24

Counterterrorism agent Jack Bauer fights the bad guys of the world, a day at a time. With each week's episode unfolding in real-time, "24" covers a single day in the life of Bauer each season.

24 (2001-2014) is an American action thriller series created by Robert Cochran and Joel Surnow for FOX. Kiefer Sutherland plays counterterrorism agent Jack Bauer, a relentless operative who fights threats to the nation while his family life falls apart around him. Chloe O'Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub), a sharp analyst working inside the Counter Terrorist Unit in Los Angeles, supports him from the command center, while Dennis Haysbert plays David Palmer, a principled president-level figure caught in the crossfire. Each season is a nine-season run that covers a single day, with every episode unfolding in real time and a fresh plot about bioweapons, assassinations, and hidden traitors. The engine is a race against the clock: Bauer must uncover a conspiracy before it detonates, often bending procedure and taking brutal measures to do so. The tone is tense, propulsive, and relentless, built around ticking countdowns and split-second decisions. Its scope is a serialized national security saga with political intrigue set in present-day Los Angeles and Washington. Fans of Homeland, Alias and The Blacklist will find resonance in its blend of espionage, paranoia and high-stakes action.

Viewers broadly acclaim 24 for its relentless real-time tension and Kiefer Sutherland's commanding performance as Jack Bauer, though its later seasons are seen as less consistent than the early run.

• Homelandreal time tension, counterterrorism thriller, serialized conspiracy
• The Blacklistgovernment intelligence thriller, serialized political conspiracy, relentless pacing
• Aliasticking clock structure, lone operative action, serialized espionage

Created by

Robert Cochran, Joel Surnow

Release Date

2001-11-06

Episode runtime

45 min

Rating

8.4 / 10 (1909)

What is 24 about?

Counterterrorism agent Jack Bauer races against the clock over a single day, battling threats to the nation one hour at a time.

What is 24 like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of 24 as breakneck, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as dense.

Is 24 violent?

Yes. Ember rates the violence in 24 as brutal.

What did critics think of 24?

Viewers broadly acclaim 24 for its relentless real-time tension and Kiefer Sutherland's commanding performance as Jack Bauer, though its later seasons are seen as less consistent than the early run.

Which shows are like 24?

Shows with a similar feel include Homeland, The Blacklist, and Alias.

How long is 24?

24: 9 seasons, 204 episodes.

Is 24 still running?

No, 24 has ended.