We're talking about the kills, the shocking twists, and on occasion, the ridiculous writing decisions that fans didn't quite buy but still defined the series.
We're now just 6 weeks away from the long-awaited return of Jack Bauer to our screens for the London-set mini-series 24: Live Another Day. It's been almost 4 years since Kiefer Sutherland last played the part in Season 8's thrilling finale, and given the character's popularity, it's no surprise that he's come surging back to TV so soon. So, what better time to relive those classic moments, the scenes which cemented 24 in the canon of must-see TV shows forever more? We're talking about the kills (in fact, a lot of kills), the shocking twists, and on occasion, the ridiculous writing decisions that fans didn't quite buy into but which nevertheless came to define the show, especially in its less-acclaimed later years. Still, even a bad episode of 24 is better than 99% of serialised dreck on Fox, so it's time to look back with a fond eye on the countless hours of joy, sadness, thrills and outright insanity that the Jack Bauer Power Hour has brought us over the years. And of course, 24 slots isn't nearly enough to do full justice to 24's narrative might, so if we've missed off any of your favourite moments, be sure to let us know in the comments below!
24. Mandy Blows Up The Plane (Season 1, Episode 1)
Mia Kirshner's Mandy quickly became a fan favourite character after her sexy and explosive entrance in the first three episodes of 24. As part of the team plotting to assassinate Senator David Palmer, her role was to get on a plane, have sex with photographer Martin Belkin, steal his wallet, blow up the plane and then use that wallet to get a Martin Belkin lookalike (by way of plastic surgery) within rifle shot of Senator David Palmer. The moment that Mandy bails out of the plane seconds before it explodes made audiences sure from the outset that this show wasn't screwing around, especially considering that 9/11 had happened just two months before the episode aired. And of course, despite Mandy only appearing briefly in season one, this would be far from the last time we'd see her in 24, but more about that later...