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After a significant decline in viewers this year, Fox has canceled 24. About an hour ago, producer Jon Cassar revealed on his Twitter that the show will not return for a ninth season, saying:

“News from the 24 set,the crew has been told that 24 has come to an end. There will b no season 9. Its been a great run, thans all 4 watching”

This was not very surprising. Earlier this month, Variety reported that season eight would probably be Jack’s final hurrah. However, there was hope for the series when NBC showed interest in picking up the show. That deal has apparently fallen through, presumably due to the high production costs.

I’m sad to see 24 go this way. Although the show has steadily declined ever since the near-perfect first season, I’ve always loved it. With Jack Bauer, Kiefer Sutherland has created a true American hero for our times, as well as one of the best TV characters ever. However, 24 has definitely lost its edge. The show’s premier tragically coincided with 9/11, giving the story added weight. In that first year, the story was fresh, the suspense was unbearable, and the 24-hour concept really paid off.

Unfortunately, after a couple of seasons the characters were still great but we had seen the same story already. Although still a good show, by season 5 it felt old. I kept watching, though, just to see what happened to Jack and Chloe next. The current season is nothing special. Terrorists are still doing what they do, and Jack is there to save the day. The story still has those twists that we’ve come to expect, and in the last few hours, the audience has really been thrown a few curveballs.

Yes, all good things must come to an end. I don’t want this season to be the last, though, unless it was planned that way from the beginning. The show needs a true conclusion, and I am worried that it won’t get one with this abrupt cancellation. I would love for Jack to die in the finale. It’s a fitting end. He’s already sacrificed so much protecting America from terrorists, giving his life for his country would be perfect.

In an interview with THR, showrunner Howard Gordon said, “We’ve taken a risk in the last eight episodes. It was challenging to the writers, to the actors. We’re taking a risk, the show has to do that. Without spoiling what’s to come, it’s pretty dark and complex and a place that was uncomfortable for us to write and for some of the actors to act. We really swung for the fences. Because the show is as old as it is, this season hasn’t really been given its due. But our audience is hanging in there with us and I think it’s been a very successful season.” He also said that, although the ending did not change after the news, he’s hoping that this season is a fitting ending to the series.

So, no more 24 on TV, but the movie is moving ahead as planned. Billy Ray (State of Play) is currently working on a script set in Europe. About the movie, Gordon said, “Jack is really the center of it, catching up with him emotionally and locationally where he is. The opportunity is not to use the real-time aspect and also to do it on a scale the TV show never allowed.”

I don’t think a movie suits this franchise. What set it apart was the 24-hour real-time aspect and the suspense that came from the serial format. When you put it into a film, it becomes an ordinary military thriller. But if the television writers fail us, maybe a proper finale will come in the form of the movie.

Source: /Film