Can Jack Bauer Save … ‘24’? Some IAAPA Fans Want to Know

Today I’m taking a moment to step outside our regular In the Queue programming to let you get to know a few IAAPA employees a little better.

Over the past several years, I’ve been recruiting members into an unofficial fan club dubbed CTU: IAAPA. “CTU” is short for “Counter Terrorist Unit,” which is the fictional agency featured on the television show “24,” featuring Kiefer Sutherland as government super-agent Jack Bauer. I started watching the action-packed series back in 2005, shortly after I arrived at IAAPA, and if there’s one thing my colleagues know about me, it’s this: If I love something, I will not shut up about it.

So as I began spouting my appreciation (obsession?) for “24” all around the office, two things happened:

1. A few people asked to borrow my DVDs so they could find out for themselves if my gushing was justified (they quickly realized I was right, naturally).
2. I discovered several colleagues share my love and devotion for the show.

There are seven of us now in CTU: IAAPA (that I know of—some may still be undercover), but our little fan organization has been dormant for nearly two years, since “24” didn’t air in 2008 due to the writer’s strike in Hollywood.

The show returns this Sunday and Monday in a two-day, four-hour premiere extravaganza, which means we’ll be glued to our TV screens. This year's run is extra special because much of the drama is set in Washington, D.C.; I actually saw some of the production trucks when they were filming in Georgetown way back in November 2007. Trouble is, the last season was without question just … bad, so the series is in need of some serious new focus and energy. I’m cautiously optimistic, but definitely concerned now that co-creator Joel Surnow has left the show. If this season isn't any better than last, this could be my last season as director of CTU: IAAPA. As anyone who watches the show knows, no one in leadership stays around that long, anyway!

We’ll certainly be discussing “24” around the office next week, so if there are other fans out there in the attractions industry, feel free to let us know what you thought in the comments section.