In TVWeek.com’s exclusive Backlot Talk, “24” executive producer and co-writer Manny Coto talks about character development, the real audience they write the show toward and his own plans for a new pilot.

With a constant revolving door of characters and plots throughout the season, “24” gave another twist last night with the return of President Palmer. As tension builds between the president and his vice president, Mr. Coto and the other writers hope it will lead to a constitutional crisis.

And just when it seems Chloe is being phased out, the producer assured viewers they’ll be rethinking that hole in the show as the season draws to an end, reiterating that they’ve been hunting for an interesting story for her and Morris.

Sure, it all seems involved, but Mr. Coto says the key to maintaining that draw is to write for the first-time viewer each week, not the hard-core fans.

“If you notice in the show, we repeat a lot of the situation and the plot points. Characters repeat what’s going on and what happened last week, and that’s done intentionally,” he said. “If you don’t have that reminder and sort of hand hold the audience, it can get confusing. When it gets confusing, it becomes less involving.”

The season is scheduled to start shooting its last episode next week, giving everyone involved a couple weeks to breathe in adrenaline-free days. Mr. Coto said he plans to use this hiatus as a catalyst to turn his ideas for a new show into a pitch.

To listen to the complete interview, go to TVWeek.com’s Backlot Talk for the full podcast.