Series Premiere, Part 1 Plot Summary:
Six months after a successful raid of their organization, terrorists target those responsible. Retired Army Ranger Eric Carter (Corey Hawkins) and former CTU head Rebecca Ingram (Miranda Otto) must stop the radicals before they launch attacks across the United States.
Before I get into the events of the first episode, I’d like to share my thoughts on giving 24 a spinoff. It’s unnecessary, even more unnecessary than 24: Live Another Day. That being said, I enjoyed Live Another Day quite a bit. At the time, I thought that miniseries would usher in three or four more seasons of 24. It turns out I was right that more 24 was on the way.
I find it strange that Legacy focuses on a new character when Live Another Day basically lined up Agent Kate Morgan as Jack Bauer’s successor. She left the CIA, but that’s a very Jack move. Instead of being this series’ heroine, actress Yvonne Strahovski joined The Astronaut Wives Club, which ABC swiftly cancelled. And so, with Kiefer Sutherland getting older and starring in Designated Survivor, casting a new actor was the only choice.
But that’s the past. This is the future! Right?
Not quite.
It’s hard to separate this spinoff from the adventures of Jack Bauer. So far there’s not really anything different. It reminds me of Jack’s first day in more ways than one. I want to make my reviews accessible to newcomers to the 24 universe and I’m sure that’s what the producers want for the show. But when it’s called 24: Legacy, I can only do so much.
24’s true legacy is that the crew still knows how to put together a good action scene. The shaky-but-not-too-shaky camera, Sean Callery’s score, and the editing all come together to create an appropriately frantic pace. I like the scene where Eric realizes his cover’s blown when no one else uses the double blind alert system. However, the standout set piece is the construction site at the end of the episode, in which Eric displays his quick thinking by shooting down the giant cylinder and using it as cover.
You might recognize Eric as Corey Hawkins from Straight Outta Compton. I haven’t seen that movie, but he’s impressed me so far. Sure, he’s not Jack, but he goes all in with his performance, conveying the gravity of the situation. Nicole Carter (Anna Diop) doesn’t serve too much of a purpose, other raising the stakes, but props to the writers for giving her something to do other than hide.
The rest of the cast does a fine enough job. Jimmy Smits essentially reprises his role of running for President from The West Wing. Maybe he’ll get a season in office this time. I appreciate the nod to Edgar Stiles, though I’m not sure when or how he would have had the time to train his cousin, unless she was a child prodigy.
This first episode’s weakest spots are the classroom subplot and the Carter family reunion. It’s impossible to get a read on the happenings at the school, but it feels out of place. We shall see. Carter asking his brother Isaac (Ashley Thomas) for a favor will definitely backfire, especially since he dated Nicole. Even now, 24 loves random storylines. Nicole could very easily become this new show’s Kim Bauer, who attracted danger back in the day like honey attracts bears. Having Ben (Charlie Hofheimer) be a paranoid and addicted veteran fits into the story organically enough. The Eric-Nicole-Isaac triangle doesn’t.
Listen. I’m willing to give this show a chance. I mean, obviously, since I’ll be reviewing it. But it’s already clear that the 12-episode season will not help it avoid filler the way it helped Live Another Day. I was on the fence about it being shorter since the show is called 24, but it might have been worse longer.
Maybe’s it’s just my love of the format and the intensity, but I say stick around at least until the end of next episode. The sleeper cells sound promising and Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard) has yet to return.
