There's been some scuttlebutt stirred up to suggest that next season's two-hour 24 prequel TV movie will be considered part of the 24 hours in Day 7, therefore leading some to think that there'll only be 22 episodes. But how could there only be 22 hours in a day, right? Well, TV being what it is, I'm sure they'd find a way to do two hours in one -- other shows do! -- but that won't be the case. There will be 24 hours, 24 episodes in the 2009 season of 24.

Part of the reason for all this confusion is an interview that actor Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty) gave to Premiere.com. Carlyle, who will be playing someone who'd been a mentor to Jack, said that the 24 TV movie, which is meant to cover what's happened since the end of Day 6 with the new Day 7, would apply to the Fox episode commitment. He told Premiere.com, "This is two hours in real time, and there'll then be 22 episodes."

Huge news right here if you can't wait for the new season of 24 to roll around. Apparently, the first four episodes of the new season have been leaked to the web and they're readily available for those that like poking through various BitTorrent sites. It's speculated that this may be the doing of AsiaTeam, a group who has been credited with uploading TV shows in the past. Seems like they may have gotten hold of the DVD that FOX plans to release after the premiere airs.

It took me a few minutes, but so far I've found dedicated links to the first two episodes. For legal reasons, I can't provide the links. However, I'm not even close to what I would call technically savvy. So if I can find these, anyone can. Happy hunting Jack Bauer fans.

[via Netscape]

It's official. Jack Bauer will return from his extended stay in China to save the world again on Sunday, January 14, 2007 at 8PM with a two hour premiere. As FOX has done with the past two seasons of 24, hours three and four of season six will air the very next night (Monday Jan. 15) at 8PM as well.

To give fans something to chew on in the meantime, on October 24 FOX will be releasing an extended "Day Six" trailer here. Click on it, there's a countdown and everything! There's a lot of buzz around this new season though. Besides finding out the ramifications of the Chinese kidnapping Jack, 24 will also be welcoming a boat-load (no pun intended) of new stars including Regina King, James Cromwell, and Peter MacNicol. Plus, Eric Balfour is back to reprise his season one role as Milo.

In conclusion? Tick tock... tick tock... tick tock.

[via ComingSoon.net]