Bidibidibidibidi KONGGGGG
By Mitch Berg
Here’s one prediction: There’s be more genuine suspense on the “Making of 24, Day 7“ DVD extra than there was in all of the actual Day 6.
Execs at the Fox hit have scrapped virtually their entire story line for the season, delaying the start of production by roughly three weeks…Although a Twentieth Century Fox spokesperson declined to comment, 24‘s expert scowler, Mary Lynn Rajskub, confirms that the clock for Day 7 has been reset. “I don’t know what’s going on over there, but they’re going crazy,” says the scene-stealer, who learned only last week that Chloe would be returning. “We usually start [back up] at the end of July, and I don’t think we’re starting until a couple of weeks into August now. It’s kind of exciting, because I think [the postponement] means that they’re really having to dig in there and come up with new stuff.”
Chloe was in Day 6? (Ruffles through notes) Wow. Sure ’nuff.
The show’s creative team was no doubt already feeling the pressure: Day 6 was considered to be about as explosive as a wet firecracker, so for Season 7 they really needed a plot that was incendiary. In fact, news of the setback comes on the same day the semiannual Television Week critics’ poll (in which yours truly participated) named 24 the second-worst show on TV, behind ABC’s best-not-traveled October Road.
To be fair to Joel Surnow, the poll apparently didn’t cover last night’s debut of Greek, which my daughter made me watch. Honest. Dropping a “G” from the title would have at least been more accurate. I think 24 Day Six might have been third from the bottom. But I digress.
And then there was this:
For more on 24‘s big rewrite — including what impact it’ll have on plans to introduce the show’s first female president …
She’ll still be more masculine than Wayne Palmer.
July 11th, 2007 at 9:14 am
“She’ll still be more masculine than Wayne Palmer.”
Kinda like Hillary over President GW Bush! . . . . Oh shoot, did I say that out loud *laughing*
Flash
Centrisity.com
July 11th, 2007 at 10:23 am
Yeah, Flash, meant to say thanks for pointing this one out.
I’ll tell ya what worries me about this, though. This show is at its silliest when it starts making stuff up.
So now they have no idea what the plot for next season is going to be and they’re supposed to start shooting this month?
They’ve pushed the making stuff up stage to the start of the season? Eek!
July 11th, 2007 at 10:38 am
Jeff,
Yeeeeah.
Now, SOME people are best when they’re under (as it were) the gun. It remains to be seen if Surnow and his people are among ’em. I mean, last season was the result of a full production cycle, and look what we got?
Could a last-minute job be any WORSE than Day Six?
July 11th, 2007 at 10:39 am
Our Father In TV Heaven:
Could a last-minute job be any WORSE than Day Six?
Please don’t make me regret asking that.
Humbly,
A frustrated 24 fan.
July 11th, 2007 at 11:42 am
The Ask Ausiello update:
http://www.tvguide.com/Ask-Ausiello
Question: This news about delayed production on 24 is crazy! Any other details on why Jack’s African safari was shelved?— Jordan Van Os
Ausiello: It was simply an issue of dollars and sense. Shooting on location in Africa is not cheap, and, after taking a long hard look at the budget, the higher-ups at Fox asked producers to find a location in Los Angeles that could stand in for the faraway continent. Ultimately, however, the show’s quality-conscious creative team decided it was better to scrap the story entirely than try to construct some cheesy faux-African set. And I say good for them. It always bugs me when a show tries to convince us that its characters are in some exotic locale when in reality they’re on the Universal backlot. (See Lorelai and Christopher’s romantic Paris getaway last season on GG.)
Question: I just read your item about 24’s Season 7 plot getting tossed out. What’s the latest on the addition of the female president?— J.B.
Ausiello: As far as I know it’s still happening, but everything else is up in the air at this point. Even my BFF Mary Lynn Rajskub, whose contract option was only picked up last week, is in the dark about Day 7’s direction. Not that the uncertainty is keeping her up nights. “I don’t really have any strong feelings other than, ‘Can I have hair extensions and more to do on the show? And bigger boobs?’ But they’re not going to go for that, because I can’t get any hotter. People are going to freak out.” All joking aside, ML admits she did find it “odd” that Chloe was given so little to do last season. It’s a trend she doesn’t see continuing, especially now that her ornery alter will be with child. “It’s always a dicey thing to throw a baby into the mix, but I do think that with the character there’s an opportunity. What would Chloe be like as a mom? It could go a number of ways. I kind of want to see her freak out a little bit.” Her professional life will also be turned upside down, given that CTU will be out of the picture. Muses ML, “Maybe I’ll just be at home with six computer monitors playing poker.” Hey, I’d watch that!
July 11th, 2007 at 11:54 am
When 24 Day 6 premiered it was on opposite Heroes and I made the decision to stick with the show I’d loved for five years and hope to catch Heroes latter either online or via DVD (I don’t have TIVO nor a working VCR). This weekend I finally watched all 23 episodes of Heroes back-to-back and I have say I made the wrong choice last fall because Heroes was the best effing new show on television (not surprising considering that one of the creators also worked on Alias and Lost).
After the abysmal show which was Day 6, if Heroes and 24 are up against each other, I’ll be watching Heroes and maybe catching 24 later. Hopefully they’ll be on at different times but given what a wonderful show Heroes was and promises to be, I plan to watch that one as it airs and take my chances with catching 24 later.