The long wait till the premiere of the seventh season of "24" just started to feel a little longer. On Thursday, after a live broadcast in Times Square with Mary Lynn Rajskub ("Chloe O'Brian"), the trailer for the 7th season of the Fox hit aired. Fans got a glimpse of some new faces, such as Cherry Jones as President Allison Taylor and comedian Janeane Garofalo as FBI Agent Janis Gold, along with some returning favorites including Rajskub and Kiefer Sutherland.
 
The biggest surprise came when one of those returning faces was none other than Carlos Bernard, reprising his role as Tony Almeida, Jack Bauer's best friend who "died" two seasons prior. While former friends and foes returning from the dead is nothing new for the action thriller, this does mark the first time a character that was killed onscreen has returned. From the moment the sheet was pulled over Almeida's still body, Internet fans have debated whether he was truly dead with only an ardent minority believing the former CTU agent was still alive.
Now that they've been proven right and the show has set a new precedent, can the return of Sherry Palmer or Nina Myers be far behind? Should the name of the show be changed to something more fitting this soap-opera twist? (This reporter is rather fond of "As the Clock Ticks" for a new title.)
 
His formerly dead, former ally turned suddenly alive antagonist isn't the only problem Jack Bauer will face. Next season will open in Washington, DC, with CTU dismantled and Bauer on trial for his past misdeeds. This, of course, includes his liberal use of torture. The fictional agent's questionable "interrogations" have been given almost as much publicity as the shameful events at Abu Ghraib. Given that Bauer is shown torturing someone in the very same trailer as the trial, it would appear that whatever happens at the trial has no effect on Bauer's performance in the field. Maybe the tagline for next season could be: "The more things change, the more they stay the same."
 
Season seven of "24" premieres on Fox on Sunday, January 13th. The trailer can be viewed at 24trailer.com.