Definitions - Kim Bauer Syndrome

In honor of 24's most hopeless character, Kim Bauer Syndrome refers to any character in a tv show who is constantly getting into increasingly bizarre levels of trouble (mostly because the writers have run out of ideas, so they add in random crises). These events must escalate from fairly normal "bad things" to the most unbelievably improbable circumstances a character can find themselves in.

Examples (spoilers for 24 and Heroes)

Kim Bauer - 24 Season 2 - First she was caught up in some domestic abuse situation, which turned into a murder case....then there was the car accident...and the attack by a mountain lion. If that wasn't bad enough, she was locked in an underground nuclear bunk by Kevin Dillon and accidently managed to show up just in time for a convience store robbery, which all kind of brought her back to a deadly confrontation with domestic abuse husband. Uh huh....

Niki - Heroes Season 1 - So far the list of "bad things" includes - making money through internet stripping, not having enough money to pay for her child's education, owing money to the mob, killing mobsters, being used by the mob as a prostitute to seduce a senatorial candidate, having an ex-con husband, an abusive father, having said ex-con husband kidnap her child, shooting her ex-con husband, and having a drinking problem. And guess what, we're only on episode 11.