TVSquad

(S07E23/S07E24) "You don't know what I've done." - Jack

When 24 first premiered back in 2001, we were all taken off guard. It was so different, innovative, and action packed - like nothing we'd seen on TV ever before. But do you remember why it worked so well? Sure, there was a vast conspiracy that enshrouded the whole day in darkness, but for the most part, it was all about Jack and his family. The Bauers were what made Day 1 so memorable.

You felt horrible when Jack held Teri's lifeless body in those final seconds, and it was because the season focus was weighted towards them and not Drazen or Nina. Because of that formula, the show took off and with each season from then on, 24 became bigger than itself and so did the conspiracies. Then the bubble burst with Day 6 when it all came crashing down - we'd seen enough nukes, bio-pathogens, and Middle Eastern terrorists. The difference? All of that became more important than Jack. After Day 7's stellar finale, I think we can all agree that 24 has found its roots again.

(S07E22) "Why did you betray me?" - Jack

Since next week's finale is actually the last two hours of the season back-to-back, I think it's safe to refer to tonight's hour as Day 7's penultimate episode. As is so often the case with pivotal installments that precede a finale (especially with 24), going into it, I couldn't help shake the feeling that the bio-terror threat would be erased for good only to reveal one more crisis ready to spill over into next week. I'm not trying to say that it was predictable, but ... well ... nevermind. It was predictable.

(S07E17) "I'm not giving up on you." - President Taylor

Not a bad pep talk to get from your President after being indicted, considered a federal fugitive, and becoming infected with a bio-engineered virus all in the same day. However, if I know Jack (and speaking of "knowing" Jack, check out this 24 quiz that TV Squad's own Joel Keller put together for Parade), then those words probably meant the world to him. That was until Dr. Macer gave Jack a pouch full of pre-loaded syringes. She looked at his file! She knew he had a daughter. I guess she glossed over the part about that raging heroin addiction he picked up in Mexico while undercover in the Salazar organization.

(S07E16) "But I don't know anything... Mr. Hodges." - Tony

Nooooo! Jack Bauer cannot die! After last week's shocking conclusion, two questions have been on everyone's mind - just what exactly was Jack exposed to and more importantly, is he actually infected? Now that we have our answer, something tells me 24 might never be the same again.

(S07E15) "Because we're fugitives Tony! No one's gonna believe us!" - Jack

Maybe I'm just far too optimistic, but I'd like to think that if Lockheed Martin (or some other major defense contractor) started making a bio-weapon with plans to release it in say, rural Tennessee, we'd know about. Well, not you and me, but someone up high. That's been my biggest gripe with this season and I've mentioned it before - even in the world of 24, far too much is happening that shouldn't be happening. I'm starting to think that maybe next season, Day 8, 24's clock should be punched for good.

(S07E14) "What we're doing is fundamentally and absolutely necessary." - Hodges

After all that, is it really that simple? Does it really just boil down to survival of the fittest? Fourteen hours into Jack Bauer's very bad seventh day and we finally found out the motivation behind the day's terrorist attacks. Like everyone else, I've been on the edge of my seat, but after that revelation... well, it's going to take another crazy twist for me to really care about Jonas Hodges.

(S07E13) "It was supposed to be me." - Jack

Just past the half-way point in Day 7, and as everyone predicted would happen, the threat has changed drastically. General Juma was neutralized (he's gone just as quickly as he appeared) and Jonas Hodges has taken on the role of main baddie now. However, despite all the fanfare that put him in that infamous position, it's going to take a few episodes before I buy into whatever it is he has planned. Right now, he's just some old dude with a big mahogany desk.

(S07E12) "Madame President, right now your life is a priority whether you like it ot not." - Jack

That wasn't as gripping as I thought it would be. After all the set-up in last night's first hour, I assumed there'd be a lot more pay-off. Instead... it was more set-up.

Yes, the taking of the White House was exciting and I loved how we got to see more of Agent Pierce in action, but overall I'm left wanting more and we just didn't get it.

(S07E11) "I can pull the trigger 128 more times before this battery dies." - Jack

Jack Bauer doing what Jack Bauer does best - torturing one to save many. It only seems appropriate that we heard Jack drop that line in tonight's first hour, immediately following a conversation between Senator Mayer and the President about how the United States shouldn't condone torture. Mayer doesn't. Allison is on the fence. And Jack ... well, we know where he stands.

The entire debate about torture and "how far do you go to save lives" has been at the forefront of this season since the opening minutes as Jack sat in front of the Senate sub-committee at the beginning of the day. Now it's been thrust right back in our faces, and Blaine's, too, as he's now been put in the unique position to witness Jack doing the exact thing he's trying to prosecute him for.

(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.

(S07E09) "Whatever it takes, I want that son of a bitch found." - President Taylor

I'm not trying to suggest that this season of 24 has been bad so far (the hiatus alone made it better than it arguably is), but this was truly the first really great episode of Day 7. The plot is progressing much faster than it was, some more familiar faces returned, moles were revealed, Chloe ran a diagnostic check (!), and minor characters that had little purpose to this point have been thrown right into the fire. It was vintage 24.

(S07E08) "When are you people going to stop thinking everyone else is following your rules?!? They're not!" - Jack

From one presidential press conference to another. While I'm thrilled about Barack Obama as our country's new president, I have to say - President Taylor's press conference was far more exciting. Overall though, the eighth hour of Jack's seventh bad day was about 50/50 for me. There was plenty of action to keep you on the edge of your seat, but there's still too much reliance on little sub-plots that just aren't adding anything of value to the show.

(S07E07) "You're telling me my husband's gone missing?" - President Taylor

The plot is starting to shift. We're one hour past the quarter mark for the season and Dubaku's well laid out plan has fallen apart already. I speculated last week that it seemed as though this season was taking on a dynamic similar to season three and it's looking more and more like the entire plot will be making an even greater shift by the midway point. I don't expect Dubaku to be around much longer than that.

I mean, honestly, do you? Especially now that we know how the guy lives? Terrorist by day, "Sam" by night. He came home to an apartment, loosened his shirt after a long day at the "office," threw his keys on the kitchen table, and said hello to the pretty waitress he's sleeping with down the hall. The only thing missing a was comically mismatched roommate ready to berate him for drinking all the milk again. He's not very scary anymore.

(S07E06) "... you have to stay dead." - Buchanan

This isn't a good sign. After five incredibly strong hours, Day 7 of 24 just fell flat fast. It's inevitable in this show; there will be slow and boring hours. You can't avoid it. However, it typically doesn't start to occur until hours 12 to 18 - right before the final act.

Granted, we got some solid plot advancement in the sixth hour, but even by 24's standards, a lot of it was really drawn out.

On the plus side, at least Bill and Chloe were back again. "No... I'm a stay at home mom." Great line!

(S07E05) "If you trust me, I will get you through this alive." - Jack

Over the span of any given season of 24, it's inevitable that as different plots emerge, the "real time" aspect of the show forces them to jockey for the top spot. One week, Plot-X might be the most exciting part of the hour and the next week, Plot-Y is.

With all that being said, this season of 24 is shattering that expectation. For six seasons that's been the norm, but not so for Day 7. All three major threads (Jack and Tony, Sangala, Roger Taylor) have been thrilling since the clock first started ticking and this episode was a prime example.