The Super Bowl is always the highest-rated TV event each year, but the show that follows it also experiences a massive viewership. Following the 2017 NFL championship game Sunday night, “24: Legacy” gets that coveted spot for its season premiere.
Nine seasons of “24” aired on FOX between 2001 and 2014, and the series has been rebooted for a new upcoming season. “24: Legacy” carries on the tradition of the previous seasons, but with new characters.
Here are a few things to know about the “24: Legacy” season premiere after the 2017 Super Bowl.
Completely New Cast
Kiefer Sutherland was the heart and soul of “24” for nine seasons, but don’t expect to see Jack Bauer back on TV anytime soon. “24: Legacy” features an entirely new cast, with no characters from previous seasons appearing in the first episode.
Corey Hawkins takes over in the leading role as Eric Carter, a former Army Ranger that is looking to prevent terrorist attacks in the United States. Miranda Otto, Jimmy Smits and Dan Bucatinsky all star in the premiere, as well. Viewers don’t need to know anything about the previous seasons in order to follow along with “24: Legacy.”
From left: Evan Katz, Anna Diop, Corey Hawkins, Miranda Otto, Dan Bucatinsky, Coral Pena, and Jimmy Smits attend “24: Legacy” preview screening and panel at The Paley Center for Media on Dec. 19, 2016 in New York City. Photo: Getty Images
Same “24” Universe
While it isn’t exactly the same “24” that diehard fans came to know and love, “24: Legacy” does provide a link to the previous season. Even though the characters are new, the show takes place in the same world, and it’s well established in the first episode.
CTU (Counter Terrorist Unit), which has been an essential part of each season, is back, and one of the analysts is even related to a former character. The show is filmed in the same manner as past seasons, featuring the countdown clock and the same music.
Returning Characters
There are no familiar faces in the season premiere, but that won’t be the case for all 12 episodes. One of the most important characters in the series will return midway through the season.
Tony Almeida, played by Carlos Bernard, will eventually show up. Almeida played a key role in the first five seasons, and he returned in the seventh season, two years after it appeared that the character had been killed off.
No Set Start Time
Episodes of “24: Legacy” will air weekly at 8 p.m. EST on Mondays, but it’s impossible to know exactly what time the season premiere will begin. The first episode will begin sometime after the conclusion of Super Bowl LI and the game’s trophy presentation, though it’s unclear when that will be.
Sunday’s game between the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots will kick off at approximately 6:30 p.m. EST, and FOX has estimated that “24: Legacy” will start at 10:30 p.m. EST. But if the game goes long, it might not air until much later.
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