Forget anything that has happened on film over the past decade, the number one action star in the world has been Jack Bauer.
There really is no other competitor.
Of course, Jack benefits from the fact that he gets hours and hours of television to solidify his position as a dominant action star.
Kiefer Sutherland has crafted this larger than life hero into an unstoppable terrorist wrecking machine, all the while making him unique and human.
He has moments of weakness, his heart gets in the way of tough decisions, but in the end he remains the best weapon CTU Los Angeles has against domestic terrorism.
A big part of an effective action hero is the kill count.
Now, perhaps that sounds wrong and distasteful.
It kind of is, I guess.
But, action dramas will inevitably have a multitude of deaths and the way in which these are carried out have a lot to do with the quality of a show.
Not just quantity of kills, but the style and manner in which they are accomplished.
Jack Bauer is known for the creative ways in which he eliminates enemies.
It's not always as simple as gunshot to the chest or head.
Jack does what needs to be done with whatever resources he has around him.
I suppose you could consider him the new-age MacGyver, except about a zillion times more badass.
The BuddyTV article list Jack's ten best kills, each complete with video.
And, boy, there are some doozies in there.
The extreme nature of 24 is something that network television has never, ever seen before.
Enjoy it while it lasts.