JulianMorris

I wasn't particularly impressed with season seven of 24, partly because I really want Jack Bauer to be the kick-ass character he used to be, rather than the sickly guy struggling to survive (well, he's always been struggling, but in more of a kick-ass way).

The show took some heat for some of the earlier implausible plotlines (Really, Jack? You escape from the Secret Service guys and steal a helicopter to save the President? And say what? You spring back to life after being "dead" to find the bombs and save the world?), but that's what I loved about the show.

But could the Jack Bauer era be coming to an end? Kiefer Sutherland recently told Contact Music that he fears his character might be killed off.

Three actors have joined the cast of 24: Rami Malek, Julian Morris and Hrach Titizian have landed multi-episode arcs on the eighth season of the Fox drama.

After last season, I've been hoping that Jack gets back to being the kick-ass agent I fell in love with during the first few seasons. I understand that storylines and characters need to evolve over the course of several seasons, but I don't like seeing Jack weak and dying. I like seeing him kick ass and take names.

Hopefully, these characters -- a suicide bomber type, a SWAT agent, and a security guy for President Hassan -- will bring the series back around to its early-season goodness, while still letting the characters evolve (the ones who haven't perished along the way, that is).