Back in September, Day 7 of 24 appeared to be on shaky ground. Now cast and crew are already preparing for Day 8.

During his promotional tour for Monsters vs. Aliens, Kiefer Sutherland told the AP that he intends on being around for his show’s next chapter. “If I was going to liken 24 to a girlfriend, 24 has been really good to me. And I need to be really good back,” he explained.

Although he is itching to try other things, the 42-year-old apparently realizes he is lucky to be employed. “There are plays I want to do. There are so many different things I would like to do, but I was so fortunate to be part of something like 24 that my focus is still on that right now,” he said.

So how much longer can we expect to see Jack Bauer fighting for our country? That will depend on how many scenarios the creative team can cook up. “The real pressure is placed on the writers. It’s a real question about how much they feel they can give and what they can do,” Sutherland said.

Filming on Season 8 will begin this May.