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2 years ago, the Chinese government kidnapped Jack Bauer.  Since that, he’s been tortured but has not said a word to his tormentors.

Three months ago, Wayne Palmer was sworn in as the new President of the United States.

Eleven weeks ago, terrorist attacks began targeting major U.S. cities.

This morning, a bit after 6am, a suicide bomber blew up a commuter bus in Los Angeles.  Shortly after that, Jack Bauer once again set foot on American soil, now merely a bargaining chip in the political landscape.

Ever get the feeling that it’s just not worth waking up some days?  At last count, Jack Bauer has had at least five of those days.  Whether it’swhile his wife is being killed or him jonesing for a heroin fix while terrorists are set to unleash a biological weapon or the President being used to manipulate the country, Jack Bauer is America’s first line of defense against terrorism.  Well, he’s L.A.’s first line at least. And he’s the only name the President of the United States knows when it comes to dealing with terrorists.

The newest President Palmer, the late President’s brother Wayne, has not used his new found political clout to bring Jack back for purely humanitarian reasons.  A known terrorist, Fayed, promises to give up the instigator of the U.S. attacks (Assad) but he wants Bauer in return.  After over 20 months, the U.S. finally negotiates Jack’s return.  When a handcuffed Jack first steps off of the plane, he’s a broken man, unable to look his captors or his rescuers in the eyes.  Even after he’s told what he’s been brought back for and has a chance to clean himself up, he’s still an empty man.  With his shirt buttoned up to his neck and glassy eyes, Bauer is not the man who’s broken every law to save his country.  He’s been tortured and broken.  Even if the Chinese didn’t kill Jack, they’ve done their damage and torn the heart out of the man.  Jack tells CTU lead Bill Buchanan that he stayed alive in China because he didn’t want to die for nothing and now, for the good of his country, he can die for something. 

Jack only appears to come alive again when he learns of the continuing plots against the country.  Fayed, the terrorist he’s been given to, is really behind the attacks which will continue after Jack and Assad are dead.  Assad is giving up the old terrorist ways and is seeking peace through negotiation.  But Fayed doesn’t want peace: he wants domination.   Realizing that he’d die for nothing, glimpses of the old Jack show through as he kills a terrorist by biting him in the neck.  Of all the ways we’ve seen Jack torture or kill a man, this has to be one of the most disgusting and disturbing.  Biting a man in the neck is not something that a man does.  It’s the act of a monster or an animal.

Even armed with the new information of who is behind the attacks, the President orders CTU to attack Assad, most likely wiping out their last and greatest chance for peace.  Jack then spends the next hour or two on the run from CTU as he pulled Assad out of the firing line at the last minute.  Fayed has more attacks planned for the day, including another L.A. attack, this time hitting the subway system.  Ultimately, it’s revealed that Fayed has a briefcase nuclear bomb somewhere in the L.A. vicinity.

It’s a good thing that all of these terrorist attacks are focused on L.A. or who knows what Jack would end up doing.  I suppose you really can’t have an L.A. based show but have the attacks happening in Nashville or New York.  Like all previous seasons of 24, a certain amount of suspension of disbelief is required while watching the show.  Luckily, the show’s creators make this easy as they keep the story quickly moving with little chance for the watcher to catch up or catch their breath.  And in the few moments when the show slows down a slight bit, Jack’s actions are wild and desperate enough to keep the view off balance.  The show is a giant adrenaline rush that doesn’t let up for the length of the episode.  Or in the case of the premiere, it doesn’t let up for an entire four hours.

Joining Jack at least at the beginning of the season are all the surviving CTU regulars; Chloe, Bill Buchanan and Curtis.  Morris, Chloe’s ex who showed up last season, is still around, a fantastic addition to the soap operaish going ons at CTU headquarters.  Taking on terrorists is never enough as the supporting characters have to also deal with who loves who and who has a broken heart.  Morris and Chloe are an couple again.  Bill Buchanan has married Karen Hayes, his replacement last season and the new Secretary of Defense.  If that wasn’t enough, Milo from the first season is back and he and Morris don’t get along.  It’s like high school with the fate of the country on the line.

This season already is moving at a faster clip than previous season, a sign of more action to come perhaps?  Subplots that would have been dragged out for 8-12 hours are neatly wrapped up during the four hour premiere event.  By the end of the first four hours, everything is already different as both Jack and the terrorists’ actions and consequences drastically change the world.  This is perhaps the strongest opening of any season, moving quickly and efficiently, jamming in as much action and suspense as possible without abandoning any of the fun personal side stories.