24 Co-Creator Joel Surnow Moves On

Effective immediately, Joel Surnow, co-creator of Fox’s hit action series 24, has resigned from his position as the show’s executive producer. Though he served as executive producer on the first eight episodes of 24’s seventh season–delayed due to the writers strike–he will not work on the following 16.

Surnow’s contract with Fox was due to expire on April 30th, but he convinced the network to let him go early. The vehemently right-wing TV producer said he’d done some “soul searching” (I never realized republicans had souls…) during the writers strike and decided it was best to make a “clean break” with the show so that he could pursue other creative projects.

“After doing 24, I don’t know if I want to do a mainstream show again,” he said. “I like what’s going on in cable; there is an opportunity to stretch dramatically there, which is something I’m trying to do.”

Where Surnow will go now, and what he will do, are both up in the air. Whatever he does, I’m sure it’ll involve a lot of cell phone drama, super fast double closeups and plenty of yelling. The next season of 24, however, will debut (for reals this time) in January 2009.