "12:00am-1:00am" 177 8AFF09 February 22, 2010
Farhad Hassan seeks the aid of CTU when his associates commandeer the nuclear rods for their own deadly purposes. Jack Bauer makes a deal with Brian Hastings to protect Renee from taking the fall for a failed mission. Cole Ortiz discovers his fiancee's secret and quickly puts an end to Kevin's plot.
8x10a "1:00am-2:00am" 178 8AFF10 March 1, 2010
Jack prepares to go to Farhad Hassan's last known location to rescue him. President Taylor warns President Omar Hassan that war may be declared on his country. Hassan is dealing with his own issues when he realizes that his daughter has run away with his former head of security. Cole and Dana have to figure out how to solve the aftermath of the confrontation with Kevin and Nick.
8x11a "2:00am-3:00am" 179 8AFF11 March 8, 2010
Racing against the clock, Jack Bauer tries to persuade Marcos Al-Zacar to turn himself in before he can arm an explosive vest. Dana Walsh and Cole Ortiz arrive back at CTU New York, only to be reprimanded, and in Dana's case demoted, by Brian Hastings. In the midst of planning to start a new life with Tarin, Kayla Hassan receives some disturbing news from her mother.
Day8 3am-4am "3:00am-4:00am" 180 8AFF12 March 15, 2010
Tarin Faroush manages to kidnap President Hassan's daughter Kayla while Jack Bauer and CTU try to stop him from using her to accomplish the terrorists' devastating goals. Dana Walsh is backed into a corner as Bill Prady attempts to find out what happened to Kevin Wade.
8x13 Dana Walks "4:00am-5:00am" 181 8AFF13 March 22, 2010
CTU New York struggles after its systems are destroyed in the aftermath of the EMP explosion, forcing Chloe O'Brian to take drastic actions to get it back up and running. Jack Bauer, along with three CTU agents, are pinned down by sniper fire and are unable to radio for backup. Kayla Hassan is finally reunited with her parents.
8x14 main "5:00am-6:00am" 182 8AFF14 March 29, 2010
Samir Mehran demands that the United States government hand over President Omar Hassan within one hour or face a radiological attack in the heart of Manhattan. Defiantly, President Allison Taylor instead orders Jack Bauer to escort Hassan to Fort McGuire Air Force Base, while members of her inner circle conspire to subvert her decision.
8x15 main "6:00am-7:00am" 183 8AFF15 April 5, 2010
President Omar Hassan forces Jack Bauer to let himself be turned over to the terrorists in order to avoid an attack on Manhattan. Jack, in addition to CTU New York, close in on Hassan’s location, but are cut short by an insider. President Allison Taylor learns of the corruption taking place within her inner circle and the steps they took to ensure its success.
8x16 main "7:00am-8:00am" 184 8AFF16 April 5, 2010
After her cover is blown, Dana Walsh agrees to give up President Hassan’s location in exchange for full immunity, but only if Jack Bauer leads the assault team. Cole Ortiz is forced to face the fact that Dana is the mole. Samir Mehran makes his final plans to execute Hassan live over the Internet, but not before torturing him.
8x17 main "8:00am-9:00am" 185 8AFF17 April 12, 2010
President Taylor urges Dalia Hassan to take up the mantle of her murdered husband, and enlists former President Charles Logan to investigate the withdrawal of the Russians. Brian Hastings is removed as director of CTU New York, leaving a nervous Chloe O'Brian in charge. After a long night, Jack Bauer and Renee Walker consummate their growing attraction, unaware that someone is plotting to kill them.
8x18 main "9:00am-10:00am" 186 8AFF18 April 19, 2010
Charles Logan is able to convince Mikhail Novakovich to return to the peace talks, but refuses to tell President Taylor how he was able to do so. In order to solve Renee's murder, Jack Bauer heads to federal court to interrogate Sergei Bazhaev, who confesses to a much larger enemy in the midst of today's events.
8x19 Kanin confronts Logan "10:00am-11:00am" 187 8AFF19 April 26, 2010
President Taylor is forced to compromise her principles in order to keep an historic peace agreement on track. On the run from the law, Jack Bauer turns to a former ally for help on a mission to break Dana Walsh out of custody and obtain evidence against the Russian government.
8x20 main "11:00am-12:00pm" 188 8AFF20 May 3, 2010
Jack Bauer and Cole Ortiz try to break Dana Walsh out of the custody of a private security firm, so that she can give them the location of a video file incriminating the Russians’ involvement in the conspiracy. With President Taylor's approval, Charles Logan instructs Jason Pillar to infiltrate CTU New York and relay information on the whereabouts of Jack Bauer to Mikhail Novakovich.
8x21 main "12:00pm-1:00pm" 189 8AFF21 May 10, 2010
With the evidence in hand, Jack Bauer contacts Meredith Reed and asks to meet her, so that she can help expose those responsible. However, CTU intercepts the call, which allows Jason Pillar to assist Pavel Tokarev and his men plan an ambush for the two of them. Arlo Glass secretly teams up with Chloe O'Brian in order to find the identity of an old contact who is aiding Jack.
8x22 main "1:00pm-2:00pm" 190 8AFF22 May 17, 2010
With only an hour to go before the signing ceremony, Jack Bauer mounts a one-man assault on Charles Logan's motorcade in his continuing mission to avenge Renee Walker's murder. Meredith Reed takes steps to break the story on the Russian conspiracy. Chloe and Arlo identify Jack's contact in the city, and dispatch Cole Ortiz to track him down.
8x23 "2:00pm-3:00pm" 191 8AFF23 May 24, 2010
Cole, Arlo, and Chloe make a final attempt to expose the coverup at the UN. Kayla Hassan relays to her mother the information Meredith Reed gave her concerning the people really behind her husband's death. She precedes to confront President Taylor about this alligations and is given disturbing news. After sneaking past the security perimeter, Jack Bauer aims a sniper rifle at someone across the street.
8x24 main "3:00pm-4:00pm" 192 8AFF24 May 24, 2010
Overburdened by the weight of her recent actions, President Allison Taylor cancels the peace summit and prepares to tender her resignation, promising to expose the conspiracy she helped cover up. Charles Logan arranges for a mercenary unit to permanently silence Jack Bauer, but he escapes with the help of the President and his allies at CTU. Now wanted by both the American and Russian governments, Jack says goodbye to Chloe O'Brian and prepares to flee the country.
Chloe's Arrest "Chloe's Arrest" - 8AFF90 November 8, 2010
Shortly after aiding Jack Bauer's escape from the authorities, Chloe O'Brian is forced to choose between her friend's safety and her own freedom.

Background information and notes[]

  • Days 8 and 1 are the only seasons to not feature a sitting vice president.
  • With Anil Kapoor as Omar Hassan, Day 8 is the only season to star a foreign head of state as a main star.
  • Although this is mostly as a result of having no successful mass murders, Day 8, with 100, has the shortest confirmed body count on 24.
  • To date, this is the last season with any episodes set between the hours of 12:00 a.m. (midnight) and 10:00 a.m.

See also[]

Previous season:
Season 7
First episode:
"4:00pm-5:00pm"
Next season:
Live Another Day
Preceded by:
Day 7
Timeline:
Day 8
Followed by:
Deadline


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