24 Question: Should They Bring Back Palmer?

[Frontier]

So this next season, season 8, is due to be 24's last.

The Unit was canceled this year by CBS.

While we can all agree, it's groan-worthy to bring characters back from the dead -- especially ones so obviously killed -- am I alone in wanting to see David Palmer come back and maybe even get to get his hands a bit dirty and play buddy cop with Jack for at least an episode or two?

 

[Aragorn]

Unless season eight takes place in Purgatory and therefore everyone dead is coming back, I say no.

Although he could have a long lost twin brother named Pedro Cerrano.

 

[Harvey]

I doubt even 24 would let itself become that ridiculous. Tony's death always had a little wiggle room that the writers could get themselves out of it if they wanted to. Palmer was shot in the neck, and his body (with his scars on his hands) was visible an hour later. He's dead, Jim. Not that I don't mourn Palmer's departure from the show. He was the second lead on the series during the first two years, and even though the writers didn't quite know what to do with him during the third season, he always had such wonderful screen presence that it almost didn't matter.

But season five needed his death in the beginning to work. Season six needed it, too, although that soon fell apart dramatically that the groundwork didn't matter. It was a tough call, but it was more valuable than having Palmer show up for a perfunctory phone call every now and then as a former President in exile (or, worse, forcing him into the series in an action capacity).

Let the character rest. Logan, on the other hand, now there's a weasel that I wouldn't mind seeing again. Honestly, I wouldn't mind seeing all of the former Presidents who have received the short end of the stick: Keeler, Logan, Gardner, Palmer (II), and Daniels. A lot of good or great actors there, mostly wasted in the final analysis (except, perhaps, Logan).

 

[TGTheodore]

Unless season eight takes place in Purgatory and therefore everyone dead is coming back, I say no.

Although he could have a long lost twin brother named Pedro Cerrano.

Or heads a secret government organization which puts human brains in physically perfected bodies ...

--Ted

 

[DarKush]

As much as I like Haysbert and loved Palmer, I've got to say no. The other President Palmer perhaps, because I thought he was a lackluster president and might need a little redemption.

The most they could possibly do is a dream sequence with Palmer unless they want to go all paranormal and bring back Palmer as a ghost.

 

[Mr Light]

How about they do Season 2.5 showing Jack and Palmer hunting down the German Conspiracy. You could bring back Tony, Michelle, Stupid Kim, One Handed Chase, Sylar the Tech Specialist... I know they did this story in the game but how much of the audience knows that?

 

[Harvey]

I'd love to see that story, but even if the actors could be made to look young enough, has a television series of any kind ever produced an entire season of television that was set in between previous seasons?

 

[MichaelDornFan]

Just bring in Jimmy Smits instead.

 

[diankra]

I'd love to see that story, but even if the actors could be made to look young enough, has a television series of any kind ever produced an entire season of television that was set in between previous seasons?

Doctor Who season 6b.
Except that only happened in the books, so it doesn't count (and a couple of appearances of the older second Doctor in later stories, which is sort of why the idea of 6b got started as a retcon). Sorry.

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

The show would jump the whale if it brought back David Palmer (it jumped the shark when Jack's Dad and brother were the villains).

 

[LutherSloan]

It's not a finality that this is the last season of '24'. Kiefer is only under contract through this season, but there's the possibility that he could get an extension at some point.

 

[Aragorn]

What if CTU were to investigate "The Pattern" and Jack discovers the parallel universe where Palmer, Michelle and even Teri are still alive?

 

[LutherSloan]

What if CTU were to investigate "The Pattern" and Jack discovers the parallel universe where Palmer, Michelle and even Teri are still alive?

Then you have cross-promotion there, my friend.

 

[The Evil Dead]

I'd like to see them bring back a really obscure character.......Like, Miguel, Kim's boyfriend from season 2, who has secretly been instructing season 7 baddie Alan Wilson for years now.

 

[Trubinator]

Please, no. I love 24, but even that is crossing the line.

 

[auntiehill]

^ I agree. Even "24" can't go that far.

 

[doubleohfive]

I'd much rather there be at least some kind of explanation about what happened to Wayne Palmer.

That said, I think it might be neat to do a season/"day" that is set between Day 1 and Day 3. Return to form, sort of.

I don't know, however, if I believe the writers of 24 would be able to do it without cheeseballing it all up.

 

[Top41]

To quote a Lost ep title, "Dead is Dead." At least in Palmer's case...the show would lose all credibility if they brought him back. That said, he's very much missed, and I think the show really lost something when it lost him.

Agree that Wayne Palmer should come back though--we need to at least know what the hell happened to him!

 

[broberfett]

I thought that CSI Miami was channeling Star Wars at one point. Darth Horatio always wearing black, telling his newly discovered son that he is his father, and then the son denying it (at the end of a long dock). Another guy was seeing a ghost of some dead dude after he was shot in the head (just a flesh wound!). Palmer can come back as a ghost like Obi-wan Kenobi, giving Jack advice and saying cool shit.

 

[Mr Light]

Once the Prez is down we're not supposed to find out what happens to him! We never learned what happened to President Whathisname from Season Four either.