Starbuck is coming to CTU! EW.com’s Michael Ausiello broke the news that Battlestar Galactica‘s Katee Sackhoff is joining 24 for season eight, where she’ll play a new member of the revamped CTU. And Fox just issued an official press release about season eight, with casting news and a few details on storyline. Put it all together, and here’s a round-up of 10 things we know about next season, which premieres on Jan. 17, 2010, so far …

1 – Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) lives! How do we know Jack survives that deadly bioweapon from season seven? Because, duh, he’s Jack Bauer. And because the Fox press release confirms Kiefer’s return. And because The Insider has these photos of Kiefer filming.

2 – Grandpa Bauer? Take a look at those Insider pics again. Kiefer’s carrying a little girl – an adorable little girl, who looks a lot like Jack and his daughter Kim, who we know has a kid. Add it all up, and methinks you can go ahead and buy that “World’s Greatest Grampy” mug for Mr. Bauer.

3 – Kim’s (Elisha Cuthbert) back, as are Agent Renee Walker (Annie Wersching), President Allison Taylor (Cherry Jones), Paul Wesley as Kim’s hubby Stephen and geek goddess Chloe O’Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub, who’s been posting on Twitter about the new season).

4 – Freddie Prinze Jr. has been tapped to play Davis Cole, the new head of field ops for CTU and a character described as a wannabe Jack Bauer.

5 – Oh yeah, CTU lives! A new “upgraded” CTU, according to Fox, will be run by Brian Hastings (Forrest Gump star Mykelti Williamson), an “MBA-schooled and razor-sharp head honcho.”
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• Tags: 24, 24 season eight, 24 season eight preview, 24: Redemption, Anil Kapoor, Annie Wersching, Battlestar Galactica, Becki Newton, Carlos Bernard, Cherry Jones, Chris Diamantopoulos, Colm Feore, CTU, Elisha Cuthbert, Emmys, Freddie Prinze Jr., Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Jack Bauer, James Morrison, Jennifer Westfeldt, John Boyd, Jon Hamm, Jon Voight, Katee Sackhoff, Kiefer Sutherland, Kim Bauer, Kurtwood Smith, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Mykelti Williamson, Paul Wesley, Rory Cochrane, Sprague Grayden, Starbuck

I’m ridonkulously excited to see just how this season of 24 will wrap up tonight (8PM ET, Fox), though, of course, the season finale also means the kick-off of a new seven-month wait for season eight. Glass half full … glass half empty.

Will Jack be able to save Kim? Is there possibly another twist that will serve to make Tony not the bad guy he sure seems to be? Will Jack and Girl Jack, a.k.a. Renee, share a smooch? And will Jack Bauer, terrorist-thwarting hero, finally meet his match in the devastating bioweapon that has infected him?

By the way, be careful what you read at this point … I just accidentally stumbled upon a Website that claims to have spoilers for tonight’s episode. I surfed away quickly before I read anything, and no, I’m not going to give you the link. Resist the urge people. It’s a mere few hours away … why would you wanna spoil it now?!

Anyhoo, as we head into tonight’s season seven finale – and the kick-off of the countdown to season eight – 8 ways to celebrate the TV goodness that is 24 …

1. Read Mary Lynn Rajskub‘s (Chloe O’Brian) Twitter posts, which frequently includes comments on 24. A post from today: “24 is going to blow the lid off! And in 2 wks we start season 8!”

2. Read 24 director Jon Cassar‘s Twitter posts, which also includes comments on 24, his support for Kiefer Sutherland during the ridiculous HeadbuttGate and Cassar’s awesome photos, including personal photography you can purchase at his Website.

3. Ditto Annie Wersching, a.k.a. Renee, a.k.a. Girl Jack, on Twitter.

4. Buy the 24 Clue board game or come back to TVScreener.com tomorrow for your chance to win a copy!

5. Pre-order 24 season seven on DVD – it comes out tomorrow! How’s that for instant gratification?

6. Read why “Jack Bauer Is God.” Reason 104: “Jack Bauer arm once wrestled Superman. The stipulations were the loser had to wear his underwear on the outside of his pants.”

7. Visit Agent Aaron Pierce‘s (Glenn Morshower) MySpace page. PS – Tony Almeida‘s soul patch has its own MySpace page.

8. Speaking of Mr. Almeida, read Carlos Bernard‘s Q+A at TVGuide.com, where he reveals that there will be a showdown between Jack and Tony in tonight’s finale.

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