When Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran’s TV series 24 first premiered in 2001, it revolutionised the linear format with its real-time approach to storytelling perfect for living room TV sets. It used the medium to help create a unique way of telling a story that a movie really couldn’t do while making it thrilling enough to have as a weekly go-to when the TV guide came out.

The show follows Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) agent Jack Bauer as he races against the clock to thwart a deadly plot to assassinate Senator David Palmer. The first episode sets up a night of intrigue, mystery, and high-stakes action the way an American TV show knows. And while I’m only one hour deep into the 24-hour story, I can’t help but notice that modern technology basically solves a bunch of the challenges the characters face.

_{Spoilers ahead for Season 1, Episode 1.}

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1. Kim Bauer’s Kidnapping

The clear example is when Jack’s daughter, Kim, is coaxed into a van by a man she meets, leading to her kidnapping. Back in 2001, smartphones were rare, making it significantly more difficult to track someone’s location. Today, with GPS tracking, Find My iPhone, and advanced home security cameras, Jack could easily pinpoint her location in mere minutes. Furthermore, facial recognition cameras in public areas would offer real-time updates on her whereabouts—resources that the CTU undoubtedly possesses.

2. Social Media and Open-Source Intelligence

One of the most significant transformations in the last two decades is the explosive rise of social media. In the episode, the CTU team depends on traditional investigative techniques and confidential informants to identify their suspects. However, Jack’s team could now confidently harness the power of social media analysis, geotagging, and real-time crowdsourced intelligence to effectively track potential suspects.

The sheer amount of open-source intelligence available would speed up their work considerably, and while pulling together that amount of intel in the early 2000s would have taken hours — and an impressive amount of smarts — an AI could achieve the same, if not better, results in identifying suspects in seconds. This extra intel would have allowed Jack and his team to act pre-emptively instead of always reacting to crises in the moment and taking huge thrilling risks.

3. Email Hacking

Who sends an email planning to sneak out to a party? Kim, apparently.

Two factor authentication would also have stopped LIFESUCKS from getting hacked by mummy.

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While 24 was groundbreaking for TV storytelling, modern technology would significantly alter the way its events unfolded making it feel, dated. Faster intelligence gathering, enhanced surveillance and AI-driven security measures would make Jack Bauer’s job both easier and, in some cases, unnecessary, perhaps turning 24 into 12.

These were just where my thoughts after one episode. Only 23 to go!