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// "24" SEASON THREE (DAY 3) //

Jump To: OVERVIEW CAST EPISODES TRIVIA GOOFS

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Season Three, also known as Day 3 of the television series 24 premiered in America on October 28, 2003 and aired its season finale on May 25, 2004. The premiere episode had a full one hour running time and was commercial-free.

The third season's storyline starts and ends at 1:00 PM. (Incidentally, this makes it very easy for viewers to keep count of the season's progress, since the hour on the clock coincides with the season's episode number for the first twelve hours of the day.)

Season Three Overview

Season Three (2003 – 2004) takes places three years after the events shown in Season Two and is believed to take place in September 2008. This is based on the events of Season Two, which took place in the first year of David Palmer's presidency, and also on the fact that Season Three takes place in the middle of a presidential campaign season.

The season's main plot revolves around the threat of biological terrorism—a deadly virus being released in Los Angeles—while President Palmer is visiting to participate in a debate with the chief opponent in his re-election campaign.

Season Three can be broken essentially into three acts (although all three revolve around securing the virus):

1. CTU must stop a terrorist threat of releasing a deadly virus into the Los Angeles populace if drug kingpin Ramon Salazar is not released from jail.
2. Jack must intercept the virus as it is sold in a transaction in Mexico.
3. The real villain of the day is discovered and CTU must stop him from spreading the weaponized virus strain.

Major subplots

President Palmer faces scandal during his re-election campaign involving his official doctor/girlfriend (a civilian whose ex-husband may have 'cooked the books').

One of Palmer's major supporters, Alan Milliken, demands that the president remove his brother Wayne Palmer from his staff for committing adultery with Milliken's wife, Julia. This results in:

President Palmer calls in his ex-wife, Sherry Palmer, who indirectly kills Milliken.

The Palmers cover up these events, lying to the police.

Palmer's opponent, Senator John Keeler, uses this as leverage against Palmer, offering him the opportunity to withdraw from the election.

Julia, near the end of the season, kills Sherry and commits suicide. As a result, Palmer abandons his bid for re-election.

Plot Twists Affecting Future Seasons

The death of Nina Myers.

The death of CTU director Ryan Chapelle.

The death of Sherry Palmer.

The marriage between Tony Almeida and Michelle Dessler.

Jack's drug addiction that makes him eventually lose his job.

The relationship between Chase and Kim.

David Palmer decides not to rerun for president after the day's events.

Tony's treason in which he eventually loses his job and spends brief jailtime.

Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU)

Strained romantic relationships between Tony and Michelle, Kim (Jack's daughter) and Chase.

Jack's personal anguish: recovering from a heroin addiction that he claims he developed as part of an undercover operation, but others interpret as a way of escaping his anguish over the death of his wife, Teri.

CTU staff members' clash with Chloe's personality.

Kim Bauer's consistent attempt to prove herself fully competent for her job.

Jack finally kills Nina to avenge his wife's death.

Jack has to kill Ryan Chappelle in order to stop the virus from being unleashed.

Season Three Cast

Starring Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer Elisha Cuthbert as Kim Bauer Carlos Bernard as Tony Almeida Reiko Aylesworth as Michelle Dessler James Badge Dale as Chase Edmunds Dennis Haysbert as President David Palmer Special Guest Star Penny Johnson Jerald as Sherry Palmer

Recurring Sarah Wynter as Kate Warner Mary Lynn Rajskub as Chloe O'Brian Zachary Quinto as Adam Kaufman Paul Schulze as Ryan Chappelle Jesse Borrego as Gael Ortega D.B. Woodside as Wayne Palmer Glenn Morshower as Aaron Pierce Joaquim de Almeida as Ramon Salazar Vincent Laresca as Hector Salazar Vanessa Ferlito as Claudia Paul Blackthorne as Stephen Saunders Greg Ellis as Michael Amador Riley Smith as Kyle Singer Sarah Clarke as Nina Myers

Season Three Episodes

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Click on the + and - images to show/hide specific details for each episode

Contract All | Expand All

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM (Hour 1) Originally Aired: October 28, 2003 on FOX Three years have passed since the events of Day Two. A van deposits a dead body outside the LA Health Unit. The body is infected with a deadly virus. Tony (now in charge of CTU) learns that this is a blackmail tactic to get the US government to release a drug lord named Ramon Salazar (whom Jack has just brought down) before Salazar's brother Hector releases the virus into LA. Jack and his new partner, Chase Edmunds, prepare to sign a deal with Salazar at the prison. Salazar delivers a mysterious warning to Jack before killing his lawyer. Palmer is alive and well, and has returned to LA for the first time since the attack three years ago. He is running for re-election and is preparing for an important debate with a rival senator. He is accompanied by his brother Wayne, who happens to be his chief of staff, as well as his doctor, Anne Packard, who also happens to be his girlfriend. A young boy, Kyle Singer, is seen examining a large, mysterious bag of white powder. He plans to deliver it to some dealers later that day, but he is being watched by Salazar's men. Kim now works at CTU and has been dating Chase for three months. Kim wants to tell her father, but Jack has a mysterious health problem that may make things more complicated. Full Episode Breakdown	2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (Hour 2) Originally Aired: November 4, 2003 on FOX Jack and Chase quarrel over Chase's relationship with Kim. Meanwhile, they learn of a lead to the possible whereabouts of the virus after raiding a crackhouse. Kyle's girlfriend, Linda, breaks up with Kyle when she learns that he is planning to make the drug delivery. Wayne approaches Palmer with information about his girlfriend that could damage his chances for reelection, while a CTU employee is not what he seems. Full Episode Breakdown
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Hour 3) Originally aired: November 11, 2003 on FOX Jack and Hector Salazar both search for Kyle, who is unknowingly carrying the virus in the bag of drugs that he is planning to sell. Meanwhile Chase finds himself out of action at CTU. Wayne and Palmer argue over the implications of Anne's past, while Ramon takes out one of his opponents in a surprise move. Tony leads an operation to get Kyle, but tragedy strikes when Salazar's man gets there first. Full Episode Breakdown	4:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Hour 4) Originally aired: November 18, 2003 on FOX Michelle is torn by personal and professional obligations when she must take charge of CTU after Tony is wounded. Kyle and Linda are captured by Hector Salazar's men. Jack and Palmer have a secret conversation, leading Jack to take drastic action in the face of the Salazars' threat. However, Jack's plans are soon complicated when Chase gets in the way. Anne pushes Palmer back on to moral ground in the face of her ex husband's blackmail scheme. Full Episode Breakdown
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM (Hour 5) Originally aired: November 25, 2003 on FOX Jack's efforts to break Ramon out of prison go awry when they are captured by a group of inmates during the riot. Chloe unwittingly stumbles on to Jack's drug problem and she is forced to reveal his secret to Kim and Michelle. Palmer begins his debate with Keeler, while Kyle prepares to sacrifice himself to save Linda. Full Episode Breakdown	6:00 PM - 7:00 PM (Hour 6) Originally aired: December 2, 2003 on FOX Jack and Ramon struggle to evade the authorities, while Palmer must shut the debate down because of the prison break. Kim finds out that CTU agent Gael Ortega is secretly working with Hector Salazar and is a traitor, but she isn't able to warn Michelle in time. The Singer family learns a startling piece of news about Kyle's health. Full Episode Breakdown
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM (Hour 7) Originally aired: December 9, 2003 on FOX Ramon holds Jack hostage as he flies to Mexico. Ramon plans to kill Jack, but Jack manages to hold him at bay until the plane lands. Ramon then learns that Jack and Hector were working together to break him out of prison. Gael is captured while trying to escape from CTU. Chappelle interrogates Gael but is interrupted by Tony, who claims that Gael is part of a bigger plan, and is not really working with the Salazar's. Anne is given a chance to clear Palmer's name, while Chase heads for Mexico to rescue Jack. Full Episode Breakdown	8:00 PM - 9:00 PM (Hour 8) Originally aired: December 16, 2003 on FOX Palmer and Chappelle view a message from Jack, explaining his undercover work with the Salazars. Meanwhile, Hector tries to convince Ramon that they should deal with Bauer so that they can get their hands on the virus. Jack has a private moment with Hector's girlfriend Claudia and she blasts him for leaving her behind when he arrested Ramon. Chase arrives in Mexico, but is captured by Hector's men. Ramon devises a way for Jack to prove his loyalty to them. Anne manages to clear Palmer's name, but she breaks off her relationship with him. Full Episode Breakdown
9:00 PM - 10:00 PM (Hour 9) Originally aired: January 06, 2004 on FOX Palmer clears Anne's name with the press, but he finds that he is facing a new problem when his biggest campaign contributer, Alan Milliken, reveals a startling secret about Wayne. Kim and Michelle worry about Tony's mental ability when he continues to make mistakes. Jack and the Salazars meet with Amador, but the deal turns sour when Nina Myers appears on the scene and competes for the virus. Full Episode Breakdown	10:00 PM - 11:00 PM (Hour 10) Originally aired: January 13, 2004 on FOX Claudia manages to free Chase from his captors, but she pays a high price for her efforts. Wayne turns to Julia (Alan Milliken's wife), while Palmer calls on his ex-wife Sherry for help against Milliken, who is on the warpath against Palmer. Jack and Ramon make plans to get to Nina, in the hopes of intercepting the virus. Chloe's work at CTU is disrupted when she is forced to take care of her baby. Full Episode Breakdown
11:00 PM - 12:00 MIDNIGHT (Hour 11) Originally aired: January 27, 2004 on FOX Jack forces Nina to work with him in order to get the virus from Amador. Palmer meets with Sherry and soon convinces her to help him deal with Milliken. Chase remains in Mexico to help with the capture of the virus. Ramon and Hector Salazar quarrel when Hector wants to pull out of the deal to obtain the virus, which ultimately turns the brothers against each other. Full Episode Breakdown	12:00 MIDNIGHT - 1:00 AM (Hour 12) Originally aired: February 3, 2004 on FOX Things finally come to an explosive head as Jack, Ramon, Nina and Chase all simultaneously close in on the virus. But the deal takes an unexpected turn when Amador pulls a fast switch. Kim becomes suspicious of Chloe when her story about her baby doesn't check out. Sherry finds a witness who can damage Milliken, but her advantage is shortlived. Full Episode Breakdown
1:00 AM - 2:00 AM (Hour 13) Originally aired: February 10, 2004 on FOX No closer to obtaining the virus, Jack and Chase interrogate Nina, but the worm turns when she causes havoc with the CTU computer systems. Chappelle puts Chloe under guard when she refuses to answer questions about the baby, but is forced to release her when she is the only one who can deal with the crisis. Sherry takes her battle directly to Alan, forcing Julia to act as her accomplice. During an intense confrontation, Sherry ends up causing Alan to have a heart attack, which leads to his death. Full Episode Breakdown	2:00 AM - 3:00 AM (Hour 14) Originally aired: February 17, 2004 on FOX Tony interrogates Nina about Alvers' location, while Chappelle orders Jack to undergo a medical examination in light of his drug use. Kim and Chase have a conversation about the baby Chloe was caring for, which turns out to be Chase's daughter. Palmer confronts Sherry when he finds out that Alan Milliken is dead, while Julia begs Wayne for help. Full Episode Breakdown
3:00 AM - 4:00 AM (Hour 15) Originally aired: February 24, 2004 on FOX Chappelle threatens to pull Jack from the effort to find the virus after he kills Nina Myers, but Jack persuades him to hold off when they find a fresh lead on Amador's whereabouts. Amador and Alvers meet with the man who is planning to unleash the virus in LA within the hour. Michelle and Gael locate the target area, but things really hit the fan when they attempt to capture Alvers in the process of releasing the virus. Wayne argues with Sherry over the consequences of Milliken's death as the police turn up the heat on Julia. Full Episode Breakdown	4:00 AM - 5:00 AM (Hour 16) Originally aired: March 30, 2004 on FOX Jack and Chase track Amador in the hopes that he can lead them to the man behind the virus attack. Michelle faces a mob riot when the hotel where the virus was successfully released by the terroists is quarantined. Sherry extorts Palmer, forcing him to provide her with an alibi when the police come to investigate Alan Milliken's death. Full Episode Breakdown
5:00 AM - 6:00 AM (Hour 17) Originally aired: April 6, 2004 on FOX Stephen Saunders, the apparent mastermind behind the day's terrorist threat, begins making demands on the President. He forces Palmer to hold a strange press conference and then orders the death of the only CTU agent who can trace him, Ryan Chappelle. Jack learns of a woman who can lead him to Saunders, but a surprise attack shifts the balance of power. As Gael's symptoms start to develop after he is infected with the virus, Michelle devises a way to relieve the suffering of the other victims at the hotel who are also infected. Full Episode Breakdown	6:00 AM - 7:00 AM (Hour 18) Originally aired: April 13, 2004 on FOX Jack and Chase race against time to capture Saunders before he releases more vials of the virus, while Chappelle plans an escape. Michelle begins a frantic search when she learns that an infected hotel guest may have slipped through her fingers. Full Episode Breakdown
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM (Hour 19) Originally aired: April 20, 2004 on FOX Jack reluctantly works with Kim on an under-cover job that may help them gain an advantage over Saunders. Palmer informs his cabinet of the new developments concerning the virus crisis, while Saunders gives him yet another demand. Chase tracks down the infected man who left the hotel and learns that the virus is spreading to the general public. Full Episode Breakdown	8:00 AM - 9:00 AM (Hour 20) Originally aired: April 27, 2004 on FOX Jack attempts to use Saunders' daughter Jane as leverage to gain control of the virus, while Palmer must deal with the discontented press. Michelle gets the results of her test and finds out that she is not infected, while Adam finds that, for him, the virus has struck too close to home. Tony finds himself compromised when Saunders exploits his only weakness. Full Episode Breakdown
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM (Hour 21) Originally aired: May 4, 2004 on FOX Tony Almeida works to free Jane from CTU before Stephen Saunders can harm Michelle, whom he has kidnapped in an effort to control Tony. However, Chloe and Jack soon become suspicious of Tony's activities, which complicates things. Sherry meets with Palmer's political rival, Presidential Candidate Keeler, and proposes a plan to blackmail Palmer. Full Episode Breakdown	10:00 AM - 11:00 AM (Hour 22) Originally aired: May 11, 2004 on FOX Jack and Tony clash as the time for the hostage exchange involving Jane Saunders and Michelle Dessler draws near. Senator Keeler meets with Palmer and demands his resignation. Meanwhile Wayne begins a secret operation against Sherry after he realises that she has turned on David. Full Episode Breakdown
11:00 AM - 12:00 NOON (Hour 23) Originally aired: May 18, 2004 on FOX Jack pushes the envelope in an attempt to force Saunders to disclose the location of the remaining vials of the virus. Sherry meets with David to continue her effort to blackmail him, while Wayne breaks into her home to destroy the incriminating evidence against him. Tony Almeida finds himself facing a harsh penalty as a result of his effort to save Michelle. At the climax of the episode, a distraught Julia Milliken shoots and kills Sherry Palmer. Full Episode Breakdown	12:00 NOON - 1:00 PM (Hour 24) Originally aired: May 25, 2004 on FOX Jack and Chase must make a powerful sacrifice in order to neutralize the final vial of the virus. Tony is able to help Jack one last time before he is taken into custody, while an angry victim takes vengeance on Stephen Saunders. Palmer makes a surprising career choice in the wake of Sherry's death and the terrorist threat against America is foiled once and for all. Full Episode Breakdown

Season Three Trivia

This is the first season where the action starts in the United States.

The time taken place between Season 2 and Season 3 (Three years) is the longest in the show's history. It is also the only season to begin and end in the P.M. rather than the A.M..

The driver's license of a 19-year-old character in the third season, Kyle Singer, shows his date of birth as August 1987, thus setting the third season during August 2006–August 2007. Presidential primaries occur in March, and Season 3 takes place four and a half years after the events of Season 1. Therefore, the 24 timeline of Season 1 starting in March 2004 does not hold up in Season 3 since Presidential debates occur in the fall, thus setting the events in September 2008, which is inconsistent with Kyle's ID being genuine. It is also possible Kyle's ID is fake to make him appear to be 21 years old, and that season 3 takes place in 2008.

Unlike the first two seasons, the third does not end with a sudden twist. It is also the first season not to conclude with a "silent clock", though it was used earlier in the season when Jack was forced by the terrorists to execute his boss, Ryan Chappelle.

This is also the only season of the series in which the main objective (in this case, stopping the release of a weaponized virus) remains the same throughout the season. In every other season, the first objective is reached before 24 hours are up, and so other, related story arcs are introduced to finish the season out.

One of the most noted features of the first season was that almost any one of the characters could have been good or evil. To bring back this feel, and to revamp the show, the producers decided not to renew the contracts of most of the cast. Because of this, the writers declared that the first three seasons were a sort of trilogy and that the fourth season was a "rebirth".

According to TV Tome, Jack and Claudia were supposed to have a normal relationship during the time of filming. Apparently, Vanessa Ferlito, the actress playing Claudia, was committed to filming Man of the House with Tommy Lee Jones and Cedric The Entertainer, which resulted in having the writers kill her off during Chase's escape.

During Episode 19, Saunders demands that a list of names be given to him via a website. That website is www.sylviaimports.com, which still contains a brief message for viewers.

Nina Myers's passport photo is shown briefly on a CTU screen during this season. The name on the passport is not Nina Myers but Sarah Berkeley, which is the married name of Sarah Clarke, the actress who plays Nina. This might appear to be an editing blooper; however, the events of season 2 make it plausible that Nina's passport would be under a false name

During the Sherry Palmer shooting scene you can clearly see a crew member's reflection in the refrigerator door.

In the last episode, it is not clear how CTU can pick up a signal from the GPS transmitter embedded in the last detonator while the detonator is underground in the subway

Tony Almeida shares his last name with the actor who portrayed Ramon Salazar, Joaquim de Almeida.

Season Three Goofs

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