I was a little disappointed when I heard that The Night Agent is set to end after four seasons. That’ll be only 40 episodes in total. What happened to action thrillers that’d had more than 20 episodes a season and lasted five or six seasons? I enjoyed the soon-to-end Netflix series because it reminded me of 24. When I was younger, I came to blows with a friend for breaking my DVD copy of the FOX hit. It’s not my proudest moment, but I’m sure Jack Bauer would approve.
24 was golden, addressing the ills of terrorism at the most appropriate time, just after America had suffered one of the worst attacks. Premiering in 2001, the show lasted nine seasons (including a short revival). Even though the threat of geopolitical-linked terrorism no longer feels as major as it did in the 2000s, the action thriller series still holds up. Here’s how.
’24’s Format Remains Unique
A TV series can only be deemed a masterpiece if no other project manages to replicate its format, tone, and thrills. The FOX easily ticks these boxes. Many real-time shows have been made over the years, but there still hasn’t been something quite like 24. The hour-by-hour storytelling is a major reason why the action thriller endures. Events strictly cover 24 hours of a day, with ticking clocks and occasional split screens creating added anxiety and euphoria. That sense of urgency cannot be matched, even among the most bingeable shows.
The characters, led by Kiefer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer, are another reason why the show holds up. Current TV action heroes like Jack Reacher and The Night Agent’s Peter Sutherland are often painted as morally upright dudes. They are too perfect. Bauer, on the other hand, makes you want to reprimand him almost every single time. When he yells, “Damnit, Chloe!” you wonder whether he should be shouting at his best friend like that. And when he tortures lawbreakers, a human rights bulb flickers in your head. But he isn’t the only one who deserves to be summoned to the principal’s office. In his world, even Presidents and government agents make questionable choices.
Above all, nothing beats 24’s action. Nothing beats the Day 8 scene where Bauer kills multiple Russian conspirators linked to the death of his lover, Renee Walker. Or when he attacks Charles Logan’s presidential motorcade. The fear in Logan’s eyes reminds you why you love television. More impressive is that there is always a cause-and-effect formula to the action. Jack’s attack on Russian diplomats ends up being his downfall. Other forms of violence also result in the deaths of innocent people. This truly is a show worth watching and rewatching in 2026.
A ’24’ Revival Might Happen
By earning 76 Emmy nominations, 24 broke new ground in its genres. The Television Academy tends to favor shows with a “drama” tone, so this was truly something special. Understandably, there has been a strong desire to have the show back. A spin-off titled 24: Legacy was released in 2017, but without Sutherland in the picture, ratings weren’t so good. A series revival was thus discussed. However, there appears to have been a pivot towards a feature film.
On Feb. 26, 2026, a 24 feature film was listed by Imagine Entertainment as one of the movies in active development. Plot details are under wraps, but you can bet on an “escape or rescue” arc that resolves the 24: Live Another Day cliffhanger that left Bauer in Russian captivity. In case you are wondering how the real-time ticking clock will fit into a cinematic format, the franchise did it before with 24: Redemption, a movie set between Day 6 and Day 7. In it, Bauer protects children from a militia group while working as a missionary in the fictional African nation of Sangala.
In late 2025, Kiefer Sutherland had expressed optimism in the project, stating:
“Well, I would love it. I love playing that character, and it would be nice to figure out a way to tell a story that has an end. There’s a lot of moving parts. Howard Gordon has written something that I thought was really interesting and exciting. It would be something that I’m certainly open to doing. I’ve certainly said that before. The people who are responsible for paying for it, they have to make their decisions based on other criteria, and so we’ll see what happens. If it happens, I’d be thrilled to do it, and if it doesn’t, we’ll find other stuff.”
At 59, the actor is a lot older than he was when he stopped playing Jack Bauer, but if anyone can be trusted to jump around without needing pain meds, it’s him. If Tom Cruise can do it, so can he.
“Previously on 24!” Here’s to hoping we hear those magical worlds soon.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
