PREMIERES: Sunday, January 17, at 9pm

AIRS: The second half of 24's four-hour season premiere airs Monday, January 18, from 8pm to 10pm. The show settles into its regular time slot on Monday, January 25, at 9pm.

WHY YOU MIGHT LOVE IT: Jack Bauer is tormented yet invincible, an action hero who combines his smarts with daring feats and cruelty when necessary. Which is often. In the midst of all the shooting, explosions, and assorted mayhem, we get glimpses of White House infighting and office turf wars at the Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU). There’s also plenty of gadgetry, and sometimes it’s the computer geeks who ride to the rescue. 24 isn’t afraid of killing off popular cast members, which adds a touch of unpredictability. Speaking of cast members, you’ll find intense, stubbly dudes in sweet threads and hot lady agents who bring new meaning to packing heat and smoking guns.

WHY YOU MIGHT HATE IT: You believe in the Constitution, you’re against torture, and you’re unable to suspend disbelief when it comes to the show’s supposed real-time format.

GET CAUGHT UP: Over the past seven seasons (or days, in 24 parlance), there have been nukes, assassinations, biological warfare, coups, and Jack’s attempts to leave the spy game and be a normal guy. But when last we saw him, he was in a morphine-induced coma and lay dying after being contaminated by a bio-weapon. His daughter, Kim, had decided to attempt to save her father by volunteering for a risky stem-cell procedure, despite Jack’s professed desire to once-and-for-all call it a day. Meanwhile, over at the White House, President Allison Taylor has survived being held hostage, learning of her son’s murder, and dealing with her husband’s stupidity and near-murder. She's also just sent her daughter Olivia to prison, after learning of Olivia's role in the death of a vital witness and player in Day 7’s vast conspiracy. As for FBI agent Renee Walker, she’s left to confront the limitations of playing by the book in the cruel, cold world of 24.