Posted on 09/21/2007 7:02:47 AM PDT by Watershed
Howard Gordon, executive producer of FOX's thriller "24," says actor Carlos Bernard acted "very cool about it" when Gordon called him in his car to tell him that his character, Counter Terrorist Unit operative Tony Almeida, was not dead after all and would be returning for the show's 7th season on Sunday, Jan. 13.
"But I know," Gordon says, "when I hung up the phone, I'm sure he did one of those 'Jerry Maguire' screams in the car."
The most frequently seen character in "24" aside from its hero, CTU super-agent Jack Bauer (Keifer Sutherland), Tony was introduced in season one and continued through season five, suffering personal, physical and professional ups and downs, culminating in being left for dead after a rogue former CTU agent (Peter Weller) gave him what appears now to have been a non-fatal drug overdose.
"That's something, obviously, we're going to have to explain away," Gordon says. "Hopefully, in the spirit of creating a good show and creating an interesting season, people will allow the fun [of '24']."
Gordon also sees Tony's resilience as the key to his return.
"It really ranks among Tony's other resurrections," he says. "I mean, he was blown up in a blast and was supposed to die there. He was shot in the neck in the third episode of season three, shot in the aorta at point-blank range, and he was basically back at the controls eight hours later.
"So in the nine lives of Tony Almeida, this is just another chapter, hopefully the most interesting of them."
Without spilling the beans about the details, Gordon says, "It's not the what of it, but the how, that's interesting."
But, as for Tony's apparently deceased ex-wife, CTU operative Michelle Dessler (Reiko Aylesworth), Gordon says, "No, she's definitely six feet under. Believe me, I know. We thought about that, too. Then we thought that everybody's dead except for Jack, and he's seeing ghosts."
This season, the show moves beyond the Los Angeles-based CTU to Washington, D.C, where Bauer is facing trial for his extreme actions in the pursuit of justice.
Although the show's primary shooting location remains a former pencil factory in Chatsworth, Calif., Gordon says, "We're also going to go to D.C. and shoot there, somewhere around the mid-October area."
Asked if he plans to get the usual D.C. exteriors with the Capitol and the Washington Monument looming in the background, Gordon says, "No, I thought we'd shoot a Wal-Mart in Maryland. What do you think it's going to be?"
In his writing career, Gordon has worked on many shows, including "The X-Files" -- during which he split with writing partner Alex Gansa, who has now joined the "24" team -- and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."
Like those two shows, "24" has moved beyond being just a TV phenomenon into being a genuine cultural phenomenon, from inspiring college courses to having Jack Bauer's name invoked by pundits, politicians and presidential candidates.
"In many ways," Gordon says, "we never set out to do that. That said, we certainly enjoyed that access and that kind of influence, but it's something, in a way, that was thrust upon us. It's one, also, that bit us in the ass."
In particular, Gordon is referring to allegations that the show promotes torture (frequently used as a plot device) and/or a right-wing political philosophy.
"Anybody who's a reasonable person," Gordon says, "would really be insane to imagine that this show posits any sort of political point of view. It's utterly insane. You could draw equally from both sides of the aisle."
He continues, "We've always obfuscated the parties and, in fact, contradicted ourselves probably multiple times, willfully. This thing is more metaphor. It's not a documentary.
"It plays with a compressed version of reality, clearly, on so many fronts. Ultimately, its only agenda is to tell a good story."
But in February 2007, a New Yorker magazine profile of show co-creator (with Bob Cochran) Joel Surnow had him referring jokingly to himself as a "right-wing nut job" and talking about his conservative politics.
"When Joel came out," Gordon says, "and declared his politics, or allowed his politics to be declared, suddenly our show became this propaganda machine. And I do think it hurt us."
Asked if the reaction might have been different if the declared politics had leaned in the opposite direction, Gordon says, "Great question. I don't know the answer to that. I don't know. When, obviously, the clear irony is that there's Evan [executive producer Evan Katz] on the far left, and me somewhere in the middle, and Joel on the right.
"It's like a spectrum of views shared by the writers who work on the show. Didn't seem to help."
24 ping!
Beautiful. “24” becomes more like pro wrestling with each new season.
I heard that Janine Garafalo (sp?) was joining the cast, I can’t stand her. I hope it’s not true.
I guess "coming out" as a conservative in Hollywood is like "coming out" gay in the regular world.
suddenly our show became this propaganda machine
It must be - there's one conservative on staff. When shows have all liberals on staff there is no propaganda, such as Left Wing.
Not sure I’m gonna be able to handle this season’s “global warming” slant. The show is looking like it’s gonna be too PC for me.
Politics aside for a moment...
The creators effed up when they (supposedly) killed off Tony. He was one of the better characters. All last season I couldn’t shake the feeling that 24 had jumped the shark. Why? Because aside from the first episode or two it pretty much stunk up the place.
They need a kick-butt season to recover from that one.
Yeah, it really is.
Don’t let anything happen to Chloe.
Jeanine Garafalo....
Hopefully, her character will be one of Jack’s first victims—within the first 2-3 minutes of the first episode.
OK, let me see if I got this straight. We have a woman President this season, the show hired Janine Garafalo as a character, Tony is coming back, and they are shooting the show at a Walmart in Maryland? Boy, this should be fun.
I have a plot line. Tony or Jack tazers Janine. Now, that would be fun!
“Don’t taze me bro” she screams.
I suspect more will be going on than Jack simply being on trial...so I guess we have to wait until January to see...
I saw Chloe on some show where she was really dressed up with make up and all and not in her character role...she’s even hotter as a real person.LOL!
I think the shooting at a Wal-Mart thing was a “tongue-in-cheek” reply, but other than that, you’ve got it pretty much right. sigh
Kinda like that Dallas season with Bobby Ewing’s death when “it was all a dream.”
It's not going to have a global warming slant. The studio is just trying to be "carbon-neutral" DURING production of the show.
They’re resurrecting Tony...
They’ve got the water skis, they’ve got the leather jacket, they’ve got the rubber shark.
That said, if Chloe gets rid of Ms.G ...I could be interested in seeing THAT episode. If "Jack" comes on talking about GW, I'll turn the show off, for good.
Well, if he tries to preach to the rest of America, coupled with the other "changes" to the show, I'm afraid it's the end of the show for most Conservatives.
Am I the only one who is not a member of the Chloe fan club? Sure, she's attractive enough (if she smiles, which she never does in 24), but that character just sets my teeth on edge. I'm not asking for Jack Bauer to kneecap her, but maybe grab her shoulders, shake her and say "Quit your bitchin'! Valencia was just nuked and I don't have time for your crap!"
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