Will 24's Jack Bauer Pass the Torch to Freddie Prinze Jr.?

Jack Bauer? He's all that in the eyes of a new CTU agent to be played by Freddie Prinze Jr., the latest actor to sign on for 24's eighth season.

A star of such films as She's All That and two Scooby-Doos — where he played opposite lady love Sarah Michelle Gellar — and the short-lived sitcom Freddie, Prinze Jr. joins the Fox drama as Davis Cole, a Marine who now heads up the resurrected CTU's Field Ops division. In that role, Cole fancies himself the new Jack Bauer, says the Hollywood Reporter.

24 has trod this path before, introducing a strapping field agent (James Badge Dale's Chase Edmunds, Ricky Schroder's Mike Doyle) who ostensibly might one day relieve weary Jack and inherit the "Drop it!" mantle. Chase, though, dropped off the radar after losing his hand (and girlfriend Kim), while Mike had a bomb go off in his face (a manuever to one day be known as The Juliet).

Also joining 24 is Mumbai-born beauty Nazneen Contractor (CBC's The Border), playing the daughter of Anil Kapoor's Middle Eastern leader. Counting down to her untimely kidnapping in five... four... three... .

Earlier this week, Jennifer Westfeldt (Kissing Jessica Stein) and Chris Diamantopoulos (The Starter Wife) were added to the 24 cast.

Season 8 of 24, to be set in New York City, premieres Jan. 17, 2010.

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