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Marwan shot down Air Force One and has stolen the nuclear football, which he uses to find a nuclear warhead. It’s mounted onto a missile and aimed for Los Angeles. New President Charles Logan orders Jack’s arrest for torturing Joe Prado, only for that to cause Marwan to slip away, leading Logan to call on ex-President David Palmer to help him through the crisis. Palmer’s first act is to authorise an assault on the Chinese consulate to get Lee Jong, a man connected with Marwan. But during Jack’s assault, the consul is killed and Lee is shot, and at CTU there is only one doctor to treat either Lee or Paul Raines: Jack chooses Lee, and Paul dies. CTU are led to Mandy, who kills Lee Castle and takes Tony hostage, looking to utilise Michelle’s position to help her escape. Mandy fakes their death but Jack saves Tony and captures Mandy, taking down Marwan with her information. Logan agrees to turn Jack to the Chinese but Walt Cummings wants him killed, a fact which Logan ignores and Palmer warns Jack of, leading him to fake his own death with the help of Tony, Michelle and Chloe - and stride off into the sunset. Jack Bauer is dead.

Jack and co., through the takedown of Henry Powell and Dina and Behrooz Araz, found the trail of Habib Marwan, the man in control of the Dobson Override. Jack and Curtis managed to stop the meltdown of five power plants, although one did meltdown at San Gabriel Island. We learn that Marwan worked for McLennen-Forster under the alias Harris Barnes, but as Jack and Paul search their computer files, they detonate an EMP to cover their involvement. The pair manage to escape but as they’re rescued by CTU, Paul is shot twice and has to undergo surgery, which is successful but he remains critical. Jack goes undercover with Dina to find Marwan, but he sets up CTU, kills Dina and takes Jack, offering him in a trade for Behrooz to cover a missing person’s report of a military pilot. Mitch Anderson is impersonating the pilot to steal a stealth fighter and shoot down Air Force One, which he succeeds with, and Charles Logan is elevated to President through the 25th Amendment. His first issue is Marwan’s partial theft of the nuclear football, and of a nuclear warhead

So, in the first part of Season 4, Jack is now working for the Secretary of Defense, James Heller, and is dating his daughter, Audrey. Heller and Audrey are kidnapped at the end of episode 1 and then Jack rescues them less than 5 hours later. Of course, Driscoll didn’t want to work with Jack at first and resisted his attempts. While everyone thought that the purpose of Heller’s kidnapping was to humiliate him and the country through a forced confession and execution, it turns out the whole thing was a diversion from the real purpose - Marwan using an override device to access the network of nuclear power plants across the country.

Jack Bauer is out of CTU: he’s got a job working for Secretary of Defense Heller and is in a serious relationship with his daughter, Audrey. But as terrorists begin attacking the United States with a train bombing and the kidnapping of Heller and Audrey, Jack is dragged back into action, tasked by new CTU director Erin Driscoll with saving them. 

Season 3 is near the top of our favorite seasons of 24, mostly for the second half of the season. It's also (probably) one of the worst days for Jack as well as the nail in the coffin for David Palmer's presidency. Overall thoughts on season 3 I underestimated 3A from memory, it’s a mix of the slow-burn nature of season 2 and the big moment-centric approach of seasons 4/5 but it really works 3B is just immense, relentlessly thrilling and edge-of-your-seat stuff There are a lot of threads early on: Kyle Singer, Tony being shot, the Gael stuff, Jack’s heroin addiction, Kim/Chase, Ramon in prison/breaking out, Hector and Claudia By the time we get to, say, 5am, there are very few: outbreak at the Chandler Plaza, Saunders’ demands of Palmer, CTU’s quest to stop Saunders. Then occasionally threads appear:  Odd reappearance of Kim/Chase, the Alan Milliken stuff resurfaces, Adam’s sister etc I love season 3 for bringing us a great team with Jack, Tony, Michelle, and Chloe Jack’s worst day Fairly confident in saying that more terrible things happen to Jack in season 3 than in any other season: Heroin addiction, almost dies in Russian roulette, briefly becomes a fugitive, has to pull the trigger on Chase to prove his loyalty, has to work with Nina, watched both Salazars die, almost killed at MI6, forced to kill his boss, threatens to sentence an innocent 19yo not unlike his daughter to death, chops off Chase’s hand We talked briefly about it but I really love the end scene of season 3, it’s so rare that we get an insight into Jack’s emotions beyond anger, and at the end of such an exhausting season both for him and for us, I think it’s essential to see it I also think that Jack’s breakdown gives the viewer an excuse to feel similarly, so many horrific things have happened today away from Jack (Ted Packard’s suicide, Alan Milliken, Chandler Plaza, Sherry/Julia) that the short epilogue finally gives us a chance to actually breathe for the first time in a while   CTU’s newbies Chloe:  If you were new and finished season 3, and someone told you she’d be a mainstay of the next 5 seasons, you’d probably question whether you want to continue watching They well establish her talent and overemphasise her quirks and it doesn’t work in her favour li...

As Steven Saunders increases his control over President Palmer and the country, Jack and CTU make strides toward identifying Steven Saunders weakness. We also see Tony crossing the line in an effort to save Michelle. Ultimately, we see Jack getting the upper hand (no intended slight to Chase) and CTU tracking down the remaining vials of the virus. Unfortunately, even though Palmer gains control over Saunders, the final nail is driven into his political coffin.   Main talking points:

We pick up with Jack and Chase arresting Nina to bring her back to LA. She unleashes a computer worm on CTU which Chloe manages to stop, and while being questioned Nina manages to escape, only to be shot and killed by Jack. Stephen Saunders, one of Jack’s team on Operation Nightfall, is revealed as the true buyer of the virus, and has Marcus Alvers release a vial in the Chandler Plaza hotel, causing 800+ people including Gael and Michelle to become exposed. Saunders makes demands of President Palmer, just moments after he lies to the police to cover Sherry’s involvement in Alan Milliken’s death - the last demand being the murder of Ryan Chappelle.   Main talking points:

Last week, we started season 3, where Jack, Tony, and Gael fabricated a story that a virus is going to be spread through Kyle Singer. The whole point of the story was to facilitate Jack breaking Ramon Salazar out of prison so he could gain their trust and lead Jack and CTU to the real virus threat. Now, during the first six episodes, it wasn’t revealed that it was all manufactured, but it seemed legit. As we get into episodes 7 and 8, Tony comes out of the hospital and is forced to reveal the plot of the undercover mission.   Plot topics: The undercover mission is revealed The virus auction and Jack works with Nina Chase's torture and escape with Claudia Tony's competency and Chloe's distraction David Palmer v Alan Milliken 

This time, another day begins for Jack Bauer as bioterrorists are attempting to release viral capsules into Los Angeles and eventually throughout the United States. President Palmer must deal with a scandal as he seeks re-election against a Republican senator, John Keeler. Jack is again thrust into action as he tries to tie Ramon Salazar to the viral threat; however, presumed-dead Operation Nightfall operative Stephen Saunders turns out to be the mastermind behind the release of the Cordilla virus.   Season 3 takes place: 3 years after Season 2 4 years 6 months after Season 1 6 years 6 months after Operation: Nightfall (this will be important later) Talking points: Jack's heroin habit Kyle Singer and the hunt for the virus Ramon’s prison break Keeler’s accusations against Anne/David

Season 2 starts fairly flimsily and picks up hugely after Nina is brought into CTU, and especially from the moment Kate is kidnapped As aforementioned, there is a relentless tension which fills this season like a building smog, and it’s glorious Season 2 also contains 24’s best episode (episode 15, in Bradley's opinion).   The Game/Max Love the first-person shooter stuff, similarly sniper missions Puzzle solving is solid but really repetitive and not that hard Interrogations are alright, weirdly I really struggled when I played recently having always done them fairly easily The driving missions are shocking He targeted Prescott, who survived an assassination attempt by Peter Madsen’s men Madsen kidnapped Kate and Max used her to blackmail Bob into helping him smuggle nuclear weapons out of the country He’s a German arms dealer with ties to the Middle East. The US government caught onto him, his deals with the Middle East fell through, and his contacts there forced Max to watch his children be executed, for which he blames the US hence the attacks Gameplay: Annoyingly the story isn’t the most coherent and often missions exist simply to exist (Bringing In Lee Jin Yu, who is actually a terrorist with Peter Madsen, where you’re chased and there’s a van that shoots at you, with the aim of destroying your car to kill you. Even though they need Joseph Sin-Chung to be at CTU) Max: David Palmer’s presidency Hell of a thing for David to deal with in our first in-office sighting of him, and within the first 10 months of his presidency I like that David remains true to his principles throughout, even when all non-fourth wall breaking logic suggests he should change his mind (e.g. we know Cyprus is fake, but David’s faith in Jack is *mental* given all the confirmations) Not keen on him having accepted Sherry back into things, even briefly, though I am intrigued by the moments 12-3am where he looks incompetent and like he’s just appeasing his highest-ranking staff with his decision-making David’s character and control is great, even when experiencing the pressure from everyone around him. What to do with Kim? On an emotional level, Jack’s concern for getting her out of LA is fine, and the various tearful interactions between them work nicely A bonkers plot involving an abusive father, technical kidnapping, assault, murder suspect,...

As Jack races to beat the clock to find proof that the Cyprus recording was forged, there is shifting power struggles at CTU and unrest amongst President Palmer's cabinet and staff.   The Trial of David Palmer Jack tortured for the chip Tony and Michelle work against Chappelle Jack and Sherry work together v Peter Kingsley Palmer's assassination attempt Kim kills Gary Matheson

The tension continues to grow Jack and CTU tracks down the nuclear bomb and then the focus shifts as a new lead comes into play.   Jack and Kate v Marie Mason leaves Jack on the plane (include Kim call and Mason chat; essentially this is just 10-11pm in general) - THE GREATEST EPISODE OF 24 Jack v Tony Rip Syed Ali, we hardly knew ya Wallace has evidence disproving Cyprus David’s doubt over the military response Bye, Sherry Kim and the robbery  

After a somewhat shaky first 6 episodes of season 2, this next 6 gets things into a nice gear. While the scenes with Kim are lack-luster, things get heated and emotional between Jack, Nina, and President Palmer as an impossible decision is made. Key plot points we cover: Jack and Nina go after Mamud Faheen Coral Snake crew attack and Nina has Jack hostage Jack rescues Kate Syed Ali interrogation Mason’s health decline Warner drama (Bob’s CIA! Marie’s a terrorist!) David’s Roger Stanton issue Lynne v Sherry Kim 🙃

Season 2 takes place 18 months after Season 1. Jack leaves CTU and isolates himself, so George Mason becomes the Director of CTU LA, awaiting his pending position in Washington, DC. Kim leaves and recently becomes a live-in nanny for the Mathison's. David Palmer has won the election and is now President. It has been discovered that a terrorist group has a nuclear bomb and is planning to detonate it in LA. The terrorist group is Second Wave and there was one federal agent that had previously worked undercover to bring down the group - Jack Bauer.   Jack the recluse is brought back in Jack undercover with Wald’s crew Jack vs Nina Mason the dying coward (includes killing Paula) Kate and Tony investigates Reza Kim takes Megan from Gary and is set up for kidnapping David is betrayed by Eric Rayburn Sherry’s back 👀

Josh, Bradley, and Joel cover the last episode of season 1 and went back and reviewed other pieces of season 1 that we missed before.   Check out the episode on the website