(S06E05) How do you top a nuclear bomb blast -- complete with a mushroom cloud hovering over Los Angeles -- which killed an estimated 12,000 people instantly? Plus, throw in the threat of four more nuclear bombs still in the hands of a terrorist, somewhere in America?
You don't.
Instead, you go for some familial intrigue, some character development, yet another creepy love triangle and ramp up the irritating behavior of the president's sister.
If you have DVRed or TiVoed the latest episode of 24 and do not want to know what transpired during hour five, please do not click on the link as spoilers follow . . .
So, where to start? How about with Jack Bauer's clearly twisted and dysfunctional family? With the fact that Jack apparently had some "thing" with his sister-in-law, that he has a sketchy father with whom he hasn't spoken in nine years and a creepy brother who wanted him killed last season?
Patience my friends.
First, we start with a recap of the episode which started with some wooden acting as CTUers were trying to come to terms with the fact that a nuke had just been detonated and that friends and colleagues had been killed. Chloe O'Brian and lecherous ex Morris bantered as Chloe lamented, "Why do people I know keep dying?" (*News flash: Because you work in the anti-terrorism business, Chloe.*)
Speaking of terrorism . . . we learned that the "bad" terrorist who'd been behind the 11 weeks of attacks on American soil -- Abu Fayed -- safely got away from the suitcase nuke that went off at the end of the last episode and was carting around other bombs in a van. (Does he have all four?) Desperately seeking someone who knew how to re-configure the detonators on those suckers, Fayed contacted some British-accented man who agreed to help him out.
In the meantime, the "good" terrorist, Hamri Al-Assad, was escorted into the CTU HQ as Chloe clenched her fists and gave him the death stare. (I kept waiting for her to run at Assad, yell "This is for Curtis!" and stun him with a Taser.) Assad informed CTU chief Bill Buchanan that a year ago he'd dispatched Fayed to negotiate with a former Soviet general to obtain the nuclear weapons. When Chloe and Morris checked into who had contact with the general, Jack's father, Phillip Bauer's name popped up.
Thus began our descent into family weirdness. Jack -- who, after the nuke went off decided he was compelled to answer his nation's call to duty -- told Bill he was back in the anti-terror game and that he would find out where his dad was. He telephoned his father's palatial estate only to have Sam (His dad's friend? Butler? Assistant? Pool boy?) tell him that Phillip had left the previous day under mysterious circumstances, leaving his cell phone behind. When the call ended, we saw a guy named "Liddy" (Did I hear that correctly? Liddy?), who observed the exchange via surveillance equipment, call another man to report that Jack was looking for his father.
Who did he call? Jack's brother Graham, the bad seed who, after being apprised of Jack and Sam's conversation told Liddy, "We should've killed Jack when we had the chance."
Whoa! I recognized this guy from a previous episode, but couldn't pinpoint him. During a commercial break, I quickly scanned through the IMDB and 24 web sites to learn that he was the man with the headset glued to his ear during season five who ordered weasel-like President Logan to have Jack killed after Jack obtained tape-recorded evidence that Logan was a crook.
Before Jack made an impromptu brotherly visit, Graham and his wife Marilyn got into a spat when Graham told her that Jack was back from China. I found the couple's conversation odd, including the comment Graham made to his wife," You weren't over Jack when we got married."
Jack arrived and, after exchanging uncomfortable looks with Marilyn, growled that he had to speak with Graham. As Graham nervously spoke a mile-a-minute, Jack popped him in the head, knocking him out. Jack locked the doors and grabbed some electrical cord from a nearby lamp with which he bound his brother to a chair. And, for those of you who were concerned that Jack was going to go all post-Chinese-torture-prison wimpy on us, he threatened to rip Graham's tongue out. Then he put a plastic bag over Graham's head and started to suffocate him. Nothing says family reunion like asphyxiation.
The award for the most annoying character this week (last week's winner was Morris), goes to President Palmer II's sister Sandra. Her temper tantrums while watching a surveillance feed of her boyfriend trying to infiltrate a suspected terror cell in a Washington, D.C. detention facility were truly obnoxious, as is her constant refrain to everyone who will listen that she's the president's sister.
Your reactions? Theories? Is this how President Logan will be worked back into the story?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
1-23-2007 @ 12:31AM
Jonathan said...
To Meredith O'Brien :
Even though it's a little better than your two previous 24 'reviews' i still find your reviews lack much opinions. You spent more time recapping the episode(with a few side notes) than actually telling us what you liked or didn't like about the episode.
I want to read a review of an episode, not a summary of the episode with a few notes here and there.
I love TV, i love TVsquad and i love 24! So I love to read reviews of shows i watched the night before. If i want a recap I'll go on the official site.
But yeah this review IS better than the two messes you gave us last week!
Thanks! :)
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1-23-2007 @ 12:47AM
MattIsWaldo said...
Jack's brother was previously seen on ER, also as a hated character. Last season he was part of the 'circle of evil people' telling the President what to do and when to do it.
I cannot agree more about the sister of the President. Also, anyone know who the FBI agent that arrested her and is keeping her around is? He looks familiar.
In addition, Jacks nephew looks quite a bit more like Jack than his brother. Might he be Jack's illegitimate kid?
In addition, Jacks nephew looks quite a bit more like Jack than his brother. Might he be Jack's illigetimate kid?
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1-23-2007 @ 1:18AM
MattIsWaldo said...
I could keep looking and find out the FBI agent is Scott Winters, aka Cyril O'Reily from Oz.
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1-23-2007 @ 1:28AM
RedStarRevolution said...
The stories seem to be a tad more personal this time around, with Jack's family coming into play and all. I cannot wait for James Cromwell to join the cast next week as Jack's father. Bauer Family Reunion, here we come.
Still reeeeeeeally not feeling the whole Palmer family this time around, the sister is, as stated, annoying as hell, and Wayne is just not believable as President. Next season the Pres is going to be Richard Simmons, the way this thing is going.
But, it's 24, and we all have to suspend belief sometimes for the pure entertainment, and I am more than happy to do that.
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1-23-2007 @ 1:28AM
Melissa said...
I had to make dinner while watching 24, so I appreciate your recap. It really helped me out! And actually, I appreciated your previous two posts as well. I think it's good to fill people in and be thorough with a show like 24. I would love to hear more about your opinions of each episode though. Thanks!
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1-23-2007 @ 2:00AM
Ryan said...
MattIsWaldo: I agree, I think Jack's nephew will actually turn out to be his son, given the stare Jack gave him.
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1-23-2007 @ 2:07AM
Mr Textbooks said...
Nice work Meredith.
I loved this episode, ridiculous as it was. I was truly hailing the power of Bauer for his puke'n'rally after killing Curtis. Time for him to really start kicking a little hind end.
Thought I had a problem when I almost wrecked racing home to catch 24, now I know better. I was waiting to see who that bald bluetooth freak was. Again, ridiculous that we wouldn't hear about his family, but great nonetheless.
Well, that was a great review. Scene.
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1-23-2007 @ 2:29AM
Neal said...
I'd like to go on record for Jonathan to please keep HIS opinions of the reviewer to HIMSELF. Those who can, do... those that can't act like they are know-it-alls. If you think you can do it better, write your own review. Meredith, you are doing a fine job. Also, comments section is where we put our opinions of the shows, so if you want opinions here is where you will get them. Jonathan, ever think to yourself that some people may like a recap so they can clarify something they may have missed or had confused them. Get a life.
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1-23-2007 @ 2:47AM
shanes said...
first off great ep. should be a good one next week. I wonder when Jack will find out that Ghram/Grey was the one behind Season 5. I wonder if he'll let him go only for Loghan to be brought back to admit that Grey was the one who was on the other side of the phone.
@Neal - Jonathon is totally right, this is a site that is ment to review and talk about the show, not to give a recap. Remember back in High school when you did a book report, the teacher wanted your ideas on the book, not a summary of it? Same goes here.. you wouldn't be reading this post if you didn't already see the ep. Thats the same reason why there arn't anymore Monk reviews here, the show can't be reviewed anymore without it just being a recap.
Sorry Neal but you're wrong.
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1-23-2007 @ 3:06AM
Steve said...
The FBI agent played Stan Hatcher, a good cop gone bad in one of the last few seasons of NYPD Blue. He made things real bad for Sipowicz and Clark.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0936001/
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1-23-2007 @ 3:10AM
Mel said...
Neal,
You're being condescending. This is the opinions page. Opinions of the show being covered and the article written. If TVSquad did not want to hear this, they wouldn't have a comments page and would be censoring more people. I'm sorry but the new writers and some of the old guards are quite inept, just needs to be said especially if they consider this a paying job. That's not to say they'll never improve but to improve they need comments. I see Meredith stopped spoiling in the first paragraph, even with a warning now. She probably saw the comments on her other articles. So it's all win win. They shouldn't be writing if they can't take criticism, that's the one thing I dislike about TVSquad is that the writers on her can't handle criticism, but it's nice to see that the newer writers are taking heed.
About the ep, I found this to be an uninteresting and contrived (more so) episode. It's just a little much to introduce a pivotal and vague character from last season at the hero's brother. I didn't find Sandra annoying at all, I think it was great she kept reminding the FBI agent who she was. If she didn't, she'd just be another lawyer working with less rights for her client.
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1-23-2007 @ 3:51AM
Neal said...
Mel,
It's not our job to correct new writers. That's the job of the people who run tvsquad. I think the problem with people who read blogs is they have a superiority complex. The opinions should be about the shows, not the reviewers. This isn't a blog about reviewing writers, it's about a blog about reviewing TV shows. I felt that Jonathan was being overly harsh and cruel to Meredith in his tone and his arrogance. However, I guess it makes you and Jonathan feel like big people to sit around and bash other's hard work. I like tvsquad because for the most part the people on it are positive people stating opinions about shows. Not negative people just looking to start fights. Let me ask you, you don't think that "the two messes you gave us last week" was out of line? If you really want to help them improve, then give them positive help, don't act like jerks just because you have the anonymity of the Internet to let you act tough.
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1-23-2007 @ 4:27AM
imdennycrane said...
I thought the same about Jack's nephew: this is his son. Interesting how that will turn out. Hope he'll be a better spawn than Kim.
I don't remember Graham being Jack's brother so I was floored. And his dad is somehow involved in all this? Thanksgivings must be real tension-filled for this family.
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1-23-2007 @ 7:44AM
Mark McDermott said...
The FBI Agent who arrested Palmers sister is non other than the intellectual jerk from "GOOD WILL HUNTING" How do you like them Apples? agreed Prez Palmers Sister is so annoying with the whole ACLU thing, But come on so far this is the Best Season...Im Hooked again, Yeah!
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1-23-2007 @ 7:12AM
Georgia said...
I like the recap.
I thought when Jack went ballistic on Gray that he had already figured out he was the enemy/friend of Logan. But I guess not. Must be some major history between those two for Jack to start torturing his brother just on a simple "I don't know where Dad is.".
As far as the Palmers, I think the writers need to do better with them. Though Wayne is coming around. Plus there's always been a Palmer female to drive us crazy.
So far, this season does not leave me with the "I can't wait til next week" feeling.
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1-23-2007 @ 7:30AM
LC said...
Jacks nephew is a few years younger than his daughter. From season one he was getting back together with his wife after a brief seperation, during which he dated Nina Meyers.
It is entirely probable that his nephew is his son, but doing so would have had Jack stepping out on his wife many years earlier. Not impossible, but it seems out of character of the noble heroic character of Jack whose major "flaw" was his devotion to his wife and daughter.
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1-23-2007 @ 8:25AM
Chris W said...
-I wonder what made Jack suspect his brother of wrongdoing. Did I miss a key line of dialogue or is there history we need to explore?
-Yeah, the kid is totally Jack's.
-Wasn't the English villain this season supposed to be played by Eddie Izzard?
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1-23-2007 @ 8:56AM
jack said...
Neal, you seem to be starting fights and acting condescending while ranting against Jon and Mel. Kind of lame on your part. They had very valid points.
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1-23-2007 @ 9:19AM
Kira said...
Good job Meredith. I'll leave it at that cause frankly this comments section have already been hijacked enough by the "let me tell you what TV Squad SHOULD be" people. LOL!
Anyway, another great episode. I knew by the previews last week that Bluetooth dude was coming back into the picture, but never in my wildest dreams did I suspect he would be Jack's brother. WOW! Great twist! I don't think his puppeteering of Logan was ever discovered last season, so I can't wait until Jack unearths THAT little secret! However Jack suffers no fools and it is obvious that he knows Grey/Graham isn't someone to be trusted anyway. Ohhh can't wait to learn the Bauer family dirt!
I immediately thought the nephew looked like the boy version of Kim, so yeah... it could definately be Jack's son, but does 24 ever really settle on the obvious? We'll just have to see about that.
As for the president's sister, Sandra... eeeks gawds... I wish Jack would show up and duck tape her whiney ass mouth shut. Cool scene in the bathroom though... I loved how they wired the guy all while making it look like an interrogation.
The British guy in the Bentley is definately going to play a factor here... and who is his blonde friend? Lots of little nuggets to mull over for sure.
I wonder where those other 4 "visitors" are heading. I'm only nervous because the first went off in Valencia, where my brother's family lives, so that is kinda of a icky feeling even though it is make believe.
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1-23-2007 @ 10:19AM
jaykaydee said...
I can't believe they got James Cromwell to play Jack's father and not Donald Sutherland!
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