Kiefer Sutherland and Mary lynn are back with 24: live Another Day. They talk about the challenges faced & how the series has revolutionarised TV because it is one of the first shows to talk about political commentary around real events
Kiefer Sutherland
What was it like to step into the role againIJ
I was nervous. There was a sense of accomplishment when we completed the eight episodes. We felt that they were all very solid. The way the story has been told here, that is really appealing. It’s a character that changed my life.
How has your character, Jack Bauer, changedIJ
I wanted him to be harder, meaner and darker. At the end of season eight he was completely estranged with no hope of reconnecting with his daughter. He’s on the run, he’s being hunted by the Government that he feels he’s helped. There’s huge sense of anger and frustration, self-loathing as well. That is a lethal mix which he brings to the character.
How would you place 24 within the TV revolution seen latelyIJ
The revolution started much earlier than 24. If one is talking about drama, it began with Hill Street Blues. Then ER came. Then came Sopranos, Sex in the City. And then 24 came. There have been many shows after ours which have brought in the change. So, one can say, we are somewhere in the middle.
Will 24 remain as topical as it once wasIJ
I don’t know if it’s going to be as uniquely or even freakishly current. That’s not something we’re really trying to achieve through the show. But it will be very topical.
Mary lynn
Why did the show strike such a chord with peopleIJ
It’s a combination of things that created this magic. The pacing of it, the plot lines, the plausibility of it and the implausibility where it reflects what’s happening in the world.
Why do they love Chloe O’Brian so muchIJ
She didn’t start out as likeable or as a main player. She was a computer nerd. And then she ended up with the machine gun, which was completely unexpected that a character would be in that position. So from hating her, the audience loves her. They think she is ‘cool’ now.
What kind of challenge did you faceIJ
This season of 24: live Another Day is challenging because in some ways, the sarcastic Chloe is not really there. She’s starting to come out again a little bit, but she’s so damaged and in a dark place that there’s this heaviness. To bring that out was a challenge.
How do you have to prepare for the roleIJ
We are actors and need to mould ourselves in the character given to us. Sometimes the role is easy other times difficult but at the end of the day, once the director says ‘action’, we act.
Why is the show such a hit the world overIJ
It’s about building the American culture and also showing that there is a dark side to it as well. It was one of the first shows to have a political commentary about real events that caught the people’s imagination.