Thoughts About Audrey's Non-Return To '24' - 8/16/09

"I love you with all my heart...and I always will."
-Jack Bauer (to Audrey Raines)

[Closing moments of Season 6]

As a big fan of the Jack and Audrey relationship in '24', I was disappointed to hear from the Entertainment Weekly article last Friday that the character would not be returning.

I have found it interesting that the 24 fan base seems to be divided on this character and I've noticed quite a large number of Audrey-haters out there. That's a fan's prerogative to not like a character, but as a fan of the character I wanted to take some time to defend her and the Jack/Audrey relationship.

When the Audrey character was first introduced, I liked her immediately and I thought she was a good match for Jack; not to mention the off-the-charts chemistry between the actors, Kim Raver and Kiefer Sutherland. She wasn't someone who worked for CTU or was another field agent. Audrey worked for the DOD as Jack did at the time. She seemed to be good for Jack while he tried to establish a new life away from CTU and field work.

Of course, 24 being what it is, the contentment between these two at the beginning of season 4 didn't last long.

First Audrey and her father, the Secretary of Defense were kidnapped by terrorists, then after being rescued by Jack and the Marines, her life is threatened again when she and Jack go to look at security footage to ID a suspect involved in her kidnapping. Then her estranged husband Paul comes back in the picture and she has to witness Jack torture him and when he does so, she sees a side to Jack she's never seen before and it scared her. Later, when out in the field with Jack, Paul gets shot and is paralyzed. Then Jack has to make a decision regarding a witness that has information about Marwan that ends up killing Paul. She ends up breaking up with Jack and ultimately Jack has to fake his death, but Audrey believes he is really dead and is devastated.

Audrey certainly had a bad Day 4.

Much of dislike of the Audrey character is based on the criticism that all she did was cry and was a victim all the time. Plus she wasn't worthy to be Jack's girlfriend because she didn't understand the kind of work he used to do and some of the things he had to do to get the job done.

While I can kind of understand why there would be that criticism, I think it's really a knee-jerk reaction to the character without really thinking about where this character was at the beginning of that season and why what she went through would have been so traumatic for someone in her position.

Here is what I mean. Audrey was working in an inside-the-beltway job at DOD. She couldn't really understand the kind of work Jack had to do until she saw it for herself when Jack had to torture Paul to make sure he wasn't connected with terrorists. I can understand how difficult it would be to see the man you love being that brutal to someone (your estranged husband no less) even though it was something she knew Jack had to do.

I also remember when Audrey and Bill were arguing about Jack going against the President and Bill said something to Audrey like politics and policy are are fine in Washington D.C. but out here things aren't always so black and white. I'm paraphrasing, but basically he meant that you can talk about what should be done and how protocol should be followed in theory, but sometimes in the real world you have to do what is necessary. In Audrey's sheltered little world of DOD policy and politics, she didn't understand that, so it made sense to me for the character to behave the way she did.

Again, while I can see why some 24 fans didn't like the Audrey character or had some criticisms of her, what I can't figure out why these same Audrey-haters completely forget how much stronger the character was in season 5 and showed some of the characteristics they wanted to see in the character in season 4.

Here's some examples of how Audrey "redeemed" herself in season 5:

• Audrey went against protocol in order to help Jack and enlisted Chloe's help several times to do so.
  
• Audrey actively worked against Lynn McGill to get him replaced when he was out of control and couldn't do his job.
  
• Audrey risked her life in order to help Jack secure the recording and was injured by Christopher Henderson in the process. She did not want Jack to give Henderson the recording.
  
• Audrey told Jack she was ready to do whatever it takes and was willing to go however far she needed to to get the recording back.
  
• In between seasons 5 & 6 (off-screen), Audrey put herself at risk again by going to China to try and find Jack and in the process was captured by the Chinese and tortured.
  

This piece isn't written to criticize those who never cared for the Audrey character, I just thought she was a good character and a good match for Jack as a romantic partner. This is just to give my perspective as a 24 fan and a fan of the character.

I would have liked to have seen a reunion between Jack and Audrey in season 8, but if the writers/producers want to pursue a future Jack/Renee relationship, if approached and written the right way I would be open to that. I just believe the Jack & Renee characters are too much alike to be romantic couple and I just see them more as friends or partners in the field.

I'm still holding out hope that if 24 goes beyond season 8 and/or if there is a theatrical movie, Audrey is still alive somewhere, recovered from her China experience and she and Jack will ultimately be reunited someday.

-By 24FanForever