24: Top 24 Best (and Worst) Characters RANKED!

24 has some incredible characters that make it one of the best shows of all time! It also has some stinkers though, so it's not perfectly unblemished. In this article, I will be ranking the top 24 best characters and the top 24 worst characters of 24, alternating them. However, I will be splitting the worst category into two categories: worst (in a good way) and worst (in a bad way). As you may be able to guess, worst (in a good way) are the most hateable and interesting villains, and worst (in a bad way) are, well, the worst characters. Sounds confusing, I know, but, like playing a board game, you'll catch on when you start... I thought doing 24 of each category would honor the legacy of the series, and splitting the second category into 12 would honor Live Another Day and Legacy too (I'm complicated, get over it) Alright, now that my rambling is all done, I, Brighton Nelson of The Reel Ranker present to you... 24: Top 24 Best (and Worst) Characters RANKED!

24. BEST: CTU Agent Tom Baker

Days Featured: Two & Three

Starting this list off with a controversial opinion! I genuinely found Tom Baker to be a much more likable character than other prominent field agents like Curtis and Chase. Sure, he doesn't do much, but I loved him in the few episodes I saw him in, and I would've loved to see him feature more prominently. Unfortunately, he got Behroozed, so he can't place higher on this list. And you better believe we all know the real reason he was Behroozed: he boarded Oceanic Flight 815.

12. WORST (in a good way): Ira Gaines

Featured Day: One

As the show's debut villain, Ira Gaines really sets a precedent for the show's fantastic villains. His screen presence is strong, and when the first season reveals he's little more than a pawn in a much bigger plot, I came to realize this show would be something special. Ira Gaines operates a terrorist cell in attempt to assassinate David Palmer for his role in Operation Nightfall that led to the killing of the wife and daughter of his recruiter, Victor Drazen. Due to Gaines being the first villain and absolutely sticking the landing, this show instantly cemented itself as fantastic television. Thank you, Gaines, thank you.

23. BEST: Behrooz Araz

Featured Day: Four

Behrooz pretty much carried the fourth season for me. As somebody who actively disliked the fourth season for most of its runtime and didn't care for Habib Marwan, Behrooz's role as a reluctant villain struck me as the most intriguing villain of the season! Not to mention the iconic new adjective "Behroozed" that spawned out of his character, defined by the 24 fanbase as any character that randomly disappears with no reason behind it whatsoever. This guy not only had one of the best names ever (if I end up marrying a Middle Eastern woman, I'll request the name), but he also has a mysterious persona, a sad fate, and an intriguing storyline. Behrooz is awesome, and one day, I want to have on my gravestone that my cause of death was being Behroozed from existence.

12. WORST (in a bad way): CTU Director Erin Driscoll

Featured Day: Four

Replacing former CTU Director Tony Almeida, Driscoll is just as hateable as Chapelle at first. However, as more is revealed about her, she grows to be a more interesting and layered character. And as soon as some people kind of started to care about her and were excited to see her future on the show? She leaves and yet again gives the command back to... you guessed it, Tony, who had the position right before her. I don't hate Driscoll, but her inclusion seemed entirely unnecessary outside of being used as a replacement since Tony took to drinking (another plotline that was pretty unnecessary until Legacy—of all things—made it important). It feels like including her character in the show was a last minute addition that the writers didn't want to fully commit to, unfortunately making her an easy candidate for a top twelve worst character of 24. If she got a whole lot more development and got as much screen time as, say, Bill Buchanan? I could see her maybe overtaking Tom Baker in the number twenty-four spot. But, as-is? There's no chance she can compare to

Side note: I also would've included her insufferable daughter Maya on this list, but as she has mental issues and is supposed to be irritating, I didn't think it would be fair to put her on this list. Especially since I feel bad for her, as she obviously has no control over acting the way she does.

22. BEST: Kate Warner

Featured Day: Two

While she does slightly suffer from whiney Teri Bauer syndrome, and while she can't compare to future love interests of Jack Bauer, Kate Warner is still a captivating lead character in 24's second season. Her subplot is one of my favorites in the whole show, as it involves the mystery of her sister, her sister's fiancé, and her father. This plotline ultimately leads to one of the show's best twists in the form of Marie Warner, a completely unlikely protagonist. She was one of my favorite female stars of the show and she was fantastic in Season 2, but, simply put, this show has too many good characters to rank her any higher on this list.

11 . WORST (in a good way): Christopher Henderson

Featured Day: Five

As Jack's former mentor and boss at CTU Los Angeles, Henderson goes rogue during the events of Season 5 as a high-ranking member of the nerve gas conspiracy. Acting in kahoots with the iconic villain President Charles Logan, Henderson plans to raise oil prices to gain more money and profit. His screen presence and personal ties with Jack make him a menacing sub-villain that masterfully compliments Logan and Graem Bauer, making Cristopher one of the best side villains of the show.

21. BEST: District Director George Mason

Days Featured: One & Two

George Mason was initially just as annoying as other directors, such as Brian Hastings and Ryan Chapelle, if not more annoying. However, Mason starts to have a humorous side to him as his character develops, and he gets to have a heroic sacrifice that leads to one of my favorite moments of the whole show—the moment George Mason lays down his life to stop a nuclear missile crisis. Season 2 is made so much better by Mason's presence and untimely demise, and for that, he deserves a spot on this list.

11. WORST (in a bad way): CTU Director Brian Hastings

Featured Day: Eight

This guy treats Chloe and Jack horribly, and that hits too close to home. Hastings pisses me off most of the time he is on screen, and I couldn't make a list without putting him here. A few minutes before he leaves the show, he gets a chance at redemption, but it is too little too late, so, unfortunately, Hastings is one of my least favorite characters of the show.

20. BEST: Chief of Staff Tom Lennox

Days Featured: Six & Seven

As Chief of Staff to Wayne Palmer and Noah Daniels in the show's sixth season, Tom Lennox is an intriguing politician who stands behind his and Noah Daniels' ideals in even the most tiring of times. Lennox is a more morally gray political figure who cares deeply for the president. Yet, he also has a difficult time going against his moral code and ideals for the country. He also acts as a solid juxtaposition for Karen Hayes, another presidential advisor who starkly disagrees with many of his more controversial actions. Tom Lennox has a strong screen presence that carries the second half of the sixth season during the boring presidency of Noah Daniels. Because of his interesting political contributions, Tom Lennox secures a place on this list.

10. WORST (in a good way): Dana Walsh

Featured Day: Eight

I understand why many people think Dana is an annoying character, but I found her to be rather intriguing, a surprising mole, and a solid secondary villain. She gets a lot more backstory and character screentime than most villains and, in a sense, is like Nina Meyers, but less interesting. Ultimately, I believe Dana is a relatively strong villain with a good screen presence, contrary to common opinion.

19. BEST: Chief of Staff Ethan Kanin

Days Featured: Six, Seven, and Eight

As Chief of Staff during Allison Taylor's presidency and Secretary of Defense under President Wayne Palmer, Kanin is a pretty prevalent character during Days 7 and 8. Honestly, he's just an incredibly upstanding and outstanding character who inspires me with his unwavering morality. He's just a great guy with an even greater screen presence and one of the more underrated characters of the show.

10. WORST (in a bad way): Vice President Noah Daniels

Days Featured: Six & Seven

Speaking of Noah Daniels' boring presidency, here he is. Outside of Season 4's John Keeler, Daniels is the most boring president the show has to offer. While many argue he is a better Commander-in-Chief than Wayne, that certainly doesn't make him the better character. Noah's whole betrayed romantic relationship and large-scale racist ideals are both just nails in the coffin that Daniels is not a great 24 character.

18. BEST: Chief of Staff Mike Novick

Days Featured: One, Two, Four & Five

As Chief of Staff during the presidencies of David Palmer and Charles Logan, Mike Novick is interesting in all the ways that Ethan Kanin is not. Novick is constantly quite the enigma, and I never knew whether or not he'd agree with or dispute the actions of Palmer and Logan. Where Kanin was always supportive and had an aura of the shoulder-to-cry-on archetype, Novick is very much a cautious and pragmatic juxtaposition to the undaunted Palmer and intrepid Logan. His contributions to the show make for some incredibly distinct moments that add not-otherwise-seen depth to the show, making him a standout 24 character.

9. WORST (in a good way): Olivia Taylor

Featured Day: Seven

Olivia Taylor isn't the main villain of Day 7, but she acts as an interesting juxtaposition to other end-of-season antagonists. After Jonas HOdges is taken, Tony Almeida becomes the main antagonist due to wanting revenge for what happened to Michelle, but that doesn't mean Hodges leaves the shoe entirely. Hodges is granted witness protection upon giving information up, but due to his crimes, Olivia Taylor believes revenge is necessary. Consequently, this makes her actions justified, but I'd consider her a villain regardless, as she actively went against the law entirely for revenge. But I digress. Her reluctant murdering of Hdoges and eventual belated repentance make for a powerful subplot that questions the black-and-white actions of President Olivia Taylor. The family drama is heartbreaking and is what carries the awkward last few episodes of Day 8, where Tony is, yet again, a villain.

17. BEST: Former Army Ranger Eric Carter

Featured Day: Ten

As the first of two Legacy characters on this ranking, Eric Carter has a difficult task in living up to Jack Bauer, and his effort was very commendable. And he did a decent enough job! I'd liken Eric Carter to Donald Glover and Alden Ehrenreich in Solo. Corey Hawkins does a great job at playing a more rogue, off-the-books protagonist who does whatever it takes to save as many people as possible, even though he can't quite live up to Sutherland. I liked that Eric himself wasn't part of CTU, as one thing that annoyed me with 24 was that CTU would constantly reprimand Jack over and over again and waste screen time. Here, Eric isn't affiliated, so he can make decisions without continually taking up screentime in which people hate on him for anything and everything. But I digress. Eric Carter, while sometimes feeling jack Walmart Jack Bauer, also stands on his own in many other ways. He has a level of snarkiness, edge, and lack of experience that ultimately makes him a pretty awesome lead protagonist!

9. WORST (in a bad way): CTU Agent Curtis Manning

Days Featured: Four, Five, and Six

I don't despise Curtis, but I found him to be one of the show's most bland, wasted, and inconsequential characters. As Jack's junior agent, he feels like an uncharacterized cannon fodder, cover-firer who gets killed off at the most random time. It doesn't help his case that most of his limelight is found in what I believe to be the show's worst season: Season 4. Ultimately, I found Agent Manning to be one of the show's most offensively mediocre characters.

16. BEST: CTU Agent Michelle Dessler

Featured Days: Two, Three, Four, and Five

Debuting in the show's second season, Michelle is a pretty great character! While I don't like her as much as a lot of people do, her hardcore persona and relationship with Tony are some of the best moments of the show. Unlike many fans, I found her death satisfying and consequential, as its impact made Tony's character much more exciting, and frankly, her arc's closure was more than enough for me. In the end, Michele's devotion to her job and the people around her makes her a fantastic character (especially in Season 3, which boasts the majority of her best moments!).

8. WORST (in a good way): Russian President Yuri Suvarov

Days Featured: Five, Six, and Eight

As the main antagonist behind the events of Day 8, Yuri Suvarov was playing the strings in a very interesting way to avoid the signing of the peace treaty. However, once Former President Charles Logan reveals to Madame President Allison Taylor the truth of the conspiracy, Suvarov is forced to sign the treaty or risk exposure to the criminal conspiracy. His role in leading Mikhail Novakovich to kill Renee Walker to risk exposure and such made him a powerful twist villain that genuinely exposed the criminal power a president can have over their country. What makes him even better is his prominent role in Days 6 or 7, where he plays essential roles in the main conflicts. In the end, Suvarov exposes the terrifying truth of how corrupt a country could be, making him a very compelling villain.

15. BEST: I.R.K. President Omar Hassan

Featured Day: Eight

Some people hate Hassan or find him boring, but I found him an incredibly intriguing character that was bolstered by his outstanding actor (who, funnily enough, starred as Jack Bauer's equivalent in 24: India). His undying devotion to his country and his elevated diplomacy make him one of the best parts of Day 8, and I found his family and presidential affairs to be terrific. His passion and charisma to change the lives of his people for the better is inspiring, especially in a country practically synonymous with unrelenting war. Hassan is my pick for the most underappreciated character of 24.

8. WORST (in a bad way): The Cougar

Featured Day: Two

Unlike many people, I actually enjoyed Kim's Season 2 subplot involving the girl she was babysitting. That is, everything but the part involving the weird guy and his stupid-arse cougars. What genius came up with such a plot? Eh, whatever. Regardless, The Cougar is a catalyst for this stupid subplot, and for that, the animal king of awful memeability and groan-inducement deserves a place on this list.

14. BEST: Isaac Carter

Featured Day: Ten

Of all the characters in 24: Legacy, Isaac is the only one who can truly live up to the star-studded cast. Isaac Carter is Eric's brother, the leader of a gang, and a drug dealer, which leads to some wacky moments. His strained relationship with Eric's wife is probably the most interesting subplot of the show, and honestly, Isaac steals the show every time he shows up. What an epic guy.

7. WORST (in a good way): Phillip Bauer

Featured Day: Six

I know opinions on Phillip Bauer are mixed in the fanbase, with some calling him a lame villain and others finding him fascinating. Personally, I thought he was fantastic (though I still would have loved it if Donald Sutherland hadn't turned down the offer to play him). Phillip has a somewhat demented screen presence, making for an excellent main antagonist of Day 6, as well as a behind-the-strings antagonist of Day 5. Phillip covers up the theft of five suitcase nukes, along with his son Graem (who he later brutally kills), but when he fails to do so, he allies with Cheng Zhi in an effort to spur China's ascendancy as the sole world superpower. I get why this plotline isn't the most unanimously liked, but I found Phillip Bauer to be a fantastic villain who shows that, just because he and Jack are family, they are not even remotely alike.

13. BEST: CTU Director Bill Buchanan

Days Featured: Four, Five, Six, and Seven

Bill Buchanan is great in all the ways Ethan Kanin is—a dependable and inspiring man. However, Bill gets much more time in the spotlight and some interesting subplots involving Karen Hayes and Nadia Yaseem! Bill never is really in-your-face awesome, but he's a guy you simply can't help but love. We've missed you, Bill—I wish you didn't randomly heroically sacrifice yourself in Season 7!

7. WORST (in a bad way): Sandra Palmer

Featured Day: Six

I liked the idea of what Sandra stood for—a sort of myopic look into the evils of racism toward those of Middle Eastern descent. Unfortunately, it barely went anywhere with this plotline—a plotline that could've been one of the most brilliant subplots of the show if it were executed well. Nevertheless, the poorly done job of this terrific idea made for a character that meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. Also, compared to her brothers, Sandra seeps stupidity. She also happens to be the most obnoxious and boring character this show ever conceived. Sandra sucks. That's that.

12. BEST: President Wayne Palmer

Days Featured: Three, Five, and Six

Opinions on Wayne are rather mixed in the 24 fanbase. Personally, I really liked Wayne, as much as he's not nearly as awesome as his brother. But I digress. As a Chief of Staff, Wayne has some intriguing subplots that make him a deeply flawed character—one moment, I loved him, the next, I hated him. Yet, it made him feel more human, giving him extra layers of characterization. All along, Wayne just gave off an epic vibe, regardless of what he'd done. And as President? I know many found it tacky, but I liked that he was President, and I found him to be much more likable and mature than before. Ultimately, I like Wayne in all the ways I like Mike Novick, but even a little more.

6. BEST: Colonel Iké Dubaku

Featured Day: Seven

Even with Benjamin Juma and Jonas Hodges being the true masterminds of the Day 7 attacks, I still found Dubaku to be the most interesting villain of the season. His plot was to steal the CIP device to use it and coerce President Taylor into removing the U.S. military presence in Sangala. But, unlike the other villains of the season, Dubaku is like an onion—he has many layers. His relationship with Marika Donoso made him feel more interesting and human, and the plotline involving the two of them was absolutely heartbreaking. I found his screen presence to be a whole lot more interesting than that of his superiors, and his mysterious death was interesting and tragic for his son, Laurent. However, before his death, he has a little moment of redemption, giving up information to let Jack leak it to government intelligence agencies to take out Benjamin Juma. Ultimately, I find Dubaku to be one of the most interesting and underrated characters of 24.

11. BEST: Audrey Raines

Days Featured: Four, Five, Six, and Nine

I liked Paul Raines better than Mark Boudreau, so here we are. Don't think I didn't watch Live Another Day, trust me, I did, I just don't accept the name change.

But I digress. Audrey wasn't really my favorite in Season 4, I will admit. Heck, at first, I literally was hoping she'd die, and Kate Warner would come back! I was that desperate for her to leave the show. Soon enough, however, due to her tremendous contributions to Days 6 and 9, she became a favorite of mine. Jack and Audrey's nuanced love and appreciation was beautiful and natural, which you don't get to see much in the world of dull and overtly lustful and sexualized Hollywood BS with no nuance—ahem, just praising 24 for a minute. I love her devotion, kindness, and conviction to do what is right, no matter the cost. Great stuff here.

6. WORST (in a bad way): CTU Agent Chase Edmunds

Featured Day: Three

Yes. I picked a picture from 24: The Game. I have no regrets. That was his best appearance.

Chase is practically a barbarous bastard-and-a-half on overly lubricated monster truck wheels. Billy the Kid makes Chase look like a good guy! Just kidding; I wouldn't want to be in a relationship with an arduous arse-and-a-third like Kim Bauer, either. In reality, Chase was boring, and his drama gave me a headache. I wish he had taken the shot instead of that poor girl, Claudia Hernandez. He's so stupid. Chase? Chase some Cerberus scat in Tartarus, you bumbling buffoon.

10. BEST: CIA Agent Kate Morgan

Featured Day: Nine

Now, for the better of the two blonde women named Kate, Kate Morgan is a somewhat underrated character who stole the show whenever she was on screen. It is so unfortunate that she was only around for one season! Kate's the type of hardcore, epic partner I always wanted Jack to have. While Renee is still better than Kate, I still found Kate to be, well, great! She's exponentially better than both Curtis and Chase combined! If we ever do see an eleventh season of 24, I'd love to see Kate and Legacy's Eric Carter team up together in a bombastic breakout mission in China to get Jack Bauer the heck out of there. Kate's a certified badarse, and I'd love to see more of her very badly.

5. WORST (in a good way): Cheng Zhi

Days Featured: Four, Five, Six, and Nine

As one of the longest-featured villains in 24, Cheng Zhi features as a minor antagonist on Days 4 and 5, as well as a primary antagonist on Days 6 and 9. As a complete villain with no redeeming qualities, Cheng Zhi is formidable and terrifying to watch. Cheng Zhi originally wanted to seek revenge for the death of Consul Koo Yin, and Cheng discovered Jack Bauer was behind his death. Bauer then goes off the radar to avoid being captured by Cheng, but after the events of Season 5, Cheng realizes Bauer is still alive and oversees him being captured and tortured by the Chinese government. Later, Cheng Zhi fights to get the sub-circuit board to have a superb tactical advantage over the Russian government. He eventually uses Audrey as a bargaining chip (after her alleged death) for Jack, saying she could be exchanged for the circuit board. Eventually, his plan fails, and he is taken into federal custody and presumed dead. All that was interesting, but I'd argue his more minor role in Day 9 was his grandest role. His reveal as an antagonist comes after the death of Al-Harazi, who received the defense override module meant for Cheng Zhi. He then kills Open Cell members to retrieve the device, becoming the ultimate, final villain of the main series. He starts to use the device on China, who he feels betrayed him. Cheng attempts to leave the country, but Audrey Boudreau unsuccessfully intercepts her, leading to a climactic and emotional finale. In the end, Cheng Zhi is one of the most formidable and evil villains of 24, securing him as easily one of the best.

9. BEST: First Lady Martha Logan

Days Featured: Five & Six

A character like Martha would usually be one of the last people to make it into a top ten list of mine, but, goodness, Jean Smart is one of the world's most brilliant actresses! Her performance alone was a significant contributing factor to the gravitas of Day 5. She stole the screen at all times, especially when bouncing off of the also brilliant Charles Logan, played by Gregory Itzin.

5. WORST (in a bad way): Interim Director Alberta Green

Featured Day: One

There's very little that one can say about Alberta Green except that she's miserable and impossible to watch. In a way, kudos to the actress for making her hateable. In another way, I can't find her hateable in a good way; she's eternally insufferable, the imbecile. Alberta Green? More like all-but-a green-glop-of-garbage. Yeah, I admit my defeat on this one; my jokes suck. My brain's dysfunctional, dementing, and dastardly-damned by this fool of a tenacious took. Moving on.

8. BEST: Tony Almeida

Days Featured: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Seven, Ten

My bro Tony is basically the Walter White of 24. He starts as the goody-two-shoes of CTU, then becomes the loving husband of Michelle, and then, after her loss, becomes a rogue, anti-government gangster man. Good stuff. Tony is the most developed protagonist of the show outside of Jack, and his descent into immorality is equally tragic and terrific. Tony is a brilliant character all around and easily one of the show's best characters.

4. WORST (in a good way): Nina Meyers

Days Featured: One, Two, Three

While she tops many people's lists as the best 24 villain, I don't quite like Nina that much. Regardless, she is still one of the best villains of the show! Her Day 1 plot twist was one of the best moments of the entire show, and her actions led to a plethora of phenomenal emotional moments. The moment you see her stare at the camera after murdering Jamey Farrel in cold blood is one of the most chilling moments of the entire show. Following Day 1, she is granted presidential exiled immunity in exchange for giving up the information she gained on Syed Ali. On Day 3, she attempts to buy the Cordilla virus and is captured by CTU, where Jack finally brings her to justice, killing her to save Kim's life. Utlaitmely, Nina is one of the most captivating villains of 24, but she isn't quite my favorite.

7. BEST: Morris O'Brian

Days Featured: Five, Six, and Seven

Morris is simply a brilliant-badarse, stay-at-home dad full of forgiveness, fun, and flamboyance. Morris and Chloe have terrific on-screen chemistry and are one of the cutest couples I've ever seen. Morris alone is more than enough for me to love the much-maligned Season 6—his charming sentimentality and empathetic charisma secure him a spot as one of my favorite 24 characters.

4. WORST (in a bad way): CTU Director Ryan Chapelle

Days Featured: One, Two, and Three

The sole reason the shoddy Chapelle doesn't top the list of the show's most worrisomely woeful worst characters is that I felt immense pity for him when he was shot in cold blood, execution-style. Regardless, he certainly deserved it. Ryan Chapelle? More like Ryan Go-to-hell. Thanks for listening to my terrific Ted Talk.

6. BEST: President James Heller

Days Featured: Four, Five, Six, and Nine

The first of three consecutive presidents on this list, James Heller gets a lot of time in the limelight before we see him take the presidency. Introduced as the Secretary of Defense on Day 4, Heller has a strong screen presence from the get-go. He is a character who you simultaneously love and hate, as he is an awesome guy. Still, James also does dumb things that constantly go against what Jack wants (like not letting him date Audrey, who's a grown woman who can make her own choices, and by wrongfully using evidence to convict President Logan). However, as annoying as Heller is sometimes, he's hard not to love, especially once he is President on Day 9. He shines the most here, with his disheartening dementia storyline that hits close to home in the age of Donald Trump and Joe Biden. His complicated relationship with Jack Bauer, his screen presence, and his strong will and honesty all make James Heller one of my favorite characters in 24.

3. WORST (in a good way): Simone Al-Harazi

Featured Day: Nine

As a minor antagonist of Season 9, Simone is one of the show's most intriguing. And personally? I believe she is hundreds of times more interesting than her mom and certainly her brother. She eventually seems to betray her family and realize the wrongs of her actions. Still, her true intentions are never revealed, as she becomes a minor concern and, frankly, gets Behroozed due to the looming threats of her mother and Cheng Zhi. However, her enigmatic presence and mysterious ideals lead her to be way more interesting than her one-note family members. Simone's plotline with Naveed and his family is saddening through and through, and part of me sympathized with Simone, as it was apparent she was wrapped up in an impossible circumstance with a family who was demented in every way of the word. Ultimately, Simone is a criminally underrated villain and an easy pick for a top-three 24 villain.

5. BEST: Madame President Allison Taylor

Days Featured: Seven & Eight

I was genuinely surprised by how much I loved President Taylor by the end of Day 8! While she isn't quite as good as David Palmer, there's a reason she's only one spot lower than him on this list! President Taylor feels like a mix of David Palmer, Mrs. Incredible, and a general authority second counselor of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She's firm in her foundations, and she runs without being weary. Awful religious jokes aside, President Taylor has a loving yet ruthless presidency with a side of edgy feminism, making her an easy candidate for fifth place on this list.

3. WORST (in a bad way): Richard Heller

Featured Day: Four

Why on earth is the one gay character of this show such an insufferably ignorant arse? It's pathetic. The LGBTQIA+ community deserved better. This stupid shiz-show deserves no more discussion, nor will I use him to satisfy my self-imposed word count any longer. Alright, I'm kidding about the second half, but the first half was an absolute fact.

4. BEST: President David Palmer

Days Featured: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

As a major character during the first five seasons of the show, David Palmer is easily one of my favorite characters of 24. His two-season stint as President of the United States was one of the biggest highlights of early 24. Palmer makes just as many difficult decisions as Jack, and his subplots are always so interesting—the first season's accidental murder cover-up, the second season's pleading of the 25th Amendment, the third season's decision to resign because of his moral principles, his fourth season advisory to then-President Charles Logan, and his untimely assassination at the beginning of Season 5. And outside of all of the subplots, David's just a fantastic guy in the first place! His leadership is always powerful and stern yet loving, and he never oversteps his bounds as President. David Palmer is one of my favorite characters for a reason: with always-interesting subplots and a great personality, he deserves the fourth-place spot on my ranking.

2. WORST (in a good way): Sherry Palmer

Days Featured: One, Two, and Three

While she's not as inherently villainous as many on this list, she has an unrivaled screen presence that makes her one of the best characters on the show. She consistently gets in hot water, working against her ex-husband, David Palmer, to get revenge for the divorce and to get into the government by other means. Sherry is simply a brilliant character and is almost unrivaled as a 24 villain. But there's one that's better.

3. BEST: FBI Agent Renee Walker

Days Featured: Seven & Eight

As Jack's partner-against-crime in Days 7 and 8, Renee is one of the most likable characters in 24 from the moment she graces the screen. She's more down-to-earth and play-by-the-rules than Jack, but when necessary, she's just as ruthless and hardcore. Her Day 7 story arc of learning to accept the burden of being an agent who always does what's best for the country was fantastic, and her Day 8 appearance goes to show Renee's not only accepted it but has gotten exceptionally good at it. She's easily Jack's most interesting field agent partner, and both their friendship and romantic relationship are beautiful. Renee's death in the second act of Day 8 is so heartbreaking, as she and Jack never get the happy ending they rightfully deserve! Her death on Day 8 serves as a powerful motivation for Jack to go on a rampage in one of the show's best sequences. Overall, while not quite as good as his analyst partner, Chloe, Renee is easily one of 24's best characters, even though she's only around for a season and a half.

2. WORST (in a bad way): Arlo Glass

Featured Day: Eight

Within seventeen seconds of being on screen, Arlo felt like a disgusting woman objectifier with all the makings of a serial rapist and a sex offender-to-be. This guy's existence disgusted me beyond belief, and while some fiery feminists so boldly outrage about the most minor things and shout "patriarchy!" at every man they come across (or on the highest metaphorical rooftop of Mount Everest), this is one of the select few men that absolutely deserve the din of usually dim-witted folk like aforementioned. Arlo, men around the world are embarrassed by your actions and want Glass to disintegrate his temporal lobe until he not-so-temporarily falls into a comatose state of veggie-ness. Okay, that paragraph gave me anxiety; I'll take my propanolol now. 

2. BEST: Federal Agent Jack Bauer

Days Featured: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, and Nine

As the protagonist, Jack Bauer is the deepest and most fleshed-out character of 24. He always does what he feels is suitable for the country, even at the expense of his loved ones, his career, or his reputation. Jack has got to be the most epic agent of all time, putting characters like James Bond to complete shame. He can go undercover, pilot aircraft, speak six languages, completely withstand the worst of torture, and more. Yet he's still absolutely a kind and loving person who simply wants a humble life of peace and family, but due to his loyalty to his country, he never gets the chance. In the end, Jack Bauer is one of the best protagonists of all time, but somehow, there's one character I like better.

1. WORST (in a good way): President Charles Logan

Days Featured: Four, Five, Six, and Eight

As the mastermind behind Season 5's events and a redeemed villain by the events of Season 8, President Charles Logan is the best villain of the show! He's similar to Sherry in a lot of ways but more cowardly yet, somehow, more formidable. Simply put, you can't get much better of a villain than the literal president of the United States being the mole to a terrorist plot. He's basically one of my favorite fictional villains of all time, up there with Lost's Benjamin Linus, The Dark Knight's Joker, and The Hunger Games's President Snow. He's that phenomenal of a villain!

1. BEST: Chloe O'Brian

Days Featured: Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, and Nine

Introduced as a rather annoying side character in Season 3, Chloe O'Brian quickly becomes the most funny and lovable character of the whole series! By the end, she's practically the second most important character of the show! She's cute, obviously flawed, and has four times the personality of the other characters on the show! She may not be a complicated character, but as Jack Bauer's best friend, Chloe is always dependable in solving conflict, no matter what it takes. And, for that, she is my absolute favorite character in 24.

1. WORST (in a bad way): Janis Gold

Featured Day: Seven

Janis is literally oozing with the caricature of the piss-poor, neck-snapping stereotypical teacher's pet archetype. Her very existence wells up an abundance of acid in the very crevices and crannies of my throat, esophagus, thoracic cavity, and the rest of my eukaryotic existence. Janis Gold? There's a reason her name is associated with the two-faced god of trickery. She's two-faced, alright—obnoxious and more obnoxious. Some people are on the autistic spectrum, the Scoville spectrum of hot people, or the light spectrum of who can be the most zesty of the rainbow. But Janis? SHe's off-the-charts, brimming with obnoxious audacity. If the max of the chart is a 10, her tyrannical, tenaciously terribly-taxing, very vexatious vulgarity is reaching that of a googolplex-and-a-seventh of the chart. As John Adams would've said during the Gilded Age, Janis Gold is not golden but a gilded "crapulous mass." Easily the worst character of 24.

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Below is a recap for all the brains I hurt in the process of this article as, quite frankly, I think this article format is stupid and convoluted. However, it is rather popular and I like to make people happy. But, for people like me, below is a much more understandable recap of the ranking.

Top 24 Best Characters:

24. Behrooz Araz
23. Tom Baker
22. Kate Warner
21. George Mason
20. Tom Lennox
19. Ethan Kanin
18. Mike Novick
17. Eric Carter
16. Michelle Dessler
15. Omar Hassan
14. Isaac Carter
13. Bill Buchanan
12. Wayne Palmer
11. Audrey Raines
10. Kate Morgan
9. Martha Logan
8. Tony Almeida
7. Morris O'Brian
6. James Heller
5. David Palmer
4. Allison Taylor
3. Renee Walker
2. Jack Bauer
1. Chloe O'Brian

Top 12 Best Villains:

12. Ira Gaines
11. Christopher Henderson
10. Dana Walsh
9. Yuri Suvarov
8. Olivia Taylor
7. Phillip Bauer
6. Iké Dubaku
5. Cheng Zhi
4. Nina Meyers
3. Simone Al-Harazi
2. Sherry Palmer
1. Charles Logan

Top 12 Worst Characters:

12. Erin Driscoll
11. Brian Hastings
10. Noah Daniels
9. Curtis Manning
8. The Cougar
7. Sandra Palmer
6. Chase Edmunds
5. Alberta Green
4. Ryan Chapelle
3. Richard Heller
2. Arlo Glass
1. Janis Gold