Timeline


 * For years in the production of 24, please refer to the production timeline.

The timeline of 24 has never been pinned down. The creative team behind 24 has resisted placing any season in any specific year; moreoever, the few date references given tend to conflict with each other, as well as with real life.

According to Evan Katz, the time frame of 24 is intentionally vague and undefined, with each season effectively taking place in the "perpetual now" &mdash; that is, each episode takes place at the corresponding time of day on whichever day the viewer watches it. References to the current date in the series &mdash; for example, the date visible on a cell phone screen &mdash; are usually not coordinated, and sometimes reflect the actual date and time when the scene was filmed.

That said, each season is said to take place a certain number of years or months after the previous one, allowing the approximate timeline of events below.

Relative timeline
Note: Most of the 24 novels and comic books have no specific reference points to place them on the timeline; they are ordered in sequence in the time period they occurred. Since the series takes place in no specific year, the years will be told by BD1, which stands for Before Day 1, and AD1, which stands for After Day 1.


 * 51.5 BD1 - Bastian Grost is born (died: 7.5 BD1; aged 44)
 * 47.5 BD1 - David Palmer is born (died: 7.5 AD1; aged 55)
 * 43 BD1 - Ira Gaines is born (died: 0 BD1; aged 43)
 * 36 BD1 - Jack Bauer is born.
 * 35 BD1 - Alexis Drazen is born (died: 0 BD1; aged 35)
 * 34 BD1 - Teri Bauer is born (died: 0 BD1; aged 34)
 * 29 BD1 - Tony Almeida is born.
 * 28.5 BD1 - Nina Myers is born (died: 4.5 AD1; aged 33)
 * 27.5 BD1 - Kate Warner is born.
 * 26 BD1 - Elizabeth Nash is born.
 * 23.9 BD1 - Milo Pressman is born (died: 9.1 AD1; aged 33)
 * 16 BD1 - Kim Bauer is born.
 * 14 BD1 - Jibraan Al-Zarian is born.
 * 11 BD1 - Behrooz Araz is born.
 * 7.5 BD1 - Trojan Horse
 * 7.5 BD1 - Megan Matheson is born.
 * 5.9 BD1 - Josh Bauer is born.
 * 4.5 BD1 - Trinity
 * 4.5 BD1 - Operation Hell Gate


 * 2 years, 6 months pass
 * 2 BD1 - Nightfall


 * 6 months pass
 * 1.5 BD1 - One Shot


 * 1 year passes
 * 0.5 BD1 - Vanishing Point
 * 0.5 BD1 - Collateral Damage
 * 0.5 BD1 - Veto Power
 * 0.5 BD1 - Cat's Claw
 * 0.5 BD1 - Day Zero
 * 0.5 BD1 - Chaos Theory
 * 0.5 BD1 - Head Shot
 * 0.5 BD1 - Death Angel


 * 6 months pass
 * 0 BD1 - Day 1
 * 18 months pass
 * 1.5 AD1 - The House Special Subcommittee's Findings at CTU


 * 1.5 AD1 - Day 2
 * 6 months pass
 * 2 AD1 - The Game
 * 2 years, 6 months pass
 * 4.5 AD1 - Countdown
 * 4.5 AD1 - Midnight Sun
 * 4.5 AD1 - Stories


 * 4.5 AD1 - Day 3
 * 4.5 AD1 - Season 4 Prequel Part 1


 * 3 months pass
 * 4.75 AD1 - The Mobile Game
 * 4.75 AD1 - Agent Down
 * 4.75 AD1 - Storm Force
 * 4.75 AD1 - Cold Warriors


 * 4.75 AD1 - Season 4 Prequel Part 2
 * 1 year passes
 * 5.75 AD1 - Season 4 Prequel Part 3
 * 3 months pass
 * 6 AD1 - Season 4 Prequel Part 4
 * 6 hours pass
 * 6 AD1 - Day 4 / Conspiracy
 * 12 months pass
 * 7 AD1 - Season 5 Prequel
 * 6 months pass
 * 7.5 AD1 - Day 5
 * 7 months pass
 * 8 AD1 - Season 6 Prequel
 * 13 months pass
 * 9.1 AD1 - Day 6
 * 15 hours pass
 * 9.1 AD1 - Day 6 Debrief
 * 3 years, 8 months pass
 * 12.8 AD1 - Redemption
 * 65 days pass
 * 13 AD1 - Dossier
 * 13 AD1 - Day 7 / Operation Instinct
 * 18 months pass
 * 14.5 AD1 - Day 8 / Operation Hero
 * Several years pass
 * 24: Live Another Day

Sample timeline
Assuming that Season 1 takes place in March 2000 &mdash; the actual date of the 2000 Democratic primary &mdash; the seasons of 24 take place in or near the following months:


 * Season 1 &mdash; March 2000
 * Season 2 &mdash; September 2001
 * Season 3 &mdash; October 2004
 * Season 4 &mdash; March 2006
 * Season 5 &mdash; September 2007
 * Season 6 &mdash; May 2009
 * Redemption &mdash; January 2013
 * Season 7 &mdash; March 2013
 * Season 8 &mdash; September 2014

Theories about the timeline
There are many possible years in which to place Day 1 based on the available evidence.


 * 1993
 * An aerial shot in "Day 1: 9:00am-10:00am" shows the LA Convention Center expansion in the early stages of construction. The building was constructed in 1993.


 * 1998
 * A calendar visible in "Day 4: 10:00am-11:00am" shows July/August 2004, placing Day 1 in July/August 1998.
 * Andrew Paige's driver's license in "Day 4: 10:00am-11:00am" was issued on 04/21/2003 and expired on 05/15/07, placing Day 1 between between April 1997 and May 2001.
 * Dates in the twelfth episode of 24: Conspiracy show 03/05/04 to 07/05/04, placing Day 1 in 1998.
 * In the intro of Day 1, it is shown that The Petronas Towers are in the finishing touches of construction. The towers were not fully completed until late 1998.


 * 1999
 * Andrew Paige's driver's license in "Day 4: 10:00am-11:00am" was issued on 04/21/2003 and expired on 05/15/07, placing Day 1 between between April 1997 and May 2001.
 * There is a 'Clamshell' iBook in Kim Bauer's room in Day 1. This computer was first released in July 1999.


 * 2000
 * This is an election year in real life.
 * A calendar visible in "Day 1: 8:00am-9:00am" may represent August/September 2000.
 * This year places Operation Nightfall in 1998, when Slobodan Milosevic was still in power.
 * Recent dates in Reza Naiyeer's passport appear to be from 2001, placing Day 1 in 2000 or 2001.
 * Andrew Paige's driver's license in "Day 4: 10:00am-11:00am" was issued on 04/21/2003 and expired on 05/15/07, placing Day 1 between between April 1997 and May 2001.
 * Sherry Palmer is clearly using Mac OS X on her laptop in Day 1. This OS was first released as a public beta "Kodiak" in late 2000. Though it is more likely to be used as a primary desktop OS after its official release, "Cheetah", in January of 2001.


 * 2001
 * In "Day 1: 12:00am-1:00am," a poster for Coldplay's Parachutes album is visible in Kim Bauer's room. The album was released in November of 2000.
 * The "National Geographic Traveler" that Martin Belkin shows to Mandy in "Day 1: 12:00am-1:00am" is the March 2001 issue.
 * An on-screen date in "Day 1: 2:00am-3:00am" is given as 2001.
 * January 14 is mentioned as the second weekend in January in "Day 1: 2:00am-3:00am." January 14, 2001 was a Sunday.
 * In "Day 1: 9:00am-10:00am," while Jack is hiding behind an SUV, the California license plate has a 2002 expiration date on it.
 * This year places Operation Nightfall in 1999, when Slobodan Milosevic was still in power.
 * A calendar visible in "Day 1: 8:00am-9:00am" may represent May/June 2001.
 * Dates given at the bottom of every page in The House Special Subcommittee's Findings at CTU may infer that Day 1 took place in 2001.
 * According to The House Special Subcommittee's Findings at CTU, Mark DeSalvo's wife died on June 11, 2000.
 * Recent dates in Reza Naiyeer's passport appear to be from 2001, placing Day 1 in 2000 or 2001.
 * An on-screen date in "Day 2: 5:00pm-6:00pm" is given as 2002, placing Day 1 in early 2001.
 * The racing game 24: Countdown takes place in December of 2004, between Day 2 and Day 3, placing Day 1 between 2001 and 2003.
 * Andrew Paige's driver's license in "Day 4: 10:00am-11:00am" was issued on 04/21/2003 and expired on 05/15/07, placing Day 1 between between April 1997 and May 2001.
 * A Titanium PowerBook is used several times in Day 1. This computer was released by Apple Inc. in January of 2001.


 * 2002
 * In Trojan Horse, Operation Proteus was just getting started two years before the novel. Operation Proteus took place in 2000, placing Day 1 in at least 2002.
 * In "Day 1: 12:00am-1:00am," a poster for Coldplay's Parachutes album is visible in Kim Bauer's room. The album was released in November of 2000.
 * A calendar visible in "Day 1: 8:00am-9:00am" may represent October/November 2002.
 * In "Day 1: 9:00am-10:00am," while Jack is hiding behind an SUV, the California license plate has a 2002 expiration date on it.
 * This year places Operation Nightfall in 2000, when Slobodan Milosevic was still in power.
 * George Mason’s phone in "Day 1: 5:00pm-6:00pm" appears to read "03/11/02."
 * A view of Jack Bauer's phone in "Day 1: 6:00pm-7:00pm" says that it's March 19, 2002.
 * Day 1 takes place in March or April. "Day 1: 7:00pm-8:00pm" shows Jack Bauer's watch with the date "23" on it.  April 23, 2002 was a Tuesday.
 * According to The House Special Subcommittee's Findings at CTU, Mark DeSalvo began working as a warden in 2002.
 * According to The House Special Subcommittee's Findings at CTU, Mark DeSalvo's wife died on June 11, 2000.
 * Recent dates in Reza Naiyeer's passport appear to be from 2004, placing Day 1 in 2002 or 2003.
 * Kyle Singer's driver's license gives his date of birth as being November 19, 1987. His age is given as 19, but if Day 3 takes place earlier than November, his father may have been rounding Kyle's age up.
 * The racing game 24: Countdown takes place in December of 2004, between Day 2 and Day 3, placing Day 1 between 2001 and 2003.
 * In Day 6 Debrief, Jack Bauer states his birth as 1966. Jack was 36 at the time of Day 1, which places it in as 2002 and Day 6 as 2011.
 * Jack Bauer's birthdate was February 18th, 1966 and he was 49 during Day 7. This places Day 7 in February 2015 to January 2016, placing Day 1 during February 2002 to January 2003.
 * 24 Declassified: Trinity establishes Day 1 being in 2002. It is said to take place 7 years after the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing. Also, Kim Bauer is mentioned as being 13 in it. As Kim was 15 on Day 1 (according to Findings at CTU), Day 1 takes places in 2002.
 * On Alexis Drazen's file on Day 1 it says he was 35, placing day 1 in 2002.


 * 2003
 * In Trojan Horse, Operation Proteus was just getting started two years before the novel. Operation Proteus took place in 2000, placing Day 1 in at least 2002.
 * In "Day 1: 12:00am-1:00am," a poster for Coldplay's Parachutes album is visible in Kim Bauer's room. The album was released in November of 2000.
 * During Day 1, David Palmer is seen wearing a pin which didn't come into use until after 9/11/01.
 * According to The House Special Subcommittee's Findings at CTU, Mark DeSalvo began working as a warden in 2002.
 * According to The House Special Subcommittee's Findings at CTU, Mark DeSalvo's wife died on June 11, 2000.
 * Recent dates in Reza Naiyeer's passport appear to be from 2004, placing Day 1 in 2002 or 2003.
 * Kyle Singer's driver's license gives his date of birth as being November 19, 1987. If Kyle's father meant that Kyle was literally 19-years-old and Day 3 takes place earlier than November, then it was 2007.
 * The racing game 24: Countdown takes place in December of 2004, between Day 2 and Day 3, placing Day 1 between 2001 and 2003.
 * Date on phone in "Day 5: 10:00am-11:00am" reads "10/29/10."
 * Dates on the CTU phones on Day 6 reportedly read "Jan. 23, 2012." Day 1 was approximately nine years earlier.


 * 2004
 * This is an election year in real life.
 * Veto Power, taking place approximately six months before Day 1, references the falling of Saddam Hussein, which took place in December 2003. This places Day 1 in mid-2004 at the earliest.
 * In Trojan Horse, Operation Proteus was just getting started two years before the novel. Operation Proteus took place in 2000, placing Day 1 in at least 2002.
 * In "Day 1: 12:00am-1:00am," a poster for Coldplay's Parachutes album is visible in Kim Bauer's room. The album was released in November of 2000.
 * During Day 1, David Palmer is seen wearing a pin which didn't come into use until after 9/11/01.
 * According to The House Special Subcommittee's Findings at CTU, Mark DeSalvo began working as a warden in 2002.
 * According to The House Special Subcommittee's Findings at CTU, Mark DeSalvo's wife died on June 11, 2000.
 * Nina Myers, who was born in 1975, died at the age of 33, possibly in September 2008. This places Day 1 in March 2004.

Birthdays
A number of characters on 24 have specific dates of birth. Owing to the inconsistency of the timeline, these do not always line up with their stated ages.


 * 1947
 * February 6: Victor Drazen
 * 1951
 * May 10: Elena Drazen
 * 1953
 * June 15: Jacob Rossler
 * 1954
 * June 10: Erica Vasquez
 * 1959
 * April 2: Dmitri Gredenko
 * September 21: Alton Maxwell
 * 1961
 * June 25: Anton Beresch
 * 1963
 * May 19: Hamri Al-Assad
 * August 3: Stephen Saunders
 * 1964
 * July 15: Lee Jong
 * 1965
 * May 13: Hans Meyer
 * September 5: David Emerson
 * 1966
 * February 18: Jack Bauer
 * June 25: Tomas Sherek
 * October 22: Benjamin Juma
 * 1968
 * April 8: John Quinn
 * 1969
 * April 11: Donald Frick
 * July 19: Bryce Wolffson
 * 1971
 * February 12: Marcus Alvers
 * 1972
 * January 22: Esteban Salazar
 * 1974
 * April 3: Martina Drazen
 * 1975
 * May 5: Nina Myers
 * November 8: Lee Jin Yu
 * 1976
 * June 14: Kate Wyman
 * 1981
 * April 21: Jason Blaine
 * 1982
 * March 28: Mark Hauser
 * 1983
 * November 19: Jane Saunders
 * 1987
 * November 19: Kyle Singer