Tomorrow, Tuesday December 5, the fifth season of television's best show is released on Digital Video Disc.
I recommend instantly placing these discs on your NetFlix queue. I whole-heartedly insist that if you have not even seen the show - watch the first season as soon as you can. Need a good Christmas gift? Buy the first season (only $24 I believe) for someone who would appreciate great television.
Before the start of season five I complied a list of my 24 favorite characters in the show's (at the time) four year run:
Rank
Character (Season)
Comment / Memorable Moment
24
Chloe O'Brien (3, 4)
After an initial season (3) that wouldn't land her in the top 50, her great interplay with Edgar vaults her to 24. Memorable moment is when she offers a listening ear to Jack if he wants to talk about how his day is going.
23
Paranoid Y2K nut that lived in the log cabin (2)
Made the entire "Kim caught in a cougar trap" less pointless by offering up his shower to Kim - producing a memorable scene
22
Kate Warner's sister (2)
The evil blonde beauty... Memorable scene is a tie between killing her broken-hearted fiancée and "negotiating" with the manager to get into a locker at an auto garage.
21
Season one white palmer aide (1)
Who? The girl that who was used by the blonde Bosnian Drazen to get close to Palmer. I give her credit for going undercover to play the playboy - but got carried away and stabbed the poor hunky assassin.
20
Agent Baker (1,2,3)
Most underappreciated character in the series history. He is the top field agent (the actor is now on Lost as the Korean man) who was always the best tactical CTU agent... Jack requested his help in season two's airport, he ran with Chase to try to intercept Saunders in season three and the fact that he hasn't been killed in action shows how skilled he is!
19
Milo (1)
Came in to help out when Jaime was caught / died / killed.. would help only if he'd get a pay raise.
18
"Kevin Carol" / "Alan York" ~aliases (1)
Jack Bauer driving the limo with him in the backseat with a deceased Serbian Banker is my favorite scene of the entire series, period... Jack's immortal, "Where's my wife?" line is met with a full clip unloaded into the bulletproof divider - Jack;s expression remains unchanged throughout!
17
Lynn Creskie - Palmer White House aide (2)
Getting locked in a closet by Mike Novic, having to set a fire to escape, and eventually falling down a stairwell. Oh my, when you type it like that what an odd subplot
16
Woman Terrorist who slept with the Air Force pilot, then impersonated an FBI Agent (4)
Was a key part in the best start to finish episode in the show's four year history.
15
Kate Warner (2)
Best acting in the craft's history when keeping the same puzzled aloof expression constantly... always regretted how her "romance" with Bauer was never fully referenced.
14
Jaime (1)
Historical first of many CTU moles
13
Israeli Consulate (2)
When the rednecks beat him up after the nuke went off, it made me feel horrible to be an American... (Black comedy redneck line later in the episode when Kate Warner only had Euros in her home safe, "Do I look European?")
12
Guiel (2)
Pivotal in Jack's undercover operation, took the ultimate sacrifice, but his widow wife really soured at the end of season 3. (bonus points for the fake-mole angle when he tied up Kim to a chair for multiple episodes)
11
Michelle Dessler
Escaping from Saunders (in s3) was an awesome feat, and to realize she had to be recaptured was even better.
10
Alex Saunders (3)
A well played evil persona that had the great link back to Operation Nightfall.
9
Habib Marwan (4)
The best villain the show..s ever had.. the only one to truly be able to go toe to toe with CTU for more than half a season.
8
David Palmer
Best scene: Rejecting all the resignations at the end of season two.
7
Tony Almeda
His "I'm baaaaack" in season 4 was spectacular - right down to pouring the beer in his Cubs mug from season one
6
Nina Myers
I'm glad she's finally dead, but she was oh such the catching and fetching international triple agent!
5
Mandy (1,2,4)
No, correction - MANDY is the best professional terrorist for hire - and she got off scott free with a pardon! Her naked desert scene after she blew up the plane wasn't her best scene, but she gets honorable mention for showing dedication to the role
4
Chase Edmunds (3)
Let's give this guy a hand for a job well done... no seriously.
3
Ira Gaines (1)
His end was such a cataclysmic bomb on the show, the next few episodes struggled to keep the show afloat. Only because Marwan had the longevity is his role of best villain ever in doubt.
2
George Mason (1,2)
I actually wanted to put George at ..1. I liked him that much. The best source of comedy and best one liners in the show's history. Bonus points for marrying Sarah "Nina" Clarke in the off season after season one - Man, I miss George.
1
Jack
Jack, if I could marry your daughter, I'd want to change MY NAME instead!
