TV Review: 24: Season 8, Ep.1: Day 8: 4-5 p.m., Ep.2: Day 8: 5-6 p.m.

24: Season 8, Ep.1: Day 8 and Ep.2: Day 8 saw Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) struggle not to be drawn back in to the world of espionage. The new CTU is so high-tech, its even beyond Chloe (Mary Lynn Rajsku)’s expertise. What you expect is what you get from 24 from the season premiere. I was surprised Jack was not pissed that she told her daughter, Kim Bauer (Elisha Cuthbert), the situation, classifed information over a cell phone, accepts it and walks back into CTU. Aren’t their protocols against that? We’re not supposed to think about that.

As soon as that cop calls in about changing shifts with the Russian assassain, Davros (Doug Hutchison), the Russian is going to kill him and his wife. I am surprised that the police officer did not realize that. Why leave a living witness to finger you?

What I also found unfortunate was the lack of real-time action like in the first few seasons of 24. During these seasons, you had multiple split screens on screen all throughout the episodes. Now you get one or two, usually at the beginning or at the end of a scene before a commerical break. That was one of the things that made 24 unique: seeing two to more events happen simulataneously. I understand why of course: producers wanted to make the show more mainstream. I guess some people could not handle looking back and forth.

What did you think of the season 8 premiere of 24?