25 Years Ago Today: Fox Launched An Action Thriller Series That Changed Television Forever

Today marks 25 years since Fox launched an action thriller series with a daring premise: Each season would unfold over the course of a single day. That show was "24," starring Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer, a federal counterterrorism agent tasked with thwarting dangerous threats. The series delivered plenty of high-octane drama and action sequences to keep viewers on the edge of their seats, but what made "24" really special was its format. The show's first eight seasons each featured 24 episodes unfolding in real time, making it nearly impossible to skip an installment.

According to "24" writer and producer Michael Loceff, the idea for the show's format came from co-creator Joel Surnow. "He came up with the idea of a show that took place in 24 hour-length, real-time episodes over the course of one day, and he called Bob Cochran, his producing partner, and pitched it to him," Loceff told Slate in 2006. "And Bob said, 'It's a great idea, it'll never work, don't call me again.'" Of course, Surnow did call again, and the idea obviously worked.

With eight original seasons, a TV movie titled "24: Redemption," a 12-episode ninth season called "24: Live Another Day," and the spin-off "24: Legacy," the franchise clearly found an audience. Its longevity wasn't the only measure of success, either. While later seasons received less enthusiastic reviews, Season 5 earned a perfect 100% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the show's highest-rated season on the site. "24" also racked up a shelf full of shiny awards, winning 20 Emmy Awards from 68 nominations.

According to Kiefer Sutherland, something is brewing in the "24" universe, although a revival has yet to receive an official green light. At a "Young Guns" panel in September 2026, Sutherland praised an idea for a potential return involving executive producer Howard Gordon and series co-creator Joel Surnow, while acknowledging the need for approval from the franchise's current rights holders. "I think there's a really good idea in place, and hopefully — I mean, I miss the character," he said (via Collider). "I miss the show. I miss making something that made people so happy, and so I can only hope that it happens really soon because no one wants to see an old, kind of limping Jack Bauer," he continued, adding, "So, yeah, we'll see what happens."