Episodes
| Series # |
Season # |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Production code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49 | 1 | "Day 3: 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m." | Jon Cassar | Joel Surnow & Michael Loceff | October 28, 2003 (2003-10-28) | 3AFF01 | |
| Three years have passed since the events of "Day 2." CTU, now led by Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard), learns that terrorists are plotting to unleash a deadly virus in Los Angeles unless a drug lord named Ramon Salazar (Joaquim de Almeida) is released from prison within six hours. Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) and his new partner, Chase Edmunds (James Badge Dale), happen to be signing a deal with Salazar on the same day. President David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) is running for re-election and is preparing for an important debate with a rival senator. He is accompanied by his girlfriend Dr. Anne Packard (Wendy Crewson) and his brother and chief of staff Wayne Palmer (DB Woodside). A teenager named Kyle Singer (Riley Smith) is seen examining a large bag of white powder which he plans to deliver to some dealers later that day, but is being secretly watched by Salazar's men. Kim Bauer (Elisha Cuthbert) now works at CTU and has been dating Chase for three months. Kim wants to tell her father, but Jack has a mysterious health problem that may make things more complicated. | |||||||
| 50 | 2 | "Day 3: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m." | Jon Cassar | Joel Surnow & Michael Loceff | November 4, 2003 (2003-11-04) | 3AFF02 | |
| After raiding a crack house, Jack and Chase learn of a lead to the possible whereabouts of the virus. Wayne approaches David with potentially damaging information about Dr. Packard. | |||||||
| 51 | 3 | "Day 3: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m." | Ian Toynton | Howard Gordon | November 11, 2003 (2003-11-11) | 3AFF03 | |
| Jack and Hector Salazar's (Vincent Laresca) squad both search for Kyle, who is thought to be unknowingly carrying the virus in the bag of drugs he plans to sell. Meanwhile, David and his brother argue over the implications of Dr. Packard's past. Tony leads an operation to get Singer at a mall downtown, but tragedy strikes when Salazar's contact gets there first. | |||||||
| 52 | 4 | "Day 3: 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m." | Ian Toynton | Stephen Kronish | November 18, 2003 (2003-11-18) | 3AFF04 | |
| Michelle is torn by personal and professional obligations when she must take charge of CTU after Tony's injury. Singer and his girlfriend Linda (Agnes Bruckner) are captured by Salazar's men. Jack and Palmer have a secret conversation, leading Jack to take drastic action in the face of Salazar's threat. However, Jack's plans are soon complicated when Chase unintentionally gets in the way. | |||||||
| 53 | 5 | "Day 3: 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m." | Jon Cassar | Evan Katz | November 25, 2003 (2003-11-25) | 3AFF05 | |
| Jack's efforts to break Ramon out of prison go awry when they are captured by a group of inmates during the riot. Palmer begins his debate with Senator John Keeler (Geoff Pierson). | |||||||
| 54 | 6 | "Day 3: 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m." | Jon Cassar | Duppy Demetrius | December 2, 2003 (2003-12-02) | 3AFF06 | |
| Jack and Ramon struggle to evade the authorities, while David's debate with Keeler comes to an abrupt ending. Kim finds out that CTU agent Gael Ortega (Jesse Borrego) is secretly working with Hector. | |||||||
| 55 | 7 | "Day 3: 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m." | Ian Toynton | Robert Cochran & Howard Gordon | December 9, 2003 (2003-12-09) | 3AFF07 | |
| Jack is held hostage by Ramon on the flight to Mexico. Dr. Packard is given a chance to clear her name, while Chase defies Ryan Chappelle's (Paul Schulze) orders and heads down to Mexico to rescue Jack. Against doctor's orders, Tony returns from the hospital and, to the shock of everyone, demands to speak with Ortega about an unspecified matter of national security. | |||||||
| 56 | 8 | "Day 3: 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m." | Ian Toynton | Robert Cochran & Howard Gordon | December 16, 2003 (2003-12-16) | 3AFF08 | |
| Palmer and Chappelle view a message from Jack, explaining his undercover work with the Salazars and the involvement of Tony and Ortega in a top-secret sting operation that was planned out by the three of them for a month. Totally unaware of this revelation at CTU, Chase arrives in Mexico to rescue Jack. While the Salazar brothers argue over whether or not to enlist Jack's help in making the deal, Bauer contacts Michael Amador (Greg Ellis): the man in possession of the virus. | |||||||
| 57 | 9 | "Day 3: 9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m." | Brad Turner | Story: Robert Cochran & Howard Gordon Teleplay: Evan Katz & Stephen Kronish |
January 6, 2004 (2004-01-06) | 3AFF09 | |
| Palmer clears Dr. Packard's name with the press, but he soon faces an even worse problem involving his biggest campaign contributor, Alan Milliken (Albert Hall). Kim and Michelle worry about Tony's ability to run CTU. Jack and the Salazars' meeting with Amador turns hostile when Nina Myers (Sarah Clarke) suddenly appears on the scene. | |||||||
| 58 | 10 | "Day 3: 10:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m." | Brad Turner | Joel Surnow & Michael Loceff | January 13, 2004 (2004-01-13) | 3AFF10 | |
| Claudia Hernandez (Vanessa Ferlito), Hector's girlfriend who has a romantic past with Jack, manages to free Chase from his captors, but she gets killed while escaping the premises. David calls on his ex-wife Sherry for help against Milliken, who is on the warpath against his presidency. Jack and the Salazars track down Nina in hopes of intercepting the virus. | |||||||
| 59 | 11 | "Day 3: 11:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m." | Jon Cassar | Joel Surnow & Michael Loceff | January 27, 2004 (2004-01-27) | 3AFF11 | |
| Jack forces Nina to work with him in order to get the virus from Amador. Chase remains in Mexico to help with the capture of the virus. Both Nina and Jack are forced to watch and wait as Ramon and Hector continue to argue over whether or not to go through with the deal. | |||||||
| 60 | 12 | "Day 3: 12:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m." | Jon Cassar | Story: Evan Katz & Stephen Kronish Teleplay: Robert Cochran & Howard Gordon |
February 3, 2004 (2004-02-03) | 3AFF12 | |
| Sherry finds a witness who can damage Milliken, but her advantage is short-lived. The situation in Mexico comes to an explosive head as Jack, Ramon, Nina, and Chase all simultaneously close in on the virus. But the deal takes an unexpected turn when Amador manipulates both parties and departs with the virus himself. | |||||||
| 61 | 13 | "Day 3: 1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m." | Bryan Spicer | Story: Robert Cochran & Stephen Kronish Teleplay: Joel Surnow & Michael Loceff |
February 10, 2004 (2004-02-10) | 3AFF13 | |
| Amador takes a jet to Los Angeles still in possession of the real virus. Jack and Chase interrogate Nina, who tells them that they should start looking for a man named Marcus Alvers (Lothaire Bluteau) with whom Amador may be planning to meet. However, not all of Nina's information is as helpful. Chappelle becomes suspicious of Chloe when she refuses to answer questions about a baby that has appeared in her office. Sherry takes her battle directly to the Milliken residence. | |||||||
| 62 | 14 | "Day 3: 2:00 a.m. – 3:00 a.m." | Bryan Spicer | Howard Gordon & Evan Katz | February 17, 2004 (2004-02-17) | 3AFF14 | 10.05 |
| Tony interrogates Nina about Alvers' location. Palmer confronts Sherry when he finds out that Milliken is dead, while a hysterical Julia Milliken (Gina Torres) begs Wayne for help. Nina is taken back to CTU by Jack and interrogated. She inflicts a critical injury on herself and is rushed to the medics. Nina escapes by killing the doctors and ends up in a stand-off with Kim. Before either of them can shoot, Jack arrives and kills Nina. | |||||||
| 63 | 15 | "Day 3: 3:00 a.m. – 4:00 a.m." | Kevin Hooks | Story: Michael Loceff Teleplay: Robert Cochran & Howard Gordon |
February 24, 2004 (2004-02-24) | 3AFF15 | 10.50 |
| Chappelle finds out that Jack killed Nina and threatens to pull him from the effort to find the virus. Amador and Alvers meet with an unknown man, the mastermind behind the terrorist strike. This mastermind orders that the virus be unleashed within the hour. Michelle and Gael locate the target area and must stop Alvers from releasing the virus into a hotel ventilation system. Suspicious detectives turn up the heat on Julia. | |||||||
| 64 | 16 | "Day 3: 4:00 a.m. – 5:00 a.m." | Kevin Hooks | Evan Katz & Stephen Kronish | March 30, 2004 (2004-03-30) | 3AFF16 | 11.50 |
| Michelle faces a mob riot at the virus-contaminated hotel. The Chief of Police questions David about Sherry's whereabouts during the night. Jack suspects that interrogating Amador may not be the best way to find out what he knows. | |||||||
| 65 | 17 | "Day 3: 5:00 a.m. – 6:00 a.m." | Ian Toynton | Robert Cochran & Stephen Kronish | April 6, 2004 (2004-04-06) | 3AFF17 | 10.77 |
| Stephen Saunders (Paul Blackthorne) tells Palmer that the virus will be released all across the country unless his demands are met. The villain's first assignment for Palmer creates little chaos – or so it appears. Jack learns of a woman who can lead him to Saunders and takes her to the British MI6 office in LA to meet his contact. However the office is attacked by a helicopter and a pair of assassins inside the building. Jack manages to locate the MI6 files on Saunders and escape before they are destroyed. Ortega's symptoms start to develop after he is infected with the virus. Saunder's second assignment for Palmer is far more troubling than the first. | |||||||
| 66 | 18 | "Day 3: 6:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m." | Ian Toynton | Howard Gordon & Evan Katz | April 18, 2004 (2004-04-18) | 3AFF18 | 6.47 |
| With Chappelle's life on the line, Jack and Chase race against time to capture Saunders before 7:00 AM – the deadline for his next demand. Michelle begins a frantic search when she learns that an infected hotel guest may have slipped through her fingers. Chase leads a TAC team to a building where Saunders is believed to be hiding but finds only a control node used to lure CTU. Jack is forced to kill Chappelle after CTU fails to find Saunders in time. | |||||||
| 67 | 19 | "Day 3: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m." | Jon Cassar | Michael Loceff | April 20, 2004 (2004-04-20) | 3AFF19 | 10.54 |
| Chappelle's investigations into Saunders' bank accounts provide CTU with a solid lead and it is discovered that Saunders has a daughter — Jane, whom he has been financially supporting for the last few years. Jack reluctantly works with Kim on an undercover job that may help them capture and interrogate Saunders' daughter. Palmer informs his cabinet of the new developments concerning the virus crisis, while Saunders gives him a third, and most outrageous, assignment. Chase tracks down the infected man who left the hotel and learns that the virus is spreading to the general public. CTU agents capture Jane Saunders but one of the men hired to watch her notices and alerts Stephen Saunders before being shot. | |||||||
| 68 | 20 | "Day 3: 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m." | Jon Cassar | Virgil Williams | April 27, 2004 (2004-04-27) | 3AFF20 | 11.13 |
| Jack attempts to use Saunders' daughter Jane (Alexandra Lydon) as leverage to gain control of the virus. Tony finds himself in an impossible situation when Saunders exploits his only weakness. He kidnaps Michelle on her way out of the Chandler Plaza Hotel and uses her to blackmail Tony into clearing an escape path for Saunders outside his besieged apartment. Elsewhere CTU teams continue to struggle with containing the virus and the quarantine zones in LA. | |||||||
| 69 | 21 | "Day 3: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m." | Frederick King Keller | Joel Surnow & Michael Loceff | May 4, 2004 (2004-05-04) | 3AFF21 | 11.09 |
| At CTU, Jack and Chloe become suspicious of Tony, who plans to trade Jane to her father in exchange for Michelle. Tony is forced to step down as head of CTU while Jack takes provisional command. Sherry meets with Keeler and proposes a most devious agreement. | |||||||
| 70 | 22 | "Day 3: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m." | Frederick King Keller | Story: Robert Cochran & Howard Gordon Teleplay: Evan Katz & Stephen Kronish |
May 11, 2004 (2004-05-11) | 3AFF22 | 12.19 |
| Jack catches up with Tony before he can exchange Jane for Michelle and the two clash, bringing up a previous situation in which Jack broke CTU protocol for his family. Jack finally convinces Tony to co-operate and Tony negotiates an alternate meeting place for the exchange, thus buying CTU more time to move into position. Keeler confronts Palmer and demands his resignation. Meanwhile, Wayne realizes that Sherry has turned on David yet again and begins a secret operation to steal the evidence that implicates herself and David Palmer. Michelle almost escapes from Saunders, but allows herself to be recaptured when Jack stresses the importance of the hostage trade. Saunders and his henchmen arrive at the exchange point and once Michelle is safe, Jane has second thoughts and turns back toward Tony. As Saunders appears from his vehicle CTU moves in and captures Saunders in the ensuing firefight. | |||||||
| 71 | 23 | "Day 3: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m." | Jon Cassar | Story: Evan Katz & Stephen Kronish Teleplay: Robert Cochran & Howard Gordon |
May 18, 2004 (2004-05-18) | 3AFF23 | 10.97 |
| To force Saunders' co-operation, Jack threatens to infect Jane by taking her into the Chandler Plaza Hotel without a Hazmat suit. Saunders relents and gives the GPS co-ordinates of all 11 remaining vials. Tragedy strikes when Wayne breaks into Sherry Palmer's home attempting to steal the incriminating evidence — Julia arrives and shoots Sherry before shooting herself to avoid going to prison for Alan Milliken's death. Tony finds himself facing a harsh penalty as a result of his effort to save Michelle. Jack learns that even with Saunders in custody, the bio-threat against the country is not yet over as their search continues at a Metro station. | |||||||
| 72 | 24 | "Day 3: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m." | Jon Cassar | Joel Surnow & Michael Loceff | May 25, 2004 (2004-05-25) | 3AFF24 | 12.31 |
| Saunders is shot and killed at CTU by Gael's vengeful widow before he could identify Arthur Rabens — the courier of the 11th vial of the virus. Rabens escapes with the vial from the Metro station while Jack and Chase pursue him. The pursuit ends in a middle school where Rabens attacks Chase. Chase is able to attach the device's clamp to his own arm, thus preventing Rabens from escaping with it. Jack arrives to save Chase and shoot Rabens, but is forced to use a fire axe to cut off Chase's hand. With the device free, Jack runs to a fridge where he isolates the virus. Tony is able to help Jack one last time before he is taken into custody. President David Palmer is overcome by guilt and chooses not to seek re-election. The season ends with Jack weeping to himself as he struggles to gather his emotions from the day. |
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