If you haven’t heard, Kiefer Sutherland is back (tattoo and all) as Jack Bauer in the 24 Season Seven Premier “Redemption”

After quite a hiatus, Fox needs a strong season storyline to bring viewers back, and keep them the glued to their sets each week. After watching the 24 season seven video trailer, I think they’ve managed to do just that.

No longer is Jack limited to tracking down terrorists, nuclear weapons, and Presidential assassins (I mean, how many story versions like that can you really run). This time, they’ve taken Jack Bauer out of the United States, placed him smack dab in the middle of a civil war, and trying to save children no less. Yep, they only way they could have made him more heroic is if they threw in a couple puppies to save. Given the fact I haven’t seen the 2-hour season premier, I really can’t say that they haven’t.

Now, what kind of kill count can we anticipate? A WHOLE FRIGGIN LOT!

Come on, you know the kill numbers are always high. Heck, there’s even drinking games based on them. But this time, the bad guys are not so much “bad” as they are rotten scum of the earth. Yes, they are fighting for their “freedom” but the line gets crossed — way, way crossed — when they forcefully recruit children to fight for their cause. We’re talking about evil vermin that a sweet, church going grandma wouldn’t think twice about dropping with a glock. So with villains that viewers hate, it makes it just that much easier to watch them drop like fly’s in Antarctica.

The horrendous thing about it this storyline is that it’s not purely fictitious. Okay, Jack Bauer is, but children being recruited for war isn’t. But enough downers, we watch Jack and 24 for pure entertainment. The zest of watching Jack somehow out-think, fight, and gun his way out of insanely impossible circumstances even McGyver would give up on.

24 Show Premise According to Fox

Filmed on location in Cape Town, South Africa, and Los Angeles, 24: REDEMPTION stars Emmy Award winner Kiefer Sutherland along with Cherry Jones, Robert Carlyle, Gil Bellows and Jon Voight.

Working as a missionary in Africa, Bauer is called upon to stop a ruthless warlord from drafting innocent children into his murderous militia. First, Bauer must confront his own torturous past and face an impossible decision that will change his life forever. A decision that will set the stage and raise the stakes for Season Seven, which debuts in January 2009.

The “24” 2-hour Season Premier Event is SUNDAY NOV. 23, 2008

So, without further adieu, here’s the season seven trailer.

REDEMPTION: 24 Season Trailer

As a little non-official contest, I’d like to see your thoughts on what the total body count is going to be for the entire season. The rules are simple; If Jack shoots someone – count them as dead (Jack never shoots to wound and he never misses). If Jack fights someone and they slump to the ground — count them as dead (Jack doesn’t take prisoners). I think you get the point.

So, let’s here your predictions.

Also, if you want to refresh your eyes a bit, you can now watch entire episodes of 24 on Hulu.