(S06E14) *Warning, spoilers from the recent episode ahead*
Jack Bauer must really be hurting, more so than ever before. More so than he was when he emerged from two years of being tortured by Chinese officials a mere 14 hours ago. Or during other seasons when he was tortured via any number of weapons or devices (though not by a cigar cutter . . . or plastic wrap).
For the second consecutive week, 24 viewers barely saw our boy Jack. He sustained rib injuries in the Russian consulate that caused internal bleeding, necessitating heavy bandages around his mid-section.(Though we did get glimpses of his severely scar-ridden upper torso.) When Jack was doing something other than groaning in pain, he was either close-talking with his sister-in-law, or perusing files from the CTU archives while an unmanned aircraft carrying a live nuke circled over California.
Jack's story during this hour centered on the fact that his lover, Audrey Raines, had gone to China to try to get him released from prison and was "killed" while over there. And it was Marilyn Bauer -- though widowed for only a few hours, made moves on Jack and tried to kiss him -- who broke the news to Jack that Audrey died in a car crash. (Don't worry Audrey fans . . . all four of you. Jack did not kiss Marilyn. He turned his mouth away from hers when she went for it, confessing that before he was imprisoned, he and Audrey had been together.)
Jack was freaked out by the news. He darted to Chloe O'Brian's CTU terminal and ordered her to leave her post -- she was only trying to track down the drone carrying an armed nuclear weapon -- and dig Audrey's files out of CTU archives. Nuclear schmuclear. Audrey's file now, damn it! Jack was pissed! In the 14 hours since he'd been free, no one told him about Audrey! Jack , full of righteous indignation, manipulated CTU Chief Bill Buchanan into letting him join the team planning to raid the remote location where the terrorist headset guy was using an old Atari joystick to control the nuke-carrying drone. Hurt ribs and all, Jack dragged his groaning self, alongside Mike Doyle, to the scene and managed to save the city of San Francisco from a nuclear detonation with just seconds -- seconds I tell you -- to spare.
The Jack story, eh, I thought it was so-so. 'Twas more melodrama. With Marilyn. Frosted with last-minute joystick heroics. Come on writers, give Jack some better stuff. Why have something as minor as a few floating rib fragments and internal bleeding slow our guy down?
What I found more interesting than the Jack and CTU stories was the drama in the presidential bunker with Vice President Noah Daniels, Chief of Staff Tom Lennox and newly returned National Security Advisor Karen Hayes. Daniels went power mad and was hell bent on nuking the Country Whose Name We Shall Not Mention. Even though Daniels knew that the Country Whose Name We Shall Not Mention was not behind the first nuclear attack in Valencia or the other attacks during recent weeks. Even though he knew the officials from the Country Whose Name We Shall Not Mention had no control over what the "bad" terrorist Abu Fayed and the rogue retired Russian General Gredenko were doing with the suitcase nukes.
Karen and Tom tried in vain to stop Daniels. Spewing aggressive lines about not taking any more of this weak response crap lying down, Daniels gave the U.S. military honchos their marching orders: Move the nuclear sub into range of the Country Whose Name We Shall Not Mention and fire when ready. "The debate is over. America must start to stand up for herself," Daniels said. "The attacks on this country must stop. As acting commander in chief, I believe this is the best way to make that happen."
Ah, not so fast my friend. Note the use of the word "acting." If previews are to be believed (*if you don't want to know about material from previews, then click away from this post . . . NOW!*) Karen is planning to wake President Palmer II from his medically-induced coma and persuade him to stop Daniels' strike. And though this hour saw the return of fan favorite Sandra Palmer -- who said nothing the entire episode, only tearfully looked through the window at her comatose brother -- she won't speak until next week, when the smart money says she'll give the green light to wake her brother up, even if it kills him and makes Power Boy the president.
And, a little tangent here if I may: Why is it okay to identify other countries (like Russia) and identify American cities to obliterate, but the Islamic country from where the "good" terrorist Hamri Al-Assad and the "ambassador" hail, as well as the home country of CTU analyst Nadia Yassir (detained as a suspected traitor when her computer was found to be preventing CTU from monitoring the drone, red herring anyone?) are left nameless? If the countries have been mentioned in previous episodes, my apologies all over the place.
One last beef: After last week's Charles and Martha Logan-centric fruit-filled episode, suddenly we hear nothing about whether the former Bible-quoting president is dead or alive? That's it for Martha and her boy toy Aaron? How disappointing. They were rare bright spots in a wildly uneven season.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
3-19-2007 @ 11:37PM
Edward said...
It was presumed that Logan died; shouldn't there have been an announcement? Poorly written? Yeah, and I can't help but notice one of the writers was Manny Coto, one of the culprits that killed the last Star Trek series...
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3-19-2007 @ 11:45PM
Edward said...
It was presumed that Logan died; shouldn't there have been an announcement? Poorly written? Yeah, and I can't help but notice one of the writers was Manny Coto, one of the culprits that killed the last Star Trek series...
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3-20-2007 @ 12:03AM
David said...
Edward, how about before you talk out of your ass you know the facts. Manny Coto wrote the best season of Enterprise and did a damn fine job considering the crap he had to deal with. He had little control over the lame long aches of the show. Instead he wrote several 3 parters in season 4. There wasn't even going to be a season 4 because of what B&B did to the Star Trek franchise. Manny tried saving the Titanic from sinking in 18 episodes at the most, it was impossible. If you want to judge him watch his show, Odyssey 5, which only lasted a season because fools like you must run Showtime.
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3-20-2007 @ 12:07AM
David said...
Edward, how about before you talk out of your ass you know the facts. Manny Coto wrote the best season of Enterprise and did a damn fine job considering the crap he had to deal with. He had little control over the lame long aches of the show. Instead he wrote several 3 parters in season 4. There wasn't even going to be a season 4 because of what B&B did to the Star Trek franchise. Manny tried saving the Titanic from sinking in 18 episodes at the most, it was impossible. If you want to judge him watch his show, Odyssey 5, which only lasted a season because fools like you must run Showtime.
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3-20-2007 @ 1:34AM
Adam said...
I would have expected at least a little bit surrounding Logan, but they didn't even show it in the recap. WTF? I'm also a little agitated that Audrey is dead, although I'm also wondering if her death was actually a coverup and she's being held prisoner somewhere. I don't know why that would happen, but I guess I wouldn't be surprised. I mean, hey, if a drone aircraft can be piloted for hundreds of miles with an Atari joystick, who knows what could happen.
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3-20-2007 @ 1:46AM
Ryan said...
This is where we find out how far the Chinese were able to brainwash Jack. When the Chinese embassy handler presented Jack to CTU in the first episode, he volunteered, without being asked, information that Jack never broke under pressure. I'm guessing this will all lead up to a finale which reveals that Jack killed Audrey under Chinese direction and he can be brought back under Chinese control with a digital snap of the fingers.
Or maybe I've seen way too much 24.
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3-20-2007 @ 2:31AM
Diego said...
Damn, why audrey? i thought she was his one true love. maybe they are just covering it up so jack stays at task. maybe they are tryin to get him mad so he kills more terrorists? i would hate for him to be alone and hurt again!!! why can't the playa catch a break?!!!
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3-20-2007 @ 3:21AM
BigTed said...
It seems pretty clear that Nadia is going to turn out to be about the 44th CTU agent to be accused of being a traitor, and tortured for information, when the mole is really someone else.
And how come Chloe never mentioned that Nadia had been sharing computer links (and possibly bodily fluids) with Sleazy Milo? It seems as if Nadia being taken away to the torture room would have been a good time to bring it up. Milo may or may not be the real mole, but if he is, that would have provided him with a method of getting information to the bad guys while framing her.
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3-20-2007 @ 1:29PM
Brian said...
It would make sense that Milo was the real mole, but he didn't really act in a way consistent with trying to cover up his guilt. He didn't pull the old "staged suicide" to keep Nadia quiet. In fact, he actively shared all the information that led to the disarmament of the nuclear drone. If they later say he was the mole, it won't really make sense.
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3-20-2007 @ 5:19AM
MrC said...
I was surprised Audrey was killed off. I mean it's not like "The Nine" got a full season pickup ;-)
As for the episode, while I knew it was unlikely they'd nuke another city, for a while it felt like the "Fox News Fans Wet Dream" episode, with the Muslim being the mole, a powerful VP nuking some arabs and Bill O'reilly's dream of SF getting nuked coming true...
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3-20-2007 @ 10:00AM
Marc said...
I'll back that Coto statement up. He didn't kill Enterprise. You can't take a turd and spray Lysol on it, but it's still a turd. The people who ruined Star Trek were named Rick Berman and Brannon Braga. Coto did everything he could with that crap. But in the end, it was not salvageable. I bet had he created a prequel, it would have been much different.
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3-20-2007 @ 8:57AM
Hugeliver said...
Nuculear. It's pronounced 'Nuculear". : )
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3-20-2007 @ 8:57AM
Hugeliver said...
Milo is the mole. did nobody see his little smirk when they were hauling Nadia away?
He helped because he can't jeopardize his position in CTU for future 'projects'.
I guessed this whole mole thing after LAST week and as soon as Chloe brought the security trouble to their attention I knew what they were doing.
Damn. My 24 has got predictable.
If next season is about Jack trying to figure out what happened to Audrey WHAT will the writers do!?!?!? They'll actually have to come up with ORIGINAL ideas instead of re-hashing other seasons.
Ohhhhh boy...I sure wouldn't want to be THEM right now!!! : )
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3-20-2007 @ 8:56AM
kare said...
24 continues to have superb writing! and as far as Logan goes........ its only been one hour........
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3-20-2007 @ 9:16AM
Jimmy said...
While this episode was certainly enjoyable to watch, especially the presiential bunker scenes, I still remain dissatisfied with this uneven and, sadly, predictable season. When the kid from Silver Spoons (who looks like hell by the way!) spoke Nadia's name there was no doubt it would turn out she'd be blamed. I can already see the tasers and potions that cause pain being wheeled in. Personally, I think it's the guy from Silver Spoons or Milo who will turn out to be the mole, or considering their silly little fights both of them.
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3-20-2007 @ 9:34AM
Grishny said...
I was disappointed that Charles Logan's fate wasn't resolved. My wife thinks he's dead, but I'm not so sure. It seems kind of stupid to bring the character back for such a trivial little story arc and then kill him off, but I guess it's been done before.
I have a question. How on earth does Marilyn Bauer even know about Audrey Raines' death? It doesn't seem like she was a public enough figure that her demise would have been very prominent in the news... perhaps there is some conspiracy brewing and Marilyn knows a lot more than she is letting on...
Here's an idea: what if World War III really does get started in this season, and season 7 can take place in a post-apocalyptic China with Jack nearing the end of his search for Audrey's "killers."
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3-20-2007 @ 10:10AM
Bill said...
Here's what I think. Audrey is not dead. She is being held by the Chinese. They were going to use her to get information out of Jack, but then Jack was returned to the US. Now they are going to use her to get Jack back in custody.
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3-20-2007 @ 10:25AM
Mike Davis said...
Damn.
Who's running CTU's HR department?
Is there a space on the job application for the people you'll actually be working for?
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3-20-2007 @ 11:07AM
Viv said...
I too don't think that Audrey is dead. There is more to this story arc than what meets the eye. I would think like somebody already said that the chinese might have faked her death.
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3-20-2007 @ 11:28AM
AC said...
Isn't there supposed to be a movie coming out between this season and next? If so, it seems to me it will be about Jack trying to figure out what really happened to Audrey.
Favorite line of the episode: When asked about the gash on his head, Tom told Karen that he "tripped over her ineptitude" hah
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