The return of '24'

Because Jack Bauer was bested not by terrorists but striking Hollywood writers, who wiped out the last season of Fox's 24 before it even began, it's been nearly a year since the show has aired. The good news for fans is that they'll get a sneak peek of the new season in November when Fox broadcasts a two-hour prequel that sets the stage for 24's return in January. The network isn't providing a lot of detail, but the prequel is set (and was shot) in South Africa, where Bauer will take on an international crisis. His Counter Terrorism Unit has been abolished, though, so the investigation is being run by a team of FBI agents led by Janeane Garafolo. (Security clearances apparently aren't what they used to be.) "We're excited about the prequel because it explores Jack's complex emotional state of mind," says 24's executive producer Howard Gordon. Also, a lot of stuff gets blown up.