The following takes place between 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm.
Former Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) operative Jack Bauer (Keifer Sutherland) will neutralize a potentially catastrophic domestic threat only to be immediately plunged into a more complex and apparently solution-less plot to destroy the American Dream.
Fox's hit action drama 24 has recently embarked on its seventh season, soon to become the longest running spy series in television history, both in duration of broadcast and number of episodes.
Each season, which chronicles the events of a single day in real time, we turn to Bauer as our last and only line of defense against some of the most heinous international criminals imaginable.
24 not only materializes the very real threat of terrorism, but gives us Bauer as a symbol of unwavering patriotism and the willingness to do whatever is necessary to protect the American Dream.
Each season of 24 is characterized by a series of battles, internal and external, foreign and domestic.
The external, foreign conflicts are a staple of any action drama: distinct, easily distinguishable villains threatening all that which we hold true and righteous in our country.
However, what sets 24 apart from other action dramas are the internal battles, the domestic enemies, and the seemingly endless string of problems that plague our dark knight.
Countless times every season, the government and the nation Bauer has sworn to protect turns on him and questions his loyalties, all because he is willing to go further than any conventional agent to ensure the safety and security of the American public.
We as the audience know that the Earth has a better chance of imploding than Bauer turning on his country, and it leads us to stand by our hero even when it appears that no one else will.
Finally, the internal struggles, of personal loss, grief, and frustration, humanize our champion and force us to remember that, although he may appear infallible, he is still human after all.
When you watch 24 episodes, the storyline and characters represent the epitome of a worst-case scenario.
Nevertheless, we find ourselves glued to the television every new 24 season, waiting to find out how Jack will evade the latest crisis.
Regardless of what is thrown in his path, he doesn't stop until what should have been a catastrophic disaster has been avoided and all things have been restored to normal.
The consummate survivor, Jack Bauer represents a modern day patriotic archetype: no rules, just doing what has to be done.