Well, that is the end of "24."

It comes as a bittersweet event as the conclusion of Day 8 signals the last time we'll see Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) in his gun-toting, real-time adventures. News that a movie is currently in the works only provides mild relief to the disappointment and the knowledge that "24" as we know it is gone.

Unlike a lot of fans of the series, particularly the hardcore ones, I cannot claim to have been a fan from the very beginning. The reality of it is I missed the opening two episodes and simply couldn't bring myself to watch a real-time series without knowing how it all started and why everything is happening in the first place.

Then, a few years later, I picked up seasons 1 to 5 on DVD and quickly watched each disc faster than CTU went through office space. The term "sleep deprivation" doesn't even begin to describe what "24" put me through. And, as luck would have it, the complete sixth season was released on DVD on the very day I finished watching season five - a twist more convenient than any of Jack's daring escapes.

There were some iconic scenes in those episodes; the reveal that Nina (Sarah Clarke) was actually a baddie, Jack finding his wife murdered (Leslie Hope), the noble death of George Mason (Xander Berkeley), explosions in down town L.A., the death of Edgar (Louis Lombardi), and Jack wandering off into the sunset. In a twisted way, those were good times and re-watching those episodes still generates the same feelings of excitement, sorrow and even grief.

Starting with "Redemption," season seven was the first year I experienced "24" as most viewers did - a weekly event. And that weekly ritual continued into the eighth and final season.

Looking at the series as a whole, season 8 is the perfect time to wrap up production. Not because of any problems the show may have stumbled into, or because the series has declined in entertainment value. Season 8 was the right time to end it because it brought the series full circle with the re-creation of CTU and it dealt with some hefty philosophical subject matter.

Traditionally, "24" has been a very cavalier series, utilizing the morbid patriotism that followed 9/11 and the subsequent War on Terror. Aside from a few, the well conceived and intricately crafted villains were absent in much of the shows middle years and "24" relied on the stereotypical painting of religious extremists. Of course, there were other shades of grey thrown into the equation as well (and even after so many years, no one managed to outdo Sherry Palmer).

On the last day of Jack's small screen outings, those pre-conceived ideals of religious zealots were present. It was a very "Superman IV" ideal and it very nicely follow the exploration of do the ends justify along with the message that peace is possible the means in season seven.

But Day 8 will be remembered for other reasons - it started with Jack finally getting what he wanted for all those years ... a family. And through the course of helping his country - and, arguably, succumbing to his own nature - it was all taken from him. He was forced to leave his friends, his daughter and granddaughter, and the woman he loved was again taken from him.

The ending was both tragic and exhilarating, just as "24" always has been. And although the sun has set on Jack's adventures on the small screen, the door is now firmly wedged open for a movie franchise that will only continue to excite.

With 8 years of history, this fan made trailer seems like the best way to remember the experience that was "24" ...