Kelsey McNeal/FOXJack Bauer's mortality comes into serious question in tonight's two-hour season finale of 24.
Truth be told, Kiefer Sutherland is signed on for next season, but the question is, in what capacity? As executive producer Jon Cassar teased of Jack Bauer's impending death, "It's going to get pretty close; it will go down to that last scene." We've seen the finale for ourselves and can assure you that he's not magically healed by season's end.
Kiefer takes a minute to talk about the dramatic turn his character has taken this season, and how he personally deals with the pesky media when it comes to things like head-butting another man or going to jail.
How does it feel to be playing a man who is dying? How will it develop more in the final two episodes?
It's time. He's dying. Normally the endings of our show have been plot-driven, so it's about stopping the bomb, or it's about stopping whatever crisis. The crisis has been dealt with; these last two episodes are for him coming to terms with his own life. As we started out entering into the debate, which I think 24 got pulled into about torture, he is now forced to confront himself about some of the things he's done. Some of them he can justify and some of them he really can't. This is why [with] the last two episodes, I was so excited about playing them and why I'm so excited for people to finally see them. It's a real character shift for Jack Bauer, but it's also a much more dramatic ending than anything we've ever tried before.
Your best friend has betrayed you, and your daughter is in peril. Are things more personal this season?
No, because in season one he lost his wife and his daughter was in danger at that point. Every year has its own circumstance that is incredibly personal for Jack Bauer, but I think one of the nice things about this season and being able to play this character over seven years is that that takes a toll on this character. If you take a look at Jack Bauer from season one, and you take a look at Jack Bauer from season seven, they're not the same guy. You've seen how all of this has chipped away at him and torn him apart, and it really does come to pass in these last two episodes. I'm already trying to digest the emotional impact of this season and how I'm going to replay this character, because he's going to be different.
How does Jack feel about his daughter now as opposed to the first season?
He's carried guilt. He's carried the burden and guilt about how he thinks he let her down and the responsibility he feels for his own wife's death for all seven seasons. It was not a noble thing for him to ask her to leave; it was a cowardly thing. It would've been hard for him to accept dying if he thought that there was something that could be resurrected between the two of them. It was not a bold thing to do. He basically couldn't go through with it if she was there.
How does it feel dealing with the media when things blow out of proportion?
In all fairness, I've seen that with my dad. I was really lucky because my dad was quite famous, and I think I was lucky enough when I started that I knew what was coming. It was a choice that I made. I really love to work, and I can't tell you how lucky I've been to be able to do that—how grateful I am for everything that is provided for me. You know what's coming down the pike and you accept it. You just need to focus on the work, family and your friends and get on with your life.
We've seen a lot of emotional depth this season that we haven't seen in a while. Did it make it more satisfying to play the role?
For us, I think this season did get more dramatic than it was just simply plot-driven and action-oriented. I think we've always been very aware of trying to create a balance of both of those aspects. Certainly from an actor's perspective, when it gets a little more into the drama world, that's a lot more fun to play, and that's more exciting and more challenging. Yes, this season has been a blast. Again I think one of the great experiences of 24 for me was doing the seven seasons. I ,as an actor, grew as the character grew. I've learned more doing this series than any single experience that I've had as an actor.
Did you expect this series to last seven seasons?
I didn't expect it to last one. I've been doing this long enough that for me to try and figure out why or what an audience is going to gravitate to or hold on to, it's impossible. I think you have to just do the best work you can and if it's the right timing it will be found.
What can you tell us about season eight?
We're shooting it in New York. I can tell you that it's grounded in a political shift that's taking place in the world, and I actually think it's probably the most realistic thing we've ever done. It's going to be centered in one of the most realistic circumstances. Some of our stuff, to be fair, is kind of far-fetched. This one is actually quite possible, so that's going to be very interesting on that level.
The season finale of 24 airs tonight on Fox at 8.