OldBoy

I watched 4 and now on 5 and will watch all future and know a little of the backstory, but...

1) what happened with Jack and his daughter Kim (Elisha Cuthbert)? why is she gone and they never to contact again?

2) what happened in Pres. Palmer's re-election? why was he not re-elected and if so why not? as Dennis Haysbert was such a strong character i thought
2.5) what is with the new President, former VP Logan? is he like the least Presidential President ever? i mean he is horrible and i can see why he was only a VP at first.

3) why in any season, do the rooms the Presidents have occupied look nothing like they do actually (the situation room, etc...) (of course according to rumor and speculation of actual White House) and why haven't we seen (at least the past 2 seasons anything that looks the least bit Presidential? i haven't seen too many crests, official anything or even a static shot of DC.

4) I know Jack originally was and one CTU operation is stationed there, but why do all the terrorists, baddies, virus', bombs, nerve gases all consist mostly within in the confines of Los Angeles and the pretty close surrounding areas?? I mean don't get me wrong, I know LA is an important city, port near Pacific and all, but isn't 5 seasons within a little too coincidental??

FatTony

1. not 100% sure, but i think there's a line in the 4th season that indicates she moved out of LA with her boyfriend (probably husband, at that point) Chase, who was Jack's partner in the 3rd season.

2. it's a bit complicated, but basically, Palmer's brother Wayne put him in a position where he ended up making a couple of poor decisions and ultimately felt he had been dishonest to himself. i think there was some blackmail involved as well, but he chose to step down and not run for re-election. it's been a while since i've watched 3rd season, so i probably got some of that wrong.

4. well, there have been events in every season that have taken place outside of LA. season 3 even saw Jack kicking some ass in Mexico. besides, this show follows the LA branch of CTU. one could assume similar events take place in NY, DC, and other branches. luckily, there haven't been any spinoff shows thus far.

Chauzer

1. b/c from season 4, jack faked his own death.. even kim doesnt know it was faked so she thinks he's dead too

Cartload

1) Yeah, Kim settled down with her boyfriend Chase. I believe they got rid of her character because the writers had no idea what to do with her. After Season 1, her storylines were really lame, especially in Season 2 (Kim vs. the cougar) when 99% of the viewers wanted to reach into their TV screens and slap her in the face.

2) Palmer was running for re-election when one of his biggest backers, Alan Milliken, issued an ultimatum. Palmer had to fire his brother Wayne as his chief of staff because Wayne had an affair with Miliken's trophy wife, Julia. If he did not, Milliken would run a smear campagin against the President. Palmer brought in his ex-wife (and power hungry psycho) Sherry to take care of the problem. What she did was go over to Milliken's house to get some numbers off his cell phone (don't remember why) when Milliken woke up. Sherry and Milliken got into a huge argument and an aggitated Milliken began to have a heart attack (or something like that). Julia was about to give Milliken his heart medication, but Sherry stopped her. Milliken keeled over and died. Sherry involved Julia in a cover up. Palmer found out and told Sherry to get lost. The cops immediately suspected foul play, Julia ratted out Sherry, but Palmer lied to the police commissioner and said that when Milliken died, Sherry was at the LA campaign HQ. Sherry showed up a few episodes later. She told Palmer that if he didn't re-marry her and involve her deeply in his political decisions, she would go public with Milliken's heart medication bottle (which she took from his house) and claim she acted on orders from Palmer. Palmer met with Sherry to discuss terms to buy time while Wayne and some shady guy he knew broke into Sherry's home to steal the bottle. Sherry realized that Palmer was just bluffing and went home. When she got home, the shady guy knocked her out and they found the bottle taped to her back. Julia showed up when Wayne was leaving, so he went back inside. Julia shot and killed Sherry, then committed suicide. Wayne went back to Palmer and he tried to figure out a cover story for his brother to use. Palmer would have none of it and decided that enough was enough. He had made too many decisions that went against his principles, so he pulled out of the race.

4) I figure production costs dictate they stay in LA. The producers have also said they put a lot of money into the CTU LA set, so they intend to use it.

Rypro 525

well courtasy tv guide

OldBoy

that's not right. kim was gone after S3. Jack didn't fake die till end S4.

OldBoy

that's funny because i just read the cap for tonight's ep and it says "...things are about to get much worse. Especially for Jack, who has to face for the first time the girl he left behind."
i thought it might be her, but also thought it might be a girlfriend like maybe Kim Raver.

Robertwoj

Remember, this series only covers Jack Bauer's adventures around LA. For all we know, there have been other terrorist attacks all over the US and other CTU agents along the East Coast have had some long days just like Jack. Maybe we'll see some in a future spin-off called "24 EST", or something like that.

OldBoy

ok, ok...so why does nothing in the show look Presidential?? maybe Air Force One a little last season, but nothing else.

FatTony

i think it's just your opinion that nothing looks presidential. you'd have to talk to the set designers and decorators to get that answered.

dvd182

There was a reference in one of the season prequels to Kim being informed about Jack's "death."

Michael Corvin

1.) Kim, everyone seems to forget that the show/season takes place in a day. Is it that unusual not to hear from a 25 year old child(possibly married), who lives on their own, for a day? I think not. What about Jack calling her to see what's up? I can't see Jack interrupting an investigation just to shoot-the-shit with his daughter whom he might have seen the night before. "excuse me Paul, I was going to let you die, but fuck it, I'm gonna see what Kim bought at the mall today. Go ahead Doc, fix him up." So the point is, who's to say he didn't have contact? We don't know since we are only privy to one 24 hour time span. Of course circumstances between last season and this one are quite different, the whole being dead and all.

2.5) You answered your own question. He was the VP and never supposed to take office, it was thrust upon him when the president was killed.

3.)In one of the recent TVGuides (NCIS on the cover) they had an interview with the set designer and that question was actually brought up. The reason is because the show has a huge following around the world so they don't want to alienate any global fans by having the red, white & blue, and seals and what-not in your face. They want it to almost to give it the feel that it could take place in any country, even though it is about ours.

Of course the interview was more eloquent than what I typed above.

5.) It comes back to time again. Sure there have been 5 terrorist attacks in LA, but that is in a span of about 7-8 years. And as others have pointed out there could be others in other cities and CTU branches. As well as parts of the show taking place outside LA, including Mexico, Iowa and Nevada.

OldBoy

i think your logic for #1 just got pre-empted by your answer to #5. after S3 continuing to S5 was years. i am not asking why he didn't talk to her during the 1 day i was wondering why they weren't in communication for the years that spanned the last 2 seasons. every trailer, cap. about the show suggests he hasn't been in contact with kim for years because he in essence gave her up.

TimeandTide

A good place to go for recaps: Television Without Pity

As for the spoiler posted above, .

dvd182

I believe he was in contact/fine with her up until the faked death plotline, in which she was informed he died. She probably wasn't mentioned in Season 4 because they weren't positive they would bring her back on the show. Some shows aren't like Alias and keep characters and plotlines around hoping the actor(s) will jump on board. As for after season 4...

HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD! No one but Palmer, Chloe, Tony, and Michelle know he is alive and the Chinese government wants to fry him, so Jack contacting his daughter seems, I don't know, somewhat counterproductive to the plan. I'm not really so sure what is difficult to understand about this. It's like witness protection, you can't have any contact with anyone in your former life.

Michael Corvin

Exactly. That was what I was getting at.