Fox Counts Down to 24 Premiere

Australia

Fox Counts Down to 24 Premiere

Mon., Nov. 3, 2008 7:40 AM PST by Gina Serpe

Kelsey McNeal/FOX

For those suffering from Jack Bauer withdrawals, Fox has the cure for what ails you: a firm premiere date for the long-awaited, delay-plagued seventh-season premiere of 24.

The network today announced that Kiefer Sutherland and his terrorism-fighting costars will return to kick off their new run with a two-night, four-hour premiere Jan. 11 and 12.

The fourth hour of the premiere will mark the series' milestone 150th episode. The season will run without interruption through to May.

This time around, the seventh-worst day of Bauer's life will revolve around—wait for it—a national security crisis that unfolds as the protagonist's presumed-dead former colleague Tony Almeida returns.

For fans unwilling to wait until January—and who have already been waiting for about 18 months, as the season-six finale aired in spring 2007—Fox will air a two-hour TV-movie prequel that bridges the gap between seasons six and seven.

24: Redemption takes place on Inauguration Day and sees Bauer attempting to save the world from South Africa, his first ever non-L.A. location. Jon Voight stars as the requisite bad guy.

The special airs Nov. 23.