(SO6E08/S06E09) *Warning, spoilers follow*
Unfounded familial guilt.
Musings about a potential coup.
Mystery men in blue suits.
And a guy who says things like, "Not bloody likely mate," gets drilled.
Maybe I've just been terribly spoiled by the first, super-charged four hours of 24, but this hyped, two-hour installment felt flat-footed to me. I even longed to have the Bluetooth guy back.
So over the latest two hours of 24, viewers saw just how evil Jack Bauer's dad Phillip is. He's not just your garden variety evil, he's the kind of evil that not only kills his own son Graem and frames Jack for the murder (nicely guilting the living son for the death), but threatens his grandson's life as well. Oh, and we can't forget how Phillip also left a tidy little blinking package for his Jack in an abandoned house at the end of the episode. (That would be a bomb, though not of the nuclear variety like the nice one Abu Fayed left for Jack earlier in the episode. For those of you counting at home, Jack faced two bombs in these episodes and only one detonated. Even with that, the two-hour installment still seemed slow to me.)
Aside from discovering the depths of Phillip's evil, viewers also learned that Jack's flirtatious sister-in-law Marilyn Bauer hated the barely room-temperature Graem and had been trying to leave him for years, only the creep vowed to take her son Josh away from her if she left. During a car ride where Marilyn was trying to direct Jack to the location where she once spied Graem talking with some Russian dudes (the Russian had connections to Fayed and the nukes), Marilyn asked Jack if she was one of the reasons why he ran away and joined the military 20 years ago. (Was that eyelash batting that I saw?)
We also learned that Morris O'Brian, who was kidnapped by henchmen working for the "bad" terrorist, will cave to terrorist demands when the henchmen utilize torture tactics against him, like beating him, dunking him in a bathtub and having a drill literally burrow into his flesh. The drill bit business convinced Morris to create a mechanism to arm the remaining suitcase nukes for Fayed, the nukes that could kill tens of thousands. Why did Morris cave? Didn't he, a trained CTU employee, know that Fayed was just going to kill him after he reconfigured the triggering mechanism? Fayed was, in fact, on his way out and had just ordered Morris killed when Jack and his band of CTUers found them. Fayed escaped (again!), but not without leaving Jack with a live nuke, which Jack deftly disarmed via directions from a scowling Chloe. Morris survived the torture, but had to withstand Jack's disgust when Jack learned that Morris gave Fayed a working device. (I wonder what the human rights folks thought about these scenes and how torturing Morris worked.)
Fayed was hurriedly running around LA with three suitcase nukes. Morris shamefully returned to CTU and called himself a coward. Phillip Bauer was busy blackmailing Marilyn into sending Jack to the wrong location so Jack could be ambushed with another bomb. While all of that was on-going, there was some deadly serious political wrangling going on in Washington. However the story line with chief of staff, Tom "The Biscuit" Lennox, plotting in a shadowy boiler room with a slimy White House aide who is in contact with "others" who seem to either want President Palmer II assassinated or overthrown, was too season two-ish for me. The subplot seems to similar. Lennox is becoming Mike Novick.
In season two, President Palmer I wanted to hold off on immediate, retaliatory air strikes after a nuclear bomb detonation on American soil, while his cabinet and his VP pressed him to act. When Palmer I wouldn't do so right away, his chief of staff Novick and the VP had the president ruled incompetent and thrown out of his post.
Thus far this season, two nuclear weapons have been detonated. President Palmer II says he won't enact severe policies to essentially lock up every Muslim in America and suspend civil liberties. Palmer II wants to act with deliberate speed even while nukes are loose.This position is yielding him threatening telephone calls from the VP while his chief of staff Lennox and other mysterious people plot against him. By comparison, last season's weenie President Logan was an entertainment bonanza.
Meanwhile, I did not buy the scene where "good" terrorist Assad was walked into the presidential bunker to have a private chat with President Palmer II. Would a president really have a terrorist just meet with him like that? As Palmer asked Assad to deliver a televised speech to try to persuade Muslims to turn against the terrorists, the two got into a strange discussion about whether this arrangement made Assad a puppet or a U.S. partner. What I didn't understand was how having Assad give a press conference was going to do anything about Fayed's nukes or stop the other assorted terrorist attacks. Does Palmer think that Fayed and his men will have a crisis of conscience and stop this madness?
Yes, these episodes had explosions, ticking bombs, torture and family melodrama. But something still felt a bit off.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
2-12-2007 @ 11:52PM
Heather said...
First off, I love 24 & will continue to watch. It's good television.
But... I completely agree with you about the Lennox/Novick plot. They are just too similar. I kept thinking that it would've been more of a twist if Lennox had taken his knowledge of a possible assassination directly to President Palmer II. That would've been more interesting.
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2-12-2007 @ 11:58PM
TVblogger said...
"Thus far this season, two nuclear weapons have been detonated."
By 2 you are referring to the nuke that was detonated in the 2nd season, and the one in this season right? Because that sounds like you're saying 2 nukes have gone off in this season, and it's only been one.
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2-13-2007 @ 12:02AM
Jake said...
I have to say the second half of the show was a snoozer. This season is beginning to look a whole lot like season 2. Presidential coup? Season 2. Palmer picking a cagey, backstabbing chief of staff? Season 2. A Vice president that wants power? Season 2. You know, I'd like to see a twist, like maybe Lennox playing both sides for his own gain, or that Bauer kid not being Jack's illegitimate child. Maybe even Palmer II dying. His sister could take his place, and she could just start yapping at the terrorists until they give up. And as for the Daddy Bauer, that company he has must be something special. Couldn't he have just gone public and sold his shares and ran off?
Also, Jack looks like he's having a real tough time since he's been in China. I'd have to agree, as I don't think he's killed nearly enough people this year. And he just doesn't have that subtle touch when torturing people as he has in the past.He's even starting to choke his former lovers. Watch out Audrey! There are some serious doubts in my mind that he will actually be able to save us this time.
Is 24 becoming too predictable since you know people are gonna die? I think the only way they top season 5 is with Jack dying.
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2-13-2007 @ 12:17AM
Steve said...
I agree with Jake, This season is off somehow. I think its because Jack is missing his manpurse/satchel of doom. I love the show overall, but there's two much repeating/ripping off of season two like Merideth said. Another thing, the reasons/motives of certain people don't seem very sophisticated. Jack's Dad is doing all this to save some company we've never heard of? The Russian dude is pissed about the Cold War!?!?! I think if they let Jack fail/make some big mistakes (because he "just doesn't know if he can do this anymore") and they explore the civil rights angle a lot further, plus lots of explosions and dead people, this season can be great!
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2-13-2007 @ 1:13AM
kevin said...
What the hell is wrong with all of you? Tonight's two episodes of 24 were great. I thought they were both great. Both these episodes reminded me of why I loved this series in the first place, great action, tension filled scenes, and of course illogical leaps in time.
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2-13-2007 @ 1:32AM
J said...
Does it seem that Jack is becoming more and more of this lone wolf superhero-type? I mean, even season 3 had acts of heroism from "ordinary" folk like Gael and Michelle. Season 4 had Behrooz acting against his father. etc etc. This season we've got Morris capitulating, Marilyn capitulating, and Wayne Palmer being his usual weak, unconvincing self. I'm still a huge fan, and will definitely continue watching, but between weak supporting characters (except Buchanan and Chloe!!) and an ever-recycled plot line, I can see why people are getting frustrated.
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2-13-2007 @ 1:57AM
SymetriX said...
First off, I thought tonight's episodes were great!
Second of all, I think we have an early "Employee of the year" candidate, folks.
Sure, he may have given a terrorist the ability to detonate 4 nukes, yada yada...
But let's look at the facts here folks:
Hour 1: Does his job even knowing his brother may be dieing in a hospital.
Hour 2: Arm getting drilled into by terrorist
Hour 3: Back at CTU: "Worky work, busy bee!"
If that's not employee of the year material, I don't know what is!
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2-13-2007 @ 1:58AM
BigTed said...
More than ever, CTU is either all-powerful or ridiculously incompetent, depending on what suits the plot. On the one hand, a computer technician like Chloe can call up information on any person or place at a moment's notice, run a field operation by herself, and tell Jack how to disarm a nuclear bomb. On the other hand, they let Jack's father -- the head of the company responsible for the nukes getting out! -- wander around free both at home and at CTU, so he can kill Graem, mess with his cell phone, and eavesdrop on classified conversations. No one even interrogates him after he blames Graem for the whole thing, or questions Graem's wife or son to see if they might have a picked up a little information that might help keep the country from being destroyed.
Meanwhile, just as Jack virtually always does the right thing, everyone else does the wrong thing. If you ever wondered if you would trade the lives of tens of thousands of people, a group of CTU agents or the president of the United States in order to save yourself, your son or your political agenda -- well, according to this show, you definitely would. With citizens like that, who needs enemies?
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2-13-2007 @ 2:00AM
Monty Montgomery said...
So I guess even the "normal" people on the show have the resiliency of Batman. 30mins after Morris is beaten, drowned and drilled in the back Chole tells him to stop feeling sorry for himself and get back to work, and he does. Gotta love it!
And regardless of Jacks dad being cleared of involvement with the goings on, he has free rein to wander around CTU.
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2-13-2007 @ 11:49AM
C C said...
I'm really amazed at the lack of faith that my fellow 24 fans have. Yes, this season seems off. But hasn't it occured to anyone that beneath the seemingly repetitive, mundane veneer lies a major scam? My theory is that Jack and his allies are operating a wide-reaching sting operation to reel in the baddies who were responsible for the events of the previous two seasons. And I predict there will be a major payoff at the end, if the fans are patient enough to hold on. Just wait. You won't be sorry.
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2-13-2007 @ 2:58AM
shawn said...
i liked these episodes.
and it may be a little predictable. but it's television! it's not complicated.
the last two episodes had enough drama/action than most hollywood movies of recent year.
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2-13-2007 @ 7:16AM
Corey said...
If I just got drilled in the shoulder socket, I think I'd want a little workman's comp time. Just sayin'... How would you be able to even move your arm, much less get to typing and mousing at your terminal at work?
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2-13-2007 @ 9:12AM
Jick said...
"but something still felt a bit off",....right, the acting. For some reason the acting, except for Kiefer's, has been terrible this season. Especially the President and his sister.
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2-13-2007 @ 9:01AM
Hugeliver said...
The writers have LOST IT!
Previous week: Jack broods, Chloe pouts, Jack's dad rubs his forehead, a presidency is threatened.
This week: Jack broods, Chloe pouts, Jack's dad rubs his forehead, a presidency is threatened.
Next week: Jack broods, Chloe pouts, Jack's dad rubs his forehead, a presidency is threatened.
ENOUGH! Get some originality instead of recycling past seasons.
Next year: Jack broods, Chloe pouts, something nuclear is going on AGAIN, a presidency is threatened.
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2-13-2007 @ 9:13AM
Gordy said...
I don't know what you guys smoked while you watched TV last night, but 24 WAS AWESOME!
Easily the best episodes so far...and no Sandra Palmer...and that Wallid guy. Dead weight.
It's cool to see Chad Lowe on TV and not addicted to heroin. I knew he could do better.
Jack was awesome! I loved both episodes.
Remember what Whytney said...crack is whack.
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2-13-2007 @ 9:52AM
Quetzalcoatl said...
So far i feel hostage to the story, i really don't care about the characters anymore, the stories are completely predictable and stupid, and the only reason i keep myself watching is because i've invested so much time on the story so far that i want to see it resolved.
24 is not a tenth of what it used to be, it's turning out to be a ludicrous mess like prisonbreak.
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2-13-2007 @ 11:41AM
Georgia said...
I have always wondered how Chloe gets away with telling her superiors to "get away from me and leave me alone" or some variation of that. Obviously insubordination does not matter at CTU. Anyone up for trying that at their job?
Also, I thought before this season Chloe couldn't stand Morris. I guess over the months while Jack was in China, they fell in love again, eh?
Bill Buchanan has somehow found time to get a new hairdo on this "day". Look at the "do" he had in the first hour and, then last night, he had a regular looking haircut.
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2-13-2007 @ 12:23PM
Marc said...
My question is this--Jack's father tried to kill him twice now. Why didn't he just kill him the very first time, when he had him at gunpoint? Instead, he just kills his other son and a few of his goons.
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2-13-2007 @ 1:33PM
C C said...
The reason Jack's father didn't kill him when he had the chance is because dad is involved in Jack's sting operation! In fact, I think it's going to turn out that Jack's family isn't quite the dysfunctional mess it appears to be. Of course, we probably won't find out for sure until the end of the season.
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2-13-2007 @ 1:49PM
gt said...
yawn. literally. my wife and i both fell asleep 5 minutes into the second hour. it just all seems repetitive, the only difference this year is the addition of nukes. how many times can chloe daydream and then come back and get the job done in 10 seconds. how many times can the lone bad guy getaway 2 seconds before jack can find him? etc..
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