24 Of 24's Most Memorable Characters - Ranked
20. Ethan Kanin (Days 6 To 8 And Redemption)
It’s a case of blink and you’ll miss him when we first encounter Ethan Kanin. Okay that’s a slight exaggeration but he only had a minor role in season six as President Wayne Palmer’s Secretary of Defense. Happily for us, by becoming President Taylor’s Chief of Staff in season seven meant we were treated to an engrossing battle of wits, underhand tactics and verbal jousting between himself and the President’s daughter, Olivia Taylor.
Elevated to Secretary of State in season eight, Kanin became President Taylor’s most trusted advisor. With Taylor struggling to get the Russian’s to sign the peace treaty, Kanin suggests she bring in the disgraced former President Charles Logan to help, thanks to his close relationship with Russian President Yuri Suvarov. A terrible mistake it proved to be as Logan, doing what Logan does best, manipulates Taylor to cover-up various crimes in order for the peace deal to go through.
Battling with his conscience, Kanin resigns. During a speech at the peace summit, Taylor looks imploringly at Ethan in an effort to try and make him understand. But he simply returns a look of disgust and disappointment, turns and walks away. Knowing he won’t return visibly shakes her to the core.