Season 4 Prequel

The 24 Season 4 Prequel is on the seventh disc of the Season 3 DVD set. The prequel bridges Day 3 and Day 4. There is also a director's cut promo of the prequel as a special feature on the Season 4 DVD set. Although it isn't necessary to see it to understand Day 4, the prequel gives more insight on what has been set into motion for that season.

Timeline
The Season 4 Prequel is split into three parts:

Part 1 takes place at CTU Los Angeles 3 months after Day 3 and approximately 15 months prior to Day 4.

Part 2 takes place on the US/Mexico Border 12 months after part 1, placing it 15 months after Day 3 and 3 months prior to Day 4.

Part 3 takes place 6 hours before Day 4 begins, placing the time at approximately 1:00am on the night before the day's events.

Dramatis personae

 * Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer
 * Kim Raver as Audrey Raines
 * Alberta Watson as Erin Driscoll
 * Faran Tahir as Tomas Sherek

Day 3
ST. THOMAS HOSPITAL PARKING LOT. In the closing moments of Day 3, Jack Bauer gets into his car and breaks down into tears after everything he has gone through during the third longest day of his life. He gets a call to report back to CTU, and drives off.

12:59:57... 12:59:58... 12:59:59... 01:00:00

Three months later


COUNTER TERRORIST UNIT, LOS ANGELES. Jack walks into an office. The new director of CTU Los Angeles, Erin Driscoll, is reading over some documents. She greets Jack and tells him to have a seat. She informs him that she's removing him as head of Field Ops because he's a liability. Jack asks her to explain, and she cites his tendency to stray from protocol, but says that the real problem is his former addiction to heroin. Driscoll tells Jack that it showed a major weakness, and that she can't tolerate any weaknesses. Jack reminds Driscoll that he became addicted to heroin because of his undercover work with CTU, but she doesn't change her mind. As he leaves, she offers to look around for a job for him. Jack turns back to her, shoots her a half-smile, and fiercely declines her offer.

One year later


U.S. MEXICO BORDER. Three men crouch in the darkness on a hillside. A flashlight signals to them from the other side of a concrete wall. The three men slide down the hill to the base of the wall. Two of the men hoist the third man, Tomas Sherek, over the wall. As soon as Sherek is clear, the two men run back up to a purple van and open a briefcase full of money. On the other side of the wall, a fourth man greets Sherek and leads him to a car. The man opens the trunk and hands Sherek the keys. Sherek shoots the man twice in the stomach and pulls out a remote detonator, which he uses to blow up the purple van. Sherek gets into the car and makes a call on a satellite phone. He tells the person on the other end that he's in the United States.



Six hours before Day 4 begins
A HOTEL IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES. Audrey Raines opens her hotel door and sees flowers on the table with a card. She calls out to see if anyone else is in the room. Suddenly, a man grabs her by the waist and kisses her. It's Jack. They begin to undress each other. Jack kisses her stomach and her chest and carries her over to the bed. Both of them smile and kiss, and they make love.



He lost his job... But found a woman who loves him... It took a long time for Jack Bauer to feel good again... Then Day 4 began

Memorable quotes

 * Erin Driscoll: I don't tolerate any weaknesses. That's not how I work.


 * Jack Bauer: I can find my own fucking job, Erin. Thank you.


 * Tomas Sherek: I'm in the U.S.

Background information and notes

 * This Prequel is notable as the only filmed 24 production to include harsh language beyond the occasional "son of a bitch" and "damn it". Jack speaks the infamous f-word in response to being fired by Erin Driscoll.