Welcome To Elizabeth's Place!: Kiefer Sutherland Interview

Kiefer Sutherland's Return To Television Gets Cautious Praise

Kiefer Sutherland can't have felt anything but pressure as his first major TV role since 10 phenomenal years spent on '24' aired for the first time last night (26 January 2012).
Fans and critics were certainly eager to see how the Canadian actor was going to follow up what has come to be known as one of the iconic TV characters of the 21st century in secret agent Jack Bauer.
'Touch,' which sees Sutherland playing a single father of a mute son who sees things other cannot, aired last night for the first time - and the answer to whether he's managed to follow up what may be career defining role successfully?
A cautious yes, according to the critics.
Newsday was effusive in its praise, saying the program was "A bit melodramatic, a bit manipulative, Touch is still one of the best pilots of the 2011-12 season to date," and others were similar praiseworthy though understandably a little more cautious given it was the pilot episode.
"It's Mr. Sutherland's portrayal of the father--unyielding in his effort to break through to his mute child and grasp what he's trying to say with his numbers--that is the heart of this story, the power likely to sustain this promising enterprise," said the Wall Street Journal, whilst
TV Guide said "[Touch is] emotionally compelling but wildly fantastical and undeniably manipulative."Not all were enthused though, The New York Times commented "The 11-year-old boy at the center of the story has never spoken and is also the show's narrator.
It's a perfectly acceptable device, if not a particularly interesting one in this case," whilst the Los Angeles Times weren't fans at all, stating "Ironically, given a show that so clearly wants to touch its audience--from that weighty one-word title on down--we have met, apart from Martin, hardly a single character who incorporates more than the hint of an actual person.
"Contactmusic

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Kiefer Sutherland Interview

Emmanuel Itier: How do you feel about the character you play

Kiefer: I think I’d root for him as well, and I think people would like to see him at least have the option to have a good life.

EI: How did you feel about these moral issues being discussed more than ever in the show

Kiefer: I think that’s the whole point of theater and the whole point of writing — to create discussion in movies and television…all mediums of entertainment.

EI: How do you imagine you’re going to feel when you don’t have Jack Bauer to play every day? Is it going to be freeing, or is it going to be a real loss?

Kiefer: I think it’s going to be very complicated. Whether this is our last season, whether next season is going to be our last season, we certainly know we’re on the shorter end of the stick than on the longer one.

EI: Do you ever regret the way you play Jack Bauer?

Kiefer: Absolutely no regret. I don’t necessarily agree all the time. I think Jack Bauer, as a character, has been politicized, and I think he’s been politicized by both the left and the right.

EI: Is this the last season for you? Will you remain as a distributor?

Kiefer: I don’t know with regards to the last season or anything — I really don’t. It is the last season that I’ve been contracted to do 24, but I really don’t know.

EI: Do you think 24 can continue without Jack?

Kiefer: I always felt that, yeah. The idea that I would ever think that I’m the only actor… The star of the show is format and the idea.

For the complete interview go to:

http://www.buzzine.com/2009/08/kiefer-sutherland-interview/