Kiefer Sutherland on Today Show

Kiefer Sutherland admitted that when “24” writer/producer Howard Gordon (who now works on Showtime’s “Homeland”) called and said he had an idea for a 12-episode arc, the actor was “quite surprised by” the idea of doing a ninth season of the hit drama. “I said, ‘Well, why don’t you just kind of do them for “Homeland,’ (and) he said, ‘No, this is really “24,”‘ would you be interested,’ and it took me all of three seconds to say, ‘Sure, of course,'” Sutherland said.