For the first time in years, Howard Gordon has some time on his hands. Last month, the 49-year-old writer sat down with his family in Los Angeles to watch the very last episode of 24, the television drama he helped mould into one of America’s most successful exports.
Gordon was the driving force behind 24, both as writer and executive producer, for eight years. With its cast of nihilist terrorist networks hell bent on destruction, the show became a global phenomenon.
Kiefer Sutherland’s rugged, all-American hero Jack Bauer helped the show surpass both Mission Impossible and The Avengers as the longest spy-themed TV show, picking up 18 Emmys along the way and beaming into the homes of millions of viewers around the world.
Now Gordon hopes to weave the same sort of magic with a subtler take on America’s so-called “war on terror” with a new TV series based on a popular Israeli drama about prisoners of war.
Howard Gordon was interviewed at BookExpo America 2010 in New York City by Authors on Tour Live about his upcoming thriller novel “The Obelisk”.
He discusses the book and its character Gideon Davis, how he came up with the idea, and what it was like writing for a hit television show like 24. He says that the book was done during the Writers Strike. He also says that he’s got some ideas for a sequel and is looking forward to getting into it.
Looks like another show to watch – Jon Cassar is one of the best directors out there, and David Fury is a very strong writer. Nice little 24 reunion on this show which sounds pretty interesting. Congrats Jon!
EXCLUSIVE: It will be an even larger 24 reunion on Fox’s upcoming prehistoric drama Terra Nova, which is executive produced by Steven Spielberg and Peter Chernin. Long-time 24 director-executive producer Jon Cassar has joined the 13-episode midseason series as an executive producer and regular series director. He joins fellow 24 executive producers Brandon Braga and David Fury who are executive producing Terra Nova. (Braga also serves as the series’ showrunner). Cassar, who won an Emmy for his directing work on Fox/20th TV/Imagine’s 24 and shared the show’s 2006 best drama series Emmy, will direct multiple episodes of Terra Nova following the pilot episode, which is being helmed by Alex Graves. “This is a huge coup for us,” said Dana Walden, chairman of 20th TV, which is co-producing Terra Nova with DreamWorks TV, Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment and Chernin Entertainment. “Jon is one of the best directors we have ever worked with, and this project is a huge priority for our company.”
Probably the best acceptance speech I’ve ever seen. Kiefer Sutherland pokes fun at the weird-looking trophy saying it will come in handy at the bar later and then tells all the 24 fans that “You guys fuckin’ rock” while flipping the bird. We love you too, Kiefer!
Kiefer Sutherland will be on Spike TV’s Guy Choice Awards 10PM tonight – he won the “Biggest Ass Kicker” award. No competition there, Jack Bauer rocks!
Carlos Bernard’s (24‘s Tony Almeida) new comedy series Scoundrels premieres on ABC tonight at 9PM.
The 2010 Teen Choice Award nominees were announced and 24 is up for 4 awards.
24 was nominated for “Choice TV Show: Action” (with Burn Notice, Chuck, Human Target, and NCIS: Los Angeles). Kiefer Sutherland was nominated for “Choice TV Actor: Action” (alongside Jeffrey Donovan of Burn Notice, Zachary Levi of Chuck, LL Cool J of NCIS: Los Angeles, and Mark Valley of Human Target).
Aint It Cool News is reporting a juicy rumor on how the next Die Hard film got it’s name of Die Hard 24/7 – apparently FOX execs floated an idea of using their two properties in a crossover flick that would have Jack Bauer and John McClane appear in the same film.
The source says that Kiefer Sutherland was more interested in keeping the 24 franchise separate.
24UK Podcast was granted an extensive tour of the 24 sets (both CTU and the United Nations) with production designer Carlos Barbosa, and they just posted the video which is in four parts.
Cherry Jones has sent LA Times an email to set the record straight and explain her decision not to submit herself for an Emmy this year. Unlike speculation, it’s not because of any drama with the writers or her storylines. Here’s her full email:
Hey Tom,
Cherry Jones here writing from balmy Manhattan. I wanted to clear up the mystery surrounding my not submitting myself for Emmy consideration.
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 05: Actor Kiefer Sutherland receives the Biggest Ass Kicker Award onstage during Spike TV’s 4th Annual ‘Guys Choice Awards’ held at Sony Studios on June 5, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. ‘Guys Choice’ premieres June 20, 2010 at 10PM ET/PT on Spike.
Ooh, drama. In a surprising move, Cherry Jones (24‘s President Allison Taylor, who won best supporting actress in a drama last year) has pulled out of the Emmy race and is refusing to comment on the matter.
Jones didn’t seem all that pleased about the direction her character took in the final episodes, telling Entertainment Weekly in an interview last month “President Taylor lost her marbles” and “Each script I got, I’d look at it and go, ‘Really? REALLY?’”.
Despite Taylor’s sudden behavior shift (which was necessary for the final storyline arc to work), I believe Cherry put on a great performance. Cherry certainly had Emmy-quality acting material in 24 Season 8.
Here’s a neat wallpaper that a 24 fan Craig made and sent into me. It features Jack Bauer in his terror gear uniform, which fans have dubbed “Iron Jack” or “Darth Bauer”. Something tells me this is gonna be a popular Halloween costume.
Remember President Taylor urging Jack to flee for his life in 24‘s series finale? That’s probably just what he’ll do—straight to a movie theater.
“Jack ended in a way like never before—as a fugitive from everyone,” says executive producer Howard Gordon, who envisions Sutherland giving Bruce “Die Hard” Willis and Harrison “The Fugitive” Ford runs for their money. In the film, “Cold War themes bubble up, and it’s fair to say that Jack’s status as a fugitive remains that at the start of the movie.”
The screenplay’s first draft, written by Billy Ray (Shattered Glass, Flightplan) is now in the hands of Sutherland, and a director is expected to be attached shortly. Though all plot details are being guarded more closely than CTU secrets, Gordon says he expects Jack’s Girl Friday Chloe O’Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub) to make an appearance: “There will definitely be some familiar faces. Our idea is to make Jack Bauer someone we can revisit on a regular basis.”
