The 24 franchise has amassed a vast ensemble of characters over the years, and they've ranged from loyal pals to Jack Bauer to traitors who threaten to wreak international havoc. Some characters have been more popular than others, and one may actually end up on the upcoming 24: Legacy reboot. According to Legacy executive producer Evan Katz, Mary Lynn Rajskub may reprise the role of Chloe O'Brian for the reboot. In response to a direct question about the possibility of more Chloe, Katz had this to say:
We have plans. Right now, our clear priority is [establishing] these new characters, and have the audience build a relationship with them. But we have some surprises planned.
The incorporation of Chloe into the plot of 24: Legacy could be the perfect way to draw fans of the original 24 in to try the new series. The premise of 24 straight hours of action led by a man who doesn't know who to trust will be familiar to anybody who has ever caught a season of 24; still, the face of 24 has been Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer since Season 1 in 2001. Jack Bauer and his small circle of trusted allies are 24. A familiar face in the new series could help it feel like it really exists in the same universe as the first nine seasons. Besides, Chloe is awesome and her skills as an analyst are always invaluable.
Still, the presence of a beloved character like Chloe really might overshadow all the other new characters who need to impress audiences into sticking around. Kiefer Sutherland has already expressed reluctance to interfere with the writing for the fresh faces, although he's clearly welcome back if he so chooses. Mary Lynn Rajskub wouldn't cast quite the same shadow as Kiefer Sutherland would, but it's easy to imagine that longtime 24 fans might be more excited to see her as Chloe than any of the newbies. Evan Katz' reveal to TVLine that the current priority is on Legacy leading man Eric Carter makes sense if the goal is launching a brand new era of the franchise. The trailer for Legacy certainly looks exciting enough even without a shot of Chloe working her magic from behind the scenes.
It's a good sign for the future of Legacy that Evan Katz has a plan for Chloe in place even if the focus is first on Eric and Co. in their mission to survive a terrorist cell attacking Army Rangers and their families in the U.S. A cameo or two of Chloe to show that she is still fighting the good fight in the 24 universe could be the perfect way to please longtime fans without pulling focus from the stars of the reboot. If Katz has a plan in place ahead of time, we can expect that an appearance would make sense and feel organic to the action.
24: Legacy will premiere after Super Bowl 51 on Sunday, February 5 on Fox. The show will then move to its regular time slot of 8 p.m. ET on Mondays. Check out our fall TV premiere schedule to see what you'll be able to watch in the meantime.
