When dealing with terrorism, national security, top secret intelligence officers and the like, Washington, D.C., is typically the setting for high-stakes drama. But the folks over at Fox, with their hit show “24” seem to ignore us. They’re fixated on Los Angeles as the nexus of all things terror. Granted, in real life, LAX has been targeted by terrorists, but last night when “24” characters were talking about someone or something being shot or blown up, etc. at Sepulveda and National boulevards, we felt a little jealous. Why couldn’t that have been Columbia Pike and Glebe Road?

Instead, last night’s episode revolved around evading detection in the “Broad Street tunnel,” somewhere near Olympic Boulevard and Collier Avenue (which we don’t think exists, but we’d have to check with LAist). That could totally have been 16th Street’s underpass at Scott Circle, just blocks from the White House. If we’re forced to deal with terrorism in prime time, that’d make for some high-stakes television plot development. Like L.A.’s Broad Street tunnel in “24,” there’s even tunnel construction at Scott Circle where evil-doers could switch cars and evade dectection from above!

If Fox is intent on having CTU based in Southern California, we think for maximum effect, the producers at “24” should team up with those at “The O.C.” to involve the kids down in Orange County in the war on terrorism. Bioterror at the local mall? A diabolical “View to a Kill“-like plot to generate a huge earthquake off the California coast to ruin their surfing? Imagine the advertising dollars and the publicity. Even Joe Millionaire could make a cameo to recharge his career! Then again, that Rooney concert featured sometime back on the “O.C.” could be considered a form of terrorism.