Giles Matthey: “Kiefer Sutherland wrote the last two” episodes

Giles Matthey at the 24: Live Another Day NYC Premiere Screening
Giles Matthey at the 24: Live Another Day NYC Premiere Screening

Giles Matthey revealed some interesting news in a recent interview with 24 Live Another Podcast – he claims that Kiefer Sutherland was heavily involved in the writing process for the final two episodes of 24: Live Another Day!

“Kiefer Sutherland wrote the last two. He took a long time writing those episodes, that’s a bit of info for you there. He played a large part with the writing.” (17:10)

Very interesting! As far as I know Kiefer Sutherland isn’t credited as a writer on those episodes (Evan Katz is credited with the finale). It’s unlikely that Kiefer was inside the writers room actually banging out scripts with the rest of the crew. Giles probably means that Sutherland provided a lot of input into the direction of the story or perhaps his character in particular.

Kiefer Sutherland has been an executive producer on the show for several seasons now. Back In April, Variety reported that “Sutherland had input in the tone of the new episodes, right down to influencing the image projected on the key art.”

Other interview tidbits:

Kiefer kicks ass: “When we used to go out after shooting, he’d take us out and we’d have a drink and he’s a very funny charming guy. When he’s on set, he is razor sharp, he is Jack Bauer on set. He’s a different guy […] You know when he’s on set, here’s there to work and kick ass.”

On whether he watched the series: “I wouldn’t say I was a fan, no. I was aware of it and aware of how popular it was. I didn’t get into it, I couldn’t because my friend was so far ahead and I couldn’t be bothered to sort of go back from episode 1. When I got this role I went back and did a lot of watching.”

Doing the show justice: “You have to make sure that you do justice for the fans and the show cause it’s such a great show that you don’t want to dissapoint and let down the show that’s giving you a chance. So the pressure was through the roof for me at least, not probably as much for the other actors who were more experienced than me, but I really felt like I want to do 24 proud if you know what I mean. I wanna do the fans proud even if I’m a goody or a baddy, I want to do justice for the show. So there was a real sense of responsibility as well. Trust me, I lived and breathed it.”

Regarding talks of Jordan replacing Chloe: “You can’t replace Chloe, you just can’t do it. She’s brilliant and so individual.”

Keeping quiet: “If you say anything publicly about what’s going to happen, you can genuinely get sued. It’s in your contract. You can get sued, a lot of bad stuff will happen to you. It’s not worth it.”

Favorite non-Jack character (not counting Live Another Day): “I really like Tony Almeida, he’s cool.”

What Jordan Should’ve Done: “I think what he should’ve done is shoot him in both shoulders and his kneecaps, so therefore he’s literally lying there but he’s not going to die.”

This is just a small sample of the interview; check out the entire 40 minute long interview with Giles at the link below. He seems like a very nice and down to earth guy.

Source 24 Live Another Podcast

38 Comments

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Kiefer hasn’t always been the best judge of the show’s story. I remember when he forced a re-write of the final episodes of Season 7.

Interesting, I hadn’t heard that before. Wasn’t a fan of those last few S7 episodes.

If I remember correctly, Kiefer wrote and/or improvised that angry Jack and Heller scene near the end of the sixth season finale, which was excellent in my opinion.

Yes, apparently he had a hand in re-shaping the direction the story took from Episode 19 onwards. If I recall correctly, Jack wasn’t supposed to piece together Tony’s duplicity so quickly. He would have gone and episode or two longer without realizing. Kiefer didn’t feel it was right for the character.

Season 7 was great up to that point, but those final 6 were without doubt the worst in the shows history.

– Jack out of action/being miserable
– Those muslim brothers coming out of fucking nowhere, being completely irrelevant to the days events and giving us a lesson in tolerance we never asked for.
– WAY too much of the Taylors – especially Olivia
– Sidelining Hodges and Starkwood, essentially making Redemption irrelevant to the final act.
– Kim in trouble again.
– Stretching out the Palmer assassination conspiracy further.

boring, boring, boring. I appreciate LAD all the more thinking about it.

Usually people who hate 7 hate it because of the direction they took Tony, I’m not one of those people, in fact I don’t think they did enough with him.

Yes, I re-watched Season 7 in the fortnight leading up to LAD’s premiere. I actually really enjoy Episode 19, but the next four were pretty damn weak. I remember when they announced that they were doing re-writes and shutting down production for a week, Kiefer said that the final 6 episodes would be the best in the show’s history. Hence, my lack of faith in anything Kiefer says that concerns future shows.

I thought the final hour of Day 7 was stellar though.

The first 13 episodes of Season 7 were phenomenal to me; like, Season 5 level of greatness. After that, the season still had some great moments but felt slightly different. The last six were decent, but not my favorite episodes ever or anything. I still think anything beats Season 8 though…

Those first 13 episodes alone still put Season 7 in second place for me.

Really? The first 13? I thought 14-18 were superb. Especially 14.

14-18 were very solid episodes, but I do think they were a step down from the first 13.

Episodes 14-18 felt more like transition episodes to me and didn’t make good use of all the cast members: Ethan resigned, Chloe was absent, Renee was sidelined in holding, Jack was sidelined due to his infection, Senator Mayer was killed off, Janis got pretty much no screen time (not that I’m complaining about that one!), Sean was written out after being revealed as a mole, the Olivia Taylor stuff was not interesting, etc.

Still a lot of things to like about those episodes. But it wasn’t quite firing on all cylinders like the previous ones.

It’s funny, actually, I think Chloe’s absence is what makes parts of Season 7 so compelling. Episodes 14 and 15, for example, had Jack and Tony relying on their wits rather than having Chloe ‘The Cheat Code’ O’Brian on standby.

Season 7’s undercover episodes were the best ones in my opinion besides Season 3. Yeah Season 2’s were great as well but they didn’t last nearly as long as 3’s or 7’s. Season 8’s were sub-par just because I don’t like Season 8 as much. XD

Of course there were other times where Jack was undercover, like in Seasons 1, 4, and 5, but I don’t really count those because they lasted only around one episode.

Bauer and Senator Mayer followed by Jack vs Quinn.

There is literally nothing shit about episode 14/

Brad, forgive me if I’m wrong about this – although I’m pretty sure I’m not – but it was not exclusively Kiefer who single-handedly changed the last six episodes of Season 7, I think you’re giving him more power over the writing staff than he actually has, remember Kiefer himself said recently that he has very definite opinions about the story and his character, and that “sometimes the writers are gracious enough to listen to me, and sometimes not”… he is an executive producer but he’s NOT the showrunner. HoGo (who was the showrunner on Season 7) has publicly commented on those final episodes, at the time and since; the writers in totality did not feel the story was working as originally mapped out, a couple of episodes weren’t hitting the mark as they hoped they would, so the production shut down for a couple of weeks and they re-wrote the final stretch of six episodes in a way they felt worked better. It wasn’t because of Kiefer nor was he the sole instigator of those changes.

I thought Season 7 was very strong from beginning to end… and Season 8 was even better again…

In all fairness, Gerry, I *could* be wrong and you’re probably right. It was five years ago and I was only 17 at the time. I’m sure my memory of it is a bit clouded.

:-)

For as much as I’ll contend S6 to bethe weakest overall (the Baufer Family Mafia stuff remains so, so bad), the scene where Jack dresses down Heller really was a powerful ending.

That ending has to be the best of this series, along with the first, the third and the eighth seasons.

What about Seasons 5 and 2? The final scenes of those two seasons alone are insane.

If…

a: Jack had been captured by the Chinese at the end of season 4 instead of 5.

b: Heller gave Jack the “stay away from my daughter” speech

c: After exposing Logan, instead of being captured he goes to have the confrontation with Heller.

d: season 6 never happens

Then you’d have the greatest finale of all time.

In my opinion, the finales of every season have been absolutely fantastic episodes.

Kiki Vanderway
June 26, 2014 at 7:43 am
Yes absolutely several days got sidetracked in the middle but all of them finished strong.

I love this. This just makes me think of how wonderful the ending of Day 6 was (and all of Day 6). How it focused on Jack Bauer and his psyche.

The reason this is happening is because they are asking Kiefer how he wants to see his character end and what his character should do to feel satisfaction and what he wants and needs to take his life back.

Very excited.

I hope the final episode has no threats, violence, or urgency. Just Jack starting the first day of the rest of his life and letting that set in.

I agree. The series finale should just be Jack tying up loose ends with Kim, Audrey, Chloe, (if she’s still alive) and who knows, maybe even Tony.

I am intrigued to see what Kiefer’s output will be in those final episodes. Regardless of what happened in the seventh season’s last episodes – which, to be honest, I liked -, I think that if Jack comes to some sort of demise or watershed-like finale, Kiefer will have a lot of influence on this matter. Not to mention the fact that 24: Live Another Day might be the last season of 24.

I don’t know how I feel about Kiefer playing a part in the writing of the final two. I hope he isn’t for the murder of Jack Bauer simply because he feels he’s too old to return to the part. Hopefully he understands that the character needs a more fitting ending than that.

shut up 24fan24 !jack buear is the most fantastic role!and i am very angry of Jon Cassar and howard. i think they are crazy and they should learn of Director of bold and beautyfull series that he made 1.456 episode since 1987 until now!god damn Jon Cassar and haoward!they are very stupid!and many of actors and actress died over the series since now. go to hell son of bitch.

What the…?

Excuse me, what?

The fact that I’m even attempting to respond to this is sad, but alas, I will anyway.

My point is that I don’t want Jack to die because 24 is very different than most serialized TV dramas, and killing Jack just doesn’t really fit the series in my opinion. He should finally be able to retire in peace with his family. Many people have pointed out that this ending is actually inconsistent with the series and isn’t realistic with this character. And where I can agree with that to some degree, I also don’t really care. Jack Bauer deserves the girl and the daughter for a change.

Kiefer has said recently that he doesn’t want ‘Jack Bauer with a walker,’ and I can understand that, but I also think Kiefer’s being a little whiny when it comes to age. He’s 47 years old, 15 years younger than Liam Neeson, whose action career has just started to skyrocket. So my whole point is that I hope age isn’t a factor in whether or not Jack lives or dies.

With all that said, I don’t really understand why you want me to go to hell lol.

Kiki Vanderway
June 25, 2014 at 8:45 pm
I am troubled by the disconnect between Kiefer’s assertions that LAD is the swan song and Mary Lynn saying I think they will do more seasons. I am delighted they brought it back because the ending of S8 left everyone hanging. I will be bummed if they brought it back solely for closure.

That being said, no one– truly no one– knows this character like Kiefer and hopefully Cassar provides some ballast. Jon Cassar not only understands 24 but gets TV as a medium. They spent a good chunk of last summer together filming Forsaken and I am sure there were plenty of discussions on 24 and how to do this justice. Therefore, I have some level of confidence that the ending will be authentic and fitting– I may not like it in all respects but I think it will resonate and live up to the overall brilliance of the series.

Of course, this series delights in torturing its audience and has made some spectacularly WTF decisions — sometimes the motto is “why just do when you can overdo?” (or “Just OverDo It”)

In the end it will at least be satisfying to see what Kiefer and Jon thought a fitting end would be (aside from Jack Bauer goes outside, grabs a cigarette, lights it and then boom is gone in the blink of an eye, no further explanation — an ending I sincerely hope Kiefer recognizes is a mad bad sad way to go).

Honestly, with some Kiefer’s statements and a new president in charge of Fox, I think the possibility of 24 returning for another season is pretty low. I think this is it. So I hope everyone involved, including Keifer, is giving us a more deserving ending to the character and the series than Season 8 was.

And here I was thinking Season 8 was mostly fine.

+ 1, Brad dude, never understood (and still don’t) the criticisms of Season 8; it was, by all accounts, a remarkably strong season overall and a heck of a season to go out on, had it been the last one… Cherry Jones may have got the Emmy for Season 7, but she REALLY deserved it for her masterful and mesmerizing performance in the eighth season, especially that showstopping final quarter!

I think what Fringyrasa meant was that Season 8 didn’t really give Jack a proper conclusive ending, which is true, and certainly something which the writers are mindful of with regards to ‘Live Another Day’ which I hope has not just an ending but a very definite and conclusive ending with a pronounced and palpable sense of very real finality about it.

I actually didn’t mind the last few episodes of 7 & yes kim got herself in trouble But she also got herself outta of it. But the finale scene in hour 24 I hated You expect Jack’s Daughter to show up But then that Muslim Guy from the mosque Shows up outta no where someone Jack Met one time! & the assumption is obviously Jack had the hospital call him. To which he said thank you for coming….. It was a major turn off for me didn’t make much sense….. What was wrong with Just having kim there…… But instead they said OH lets include a complete stranger who Just happens to believe in this so called Ayala & happens to be a muslim to Have Jack talk with him instead of kim….. I certainly Wouldn’t want someone I hardly knew to be right there if I was dieing. Not to mention someone who is a muslim. But instead Kim shows up 15 mins later & gets the finale line But that whole Final scene should of been with Kim & Kim only. That was intolerable. & that was also not asked for.

Joshua, the reason Jack presumably asked the Muslim Iman to visit him in hospital was because he thought he about to die, he genuinely believed he was in his final moments of life, and he wanted some spiritual consolation before he expired, an absolution, a way to forgive himself for the things he had done and to leave this world with a clean and clear conscience.., it’s a normal human reponse to impending and imminent mortality, and why hospitals have chaplains on staff.

Woopsy daisy, hit the Post Comment button before I finished that thought…

One last thing though; the reason why it was the Iman from earlier who showed up in the closing moments of the season finale was a direct continuation from that earlier episode, in the SUV when the Iman suggested Jack draw closer to God and Jack essentially stated he was beyond redemption. Jack never struck me as a particularly religious person, but when faced with his own impending mortality, his thoughts turned to matters spiritual and that earlier conversation with the Iman evidently came to Jack’s mind and thus it was him that Jack reached out to in his final moments.

Correction; it is Imam not Iman.

Well Garry I understand why hospitals have chaplains & why there there But the ending still turned me off. It’s like there telling the viewer Converting to Islam is okay…… I understand Jack was in his final moments…. But it’s the ideology I didn’t like being thrown @ the viewer. Like would they had him run into a Christian Paster in the season probably not. They could’ve thrown in a religion without shoving down peoples throats. Even if was a paster who was just there to be there for him without having a debate Could of Said something like I will pray for you if you want. & there Ayla is not a god…. There were so many things other then kim wrong with that single scene in the finale. I didn’t really agree with the scene. It’s like he gave jack the impression if he repented or whatever @ that very moment thats what would get him into heaven or whatever that’s what would make everything okay. What you do or don’t do on this life good or bad is not what matters Okay so it matters to some degree But it’s the heart that is looked @ Not what we do or don’t do. I feel like that’s the debate Jack & the Muslim guy were having.

Personally I think Kiefer did choose that ending deliberately, knowing fans would ask for more. And then he announced to quite the role of Jack Bauer and wouldn’t do another season unless a film is commissioned by FOX. In that way, fans would ask for a film, and that would push FOX to make the decision.
And I think this is a BAD ending! Why not just give Jack a happy ending he deserves!! Mr Sutherland really should stick to acting and just leave writing to others.