24 has several endings?

I just spotted on the BBC news website an item about the wrong DVD set being sold to UK customers. It says they got the American set which contains 90 minutes of extra footage and a different ending. I won’t say here what the british ending so as not to spoil it for people.

What are the extra 90 minutes?

What is the different ending?

And why would anyone want to swap ther set for a set containing 90 less minutes and the contemptable (IMO) UK ending?

I’m sure at least one alternate ending has Jack wacking Nina in the parking garage. At least, I hope that’s one :smiley:

Ooh, that’s weird, you can’t cloak a smilie!

I think there may have been a couple of different endings filmed for security purposes.

Also, it was possible that FOX would have wanted a happier ending.

Here’s a thread at Home Theater Forum which discusses the issue and includes links to other sources with even more information. Warning: lots of spoilers.

The literal answer to your thread title question, though, is yes, they did film different endings, as I understand it. I am under the impression that endings in which Nina was killed, Jack’s wife survived but the baby died, and Jack’s wife and the baby survived were potential alternates. I personally think they chose the best option given that the series was picked up.

Keeping major secrets a secret is nothing new. Producers have been doing this for years. The actor who played Darth Vader (the man in the suit itself) was made to say “Obi-Wan Kenobi is your father” while shooting The Empire Strikes Back so nobody on the set could blab the secret. (They had James Earl Jones say the real now-famous secret.)

I read an interview on the net of the actress who played Jack’s wife. She said that they filmed alternate scenes where she lived, where Nina was killed, and where Kimberly was killed. None of the actors knew who was going to actually die until they saw the final episode. They all even had contracts specifying that they could be fired at the end of the season at the whim of the writers. Only Keifer had a contract in hand for the next season.