It’s been a rough few months for 24.

This past season drew the rage of many fans by recycling old storylines and really just being all-around boring.  Then, then producers tried to mix up the formula by moving it at least in-part to Africa, but were shot down by FOX, who cited financial reasons.

Now, the show has hit another delay.  Production was set to begin on August 27, but has been bumped back again to September 10, only four months before the season premiere.

I’m still holding out hope that these delays mean that they are striving to create the best possible show, but I’m starting to have a nagging fear that they may just be fumbling to make the show work in a new format.

(Source: Zap2It)

Director Jon Cassar and writer/producers Manny Coto, David Fury and Evan Katz took the stage at Comic-con to answer a few fan questions.

- We’re reminded that, unless we really see someone dead, all’s fair.  See, Tony Almeda was originally slated to come back in the finale of Season 6.  Jack would have been looking out over the ocean, like we left him.  He would have heard Tony, offscreen, saying, “Jack, we have a lot to talk about.” 

- At the beginning of next season, CTU will be disbanded.  Jack will be brought to before a Senate Committee to explain his actions over his past actions.

- Season 7 will be set in DC.

- The 24 movie, which won’t happen until after the show goes off the air, will possibly be set with one half non-real time, and one half real time.  For example, a bomb is triggered mid-film that sets the clock in motion (that’s all my speculation there).

That’s about it.  It’s good to see some changes coming regarding location, and the lack of CTU support is a nice shift, too.

FOX is still searching for ways to change up the ‘24′ mix, and one rumor that’s been flying around the Internets for the past few weeks has been breaking from the tradition of the male President.

Those rumors came true over the weekend, as it was announced that Cherry Jones, who I immediately recognized from Signs and The Village, will move into the Oval Office next year.

From what I remember of what I’ve seen of her, she seems she’ll be able to really carry hard-nosed aspect of what we would expect from a female President.  Hopefully, this is just the first in a long list of steps that ‘24′ is taking toward renovation.

Anyone who watched ‘24′ this season knows that the show is due for an overhaul.  Some storylines came around suddenly with no real exposition…some storylines, like the Logan subplot, were killed off before they could even get started…and a majority of the storylines were just rehashed from the earlier five seasons.

The show is overdue for a change.

TVGuide has the story that FOX pulled the plug on the idea of the show’s seventh season shooting in Africa, citing the expense of an overseas shoot.  ’24’s producers also attempted to find a location stateside that could stand in for Africa, but the idea was eventually scrapped as a whole.  So, the production that would normally have begun at the end of July has been pushed back to mid-August.

Is that a bad thing?  I don’t think so.  Sure, at face value, it seems like FOX is stemming the show’s creativity.  But everyone involved knows what’s at stake if the show doesn’t undergo some sort of a reinvention.  I feel like this will serve to push the developers to dig even deeper, and develop a show that will be once again worthy of the ‘24′ mantle.

Add this to the “Reasons Why You Don’t Mess With Jack Bauer” category.

Friday, the FBI filed a criminal complaint against a Jorge Romero, who allegedly uploaded the first four episodes of ‘24′ to LiveDigital.com eight days before the show aired.  If convicted, he could serve a three year sentence.

Hollywood Reporter writes:

The action represents a renewed aggressiveness to crack down on Internet bootleggers, particularly in the television industry, which has not been as vocal about anti-piracy activities as the music and movie businesses.

Romero is not suspected of stealing the “24″ episodes from Fox; that individual is still at large, and neither Fox nor federal investigators has given up on trying to find the culprit.

That’s a pretty substantial penalty for simply distributing something that you obtained, albeit illegally, to another source.  While I agree that piracy is something that is potentially very damaging to the entertainment industry, doesn’t this seem to be a bit excessive?

Nearly every day, I read a little tidbit about a show that I want to post, but I hold off on.  There are a couple of reasons for this…first, if I did post everything I read, I would literally be doing this all day, every day.  Second, it would be near impossible for you, dear reader, to keep up with all of that without missing something.  Thus…the TV Jab Roundup, a (hopefully) weekly installment to keep you updated on the latest news for the shows we cover here on the site.

Bear in mind (especially this week, as I’m trying to get into the swing of this), that I may miss a tidbit here and there.  Feel free to leave a note in the comments about something I may have missed.

Due to the length, we’ll continue after the jump.

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It’s such a geekly week for me…season finales of 24, Heroes, Lost…and that little Pirates movie coming out this weekend.  Good times.

24 - FOX - 8/7c - 2 Hour Season Finale

FOX says:

Having been separated from Josh, Jack struggles to stave off the Russian attack on the U.S. base in central Asia.

I’ll be interested to see how this finale sets up the “reboot” that’s supposed to come about next season.  Call me twisted, but I’m pulling for Phillip to kidnap Josh and take him overseas, either to China or Russia.

Heroes - How to Stop an Exploding Man - NBC - 9/8c

NBC says:

With Isaac’s horrible predictions unfolding before them, the everyday people with extraordinary abilities face moments of pain and peril in Kirby Plaza with unflinching heroism.

It was so great to be able to go back and catch up on some of the early episodes over the weekend with the SCIFI marathon.  While I wasn’t 100% sold on the series when it first aired, going back and revisiting those first episodes made me fall in love with the show all over again.

‘24′ has been getting hit pretty hard this season, and justifiably so.  The show has quickly dropped down my list of must-watch shows this season, to the point where I pretty much have to press myself to finish an episode.  In addition to FOX’s upfront this morning, the network announced that ‘24′ has been locked for another two seasons.  The Hollywood Reporter writes:

“We’re re-creating the series,” executive producer/showrunner Howard Gordon said. “It is going to be a real-time thriller. Beyond that, it’s an open book.”…Aside from Sutherland, “24″ will return with a new cast (some old favorites might return in different roles) and a new, non-Los Angeles location, with the producers even contemplating telling the story from two locations.

I think two locations is a brilliant idea.  They’re setting the stage for China big time.  I’ve said it before, but I’ll go there again…I think that Jack’s dad will take Josh with him to China, and Jack will head over there to track him down, helped by CTU (or somebody) in the U.S.

With all the upfront excitement, I almost forgot the What’s On segment.  Here we go:

Dancing With The Stars - ABC - 8/7c

Tonight the stars dance their favorite dances, but with new music and choreography.

24 - FOX - 9/8c

Yahoo! says:

The administration copes with a compromising situation; Jack stops at nothing to protect the country from an international incident.

…which sounds like virtually every other ‘24′ episode.  TVGuide says:

The drama escalates between the U.S., China and Russia, and things get personal for Jack.

Okay…thanks for clearing that up.

Heroes - Landslide - NBC - 9/8c

How about one more ‘Heroes’ story today?

The theory that everyone has powers will gain more ammunition tonight, as Hiro’s dad returns (as evidenced by the promo last week)…and rumors are that he has a power as well.

Poised to become a member of Congress and maybe more, Nathan considers the cost to those he loves, along with his mother’s advice and Linderman’s prophecy. As he prepares to face Sylar to the death, Hiro learns of his lineage from his father. While various “heroes” fatefully arrive in New York City, Peter and Ted attempt to leave the city before the foretold explosion. H.R.G. and Matt learn the surprising truth behind the tracking system used on people with special abilities.

24 executive producer and writer Howard Gordon talked to the LA Times about the lackluster current season of the FOX show, and the wrath that it has drawn from fans.

It hurts to hear the criticism…I don’t dispute it’s been a challenging season to write for us. But it’s reinvigorated our determination to reinvent the show. This year could be seen to be the last iteration of it in its current state.

When this season premiered, I felt like it had huge potential to become a favorite among fans.  I would have loved to seen the storyline of Jack having to be handed over to terrorists explored a bit more…I would have loved to have seen more of Jack’s father in a concise storyline (though he’s said to return soon).  But instead we’ve been treated to recycled storylines from the past five years. 

Here’s my suggestion for a ‘reinvention’, if that’s the path that the producers choose to take.  At the end of this season, Audrey is abducted again by the Chinese.  Then, next season, Jack goes to China to try to save her.  He doesn’t have CTU or the White House right there over his shoulder…he’s free to do what he can without being limited by…you know…the law and stuff.

What do you think?  What would be a good way to reinvent the show to keep it fresh?