Face Off: Jack Bauer vs. James Bond
By Matt McDaniel | Friday, November 21, 2008, 3:37 PM
Jack Bauer and James Bond
©Kelsey McNeil/Fox ©Columbia Pictures
To save the world from madmen bent on destruction, you need courage, you need skill, and, apparently, you need the initials "J.B." When their countries need them, Jack Bauer and James Bond are always ready to jump into action. But with Bond's latest adventure "Quantum Of Solace" breaking box-office records, and Bauer getting his first 2-hour TV movie "24: Redemption" on Sunday, the question arises: Who is really the better operative?"
Let's crunch the numbers and compare their stats:
| STATS |
Jack Bauer
|
James Bond
|
 |
 |
| Affiliation |
United States Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) |
British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) |
| # of Missions |
6 (144 hours) |
22 (46 hours) |
| Current Status |
Rogue |
Double-0 agent, licensed to kill |
| Military Background |
Captain, U.S. Army Delta Force |
Commander, Royal Navy |
| Confirmed Kills |
185 |
240+ |
| Preferred Interrogation Method |
Torture |
Seduction |
| Special Skills |
Pilot; fluent in Spanish and Russian; does not need to eat, sleep or use the bathroom. |
Expert skier, diver, and poker player; has a cast-iron liver. |
| Weaknesses |
Recovering heroin addict; heart condition |
Easily duped, especially by women |
THE WINNER
James Bond
Jack Bauer is tough, no doubt about it. He can take torture just as well as he dishes it out -- which he does, frequently. He's prevented assassinations, viral outbreaks, nerve gas attacks, power plant meltdowns and nuclear bomb detonations (only a couple slipped through). And he is always willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good.
But where's the style? Where's the panache? Where's the tuxedo? James Bond has faced global threats (i.e., in locations more than a five-minute drive away) just as perilous as Bauer's, but he keeps a cool head about him. True, in his latest incarnation Bond is a bit less glib when he takes down a bad guy, and like Bauer he is still haunted by the betrayal that led to the death of the woman he loved. But when you break it down, Jack Bauer is a hero and James Bond is an icon.
THE WINNER: BOND. JAMES BOND.
Watch the full-length "24: Redemption" television event:
Talk About It: Which operative would you rather have saving your life?
"24: Redemption" airs Sunday, 11/23 at 9pm ET on Fox.
Season 7 of "24" begins Sunday, 1/11 and Monday, 11/12 8-10pm ET on Fox.