Bittersweet Goodbye to a Television Legacy

Summary

– Kiefer Sutherland shares a bittersweet reflection on the end of the “24” series, highlighting a sense of accomplishment and gratitude.

– The actor discusses the tight-knit relationships formed over nine years, emphasizing the difficulty in parting ways with the cast and crew.

– Sutherland expresses deep gratitude towards the show’s loyal fans, acknowledging their role in making “24” the most significant experience of his life.

Kiefer Sutherland delves into the complex emotions surrounding the conclusion of the iconic TV show. Sutherland describes the ending as bittersweet, with a profound sense of accomplishment. He reflects on the personal milestones experienced by the cast and crew over the show’s nine-year run, such as marriages and births, underscoring the deep bonds formed during this pivotal period in their lives.

The inception of “24” is recalled as a perfect storm where everything aligned—the writers, actors, directors, crew, and, crucially, the audience. Sutherland acknowledges how rare such harmony is in the industry and how grateful everyone involved was from the first season. This gratitude motivated a profoundly personal commitment to maintaining the show’s quality throughout its run.

As the series concluded, Sutherland highlights the collective relief of fulfilling their mission without compromising the show’s integrity, comparing the pride in the final season to that of the first. However, the realization that the daily interactions with his colleagues would end brought a significant sense of loss. The relationships built over nearly a decade meant that the cast and crew had become a major part of each other’s lives.

Sutherland thanks the show’s loyal fans, acknowledging their unwavering support as the foundation of his most treasured professional experience. He shares his appreciation for the unique challenge and opportunity “24” provided him as an actor, mainly as it was his first television series role. The series’ conclusion allowed for a rare emotional depth in the final scenes, especially between his characters, Jack and Chloe, offering a fitting end to a remarkable journey.