WARNING: Major 24 season 7 plot spoilers follow.
You were right. At least, you were right if you were one of the more conspiratorially-minded 24 fans who noticed, back in season 5, that your beloved Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard) didn’t get the silent-clock tribute after Christopher Henderson (Peter Weller) jabbed him with a supposedly lethal syringe. Sure enough, 24’s producers revealed Wednesday that we should expect to see Tony pop up in the coming season. Other big spoilers: Day 7 will take place in Washington, D.C., with Jack Bauer on trial. Chloe O’Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub, pictured) and Bill Buchanan (James Morrison) will be around, no doubt in support of Jack, but otherwise, Kiefer Sutherland will be surrounded by a largely new cast, including (as previously announced) a fed played by Janeane Garofalo and a president played by Cherry Jones.
Bringing folks back from the dead smacks of desperation to me, though 24’s writers do tend to make their characters hard to kill. Besides, after the dismal day 6, the show needs to do whatever it can to mix things up and win back alienated fans. Still, does this news make you more or less eager to tune in to 24 when it returns in January?
Comments (1-30) of 57 Add your comment
Whatever. This show jumped the shark years ago. (Hi Cougar subplot!)
As silly as this show is I love it and I don’t really agree with the idea that it is jumping the shark with this move (I mean, there have been far more ludicrous things on this show like the cougar Daniel brought up).
Also, as much fun as I personally made of people who insisted Tony Almeida was still alive, I’ll be glad to see Carlos Bernard bring the character back to the show seeing as how many characters audiences have affection for (Curtis, Edgar) have been rubbed out the past few years.
24 jumps the shark every season. And I have to agree, Gary. Day 6 was pretty idiotic. After the first four episodes, the only episode that came close to matching that intensity was episode 10pm-11pm where Jack went toe-to-toe with Fayed. Of course, the writers could really maximize the suspense if Fox didn’t announce a Kiefer Sutherland contract extension every season.
Thank goodness! I knew he’d be back one day. Tony was always my favorite character. He brought a real humanity to 24. Jack Bauer almost seemed unhuman without him… Jack survived every season while being a badass, but for awhile, Tony did as well, which made the show seem realistic, and made Jack not look so superhuman or unreal. I was devastated when Tony “died,” and I am ecstatic to hear about his return. It’ll be awesome to see his familiar face next season!
makes me ashamed that i was a 24 fan
I was angry with the writers when they got rid of Michelle and Tony, because they were my favorite characters (other than Jack, of course.) At least I will get half of my wish that they had not killed off my favorite couple. I don’t give a crap about “jumping the shark” – nothing gets my heart pounding more than watching an episode of “24″!
Jack on trial?! washington DC?! Tony back?! could this be the biggest come back on tv history cause.. correct me if im wrong no show gets better after a really bad season… expect for the first 2 years of seinfield and they werent even bad.
I don’t think it’s desperation at all. I didn’t think Tony was dead all this time. It’d be different if he flatlined or something, or if he got the silent clock.
Tony’s one of only a handful of characters on the show I’ve actually like, so I’m happy he’s back.
More eager…Tony rocks! I was hoping for this last season.
The last season was pretty bad…this one needs to re-establish the series.
Last season wasn’t the best season, but any season of 24 is better than most TV! Tony! I would love to see him back with Jack – woo hoo!
More!!
I’m on the fence with this. A silent clock doesn’t signify a death; it’s for dramatic tension. So the producers copping Tony’s return to, “Oh, we didn’t give him the silent clock, so he’s still alive, haha, it was our plan all around” sounds lame to me.
On the other hand…TONY! YAY! MY FAVORITE CHARACTER! As long as they make his return plausible (for the 24 universe, at least) and make season 7 better than season 6, then I’ll be okay.
I know I already said what I said, but I just want to add that as exciting as this news is, I’m a little saddened that in this day in age this stuff is all over the Internet and the blogosphere and everyone knows about it and will be expecting it.
Think about it…how awesome would it have been to just have Tony show up in the middle of this season out of nowhere! Then again, I’m betting the producers are maybe trying to drum up some positive buzz for the upcoming year after the letdown that was season, er, day 6.
I’m with you Ceballos. Normally, I’d avoid this news like the plague and curse everyone’s name that revealed this to me, but I need reassurance after the lackluster season 6. And boy, did they nail it big time. Jack on trial? Tony’s resurrection from the dead? Holy $hit, do I need to change my pants right now! I’m pondering whether I should call my older brother and tell him or wait until the show airs in January 2008. Both of us were pissed when Tony ‘died’ in season 5.
Speaking of which, didn’t the official 24 site on Fox list him as deceased after Henderson ‘killed’ Tony?
bring back chase!
I like Tony and am glad he is back. I am looking forward to this season. Still think 24 is a far superior to most of the junk on tv.
I believe there’s going to be a reasonable explanation for Tony’s resurrection. The writers “killed” Tony off fully intending to bring him back at some point. Why did they do this?
Tony Almeida never really existed. He was the alias of an agent with a personal connection to Jack. Tony did perish in the med room-but the man who bore that false identity still lives. A huge backstory is coming on why “Tony” took his alias.
I figured Tony would be back. I thought he was stabbed with the same thing Jack was stabbed with at the end of Season 4. I thought they were faking Tony’s death as well. I don’t think Tony is the only character returning. I expect Kim to come back for a couple of episodes. I’ve been hearing a lot of rumblings about ex-President Keeler as well. It is said that he is still alive. I expect a lot of new characters and returning character in this season.
I think President Palmer should take a break from selling All State and make a return. What? He’s dead on the show? Hmm… maybe if they borrow Hermione’s Time Turner they can make it happen…
“Tony dies in Jack’s arms.” So sayeth the 24 site on FOX.com — but then again, we never saw Dina Araz get shot, so maybe she can come back too.
Then maybe we’d find out whatever happened to Behrooz. Or to Charles Logan. And we never actually saw Jack’s father die, so maybe James Cromwell escaped from the oil rig on the boat…
Anything is fair game in 24-land.
I’ve already invested 6 years into this show; I can’t stop now. Besides, there couldn’t be any other show on opposite 24 that would be any better.
Apparently, the very first scene with Tony will be in the shower after waking up from a bad dream…
I have to agree with Ceballos on this…Watching Tony suddenly reappear would have been way cooler than knowing about it beforehand. This is one piece of information the producers should have kept to themselves!
Still…looking forward to the new season!
Although I would prefer the surprise appearance, this news made my day yesterday. For all we know, if this is about a trial, Tony could be in a flashback or something. Tweak with the 24 formula. Real time with testimony flashbacks or something. Or not.
I quit this show long ago, and is on the same timeslot as Heroes, so, who’s still watching???
If Tony is back, I am still in on 24 no matter what!! I just passed the last couple of years pretending he wasn’t dead, so…
They can bring back Tony, but he better have some sort of debilitating injury/disease. Tony in a wheelchair (i.e. the serum left him paralyzed from the waist down) I could believe.
I’d also like to see Chase return with a hook in place of his chopped off hand.
(I kid, I kid….but seriously, I’m hopeful that this show can return to its pre-season 6 glory. Will President Logan be returning too?)
Seems a little soap-opera to me, but Tony’s one of my favorite characters so I’ll be happy to welcome him back. If they give Tony, Bill and Chloe a bunch of screen time, that’s a step in the right direction.
This makes me both happy and sad, i think partly was Day 6 was so dismal is because i didn’t like a single supporting cast member other than the ones we already knew. I had no one to root for other than Jack which made the other stories boring. I did love Tony and i was devastated when they did that.