Ep 1. 12:00 Midnight-1:00 A.M

Jack Bauer is a Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) agent who's back on duty after taking time off in order to repair his family's broken relationship. With his wife, Terri, and their daughter, Kim, living separately from him, Jack has a lot to prove, both as a father and as a professional.

The episode begins with Jack getting a call from his boss, Richard Walsh. Walsh informs Jack that an assassination attempt is being planned against presidential candidate David Palmer, and CTU is going to try to stop it before it happens. Jack is assigned to the case.

Palmer is a popular African-American senator who's running for president on a platform of racial equality. He receives a mysterious phone call informing him of the assassination plot and decides to take drastic measures. He orders his wife, Sherry, to cancel all his campaign events, including a fundraiser at the Bel Air home of a wealthy donor named Jonathan Wallace.

Meanwhile, back at CTU headquarters, Jack briefs his team on the situation. They discover that one of their own, Jamey Farrell, may be working with the terrorists. Jack also learns that his wife and daughter are in danger, as they are attending the Bel Air fundraiser.

Back at the fundraiser, we see Terri and Kim interacting with David and Sherry Palmer. Kim, who is a rebellious teenager, decides to sneak out of the party with her friend, Janet York. They end up at a convenience store, where they witness a robbery in progress. Kim and Janet are taken hostage by the robbers.

Back at CTU, Jack is interrogating Jamey, trying to find out if she's working with the terrorists. She denies everything, but Jack knows she's lying. With time running out, Jack orders his team to raid the compound where the terrorists are hiding.

In Bel Air, the Palmer's leave the fundraiser, with Sherry driving a separate car from David's limousine. Sherry receives a phone call, purportedly from the kidnapper, telling her that her daughter is alright and to meet the kidnapper at a nearby gas station. She drives there, but doesn't find anyone. When she returns to her car she's attacked by an assailant.

Jack and his team raid the compound and successfully stop the assassination plot, which involves a sniper positioned near Palmer's hotel. However, things get complicated as the team discovers that the assassination plot was merely a diversion, meant to distract CTU from uncovering a more sinister plot by a different group of terrorists, working with Jamey.

As the episode comes to a close, we see Jack racing to save his family from the kidnappers who have taken Kim and her friend, Janet. The kidnappers contact Jack, informing him that they have his daughter and want him to exchange Jamey Farrell for her safe return. Jack decides to go through with the exchange.

The episode ends with a nail-biting cliffhanger as Jack meets with the kidnappers to exchange Jamey for Kim. A shootout breaks out, leaving Jack fighting for his life to save his family and everyone at CTU.

Overall, "12:00 Midnight-1:00 A.M." is a riveting episode that sets the tone for the rest of the season. It introduces us to the complex world of CTU and sets up a gripping story arc that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats.