Season 4

Promotional poster

*"If he thinks he can quit now... He's dead wrong."*
— Season 4 promotion
**Season 4** of *24* debuted in the United States with a 2-night, 4-hour premiere on Sunday and Monday, January 9 and 10, 2005 on the Fox Network. In New Zealand, Season 4 premiered with a three-hour four-episode bout, and one hour episodes after, with a two-hour finale.

24: Season 4 was released on DVD in North America on December 6, 2005.

## Season overview

Day 4 sees Jack, now working for Secretary of Defense James Heller after being fired by Erin Driscoll, Special Agent In Charge of CTU, caught up in an elaborate terrorist plot which involves both men and the daughter of Heller, Audrey Raines, who doubles as her father's chief policy assistant *and* Jack's lover (whilst married to another man, but separated). Jack must work with CTU and Driscoll to uncover what is happening. Again, one or more moles is revealed to inhabit CTU, aiding the terrorists.

## Timeline

Day 4 begins at 7:00am PT (10:00am ET), taking place about 18 months after Day 3 and approximately 6 years after Day 1. It is likely that Day 4 took place on a weekend or during school vacation, because Behrooz Araz and Debbie Pendleton do not go to school that morning and in "11:00pm-12:00am," Jason Girard mentions that he and his wife had been on a weekend camping trip.

## Format

Unlike previous and later seasons, which typically focus on multiple enemies with varying degrees of connection to one another, this season is based around one main antagonist; a Turkish terrorist named Habib Marwan who leads a large count of terrorists and mercenaries that launch multiple attacks against the United States.

In addition, this season (aside the mass, unseen deaths during Day 3) shows much more on-screen deaths than any before, and also has the second-highest count of On-screen kills by Jack Bauer (surpassed only by Day 6); in fact, the only episode in this season that depicts no deaths is "6:00pm-7:00pm."

This season can be divided into four acts, based on which terror plot the CTU is focusing on taking down:

1. Jack returns to CTU LA when it is revealed that the bombing of a commuter train was used as a diversion to kidnap the Secretary of Defense and his daughter, and broadcast the former's execution through the internet. The main antagonists in this act are Navi Araz, Omar and Kalil Hasan. (7:00am–12:15pm)
2. CTU pursues Marwan as Heller's kidnapping is revealed to be a ploy to allow the terrorists to steal and activate a nuclear override device that begins to initiate 104 nuclear meltdowns that must be halted. The main antagonists in this act are Habib Marwan, Navi Araz, Henry Powell and Marianne Taylor. (12:15pm–6:00pm)
3. While downtown LA is hit by an EMP, Marwan's mercenary proceeds to shoot down Air Force One and assassinate the president. The main antagonists in this act are Habib Marwan, Mitch Anderson, and McLennen-Forster. (6:00pm–11:00pm)
4. CTU pursues leads to hunt down Marwan, who has used the previous attack as a means to steal the Nuclear football and launch a nuclear warhead towards Los Angeles by means of a cruise missile. The main antagonists of this act are Habib Marwan, Robert Morrison and Mandy. During this time, Jack is forced to make an illegal raid on the Chinese consulate to quickly catch a suspect, which, after resulting in the death of the Chinese consul, causes the Chinese to demand his extradition and ultimately results in Jack being forced to fake his death. The main antagonists of this subplot are Lee Jong, Cheng Zhi, Walt Cummings, Charles Logan and Dale Spalding. (11:00pm–7:00am)

### Major subplots

* CTU is now under the command of Erin Driscoll, the woman who fired Jack, and has now gained several members including Sarah Gavin, Curtis Manning and Edgar Stiles.
* Araz family son Behrooz Araz begins to rebel against his parents who are involved in Marwan's plan.
* Chloe O'Brian is fired from CTU for covertly assisting Jack against Driscoll's orders.
* Romantic tensions flare between the husband and current lover of the Secretary of Defenses' daughter, Audrey Raines. The secretary's son is also accused of complicity in his father's kidnapping.
* Marianne Taylor is a Mole working inside CTU.
* Tony is reinstated into CTU after a period of divorce, alcoholism and joblessness following his imprisonment caused by his actions during Day 3.
	+ Michelle and Tony come face to face for the first time in months and begin to reevaluate their relationship.
* Tragedy strikes after Driscoll's daughter Maya is brought into CTU after a violent outburst at home.
* The White House undergoes a massive change in authority, which conflicts with CTU's attempts to capture the terrorists.

### Impacts on future seasons

* In order to prevent himself from being handed over to the Chinese government, Jack Bauer conspires with David Palmer, Tony Almeida, Michelle Dessler, and Chloe O'Brian to fake his own death, leading everyone else (including his daughter, Kim, and Audrey Raines) to believe he is dead. This initiates the long-lasting rivalry between Bauer and Cheng Zhi.
* The introductions of CTU head Bill Buchanan, Secretary of Defense James Heller and his daughter Audrey Raines, CTU field agent Curtis Manning and CTU analyst Edgar Stiles.
	+ Bauer is romantically involved with Audrey, but their relationship becomes strained when Jack is forced to knowingly halt a medical operation on Audrey's husband in order to save a suspect.
* After rekindling their relationship, Tony and Michelle decide to leave CTU and start a new life.
* The attack on Air Force One renders John Keeler unable to continue serving as president, forcing Charles Logan to complete the remainder of his term.
	+ The introduction of Logan's Chief of Staff Walt Cummings, who is responsible for deciding to have Jack executed rather than handed over to the Chinese.

## Cast

*Main article: Season 4 cast*
*See also: Recurring characters, Character appearances for Season 4*
### Starring

* Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer (24 episodes)
* Kim Raver as Audrey Raines (24 episodes)
* Alberta Watson as Erin Driscoll (12 episodes)
* Lana Parrilla as Sarah Gavin (6 episodes)
* Roger Cross as Curtis Manning (9 episodes)
* and William Devane as Secretary of Defense James Heller (15 episodes)

### Special guest stars

* Carlos Bernard as Tony Almeida (18 episodes)
* and Reiko Aylesworth as Michelle Dessler (13 episodes)

### Special guest appearance by

* Dennis Haysbert as David Palmer (6 episodes)

### Guest starring

* Louis Lombardi as Edgar Stiles (24 episodes)
* Arnold Vosloo as Habib Marwan (17 episodes)
* Mary Lynn Rajskub as Chloe O'Brian (16 episodes)
* Roger Cross as Curtis Manning (13 episodes)
* Geoff Pierson as President John Keeler (13 episodes)
* Jonathan Ahdout as Behrooz Araz (12 episodes)
* James Frain as Paul Raines (10 episodes)
* James Morrison as Bill Buchanan (10 episodes)
* Nestor Serrano as Navi Araz (10 episodes)
* Cameron Bancroft as Lee Castle (9 episodes)
* Gregory Itzin as Vice President/President Charles Logan (9 episodes)
* Jude Ciccolella as Mike Novick (8 episodes)
* Logan Marshall-Green as Richard Heller (7 episodes)
* Aisha Tyler as Marianne Taylor (7 episodes)
* Lana Parrilla as Sarah Gavin (6 episodes)
* Angela Goethals as Maya Driscoll (5 episodes)
* Tony Plana as Omar (5 episodes)
* Leighton Meester as Debbie Pendleton (4 episodes)
* John Allen Nelson as Walt Cummings (4 episodes)
* Lukas Haas as Andrew Paige (3 episodes)
* Mia Kirshner as Mandy (3 episodes)
* Tomas Arana as Dave Conlon (2 episodes)
* Tzi Ma as Cheng Zhi (2 episodes)
* Glenn Morshower as Aaron Pierce (2 episodes)
* and Shohreh Aghdashloo as Dina Araz (12 episodes)

## See also

* Day 4 antagonists
* Unnamed Day 4 characters
* DVD collections: Region 1, Region 2, Region 4

nl:Seizoen 4