24 Gets a Little More Neurotic

Just when we thought we were out… they pull us back in! After yet another wildly disappointing season of 24—a season that somehow, inexplicably, got a pass from almost every major media outlet—we had finally written off the show for good, but, the news today that actress Jennifer Westfeldt has been cast for season eight has us reevaluating that decision. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ms. Westfeldt will play Meredith Reed, an “ambitious” reporter who has her sights set on Anil Kapoor’s recently cast Middle East leader. Since it’s a recurring role for a female on 24, we already know how this is going to play out: Ms. Westfeldt will be a pill; she’ll stumble onto something she isn’t supposed to; she’ll get killed.

But, who cares! Count us amongst the many fans of Ms. Westfeldt’s charms. The Kissing Jessica Stein star was quite moving during her three-episode guest stint on Grey’s Anatomy this past season, when she played a doomed patient (damn you, McDreamy!), and we’re sure she’ll be able to bring similar skills to her role on 24. Plus, kudos to the producers for casting a real life New Yorker for the series’ sojourn into the big city; we know most of the show will still be shot on soundstages in Los Angeles, but, hey, every little bit of authenticity helps.

The larger question, of course, is whether or not Ms. Westfeldt’s long term boyfriend, a little someone named Jon Hamm, will ever stumble into the 24 universe. We’re already salivating at the possibility of Mr. Hamm—in full Don Draper regalia, natch—giving Jack Bauer the verbal smack down we’ve been waiting to see for seven seasons.