Counting Down to Sunday's "Redemption" of "24"

After a fairly universally-deemed-dismal Season 6 (now in the almost distant past) of the usually spectacular series 24, the series is back in business with a special 2-hour event this coming Sunday night, in anticipation of Season 7 coming in full, in January, to Fox.

"Redemption" is what looks to be an action-packed outing, set in Africa, where Keifer Sutherland's Jack Bauer has been working as a missionary -- cleansing his karma, no doubt. Filmed on location in Capetown, South Africa as well as L.A., "Redemption" also features the always intelligent actress Cherry Jones (The Perfect Storm, Signs) as the U.S. President, intense Brit actor Robert Carlyle (Trainspotting, The Full Monty, 28 Weeks Later, and so much more), Gil Bellows (Ally McBeal), and Jon Voight in the story centered around the real-life conscription of child soldiers by African militia warlords. No doubt a very timely story, I hope that movies like Blood Diamond have given audiences a good idea of how this kind of tale, which I doubt would normally go over that well here, can be an exciting and moving experience.

Let's assume that the 24 folks have fixed whatever tendencies toward meandering that plagued the last season, and that we are looking forward to another dynamite Jack Bauer outing. Nothing -- but nothing! -- on TV has ever been as good or clearly even-better-than-the-movies as a really terrific episode of 24, and that's the level of quality we're hoping for with "Redemption".

"Redemption" premieres this coming Sunday, November 22, at 8pm on Fox. The website for this special event is full of background info and all sorts of extras, so do visit it!

Here's the "Redemption" trailer to get you in the mood!: