It wasn't a big surprise when Kiefer Sutherland was arrested for DUI early yesterday morning – given his reputation, the only surprise was that Kiefer hadn't drunkenly bought a tank, stuffed it with puppies, set it on fire and driven that about.
But Kiefer Sutherland's drink-driving arrest has thrown up an uncomfortable situation – thanks to Kiefer Sutherland's charming disposition towards getting up on booze and driving around, pleading no contest to DUI in 2004 and getting convicted for similar booze/car shenanigans in 1993 and 1989, a conviction for yesterday's arrest would mean that Kiefer Sutherland could face a year in jail. And that invites questions of what will happen to 24 – the series based almost completely around Kiefer Sutherland – in his absence. Sure, the 24 producers could call back Elisha Cuthbert to do nothing but run around braless in slow motion looking vulnerable to paper over the cracks temporarily, but that'll only keep 24 viewers distracted for 16 or 17 episodes, tops.
OK – 18 or 19 episodes. That's it, though.
24 has been the making of Kiefer Sutherland. Previously a washed-up perennial party-fiend, 24 turned Kiefer Sutherland overnight into an A-list perennial party-fiend with a day job that involved shouting at people very intensely and earning more money than he'd ever know what to do with. But it looks as if Kiefer Sutherland's party lifestyle may have caught up with him – yesterday Kiefer Sutherland was arrested for DUI in a move that could jeopardise the future of 24. And we mean really jeopardise it – more than all of the shitty sixth season put together could.
Of course, we don't mean that a DUI arrest will cause the 24 producers to fire Kiefer Sutherland – firstly it's a relatively minor arrest, secondly Kiefer Sutherland's name now figures on the 24 credits with such regularity that it's clear he wields an alarming amount of power and thirdly, to all intents and purposes, Kiefer Sutherland is 24. Every second of every episode of 24 – with the exception of the early episodes each season when you get to play Good Muslim Bad Muslim while trying to figure out who the baddies are – is either about Kiefer Sutherland saving the world, people helping Kiefer Sutherland to save the world or people trying to stop Kiefer Sutherland from saving the world. Or, um, Elisha Cuthbert getting caught in a cougar trap. But mostly the Kiefer Sutherland stuff.
Instead, the future of 24 could be in jeopardy because Kiefer Sutherland might end up in jail for a year. If this was Kiefer's first DUI arrest he'd be let off with a suspended license and a slap on the wrist, but it isn't – and also Kiefer has violated his probation from the last time this happened – so if he's convicted, Kiefer Sutherland will face a mandatory jail sentence that could last anything between five days and a year. According to The Hollywood Reporter:
Kiefer Sutherland's Tuesday morning arrest is not expected to affect production on his Fox drama series "24" for now, but the show faces an uncertain future as the actor's arrest violates a five-year probation, something that might send him to jail for up to a year… Sutherland, who was on probation from a similar 2004 conviction, was stopped by police just after 1 a.m. after making an illegal U-turn in West Hollywood just a few blocks from Area, authorities said. After failing a field sobriety test, he spent three hours in jail before posting $25,000 bail and being released a little before 6 a.m… A rep for Sutherland said that "it would be premature to comment at this time."
But let's look at the worst-case scenario here – Kiefer Sutherland getting saddled with a one-year jail sentence right in the middle of 24's new two-season contract. What could possibly happen? Well, one option would be to kill Jack Bauer off – Kiefer Sutherland has long entertained the notion of letting Jack die, and this would be the perfect opportunity. But if this happened we get the awful feeling that 24 would quickly turn into The Bill Buchanan Mysteries, and we're jiggered if we're going to watch that.
Or perhaps the inevitable twist ending to 24 season seven will be that Jack Bauer saves the world, goes out, gets hammered, makes an illegal U-turn in front of a policeman and gets thrown in jail where he assumes the identity of failed 1990s actor Kiefer Sutherland. That way the 24 producers can just steal a day's worth of prison CCTV footage and, bingo, that's season eight. Although we're not sure if regular 24 viewers will be able to understand why, instead of mercilessly torturing his cellmates into giving him top bunk, Jack Bauer just cries a lot because he's scared of all the big men.
Or perhaps – and this is just really putting it out there – like Nicole Richie before him, Kiefer Sutherland's jail sentence will fall victim to LA's overcrowded prison system and his one-year sentence will become a 12.4-second sentence, allowing him to carry on making 24 like nothing ever happened. Just a thought.
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24 fan says
Stuart Heritage, you suck!!! I am a paralegal for a criminal defense firm. I do not believe he should or will spend a year in jail. I do not condone the situation he is in, but to waste such a fabulous talent over something like this is rediculous, and a year away could easily ruin his career. Perhaps he could wear an alcohol monitor or have an intoxilizer installed in his car. I love the show 24, and anxiously wait for it’s return. I have three children and have very little time for television, but I always make time for 24. In conclusion, I would suggest that you stop trashing such a wonderful actor over something that I have seen happen many many times or other people as well.
Tim says
Someone needs to buy 24 fan a dictionary and teach him/her how to read. Funny stuff, I burst out laughing at “The Bill Buchanan Mysteries”.
GuyIncognito says
“24 fan” is right! Celebrities, beautiful people and the rich shouldn’t be subject to the same laws and punishments as the everyday ordinary people! They’re so much better than we are and deserve special treatment. God forbid, the prisons be filled with anything other than poor blacks and mexicans.
Give me f$cking break!!! What kind of law firm hires a brain dead person like you? Ruin his career?!? Driving drunk at two times over the limit (which was .08) he could have RUINED SOMEONE’S LIFE!!! This is his fourth DUI, it’s not like it’s his first time ever doing this.
I say, screw Fox, screw 24 and screw Kieth Sutherland. I’m sick of these “celebrities” who think they’re above the law.
cav says
My roids just seethe at the thought of such an important person even being charged with a misdemeanor like DUI. It not like he committed a heinous crime like baring a breast or using the N-word, you know”nigger”.
Mr.S may not be one of the holy trinity but he his certainly related to God. Are not such marvelous people put on earth just to titillate the viewers of such cerebral shows as 24? Even the show name is sufficiently succinct as to not challenge the intellectual ability of the average viewer.
Perhaps Mr S could be given some sort of reward or perhaps a sainthood for the indignity has suffered and the police and judiciary punished harshly for wasting his valuable drinking time. Better yet why not enlist those who apparently connect directly with God like Creflow Dollar,r Benny Hinn or Jimmy Swaggart to ask God to smite Mr. K’s enemas.
Hal9000 says
24 is “cerebral” ?????? 24 is the most unrealistic, ridiculous, torturous show that has ever been produced for TV. It pains my imagination to think that someone finds it to be mentally stimulating. I am forced to watch it with my wife (who also admits it’s ridiculous). Of all of the shows on TV that lower the lowest common denominator, this one takes the cake.
I could cite a hundred instances on EVERY show but this one exemplifies – when a guy who has just had his arm cut off is running around, leading the other “terrorists” somewhere without screaming his head off or at least losing blood pressure we are all in trouble….
Quick, get me the president! I need to order a pizza.
Savannah says
Dude shut up!
Kiefer is the sweetest person! He made a mistake! He is a depressed person! He almost committed suicide in 1989! Now listen, it is not jepordising anything! He is serving AFTER 24 is filmed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They set it!
PAY ATTENTION TO THE NEWS AND STOP TRASHING SUCH A WONDERFUL MAN!
JBollocks says
Good point Savannah!
Remind me to tell the judge on my 3rd DUI that I’ld prefer to serve time in Winter. You know, winter sucks and at least it warm inside.