Summary
Kiefer Sutherland’s role as Jack Bauer in Fox’s24was universally praised, but Sutherland’s follow-up failed to recapture the magic of this defining role.Jack Bauer is widely considered one of the defining protagonistsof the past few decades.24had manymemorable Jack Bauer scenesand was a focused show with a clearly defined premise. Every few years, a terrorist attack threatens America, and Jack Bauer is the only person who can save the day. He always manages to defeat the bad guy in precisely 24 hours. Each season had twists and turns, but the show’s central concept made it incredibly successful and hard to duplicate.
Unsurprisingly, given the show’s popularity, many series tried to recreate24’s template and enduring impact. While some were more successful than others, most fell short – largely thanks to the fact that, in addition to its thrilling action and compelling characters,24’s gimmicky premise gave it a distinctive USPthat set it apart from other similar shows. This is as true for Keifer Sutherland’s own24replacement which, like other similar shows, could not recreate the best thing about the actor’s Jack Bauer role.
All 16 Main Characters Killed By Jack Bauer In 24
By 24’s finale, Jack Bauer has compiled a long list of individuals he’s killed, with many of the noted names being key characters in the series.
Kiefer Sutherland’s Designated Survivor Was Not As Groundbreaking As 24
Designated Survivor’s Procedural Format Was Not Groundbreaking
Designated Survivorran for two seasons on ABC before moving to Netflix for season 3. Apolitical thriller in the vein of24,the show starred Keifer Sutherland as Tom Kirkman– a low-level cabinet member who becomes President of the United States after the Capitol is bombed. The first season had a clear storyline throughout, combining a weekly crisis that needed to be solved with the larger mission of solving who bombed the Capitol building. However, after a promising start, the show started to unravel.
Once the first season wrapped and the primary mystery was solved, the series quickly began to lose focus. Tom Kirkman’s weekly crises typically involved someone attempting to usurp him as president.24’s central premise was the same every season, but the individual story beats were always surprising. Furthermore, the 24-hour premise was a genuine innovation that, despite causing some structural problems, nonetheless kept viewers hooked. By contrast,Designated Survival’s procedural storytelling didn’t allow for many surprises, so the show quickly became stale.
Designated Survivor Could Not Compete With Other Political Dramas
Designated Survivor Lacked The Compelling Characters To Be Scandal
Subsequent seasons ofDesignated Survivorfailed to capture the hook of the first seasonand relied more on White House intra-office issues. As hits like24prove, procedurals work best when viewers can invest in characters as they negotiate various crises. Similar political thriller shows likeLaw & Order: SVU,House of Cards, andScandalall strike a balance between political intrigue and engaging characters.Designated Survivor’s characters were fundamentally not interesting enough to care about their weekly exploits.
Despite sharing a key cast member with24,Designated Survivorwas in many ways a less-action-oriented show than Sutherland’s original megahit. However, despite their differences, both shows were still heavily influenced by the political thriller subgenre. Ultimately, where24innovated with its own distinctive narrative device,Designated Survivorfelt increasingly like an imitation of other shows, such Aaron Sorkin’sThe West Wing. By occupying an awkward position between24and other popular political dramas,Designated Survivor’s shortcomings were brought into even sharper relief.
10 Best Villains In 24, Ranked
24 owes much of its acclaim to its diverse range of villains. While some may be forgettable, others significantly enrich the viewing experience.
Designated Survivor Took Way Too Long To Find Its Identity
Multiple Showrunners Ultimately Led To An Identity Crisis
Where24was focused on telling a gripping terrorism story,Designated Survivorstruggled to balance action and politics. Beyond this, there was constant tension between competing storylines. President Kirkman was the lead on one show, while Maggie Q’s investigator Hannah Wells often felt like she was starring in an entirely different project. The series never decided if it wanted to be a political drama or an espionage thriller and ultimately failed to execute either particular well.
This identity crisis may have been due to ongoing showrunner changes – a potential reason why ABC canceledDesignated Survivorduring its initial run.Designated Survivorhad four showrunners in two seasons. Most successful political dramas, fromThe Good WifetoScandal, have showrunners who stick around for years. It’s hard to write about politics without a clear viewpoint, andDesignated Survivorsuffered without a singular guiding voice steering the ship. As a result, and despite Kiefer Sutherland’s best efforts,Designated Survivornever found its footing in the same way24did.
