24: Prepare to meet Jack Bauer's DadFrom
tv.ign.com September 12, 2006 - Though the premiere is still months away in January, filming is well underway on 24's sixth season, and cast announcements continue to be made.
Two new big ones were revealed this week, when it was announced that James Cromwell (LA Confidential / Star Trek: First Contact) and Eddie Izzard (Shadow of the Vampire) would be joining the cast. Cromwell, an Oscar nominee for his performance as Farmer Hoggett in Babe, will play a very notable role; Philip Bauer, the father of Kiefer Sutherland's Jack Bauer.
Acclaimed British comedian Izzard meanwhile will play a "villainous accomplice" named Darren McCarthy.
Other recently announced cast additions include Peter MacNicol (Numb3rs), Regina King (Jerry Maguire), Kal Penn (Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle), Marisol Nichols (In Justice), Alexander Siddig (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) and Harry Lennix (Commander in Chief).
It is also known that Eric Balfour (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) will return in his season one role of Milo Pressman, while Carlo Rota (introduced at the end of season five) will have an expanded role as Chloe's ex-husband Morris.
The press release announcing Cromwell and Izzard's addition to the cast also provides the biggest description yet of what returning characters will be involved this season, and where they are when we catch up with them, while still remaining vague enough to account for many 24 surprises to come.
From the press release:
"Season five concluded with a battered and bloodied Bauer captured by Chinese government agents and headed for points unknown. Season six picks up 20 months later. Wayne Palmer (DB Woodside), the strong-minded brother of the late President David Palmer, is now himself the President of the United States, while his sister, Sandra Palmer (Regina King), is a determined and powerful advocacy lawyer. After a series of horrific terrorist attacks, Palmer and his team of advisors, Karen Hayes (Jayne Atkinson) and Thomas Lennox (Peter MacNicol) - as well as CTU colleagues Chloe O'Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub), Curtis Manning (Roger Cross) and Bill Buchanan (James Morrison) - begin an unthinkable, nail-biting day."
James Cromwell as Jack's dad doesn't sound too bad...but it would have been cool to see Donald Sutherland land the role. I dug Cromwell's performances in
Babe and
The Green Mile.
Last season was great...but I have a feeling Season 6 is gonna suffer with the absense of its key characters from seasons past (Michelle and Tony especially...not to mention President David Palmer.)
Who knows, though? They always seem to pull out all the stops. And HEY! Milo is returning. He was one of my favorite characters from season 1...and I felt he should have returned in season 2. Although if that had happened...he'd probably be dead now.
