There is hope for Chinese TV after all. At least for die hard Chinese fans of the hit TV series '24', which the Chinese regulator for media and television spared, unlike the four U.S. TV shows that it censored.

24, a U.S. TV series about Jack Bauer, a security agent who attempts to stave off security threats against his country, returned to the small screen last May 5.

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The TV series' ninth and latest season is titled 24: Live Another Day.

Youku, the country's leading video portal, hosted '24 Hours for 24,' a promotional campaign in which 200 fans watched the complete season 8 in three theaters in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai.

The screening of 24's Season 8 ran for 24 hours that started rolling at 5 p.m. on May 5. After 24 hours of Jack Bauer on the big screen, the fans watched the first episode of Season 9.

The fans celebrated 24's latest season because just a few days before, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio Film and Television, the Chinese government's TV regulator, banned four U.S. TV shows.

Two of the banned shows include The Bing Bang Theory and The Good Wife.

Until now, the reason for banning the four TV shows is unclear. Youku.com president Wei Ming refused to comment why his company stopped their screening although he promised viewers continued quality content.

Speculations abound of what the real reason is behind the censorship. Inclined netizens speculated that the four shows weren't reviewed earlier than usual.

However, some in the video streaming industry shot these speculations upfront and said that teams are in place to review a show's content before it gets uploaded for viewing.

Internet analysts have a different take on the issue. They argue that it's a question of media sovereignty and that the government is trying to show they're in-charge of everything. In this case, even websites that showcase video streaming pass through multiple government agencies.

Tags24, TV series, TV show, U.S. TV show, censorship