Which Season of 24 is the Best?

24’s Jack Bauer has had more bad days than anyone.

But some were worse than others… We ranked the best seasons.

Terrorists are planning to assassinate a presidential candidate, the actual president, and probably someone else.

My wife has been kidnapped, and my daughter is suicidally stupid.

In all the even numbered days, Islamic terrorists have gotten hold of nuclear weapons.

In other days, it turns out to be someone I pissed off years ago.

Events occur in real time except for things like driving and going to the toilet.

24marked a turning point in television.

The show inadvertently became the de facto flagship show for the war on terror decade.

Yet a reboot of sorts last year showed that perhaps there was some life in the old girl yet.

So, lets see how it fared over the years, starting with the unquestionable nadir…

Season 8 will be remembered for its final, glorious send off.

If it werent for such a strong finish, season 8 would be ranked the worst.

24Fun Fact Anil Kapoor, who played Omar Hassan, went on to star in the Indian remake of24.

An unsympathetic CTU boss who gets replaced at the halfway point!

A mole in CTU!

But theres still a lot to like.

And that villain is The Mummy!

Unfortunately, none of them had enough momentum to leave a lasting impression.

Things would be different, we were told.

No more writing by the seat of the pants.

No more trying to go bigger and better.

No more reliance on Jack as the only vaguely interesting character.

And by and large it was a success… for three quarters of the season at least.

24Fun Fact This was the first season of24to be officially carbon neutral.

The kidnapping plot was cold, calculating, brutal, and unlike anything on television on that point.

So why so low on the list?

And we have Dennis Hopper with a preposterous accent.

24Fun Fact Before its retool into an espionage thriller,24was originally going to be a comedy set around a wedding.

There existed a debate at the time of season 2 about whether it surpassed the first.

Contemporary opinion would tell you that no, it did not.

But I think time has been kinder to season 2 than season 1.

Not long after, police raided it and found that it indeed was.

What should be called season 9 was the biggest retool the series had undergone.

But what was a real winner was the cast.

Jack is actually working at CTU and doesnt need a reason to get involved.

The mid season plot shift is orchestrated by the characters themselves.

This was announced by an explosive first episode which wiped out half the main cast.

All bets were off, and would stay off until the last unpredictable twist.

The only thing that was annoying about season 5 was that you absolutely could not stop watching it.

Related Article: Could 24 Return Without Kiefer Sutherland?#