24

Updated June 26, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Undoubtedly the most compelling, briskly paced show on television. Sutherland revives his stalled career, playing Jack Bauer, the head of a government counterterrorism agency who attempts to thwart an assassination attempt on a presidential candidate and track down his kidnapped teenage daughter, all over the course of, you guessed it, 24 hours. Each show runs in real time, covering one hour of Bauer's tension-filled day. 24 looks and feels more like a feature film. This season's success is a no-brainer, given the show's buzz and novelty. But the big question is if the writers can pull off another season of tight scripts, complex plotting, and white-knuckle drama when the characters have already been fully developed.