Đặc vụ Bauer làm việc cho tổ chức Counter Terrorist Unit (tạm dịch là Đơn vị chống khủng bố) tại Los Angeles. Bauer là một đặc vụ đầy kinh nghiệm và thành thạo trong cách tiếp cận cũng như tra khảo những đối tượng khủng bố nguy hiểm, nhưng đôi khi những cách này cũng rất tàn bạo. Hầu hết trong suốt cả loạt phim, yếu tố cốt truyện chính diễn ra giống như một bộ phim về chính trị. Còn cốt truyện điển hình trong phim là Bauer luôn phải chạy đua với thời gian trong nỗ lực ngăn chặn nhiều âm mưu khủng bố khác nhau bao gồm: âm mưu ám sát tổng thống, vũ khí hủy diệt hàng loạt, khủng bố bằng vũ khí sinh học, tấn công mạng Internet,... cũng như những âm mưu đối phó với chính phủ và tham nhũng.
12:00 A.M.-1:00 A.M. 7.8
Ngày phát sóng: 2001-11-06
Thời lượng: 43 min
Tổng quan: Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer is assigned to protect presidential candidate David Palmer from a potential assassination attempt. Unfortunately, his daughter has disappeared and someone within CTU may be involved. Mandy seduces Martin Belkin, a photographer headed for a meeting with the Senator.
1:00 A.M.-2:00 A.M. 8.2
Ngày phát sóng: 2001-11-13
Thời lượng: 41 min
Tổng quan: Jack rushes to the aid of CTU Director Richard Walsh who comes into possession of a keycard and ends up in a shootout. Gaines encounters trouble acquiring Martin Belkin's ID from Mandy. Elsewhere, Kim realises the gravity of her situation.
2:00 A.M.-3:00 A.M. 8.0
Ngày phát sóng: 2001-11-20
Thời lượng: 43 min
Tổng quan: As Kim and Janet temporarily escape their captors, Senator Palmer learns that his son may have been involved in the death of his daughter's rapist 7 years ago. Gaines finally gets Belkin's ID from Mandy, while Jack delivers the keycard to CTU.
3:00 A.M.-4:00 A.M. 8.3
Ngày phát sóng: 2001-11-27
Thời lượng: 42 min
Tổng quan: District Director George Mason (Berkely) shuts down CTU forcing Jack to escape in order to follow up on a lead on a conspirator. Nina and Jamie try to cover for him. Palmer discovers how a reporter found out about Keith. Jack finally learns that Kim and Janet have been kidnapped.
4:00 A.M.-5:00 A.M. 8.2
Ngày phát sóng: 2001-12-11
Thời lượng: 42 min
Tổng quan: Jack follows the arrested conspirator to the police station in order to get more info on Kim's whereabouts. Palmer meets with a reporter who has some damaging information. Kim realizes just how dangerous Ira Gaines really is.
5:00 A.M.-6:00 A.M. 8.2
Ngày phát sóng: 2001-12-18
Thời lượng: 43 min
Tổng quan: Jack meets up with Teri at the hospital where they wait to talk to Janet about Kim. However, Janet is killed by Alan who is really working for Ira Gaines. Palmer confronts his family about the cover up. The body of the real Alan York is found near CTU by Nina Meyers.
6:00 A.M.-7:00 A.M. 8.3
Ngày phát sóng: 2002-01-08
Thời lượng: 43 min
Tổng quan: Jack returns to CTU to switch out the id card with a fake per Gaines' orders. Palmer tries to convince Keith and Sherry to go public about the murder.
7:00 A.M.-8:00 A.M. 8.4
Ngày phát sóng: 2002-01-15
Thời lượng: 43 min
Tổng quan: Jack delivers the briefcase to the assassin at Palmer's press conference. Palmer wants to let the press know what happened with Keith and the murder.
8:00 A.M.-9:00 A.M. 8.3
Ngày phát sóng: 2002-01-22
Thời lượng: 43 min
Tổng quan: Jack is taken into custody by the Secret Service after he stops the assassination. He quickly escapes in order to check on another name from the key card. Palmer tries to deal with the assassination attempt.
9:00 A.M.-10:00 A.M. 8.2
Ngày phát sóng: 2002-02-05
Thời lượng: 43 min
Tổng quan: Jack is on the run after escaping custody and rushes to intercept Ted Cofell before he leaves the city. Nina receives a phone call from Teri and tries to trace the call. Palmer still wants to go ahead with the press conference despite objections. Alberta Green temporarily takes over as Director of CTU.
10:00 A.M.-11:00 A.M. 8.1
Ngày phát sóng: 2002-02-12
Thời lượng: 43 min
Tổng quan: Jack takes Ted Cofell hostage after finding his name on the key-card and tries to get whatever info he has about the conspiracy which only amounts to the name of another conspirator, a one Kevin Carroll. Palmer starts to piece together his connection to Jack. Gaines receives orders to kill Teri and Kim from his boss Andre Drazen.
11:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M. 8.4
Ngày phát sóng: 2002-02-19
Thời lượng: 43 min
Tổng quan: Kevin Carroll (the man who pretended to be York) leads Jack to Gaines' compound where he is quickly discovered. Nina and Tony try work around Director's Green's strict new protocols to help Jack. Palmer discovers that Carl Webb, one of his financiers is handling the Keith situation his own way.
12:00 P.M.-1:00 P.M. 8.3
Ngày phát sóng: 2002-02-26
Thời lượng: 42 min
Tổng quan: Jack has a final confrontation with Gaines as a CTU chopper heads to the compound. Nina and Tony talk to Jamey's mother in order to learn why she was helping the assassins. Carl Webb threatens Palmer to keep quiet about the murder once and for all. CTU learns that more assassins are on their way to LA.
1:00 P.M.-2:00 P.M. 8.0
Ngày phát sóng: 2002-03-05
Thời lượng: 42 min
Tổng quan: Director Green and Regional Director Ryan Chappelle question Jack about the day's events. Nina takes Kim and Teri to a safe house after getting them medical attention. Palmer wants a meeting with Jack.
2:00 P.M.-3:00 P.M. 7.8
Ngày phát sóng: 2002-03-12
Thời lượng: 43 min
Tổng quan: Palmer and Jack finally meet for the first time and discuss Operation Nightfall. Nina talks to Teri about her and Jack's past relationship after they reach the safehouse.
3:00 P.M.-4:00 P.M. 7.8
Ngày phát sóng: 2002-03-19
Thời lượng: 43 min
Tổng quan: After handing out photos of all the assassins, Jack and Mason discover that one of Palmer's campaign staff is in a romantic relationship with Alexis Drazen. Teri and Kim are attacked in the safehouse. Keith confronts Carl Webb about the cover-up.
4:00 P.M.-5:00 P.M. 8.1
Ngày phát sóng: 2002-03-26
Thời lượng: 43 min
Tổng quan: Jack and Mason use Palmer's campaign staffer Elizabeth Nash in a sting against Alexis Drazen which backfires badly on them. Kim makes a run for Rick's house after getting separated from Teri following the attack.
5:00 P.M.-6:00 P.M. 8.1
Ngày phát sóng: 2002-04-02
Thời lượng: 43 min
Tổng quan: Jack poses as Alexis Drazen and goes to meet a contact who has vital information. However, a CTU agent with a grudge against Jack might risk the success of the mission. Dr. Parslow takes Teri back to the Bauer house.
6:00 P.M.-7:00 P.M. 8.2
Ngày phát sóng: 2002-04-09
Thời lượng: 41 min
Tổng quan: Jack and Mason search for location of the address found in Victor Drazen's confidential file. Palmer finally lets the press know about Keith's past. One of Drazen's goons closes in on Teri; Kim is arrested after the police raid Rick's house.
7:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M. 8.3
Ngày phát sóng: 2002-04-16
Thời lượng: 41 min
Tổng quan: Jack discovers a top secret detention center houses someone from his past. Tony takes Teri back to CTU as Kim finds herself in jail. Andre Drazen and his soldiers raid the detention center.
8:00 P.M.-9:00 P.M. 8.2
Ngày phát sóng: 2002-04-23
Thời lượng: 41 min
Tổng quan: Jack is captured by Victor Drazen and Andre when they escape the detention center. Palmer learns he is dominating the California polls. Drazen's men capture Kim after she is released from jail.
9:00 P.M.-10:00 P.M. 8.2
Ngày phát sóng: 2002-05-07
Thời lượng: 41 min
Tổng quan: In order to buy himself more time Jack puts Victor and Andre in contact via Mason with a hospitalized Alexis Drazen. Palmer becomes involved with a campaign staffer. Tony and Nina learn that Kim has been recaptured.
10:00 P.M.-11:00 P.M. 8.4
Ngày phát sóng: 2002-05-14
Thời lượng: 41 min
Tổng quan: Jack delivers a cell phone that is unknowingly rigged to explode to Palmer. Kim manages to escape. The identity of the real mole inside CTU is exposed.
11:00 P.M.-12:00 A.M. 8.2
Ngày phát sóng: 2002-05-21
Thời lượng: 43 min
Tổng quan: Jack Bauer heads to the docks for a final climactic showdown with Victor Drazen.
