This time last year we were knee deep in the muck that was "24" season six. With poor performances and rehashed storylines, it was clear that season six was not only going to plummet from the highs of the previous season, but it would be the poorest season since the 2001 debut of the unique real-time thriller.

Due to a writers' strike that lasted three months, season seven of "24" has now been pushed back until January, 2009. With such a long hiatus, some fans may be craving for another season more than Jack was craving heroin in season three. If that is the case, you may be in luck. According to the The Hollywood Reporter, "24" will return in the fall of 2008. Well, sort of. Producers of the show plan to create a two-hour prequel that will bridge the gap between seasons six and seven.

If you're still not satisfied, fear not. Whether fans want to believe it or not, "24" will actually benefit from having a year off to retool the show. Here are five ideas on how the serial drama can regain its footing after last season's ratings took a nose dive:

1. Stop Killing Vital Characters

This might be a message that is too little too late. Part of season six's poor showing, however, was that aside from Jack (and a small handful of characters) there wasn't anyone on the show that was recognizable or likable. The show's greatest strength since day one was that anything can happen. Whether it was a nuclear attack or Air Force One being shot down, producers weren't afraid to shock the audience.

The problem, though, was that "24" became trigger happy. While a good kill on a show can be exciting and surprising, "24" has become a morgue full of our favorite characters. If producers want to write off characters, that's fine. But it is not necessary for them all to end up body bags. While the deaths of Teri Bauer, Nina Myers, and David Palmer were all immensely vital to the progression of the series, the killing of Curtis Manning, Sherry Palmer, and the potentially implied deaths of Presidents Charles Logan and Wayne Palmer were unnecessary.

2. Maintain Storylines

The great thing about "24" is that everything on screen happens in just one day. So, in essence, an issue that occurs in hour four can have an impact in hour 18. The problem, though, is that the producers have done a terrible job of maintaining continuity throughout each season. Like mentioned earlier, in the beginning of season three, Jack was addicted to heroin due to a previous undercover mission that required drug use. By roughly episode four, however, this major problem no longer affected the way that Jack was able to function during his day. It was a wasted plot line, and the producers missed a golden opportunity for an interesting added wrinkle to Jack's character and his personality.

Similarly, in season five, Jack suffered cracked ribs. By the next episode, it was a moot point. In season three, CTU Director Tony Almeida was shot in the neck. After being comatose for a few hours, Tony was back on his feet helping to find and capture terrorists. While it is understood that the show cannot be 100 percent accurate, if "24" could bring back more of the realism from season one, it would benefit the show greatly and give the characters bigger personal obstacles to overcome.

3. Bring Back the Real-Time Aspect

Remember when this real-time drama occurred in...ummm...real-time? If not, pop in the season one DVD. When Jack Bauer called a colleague and stated he would be somewhere in 20 minutes, it truly took him 20 real-time minutes to arrive. In future seasons, however, the producers significantly messed up the real-time aspect of the program. In season six, former terrorist Hamri Al-Assad flew from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., to meet with President Wayne Palmer. Assad boarded the plane roughly at 11:00 a.m. A mere two hours later he was in the White House meeting with the President. These gaps in time logic are almost certain to come up in a television show, but "24" needs to go back to its real-time roots.

4. Take the Show More Seriously

"24" has always been a riveting show that, for some unspeakable reason, has always had silliness injected into a dramatic storyline. Remember Teri's amnesia in season one? How about "The Adventures of Kim Bauer" in season two that saw her, among many things, stuck in a cougar trap? In season three, fans were treated to Chase Edmunds' baby being a guest at CTU. In season four, special agent Erin Driscoll's daughter was also present inside CTU. Her problem? Schizophrenia. Whether its terrible plot lines or bickering between Chloe and Miles over insignificant issues, producers need to realize that when Jack Bauer is trying to stop nuclear bombs and virus outbreaks, these other poorly conceived, time-filler storylines seem so inconsequential.

5. Get Creative

There is no doubt that "24" is probably one of the hardest shows to write because everything happens within one day, and the show therefore is much more plot driven than character oriented. After seven years, though, "24" is in dire need to come up with something original. Everything from season six was a retread from previous seasons. A nuclear bomb in Los Angeles - didn't we see that in season two? Jack breaks into the Russian consulate - wasn't that in season four? A plot to kill the President - didn't we see that in seasons two and four? The President being manipulated by terrorists - that was in season two, three, and five, right?

The show needs to also get out of Los Angeles and make the threat smaller. There is not much else that can be a bigger national security threat than a nuclear bomb. Instead, the producers should focus on a much smaller, personal threat. Season one was so effective because the threat was personal. Jack was conflicted with having to save a presidential hopeful, while also attempting to locate and save his kidnapped family. As the audience, you felt for the guy. He was a reluctant hero, a man called to action due to the personal circumstances rather than the nature of his job.

It's well known that fans love Jack Bauer, but he has become too much like a super hero. Jack outlives plane crashes, nuclear bomb detonations, and fire fights. Let's just put an "S" on his chest and get him ready for the lead role in the upcoming Superman sequel. The show needs to bring back the humanity to the character of Jack Bauer. Remember, this man has lost everything. His wife, his daughter, his identity. His life. Jack Bauer is a broken man. He should not be portrayed as an unstoppable, Terminator-like killing machine.

If the show can implement these five suggestions, then the program will be much improved, exciting, and realistic. Season seven doesn't debut for another nine months. The show runners have some time to retool the show. Like everything in the "24" universe, though, the clock is ticking.

Story by Michael Langston Moore
Starpulse contributing writer