--- title: "24: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/24/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/24" critics_score: 83 critics_reviews: 7 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # 24 (2001): what the critics said Critics' score 83 from 7 reviews: 7 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews are uniformly positive, and they agree on why: the real-time structure. Most critics treat the hour-an-episode conceit as the show’s engine rather than a gimmick, praising the intricate plotting, the split-screen technique that keeps the twists easy to follow, and a tension that holds across the whole day. Kiefer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer is the other constant; nearly every review singles him out, and the refusal to let viewers trust anyone is named again and again as the series’ defining pleasure. The spread is narrow and the reservations are small. The Guardian notes some loose ends and a streak of sentimentality. The later retrospectives are cooler than the notices written at launch: the AV Club argues the show’s hold on the culture has faded along with the War on Terror years that gave it its charge, and Den of Geek, ranking the seasons, is the least enthused of the seven. None of this amounts to a dissent, only a sense that the shock has aged. ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 18 August 2002. The critic praises the series' ingenious real-time structure, intricate plotting and sustained tension as a first-rate thriller that keeps viewers gripped through its 24-hour day. They single out the paranoid atmosphere, strong performances (especially Kiefer Sutherland) and the blend of action with domestic drama for praise, while noting some loose ends and sentimentality as minor flaws. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2002/aug/18/features.review77) ## Variety — Phil Gallo Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 1 November 2001. The critic calls the pilot captivating from its first minute, with a stellar cast, precise execution and taut direction that hooks viewers instantly. They single out the real-time 24-hour gimmick and cinematic approach as what sets it apart in the fall lineup. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2001/tv/features/24-3-1200553025/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Barry Garron Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 5 November 2001. The review finds the premiere riveting despite post-9/11 similarities, praising the real-time format and split-screen technique for making complex twists easy to follow. It singles out Kiefer Sutherland's balanced performance and Stephen Hopkins' taut, thrilling direction as a masterpiece. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/24-review-original-season-1-1235637666/) ## The AV Club — Emily St. James Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 28 April 2014. The critic explores how 24 revolutionized television through its real-time format, serialization, and willingness to kill off characters, while noting its fading cultural memory tied to the War on Terror era. It singles out the show's influence on modern drama and its blend of action-movie tropes with timely political resonance for praise. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/24-revolutionized-tv-drama-then-disappeared-down-a-memo-1798268102) ## Vulture — Matt Zoller Seitz Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 5 May 2014. The critic reviews the Live Another Day revival as continuing the series' strengths in intricate plotting, twists, and Kiefer Sutherland's commanding performance as Jack Bauer. It singles out the show's consistent refusal to let viewers trust anyone or anything for praise. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2014/05/tv-review-24-live-another-day.html) ## Digital Spy — Ben Rawson-Jones Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 30 September 2007. The critic provides a retrospective on the first season, praising its innovative real-time structure, split-screen technique, and shocking twists. It singles out the revelation of the mole and the gritty tone for praise while noting Kiefer Sutherland's intense portrayal of Jack Bauer. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a76554/24-day-one-a-retrospective/) ## Den of Geek — Alex Carter Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 20 February 2015. The critic ranks the seasons of 24 and highlights its groundbreaking serialization and real-time format as key to its impact. It singles out the intense plotting and anyone-can-die approach for praise while noting how the post-9/11 timing amplified its relevance. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/which-season-of-24-is-the-best/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/24.md