© (c) 2007 Fox Television Kiefer Sutherland on Fox's 24

Television:

Breaking News: '24' GETS A FEMALE PRESIDENT AND THE SHOW WILL CONTINUE ITS HIGH-WIRE ACT OF CONSTANTLY CHANGING

Changes will be in store for the fall (just like always), and just like always major details are still tight lipped

By CARL CORTEZ, Contributing Editor
Published 7/22/2007

LOCATION: Fox

THE SKINNY: At Fox’s Summer TCA press tour, news about 24 – Season 7 came to the forefront, most notably that a woman will be in the White House with Cherry Jones starring as President Allison Taylor this coming winter.

While speaking about the series, Fox Entertainment Chairman Peter Ligouri says that decisions like this are at the heart of what makes the show so great.

“I can just say broadly that decisions are made consistently on 24 to always reinvigorate the franchise,” says Ligouri. “And I think one of the reasons this show has withstood the test of time is [creators] Joel [Surnow], Bob [Cochran] and [executive producer] Howard [Gordon] consistently going after courageous ideas and bold thoughts to keep the show fresh.”

While many thought Season Six of 24 missed its mark at times, Ligouri is quick to note that he wouldn’t consider that a failure by any means.

“I think this is a show that is a living beast, which is the fun and danger that the audience enjoys sharing,” says Ligouri. “Each season they’re able to reset the table. During the course of conversation as to what the new season will look like, it’s really enlightening and a heck of a lot of fun to see them spitball ideas. In terms of a bible, I feel, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ I feel that part of the high-wire act is their process. There is a specific energy that goes into creating a season of 24. It’s a little bit like war strategy. You have a big strategy, the first bullet goes off, the war strategy goes out the window. I actually think that energy has served them well on the show.”

Ligouri also notes, the creators themselves are their harshest critics.

“I’ve got to tell you, those guys are dogged, but they’re also neurotic in a good way,” says Ligouri. “They pick apart the weaknesses in their show. They don’t sit there and say that the show was perfect. But with all that being said, last year’s performance doesn’t require wholesale changes. It has put made them put their game face on and say they have the opportunity for another day, another 24 hours of which they have a bar that they have to jump over. And I can tell you that those guys are very competitive and it fuels their creativity.”

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