Martha Logan

Martha Logan is a fictional character played by Jean Smart in the television series, 24. As the first lady of the United States within the 24 universe, she is the capable but unpredictable and unstable wife of President Charles Logan. Critics praised Martha Logan as the breakout character of the show's Emmy Award winning 2006 season.

In developing Martha Logan's character, the show's writers drew upon the historic example of a prominent whistleblower in the Watergate scandal, Martha Mitchell. Similar to the real life model, Martha Logan becomes contemptuous of her husband's conduct in office and decides to go public and end his career. Martha Logan takes part in a plot to get her husband to confess that he conspired with terrorists. Yet her mental health problems undermine her credibility and raise the possibility that she may be forced into treatment at an inpatient facility. After the events of the fifth season she was committed to a mental health facility.