24 Gets a Whole Season!

[James Harvey]

Here it is, from Variety:

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Fox is giving ``24'' more time and serving up another heaping portion of ``Bernie Mac.''

The network announced Wednesday full-season orders for the rookie series, ordering 11 more episodes of ``24'' and nine additional episodes of ``Mac.''

Both series originally had been given standard 13-episode commitments.

Despite airing in the toughest time slot on television -- Tuesdays at 9 -- the critically hailed ``24'' seems to have found its audience after a relatively disappointing bow. It showed week-to-week gains on Tuesday, its fourth airing.

Creators Joel Surnow and Bob Cochran said they were expecting a pickup, but were never certain.

``You don't count on anything in this business until the check clears,'' Surnow said.

He added media expectations and almost universally glowing reviews had many expecting ``24'' to bolt out of the gate. Its initial numbers thus seemed ``disappointing,'' he said, though Fox execs are happy with how the show is performing opposite brutal competition: ABC's ``NYPD Blue '' and CBS' ``The Guardian.''

Running twice a week -- on Tuesdays and reruns on Fridays -- the Kiefer Sutherland real-time thriller is averaging 18 million viewers a week.

All I can say is...*phew*...

[Failure]

Geez, I thought 24 episodes were a given. How shoddy would it have been if they cancelled it 13 hours through, because of the ratings.

[James Harvey]

I think they taped up to 13 episodes. Can you image just ending it like that? I don't think we'd see the Primary results by the 13th episode.

Personally, this show is more suited to DVD I think. It just flows perfectly for it. Maybe...just maybe...we'll see it go digital someday...

[Calhoun07]

I really hope this goes to DVD, also. I don't see it cuz it is up against Smallville and I forgot it was on Friday. I am so used to nothing being on Friday night that if something outside of the oridnary is on than what I usually watch, I forget. So I have yet to see this show but I have heard so much about it I would buy a DVD set without ever seeing an episode before.

[DarkAngel]

Originally posted by Dick Grayson
All I can say is...*phew*...

Yeah, that's cool. So what's been happened the last couple episodes? At the end of the last one I saw, Kiefer had discovered that the one chick he works with might be in on the assassination plot (I think). Any new developments?

[James Harvey]

Alot! I recommend you watch the reun on December 7th if you can. 24 won't rerun tomorrow becuase FOX is airing THE SOUND OF MUSIC tomorrow night.

The main development is that Keifer's daughter's kidnapping has something to do with the assassination plot and ther Senator's son might have killed someone.

You know...there's something odd about a network that would air TEMPTATION ISLAND on Thursday, then THE SOUND OF MUSIC on Friday...

[Failure]

Ending it on the 13th ep would be like cutting the Lone Gunmen off right in the middle of a 2 part episode... Oh wait, they already did that. Actually, it'd be worse.

The problem with 24 is viewers cant jump in the middle of a season. It's format is cool, but it alienates viewers. Like Cal, i hope it comes out on DVD, cuz I watch Smallville on the Tuesdays. I started out by watching the 24 reruns on Fridays, but I figured they'd quit rerunning it, so I stopped watching. But to my chagrin, I think they have shown each episode at least twice each week. So now I'm out of the loop and through with the show until they rerun it all at once over the summer or until it comes out on DVD.

[James Harvey]

I think they may continue doing the encore presentations as they are trying to get more viewers interested. They may do it for the whole run, or until January or so. I recommend you just catch the next episode to see if you can slide back in.

[Failure]

I'll keep an eye out for more encore rpesentations. Of course none of this wouldve been a problem if only I got FX.

I was actually surprised that 24 hasnt done better ratings wise. Wednesdays and Fridays are such dead nights, I'd think Fox would gain by moving 24 to one of those nights. The X-Files started out on Fridays right? And it slowly took off. The Cops and who wants to adopt a millionaire specials just bring Fox's reputation down. Of course, if they keep running encores during Fridays, I guess this'd be a moot point.

[oranthal]

holy snot, that is close! i would expect this show to get huge ratings the way critics say it is the best new show of the season. but i guess the combination of day and time slot makes it very difficult.

[James Harvey]

The 9pm (ET) Tuesday time slot is now considered the most difficult timeslot on television, after the Thursday @ 8pm (ET) slot. The show faired well but is gaining viewers. It has been slowly gaining viewers since the premiere.