(S07E10) "...but this ain't over yet." - Tony
Just like in the middle of season three, the game has changed. One threat down, and one(?) to go. Last night's episode of 24 did a great job of wrapping up the first half of the season without leaving too many unresolved issues. For the most part, it's a clean break and things seem ready to reboot with next week's back-to-back episodes.
While I realize that there are those two episodes until we're technically at the "true" half-way point for Day 7, it seems pretty clear that this hour was meant to be the turning point. Let's break down the big issues:
- The tension between Jack and Renee finally boiled over - This entire season has been a game of back and forth between these two. Ethics be damned, Jack gets the job done and Renee didn't always agree. Marika's unfortunate death (or necessary death if you're Jack) proved to be the final straw for Renee as she broke down in front of Jack demanding to know if he felt anything - fear, sadness, remorse? We've known Jack for 154 hours now - he feels. And just like he said, Renee will reach a point of acceptance too. What's going to be interesting to see is if she reaches that point in time to help Jack with the new threat.
- Sean and Erika were caught - Not much to say here. Fairly standard "hey, that's the mole" reveal. While Sean's plan to frame Erika was a bit clichéd, it still worked for me. However, I did start to laugh when he made a run for it. You knew he wasn't getting away.
- Dubaku's list of US government agents has been recovered - How long had he been cultivating some of these relationships? Long enough to compile full surveillance on all of them, copy it to a memory card, and implant it beneath his rib-cage apparently. I can accept that. What bugged me? I didn't feel like the government acted fast enough once they had the list. Bill and the President were just casually strolling through the halls of the White House, saying arrests will be made within the hour. They could have been walking right past some of Dubaku's operatives! Didn't feel right.
- Tony is back - You knew he would be and I like how they actually followed up on the lead he chased down. The final scene between him and Jack sitting on the steps of the Capitol building was amazing. I like how Tony's insistence that the government won't be able to act in time essentially guarantees that the two of them will be working rogue.
- General Juma is picking up where Dubaku left off - Tony found out that Juma is the new threat and that the next target is high value and high impact. The one thing that's bugged me about this entire Sangala thing? At times, I've found it hard to buy into Dubaku and Juma's cause. They're carrying on a revolution over there. Do they really have time to come all the way to the United States to grind their ax? And even if they do, the "why" is tough for me. It still seems like a bit of stretch.
- Mr. Burnett was revealed to be Senator Blaine Mayer's chief-of-staff - This was by far the best part of the hour. With Jack set to resume his testimony to Mayer the next morning, this sets up the incredibly amazing scenario of having Mayer witness Jack do exactly what he's trying to prosecute him for. The best part? Blaine will presumably be OK with Jack's methods because it's his COS. It relates directly back to the testimony at the beginning of the season and all that business about Jack being needed when it's convenient.
Overall, a great hour and if the previews for next week's double installment are any indication, then it looks like Olivia, Mayer, and Burnett are all arriving at The White House at the worst possible moment ever. Here's the preview:
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
2-24-2009 @ 10:18AM
Karen said...
I'm enjoying this season, however, like you, I don't buy Dubaku and General what's his name putting all this effort into the US. If they are that organized, have that many resources, etc. why can't they control their own country? They want the US out? Big deal. To me, there just isn't that much motivation for them to be messing with the US to this extent. They want what they want, but they don't have that deep seeded hate (like some fanatics) to just kill for the sake of killing. I just don't buy it.
Which is funny, since there are so many things you have to get past to enjoy this show. Why the bad guys not being important enough bothers me, I don't know.
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2-24-2009 @ 1:12PM
Clayton said...
I don't know... I think I can buy it.
The U.S. military is so strong they have no chance to stand up against it. Their only hope was to attempt to keep the military from invading their country.
What's the best way for a terrorist to do that? By attacking the country and holding it hostage, of course!
So no, I don't have much of a problem with that point. But I do agree that there is A LOT of things this season where I have to suspend my disbelief to enjoy the show.
http://makeasitcom.com
2-25-2009 @ 4:45PM
Gordy said...
Lets not forget Dubaku & Juma aren't the masterminds here. An American [Jon Voight] is.
2-24-2009 @ 10:18AM
Mike said...
Maybe I'm imagining things, but were those few seconds where Sean was going down the hallway trying to get away SUPPOSED to remind me of the Kevin Costner movie "No Way Out" where he's going through the Pentagon? The camera angle, the lighting, even the music.
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2-24-2009 @ 10:18AM
MikLamb said...
I'm enjoying this season, as well. I'm ok with suspending belief where necessary, as all shows have to do sometimes. However, some suspensions are more difficult to swallow than others. Two things left me scratching my head in this episode.
First, Dubaku is a cold-blooded killer, which we've heard about and seen in earlier episodes, so why does he keep Marika around to ultimately cause his downfall? Because she is his true love? Please.
Second, I thought Renee was an experienced, professional FBI agent, but she seemed pretty blubbery and almost in shock about Marika's death. Granted, that was unfortunate, but in all her time in the FBI she's never before had to deal with a death that she felt partially responsible for? I mean, she actually set up and tortured the guy in the hospital! I'm sure she'll come around to Jack's way of thinking by the end of the day, but for now she needs to suck it up.
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2-24-2009 @ 10:19AM
yankeespitfire said...
I gotta remember to hit the link and read the whole article... you had me counting episodes on my fingers and toes saying "wait a minute, 12 hours already?"...
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2-24-2009 @ 10:22AM
Michael said...
This may have been the best episode of the season for me for several reasons...
(1) I can't recall, but was that the first real car chase scene in 24 history? The crash was certainly spectacular!
(2) The scene between Jack and Renee was incredible (I smell Emmy!). Watching her struggle with what she's been required to do this season for the sake of national security has been a highlight of this season, and the two of them have played off each other very well.
(3) I think my wife and I both held our breath for the last 8 minutes just waiting for the other shoe to drop.
I'm looking very forward to next week's back-to-backer!
-MJT
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2-24-2009 @ 11:39AM
TonyZosel said...
This is my first season of 24 and I absolutely love it. I gotta admit I'm still trying to figure out who everyone from the past seasons are and what their motivations are.
As for the realistic pills to swallow....I could care less, it's TV. Do you think there is an office in this world even remotely close to "The Office"? No. But its funny as hell. Same for 24, are there parts that are totally unrealistic (like crashing an FBI server without anyone knowing), but who cares.
I love this show. It makes NYPD Blue seem like Barney (and I loved NYPD Blue....even the one with Sipowitz showing his rear).
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2-24-2009 @ 11:40AM
Bobby said...
As for the realistic pills to swallow....I could care less, it's TV. Do you think there is an office in this world even remotely close to "The Office"? No. But its funny as hell. Same for 24, are there parts that are totally unrealistic (like crashing an FBI server without anyone knowing), but who cares.
--
Exactly. Within the context of this show, I'll take excitement, action, and suspense (which we got plenty of this episode) over realism any day.
2-24-2009 @ 12:05PM
Zach said...
Since your new to the show, go back and buy (you won't be sorry if you do, or at least rent it) the first season of 24. The first 13 hours is still probably the best thing I've ever seen on TV. S2 is still better as a whole then S1, but the first 13 hours are frakkin' amazing.
2-24-2009 @ 3:48PM
Karen said...
You have to admit, though, that Season 5 was the best season ever of 24.
2-25-2009 @ 5:15PM
Jason Hughes said...
S5 was a revelation! Just astounding television.
2-24-2009 @ 11:39AM
hugeliver said...
Did anyone else think that was Dr. Beardface from Scrubs in the hospital scene with Ike!?!? I almost laughed my ass off!!
Great wind up episode. It's nice to see some things come to a conclusion. I feel like 24 has hit their stride again and I'm reminiscent of Season 1.
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2-24-2009 @ 11:40AM
Mike said...
That was absolutely BeardFace! I had the same reaction!
2-24-2009 @ 11:40AM
fsu120 said...
I thought the same thing
2-25-2009 @ 10:35AM
Marek Hryc said...
It IS beardface! I'm watching it now, and I paused it for a closer look! It's definitely him. Didn't he hear Kelso's objections to moonlighting at other hospitals a few seasons back?!
2-24-2009 @ 11:40AM
jasahl said...
While the Juma & Dubaku having time & resources to devote here in the US is a bit of a stretch, I don't think it's that big a deal under the following assumptions (which may prove to be false later on).
1) I believe Juma has more than enough resources to overwhelm Motobu's government in Sangala - provided the US is not involved.
2) It was already stated that Motobu's forces would not put up a fight if the US was not involved.
3) I believe it will turn out that the resources that Dubaku & Juma have are from Jon Voigt's people (can't remember his name) and that they are assisting Juma on conditions that they raise mayhem here.
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2-24-2009 @ 11:40AM
Jimmy said...
I'm liking this season of 24 -- how could I not compared to the last one! -- but I find myself also getting bored a lot and tuning chunks of the episode. I'm already tired of the presidential family melodrama and I have to say I'm getting real tired of the Renee character. It seems like the writers/producers are trying too hard to present the other side of Jack's actions and their consequences. It's just getting annoying. As viewers we know we're watching a fantasy; we know Jack is an unreal character, so let it go, let him be an over-the-top action hero who thinks the ends justify the means. We're smart enough to know better.
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2-24-2009 @ 11:41AM
Rico said...
That server room scene was the epitome of computer related jargon randomness in '24' history. I really need to go back and watch all of that again.
She has to tie the servers together and needs him to get her an AVI motherboard and reconfigure it for a macro uplink? Priceless. And then she had to fix the parameters and protocols. I'm surprised she couldn't get data through the AC powerline like Edgar did a few seasons ago.
And what's up with Chloe? Her little thing with uploading to a mirror site is believable enough. But then she said that she ALWAYS does it. If she ALWAYS does it, why did she panic when she discovered that the servers were erased?
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2-24-2009 @ 11:41AM
Nathanael B said...
Wow, another great (and fun) season 7 episode. I really like the balance of action and drama in this episode. Both the car chase and Jack/Renee's emotional argument were amazing scenes to watch.
@jasahl: Yeah, that was revealed/alluded to in "Redemption"... Jon Voight (Hodges I think?) was offering his resources to the Juma regime. So most likely Juma's apparently vast resources are coming from him. I thought we'd finally get to see Voight's character in this episode, darn!
@Rico: Ha, I was laughing through that whole bit. Erica's monologue beats anything out of Chloe or Adam or Edgar from any past seasons. I swear that the writers throw that in there just to make real techies squirm.
And yeah, I liked that twist with Chloe keeping a backup copy of the data. I was hoping they wouldn't pull a hat trick and say "oh look, it's still here!", because it would seem corny, but the way they explained it with Chloe actually seemed reasonable. (True, she did panic at first, but probably more because somebody was "reformatting" the entire FBI field office server cluster. As unrealistic as that is, I think I'd panic too. Once she calmed down enough to think clearly again, she would have logically checked her offsite backup. So it didn't seem *too* unreasonable to me, except for the reformatting part.)
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