The Rotunda

Issue date: 2/3/10 Section: Entertainment

Media Credit: www.tvguide.com Jack and new CTU Director Hastings.

The phrase "having a bad day," hands down, belongs to Government Agent Jack Bauer of the hit drama series "24." The anticipated drama returned on Jan. 17, with a two-day, four-hour premiere. The Emmy Award-winning series is going into its eighth season, and Jack Bauer is getting a little tired of the whole "saving the world" thing. As we find out in season eight, Jack has lived to see another day, surviving from the radiation he was exposed to last season and is finally ready to settle down. But when an assassination attempt on President Omar Hassan of the Islamic Republic of Kamistan; America finds itself in need of Jack Bauer.

In season eight, we are introduced to many new faces and a few old ones. One of the most talked about new additions to the cast is Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) Head of Field Ops Cole Ortiz, played by Freddie Prinze, Jr. He seems to be a straight shooting agent who follows the rules most of the time, but when push comes to shove he doesn't seem hesitant to break a few. With the CTU up and running again, there is a new Director, Brian Hastings. In CTU we see the return of fan favorite Chloe O'Brian, Jack's right-hand "wo-man." Chloe, a once Senior Analyst, has found herself struggling to keep up at CTU. And Madame President Taylor also returns to serve one more term as the first woman president.

The premise of Day 8 is the United States signing a peace treaty with the Islamic Republic of Kamistan. This season takes place in New York City, where the peace conference and CTU are now located. President Hassan and President Taylor are in the midst of reaching a peace agreement that would benefit both countries when a bomb threat sends everyone scrambling.
As procedure, Secret Service and FBI escort top officials out of the United Nations headquarters. It turns out President Hassan's brother and lead advisor is a part of this assassination plot. Jack, who was on his way to the airport, gets roped in to helping CTU find the assassin.

Agent Ortiz ends up stopping the assassination with Jack's help and the plot continues to unfold. The secrets go deeper when we find out the origin of the assassination attempt stems from the Russian Mob. Apparently the Russians have been smuggling uranium into the country, which could be used as a weapon of mass destruction. Once CTU acquired this information, they needed someone who has been on the inside of the Russian Mob. CTU calls in former FBI Agent Renee Walker.

Agent Walker was last seen interrogating a witness, Jack Bauer style. And those of you familiar with Jack's tactics know that he has no mercy when it comes to the protection of American lives. When Renee is called in to CTU for help, we see her in a much darker state of mind. She has become Jack Bauer in a woman form, but a little more mentally unstable. When Renee and Jack are asked to go on a sting operation together, Renee's dark side comes out when she takes a hand saw to a former Russian mobster's hand. Clearly this season will be filled with action, explosions, gore and secrets. Hopefully this will not be the last day Jack Bauer is called upon to save the world.

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