Day 1 of San Diego is about to begin. I’ll be liveblogging for as long as sketchy WIFI and fickle battery life persists. Lucky you.

First up is the first and last 24 panel. I haven’t watched the show since maybe season 3, and I’ve probably seen less than a full day in Jack Bauer’s life in total. That makes me the perfect person to regale you with dirty deets on the last season for the FOX show that apparently people other than my Aunt and Uncle still care about. There will be SPOILERS, but you should know that, fateful reader(s).

Prediction: A 24 movie will be pontificated about ad nauseum. I’d say there’s a 64% chance for an announcement during the panel.

Lessons learned from my neighbor who’s been on the show from the start (the poor lass): Apparently Live Another Day is already over, and apparently it was “pretty good,” and like Bourne Identity. A little late to the game on the Bourne copycats. I’m learning so much.

Kiefer Sutherland to the stage. Gets a rousing round of applause. Also doesn’t kill anyone, which is impressive considering the intro video.

Apparently Kiefer worked with Jon Cassar for 9 seasons of 24, and has never seen Jon more nervous for this panel, according to Mr. Sutherland.

Shooting in London was difficult; the rules are different. Needed 6 weeks to have a gun on set. Getting weapons is a lot harder in the UK. This led to more creative ways to “do stuff”/kill people. Also very odd to shoot with a different group of people, though they were talented. London was a “fantastic experience.” Texture and historical significance was “unique and special.”

Cops can’t stop people from walking anywhere, so hundreds of people would crowd the set. Up to three thousand people watching during metro in/out scenes, and funny enough, listened to directions from the crew, unlike Americans.

During a very emotional scene between Jack and Chloe, they were forced to do it in front of 2,000 people in a park. Mary Lynne (Chloe) was terrified, and didn’t think she could do it. But she knocked it out of the park and cried, because of all the eyes.

Sutherland: “This character has been the greatest gift of my career.”

“We’ll never say we made a perfect season…” but very proud of what we did over 8 seasons, and were terrified to damage that by opening it up again. Kiefer was a complete mess about it, panicked. Was worried about not serving the character and franchise justice.

Jon: different Jack Bauer this season, “leaner, meaner.” Now shooting people two times more after they’re dead.

Went back and watched the very first season and very first episode. There was so much hope. With everything that he’s lost, he’s lost patience. “Nothing in his immediate future that he’s fighting for.”

Justified the tattoos on his arms, because he was tired of covering them up. Created bullshit excuse for it.

The end of the show “was whatever we could make it.” Had a lot of freedom to end the finale. “Copped out” because it’s hard to let it go, and hard to end it. “It was difficult.” This all mattered to them, and it’s clear that Kiefer means it. Thanks audience for their gracious and kind response to the end.

Halo around Chloe; can’t kill her. They’d rather kill off Jack than Chloe, Kiefer suggests.

Met Kim Raver five minutes before they had to make out, push her against the wall and undo her blouse in their first scene together. He also met her husband right before it. Yay acting!

Working with Bill Devane: “he’s crazy.” He apparently just wants to be playing polo. RE: London: “I can’t understand why they don’t feed you better.” He was fantastic/miserable traveler, complained about lack of channels, couldn’t sleep, etc.

Apparently Devane’s wardrobe mannerisms is all him. Cassar commands us to look out for that when we get the Blu-Ray. He either assumes we’re all getting it (wrong), or they’re giving them away (too good).

RE: preparation. It apparently when it’s going well, Kiefer gets nervous and doesn’t read the scripts until the day before.

Kiefer admits that there were good TV shows before 24, name-dropping ER and The Sopranos. Was worried about playing a character for a long period of time; but loves it, because it’s the most rewarding acting opportunities you can imagine, because of the evolution and growth for his character.

Apparently throwing the “Red Queen” (wrong; Michelle Fairley/Catelyn Stark) from Game of Thrones was not the original idea. It was written as him coming through the window and killing her, the episode was too long. Kiefer wanted to have a scene with her, it was his ego. She’s the “strongest, shortest” person I ever met, “unbelievably strong.” By the time I actually chucked her out the window, “I was quite happy.”

Apparently best stunt team they worked with.

Chopping Benjamin Bratt’s hand off wasn’t in the script either. Took the opportunity given to him, which was often the case on 24. A lot of it is born that day, and comes organically, and had freedom to do it.

How much of Kiefer is in Jack and vice versa? “Oh, very different…just take a look at my record.” Jokingly says he’s the guy he wanted to grow up to be. Sutherland has a strong sense of right and wrong, whether he follows it or not, and shares that with Jack, who lives by it, a creed he respects about the character more than anything.

During first season, Kiefer went to wrong location and ran out of gas to the second location (he’s never late and never missed a day of work except for this day). Got out, wearing a suit from Jay Leno the night before, running to get gas. Traffic not moving, guy yelled “Jack Bauer!” They thought he was shooting a scene. On the way back, he ran back to his car with a gas can, and the same guy yelled, “Jack Bauer’s a loser!”

Another story: Old lady with groceries on Olympic in LA. Kiefer sees her, she gets accosted by two men, and he gets out of his car and starts hitting the boys. Then he realizes they’re shooting a student film. The old lady was an 18 year old kid from USC. Awesome.

Who would you dress up as Comic-Con? “Stormtrooper,” no way of knowing who he was, and body defined.

At family dinners, does Kiefer and Donald argue about what characters are more badass? Kiefer loved the question, but actually doesn’t talk to his Dad about work. Recently did a movie with Donald, directed by Cassar (a western). Kiefer admits that “he could kick his ass.”

RE: Metal Gear Solid 5 and similarities/differences between working on a video game and TV/movie: wildly different process, except  creating a character is the same. Believes films/video games will come together, and the technology will progress to that point.

Saw Jack as a reluctant action hero at first, but losing his wife, and his family as the show progresses, evolved the character to where he’s got nothing, and he’s just angry. “Evolution of the character is based on loss.”

Don’t consider political ramifications outside of the context of our show. “It’s a show. We’re not advocating torture…anything.” Made 24 six months before 911. Made him someone who fought terrorists, because that’s a job where he could work 24 hours on end. Writers would imagine worst scenario, and then the scenario would come true. Stopped predicting and took from the newspaper; like drone warfare in season 9. Political backdrop is important to storytelling.

What happened to the President after the finale? “I suspect he’s mourning the loss of his daughter and in our heads, resigned, given into his illness, etc. etc.” This question was asked by the Verge, to which Kiefer admitted to being in Comic-Con.

Favorite weapon to use? Kiefer answered immediately: 6th hour, a 3 .37. I know nothing about guns, so that’s probably not even typed out correctly. One of the few fake guns that wouldn’t misfire. Yvonne Strohovski caught on while filming season 9.

What’s more important: creating a story that’s suspenseful or one that you want to watch it over and over? Kiefer, personally believes in the former, though he’s not a writer and not involved in that process.

Kiefer gets asked to do a Jack Bauer “Dammit,” and he kills it. Twice.

Who would you want to be your costar if you did another 24? Rave about the actors they got this last season. Hard to say because so many great actors, but mentions Gene Hackman as his dream fantasy to work with.

Movie question finally brought up. They’re still talking about the movie, it’s out there. Jon Cassar can’t say anything about directing it, but he’d love to, and Kiefer would love to do it. It’ll happen.

Before I begin, I just want to clarify: this isn’t a list of portrayals of actual presidents in films. You’re not going to see Daniel Day-Lewis’ Abraham Lincoln or Frank Langella’s Richard Nixon, or the 53 actors who have played JFK. These are all fake presidents, which should be abundantly clear.

This is specifically for MOVIE presidents. Fictional TV presidents would be an entirely different list, but if you must know, it would have Martin Sheen’s President Bartlet at #2, AFTER Laura Roslin of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, because I’m the worst. David Palmer of 24/Allstate would be 3rd place.

Many old men in Hollywood have practically made a career of playing the POTUS. If you’re a grizzled character actor with a nice clump of white hair and you ooze authority, you’ve likely played the thankless role of a president in a film.

Ronny Cox  (above) wins the award for most portrayals, with four, including the craptacular 1990 CAPTAIN AMERICA, MARTIANS GO HOME, MURDER AT 1600 and NADIA’S PROMISE. Since MARTIANS GO HOME came out in 1989, he’s played a President in 4 different decades, and is still doing it. NADIA’S PROMISE came out this year.

JAWS’ Roy Scheider played the President three separate times. As did Gregory Harrison. Stanley Anderson (Michael Bay’s first call, for ARMAGEDDON and THE ROCK), Henry Fonda, Louis Gossett Jr., Sam Waterston, Leslie Nielsen, Peter Coyote, Jonathan Pryce and David Rasche have each played a POTUS twice on the big screen.

TRIVIA TO IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS: Jeff and Beau Bridges aren’t the coolest sibling duo who have both played presidents. That award goes to Dennis and Randy Quaid. Dennis for AMERICAN DREAMZ…

Whereas Randy Quaid had the country in the palm of his hands in the classic MAIL TO THE CHIEF. The movie came out in 2000, six years before Dennis ever sniffed the oval office.

14 years ago, Randy Quaid was playing the President in Disney movies and I thought I’d play for the Kentucky basketball team. Life’s weird. Speaking of…

…Charlie Sheen was the President in MACHETE KILLS.

Eric Roberts was the head of state in FIRST DOG. I don’t want to look that movie up to shatter the illusion of what it is in my head (AIR BUD + White House).

Terry Crews was the President in IDIOCRACY. His name was Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho.

Robert Rodriguez’s SPY KIDS movies didn’t fuck around. In the second film, Shooter McGavin himself played the President. Then they took a step down in SPY KIDS 3-D, opting for a little guy named George Clooney:

Lame. Far superior was the fake but judicious U.S. population who elected Jack Nicholson to the White House, right before the world became under siege by aliens in MARS ATTACKS!

Is Jack not exactly who we want making the all-important decisions for our country?

PRESIDENT THAT WON’T SNIFF MY BALLOT:

Chris Rock as Mays Gilliam in HEAD OF STATE (2003). I just hate this movie. Maybe I’m just mad that I actually paid to see this one in theaters.

HANGING CHADS/SNUBS (in no particular order):

Michael Douglas (THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT, a redundant title), Kevin Kline (DAVE), John Travolta (PRIMARY COLORS), Alan Alda (CANADIAN BACON), Tim Robbins (AUSTIN POWERS 2: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME), Henry Fonda (FAIL SAFE), Jeff Bridges (THE CONTENDER) and Stephen Colbert (MONSTERS VS. ALIENS). Yeah, I blew it.

5. Billy Bob Thornton as the President, LOVE ACTUALLY (2003)

Billy Bob Thornton exudes sleaze and a stinky odor that can only be described as pure, unadulterated America in the brilliant British romcom. It’s a master stroke of casting, as arrogance and charm seep out of Billy Bob’s pores in this small role. He’s inappropriate with Hugh Grant/the Prime Minister’s squeeze, he’s a bully, presumably a philandering alcoholic, and he’s exactly what the Brits and the rest of the world think of American politicians. And they’re probably right.

I’d still vote for Billy Bob Thornton in a heartbeat.

4. Morgan Freeman as President Tom Beck, DEEP IMPACT (1998)

James Earl Jones delivered the first depiction of a black president in THE MAN (1972), although Sammy Davis Jr. dreamed of being the black president as a 7 year old in RUFUS JONES FOR PRESIDENT (1933). You could make a convincing argument that 24, DEEP IMPACT and other pop culture entries featuring black actors as the President paved the way for Barack Obama. It shouldn’t have required that, but Morgan Freeman’s portrayal in DEEP IMPACT might be one of the most influential of its kind. It doesn’t get any more regal, comforting, stately and presidential than “The Voice.”

Like in life, when everything seems lost, or when humanity is on the brink, we need heroes the most. Or at least, that’s what the movies teach us, and in DEEP IMPACT, a comet could destroy the planet. Leave it to Morgan Freeman and his voice to soothe our worries, and lead the way.

3. Peter Sellers as President Merkin Muffley, DR. STRANGELOVE (1964)

In Stanley Kubrick’s hilarious black comedy about the Cold War, nuclear paranoia and the folly of politics, Peter Sellers gets a new high score. He plays three of the main characters, including the titular Dr. Strangelove, a maniacal mad-scientist role that overshadows his Captain Mandrake and…the President.

In DR. STRANGELOVE, Sellers’ President is shocked to discover that the U.S. has ordered a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union, without his permission. He finds himself in an impossible situation, amid a sea of incompetent and unruly advisers in the war room, while not exactly the brightest man himself.

Here are two classic scenes from the movie, though it’s one of those movies where every scene is famous:

2. Harrison Ford as President James Marshall, AIR FORCE ONE (1997)

In the 1990’s, we wanted a President who could kick ass and murder with the best of them. Leave it to Harrison Ford to bring the badass to the Oval Office, as he turns the President (an ex-soldier) into a 90’s action hero in Wolfgang Peterson’s AIR FORCE ONE. It’s honestly one of Ford’s best roles, as he takes down a malicious Gary Oldman and his ring of terrorists WHILE IN FLIGHT. He also delivers arguably the best line from a Fictional Movie President, in a way that only Ford could:

This list will not go quietly into the night…

1. Bill Pullman as President Thomas J. Whitmore, INDEPENDENCE DAY (1996)

There are no words, especially when Bill Pullman stole them all, in probably the greatest movie speech ever:

All of the goosebumps.