My father might not have much longer to live, and perhaps neither will my mother with all the pressure she is under. That begs the question to me about Kiefer Sutherland's Jack Bauer on the Fox series 24: Should Jack be killed?

You've lost your wife and some friends to terrorist attacks. You're estranged from your daughter while never being able to keep a girlfriend. Meanwhile, people die all around you as a means to save the day. In addition, you have a government not of the United States now possibly looking to arrest you (and perhaps kill you as well).

Last season, the Chinese Government was out for the head of Bauer after he shot one of their own. He made himself for dead and disappeared into the sunset. When the producers made the choice not to go on with that story, I felt that it was a silly move. Here you have an enemy greater than a terrorist, but a whole government that ISN'T the U.S. You could even set up a plot like this:

Jack Bauer finds that everyone who knew he was alive has been kidnapped by the Chinese Government. They agree to release him on the condition that he surrenders to them on their territory. Of course, he should stop a terrorist attack while hanging about down there, but with none of his friends to help. In such a different environment, Jack will have to do more things by himself.

I'm not sure the producers of 24 will do that; they've signed up for a two-season deal with Fox. I would hope at least that they could restructure the show for the adventures of a fireman or a policeman. Terrorism isn't the only thing scary in America.