Editor's Note: My writer's strike continues (not for long!) and coming back for a second bite at the fruit called "The Jack Sack" is the loquacious Spencer. He uses big boy language and lays down metaphors like a deluge of chubby rain! Enjoy:
Hello ladies and gentlemen, it’s Spencer again. I’m standing in for Adam, who’s uh, so going to continue reviewing this season….whenever the fuck he feels like it. (Editor's note: Dude, I'm right here! I can hear you!!!)
Seriously though, Adam, I can’t thank you enough for giving me- and us- this opportunity to review some episodes. It’s just more proof, if anyone actually needs it, of you’re awesomeness. (Editor's note: Alright, curse away you charming fucker).
Anyway, the hot hottie of hotness is engaging in “romantic activities” with the terrorist/pervert/liar we met two episodes ago. It’s funny, because they’re having sex and he actually think he’s worthy of this girl. Seriously, when I think of the hottest women in 24, I think “Renee….Kim…”, and then this girl, the hot hottie of hotness, or HHH.
Tony’s trying to stall while David wants to see Jack. Almeida’s like “Can I get you anything?”, and Palmer’s like “Stop stalling.” Then, Tony calls Chappelle and is like “Uh, I can’t stall anymore,” and Ryan‘s like “Ah dammit, you didn’t say something that would allow me to act like a big enough dick. Oh, wait a second, never mind, I got it! Ahem- well, until I know more, I don’t want to put those two together,” and Tony’s like, “Alright." (Editor's note: This is sounding like an episode of "Gilmore Girls!").
Nina’s driving Kim and Teri to the safe house, where Teri tries to ease her daughter’s worries about her stomach aches, saying that it was “Just a cist burst.” I’m sure that everyone that watched this episode for the first time were thinking, “Man, is there the slightest chance she’s not pregnant?” Meanwhile, in a very underrated moment of the show, Jack gets rid of all of the day’s stress in seconds by screaming at Maleficent.
Drazen and the hot hottie of hotness finish having sex, and when she’s about to take a shower, Alexis keeps trying to be nice to her, which pretty much makes him the most evil character on the show. At CTU, Palmer’s still trying to see Jack, so he talks Chappelle’s mom into calling him, and the call goes a little like this;
“Who is this?”
“Who else would be calling you? It’s your MOTHER, Chappelle!”
“Uh, mom, I’m working at CTU. We can’t really talk right no-”
“Don’t you DARE talk to me like that, Chappelle! Remember who you’re talking to!”
“Wha- what do you want?”
“David Palmer has just informed me of you keeping him from talking to someone. Now let the man do what he wants, or I’ll GROUND your ass again, CHAPPELLE!!!”
“Oh-god-oh-god, alright, don’t worry about it, mom!”
Anyway, David gets to talk to Jack, and it’s a nice little conversation. They laugh, have a few drinks, yell at each other since Palmer thinks that Jack’s trying to kill him. David’s like, “I know Allstate’s stand, but I’m not in mother fucking good hands until you EXPLAIN yourself!”, and Jack’s like “Man, I really wasn’t trying to kill you!”, and David’s like, “Oh.”
Black guy(who’s name probably IS black guy) sees Teri and Kim’s approaching car and says, “Alright, my imminent death should happen very soon- I mean, um, alright, they’ve just arrived at the safe house.” The women all get out of the car, and we get introduced to Black guy’s partner, White guy. I wonder if they were getting impatient for their imminent deaths. Nina explains to Jack’s family that these two men have worked with Jack for many years and that they’re two of CTU’s best. Alright, writers, we already KNEW that they were going to die, you really didn’t need to make it more obvious to us. Damn.
Black guy and White guy ask Nina where she wants them, and she says, “One in and one out.” Now Nina, you’re not talking to Tony and Jack.
Palmer and Bauer begin to figure out what’s going on- though still unaware of who’s ultimately behind this. They contact a man who was involved in a two-year old operation with both of them- Barney Gumble, and the three of them start doing research. (24, can someone die?)
HHH finds out that her planned flight to Nevada might not happen, so she immediately calls her boyfriend/sex toy/terrorist and lets him know. But Alexis is sitting with Andre Drazen, so it turns out that he’s a h- Ohhhh, they’re brothers.
Teri finds out that she’s, in fact, pregnant, and she tells Kim, who gets upset, because…Ok, for once I don’t like Kim. But Teri explains how Kim should try and understand what she’s going through and that being pregnant is scary. Hell, I understand that. Any Bauer that’s pregnant should be scarred shitless of their baby cutting his/her way out of their stomach. Teri, just know this; When you give the kid a bath, DON’T DRY IT OFF WITH A TOWEL.
Milo comes in and Barney needs his login id and password. You see, Milo’s important! But a guy comes in the bar that Barney’s in, and Gumble gets his gun ready. However, it turns out that he just wants a beer.
Teri and Kim are eating (Editor's note: It seems like Season 1 was really the only season where characters were consistently eating, didn't Nina have a pierogie back in the beginning of the day?), and Nina needs to question Teri about what happened, while Kim calls Rick, and he’s like, “I don’t have a rich family. Feel sorry for me.” Other than that, I can understand how he’s afraid of going to prison for life. Seriously though, Rick’s not THAT bad of a character. Consider this; if Kim were in his position, she probably wouldn’t last a day, and that is WITHOUT cougars, pedophiles, animal traps, blond-obsessed women-abusers, and anything having to do with cars. (Editor's note: You could put Kim in a room filled with only cotton balls and band-aids and she'd still find a way to almost die).
While researching, David starts to talk to Jack about his thoughts, and when he mentions his family, Jack tells him that it’s not easy being a part of a family in anyway. This is probably the defining scene of the episode. But David has to leave, so he gets Jack reinstated for the day. Back at the safe house, Teri finds out that Jack dated Nina and almost loses it. Ouch.
Barney Gumble goes to the restroom, and guess what- he gets strangled to death. I have no doubt that eventually the police will come in and the bar will be investigated. Man, why can’t people just leave bars alone?
Well, that’s my review of the episode. I will say this, though; I can’t help but find it unique because it seems like one of the few episodes to have a theme and a message to it, and it’s about the hardships of being a family member. Episodes with messages is not something that 24’s known for- sure, there have been seasons with themes and messages, such as season 3 and season 7, but not episodes. For 24, this is odd, but not unwelcome. Thanks again Adam for letting me review this episode. I look forward to seeing the next reviews.
Editor's note: Spencer, thank you for another great review. I really appreciate the hard work you've put into this one- and it gives me a sick sense of satisfaction that you and others know firsthand how much time it takes to do one of these reviews. But again, I am thrilled with the results!
Who's next?
Showing posts with label Ryan Chappelle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ryan Chappelle. Show all posts
Monday, October 04, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
24 Season 1: 1PM-2PM Outsourced Retro Review
Editor's note: This is the 3rd in our outsourced reviews series. Tonight, we get the mastermind of the outsourced project's very own work and it's quite excellent. Alex, thank you for your contribution and your leadership- you've helped keep this site going and I am truly grateful.
Jack and his family ride in a helicopter back to CTU. (Editor's note: don't you mean the CHOPPAH?) Finally cracking a smile, Jack asks Teri and Kim if they’re okay. They say that they are and land on the ground. Teri has some stomach pain, and Jack asks if she’s okay. She says she’s been feeling ill for the last couple of hours. Jack offers her some Pepto-Bismol. Teri prefers Pink Bismuth, so they settle on Teri and Kim going to the hospital.
Before they land, Alberta asks a question she should have had an answer to before she even asked it. Nina rolls her eyes at this, which throws Alberta into a fit. As soon as Jack’s family is clear, she tells him he is under arrest.
Jack asks Nina to make sure his family is okay. Nina tells him that Green has her polishing her extra shoes, but Jack tells her he doesn’t care and that he’s pretty sure Tony has nothing better to do. Jack is taken to an interrogation room and asks for some water.
Nina B.S.es with Alberta, who tells her she can smell B.S. from a mile away. Nina says that she is going to look after Teri and Kim. Greene says it’s cool, but that Tony needs to drop everything he’s doing and cover for her. I’m beginning to wonder why Tony puts up with this?
Palmer goes over some numbers with his assistant. He wants to make sure he’s still primed to wipe the floor with his Democratic colleagues. David and Sherry have a heart-to-heart, where Sherry tries to get him to cover everything up. David tells her that people financing his campaign are blackmailing him, which sets Sherry in an uproar. She can’t stand that someone other than her got David to do exactly what she wanted. David tells her that “this is what happens when you try to cover things up,” and Sherry tells him that since he dropped out of the Seminary, he has no right to preach to her, that’s what her rabbi is for.
Teri and Kim arrive at the hospital wearing CTU-issued Snuggies. The doctor wants to get an ultrasound on Teri, but she says it’s nothing, just the microwave burrito she had at 11:55 the night before. Kim says she ate the last burrito at 10:30, and is dismissed. Teri admits to what happened at the compound, and the doctor arranges for Teri to be taken care of.
Mike tells Palmer he needs to meet with a couple of other Senators in order to get some extra support. Palmer doesn’t want to be seen with them, but Mike assures him that he’s in good hands. Palmer says that sounds like a good campaign slogan, and puts Mike to work with promoting it in all states. Mike mentions that he’s afraid the business with Ferragamo is getting to him. Like Batman, Keith drops from the ceiling and asks what’s up with the doctor. Palmer says that there was a fire in his office. Mike leaves, and Palmer says he’s sorry, but that Ferragamo burned alive. Keith, still on his Batman high, puts the pieces together that Ferragamo’s death is linked to Palmer’s campaign. Palmer and Keith go at it and Keith breaks down. David tells him that he needs to trust him, and that they can’t go to the police yet.
Back at CTU, Chappelle walks in. Ominous music plays behind him. He says hi to Tony, who plays it cool. Milo quits Facebook-stalking some sixteen-year-old named Nadia for a minute and asks Tony what will happen to Jack. Tony says that they won’t name a street after him, but it’s possible he’ll get a dedicatory statue. Chappelle and Jack start a recorded interrogation.
Nina arrives at the hospital and goes to Teri’s room. Some guy is poking around, and says he’s with the FBI. Nina shrugs it off and finds Teri and Kim. Teri is surprised to see Nina, who then introduces herself to Kim, who puts down her Cougar Town coloring book before she says hello. Everyone asks when they can see Jack, and Nina tries to pound it through their heads that a lot of crap has gone down and that things aren’t so simple. Teri thanks Nina for helping save them and tells Kim that they’ll probably see Jack soon. Nina returns to Teri’s old room, only to find that the FBI agent is gone. She finds an FBI Agent and asks to speak to her partner, but he isn’t the man she saw in the room earlier. Nina asks if anyone else is there, and the Agent says no. Nina asks if she’s sure, and the Agent asks if the Pope is Catholic.
Jack explains why he did what he did, and Chappelle says that any loving father would indeed grab a gun a storm a compound like a one-man army to save their family. Nonetheless, he says that CTU protocol must be followed, and since Jack forgot to cross his T’s and dot his I’s, he can’t be reinstated. Jack tells him that’s a load, and that Palmer is still in danger, and that he can help. Ryan says maybe, if the Justice Department doesn’t sauté him with a little jail time. Nina calls and tells him that she thinks there might be another mole in CTU, effectively clearing her of all suspicion. Jack says he thinks so, too. Jamie spent too much time playing Freecell to do what she did on her own, and they think that there may be more going on than they realize.
Green asks Tony what’s up. Milo quickly logs off of this Nadia girl’s Twitter page and pulls up some spreadsheets. Tony tells Green that they suspect three other shooters have come to Los Angeles in order to carry out the Palmer hit in case Jack failed.
Right at that moment, a guy is spying on something other than California Gurls. We see that it’s Kevin Carroll, with a bang-up nose job. He calls Andre Drazen, and tells him that Gaines is dead. He tells him that he told Gaines his plan was flawed, and that he can fix Gaine’s problem. He hangs up on Kevin, just as Peeping Tom detonates a bomb hidden in Kevin’s desert garage. Tom asks him if there’s anything left in his truck, but Kevin tells him to eat rocks. Tom shoots him. BANG!
Green and Tony discuss whether Palmer should stay in Los Angeles or not. Tony says that Palmer needs to bail like a crowd at a Kevin Federline concert. Green likes Tony’s style and tells him that she thinks he can do better than being #3 at CTU. She wants him to sell Jack out.
Alberta goes to Jack’s interrogation room where the man finally has a chance to eat. Never missing an opportunity to screw something up for Jack, Green interrupts his meal. She tells Jack she needs to question him, and Jack says he needs to speak with his family first. She says that can’t happen and Jack tells her to stuff her pleasantries. They go on with the questioning, pleasantries stuffed.
Nina calls Tony and has him send over someone to get prints off of the phone that FBI Agent Phony McCreepy touched. She thinks he’s bogus and wants to prove it. This proves without a doubt that Nina is a force for good in the world.
Back at Palmer HQ, Keith and Sherry duke it out. He tells her that they can’t cover up Ferragamo’s death. She demands to know why not, and Keith says that while covering up an accidental death is totally cool, out-and-out murder isn’t and something needs to be done. He says he’s going to go to the police, and Sherry says that she’ll have Secret Service drop him. She says that he needs to understand and respect his parent’s decision while giving him the Donald Trump “you’re fired!” hand. David comes in and tells them that they family needs to leave California because of additional threats. She asks where they’re going and he tells her that they’re going to Nevada where they can enjoy booze and gambling. Sherry tells Keith that he’s too young for either, but that he’ll have a fun time at Circus Circus.
Chappelle calls Tony in for his statement on Jack’s actions. Ryan puts the pressure on saying that Tony’s testimony may decide whether Jack stays, or if charges are pressed. Tony gives a chuckle and then becomes a man worthy of that soul patch when he tells Ryan that Jack may not be his favorite person, but that there’s no way he’d disapprove of anything Jack’s done. Ryan drops a brick in his pants and realizes Tony’s checkmated him three different ways.
In Palmer’s motorcade, Mike tells Palmer that he’s found out who Jack Bauer is. Palmer realizes this is sensitive material and leans in closer to Mike to ensure that Keith and Sherry don’t hear. Mike, however, doesn’t get the clue and talks at the same volume, totally ruining the moment. Palmer then does the exact same thing, but Sherry pretends not to know any different, so it’s all cool.
Back at the hotel, Palmer’s assistant, Elizabeth, tells some of the other staff she’s going to catch a later flight so that she can spend time with her family in California. They don’t think anything of this since she does this in every state they visit. Lady has a huge family. Anyway, she goes to room 1243, and Peeping Tom opens the door! What?! Elizabeth used Grandma as an excuse to shack up with Tom! GRANDMA! I don’t know what this lady’s deal is, but this just hit me like a letter opener to the gut.
Back at the hospital, Nina debates the merits of capitalist medicine vs. socialized medicine while the forensics guy dusts for prints. He tells her he’s an anarchist and doesn’t care, and that no prints were on the phone. Nina says that’s bogus and that she saw the guy handle the phone. He thinks that she may have seen a ghost, and gives her the number of a paranormal investigation crew. She asks if it could have been a professional, and he says that’s also a possibility.
Green continues to grill Jack, while Nina calls. She wants to move Kim and Teri to a safe house immediately. Alberta goes along with it.
The doctor tells Teri that she had a cyst that ruptured, hence her stomach pain. She says it’s possible that Teri is pregnant. The doctor and Teri discuss girly things, but it’s not as uncomfortable as you’d think since they’re both women. Nina comes in and Teri thinks that she’s come to join the party, but Nina’s really come to crash it. She says that they need to go to the safehouse now. The doctor says that they were just about to paint each other’s nails, but Nina says they can do that at the safehouse. Everyone leaves, but the doctor says she’ll have to come after she finishes with all of her other patients. Everyone is very saddened by this, but a girl’s gotta pay the bills.
Nina thinks she sees Agent McCreepy, but he bails before she can get a good glimpse at him. He calls someone presumably creepier, and says that the girls have left. Ominous music swells.
But hey, it’s not over yet! David Palmer enters CTU. As people notice, they try to find they’re Palmer campaign signs and a Sharpie. Tony rolls his eyes at this, gets up, and goes straight to Palmer. He asks him if there’s anything he can do for him. Palmer realizes that this is a man worthy of the soul patch and tells him he’s there to see Jack Bauer.
1:59:57 – 1:59:58 – 1:59:59 – 2:00:00
Editor's note: I usually like to chime in and interrupt these reviews with my wisecrackin' but as I read (and re-read) this review, I wanted to make sure I didn't mess with its excellent rhythm. And this is Chappelle's first appearance- epic in the history of this show. It seems like the higher the writers went up the CTU ladder, the bigger jerks they found to obstruct Jack and his mission to save the day.
Alex- thank you for your review and I hope you, BL, Spencer and others write more soon. Thank you all!
Jack and his family ride in a helicopter back to CTU. (Editor's note: don't you mean the CHOPPAH?) Finally cracking a smile, Jack asks Teri and Kim if they’re okay. They say that they are and land on the ground. Teri has some stomach pain, and Jack asks if she’s okay. She says she’s been feeling ill for the last couple of hours. Jack offers her some Pepto-Bismol. Teri prefers Pink Bismuth, so they settle on Teri and Kim going to the hospital.
Before they land, Alberta asks a question she should have had an answer to before she even asked it. Nina rolls her eyes at this, which throws Alberta into a fit. As soon as Jack’s family is clear, she tells him he is under arrest.
Jack asks Nina to make sure his family is okay. Nina tells him that Green has her polishing her extra shoes, but Jack tells her he doesn’t care and that he’s pretty sure Tony has nothing better to do. Jack is taken to an interrogation room and asks for some water.
Nina B.S.es with Alberta, who tells her she can smell B.S. from a mile away. Nina says that she is going to look after Teri and Kim. Greene says it’s cool, but that Tony needs to drop everything he’s doing and cover for her. I’m beginning to wonder why Tony puts up with this?
Palmer goes over some numbers with his assistant. He wants to make sure he’s still primed to wipe the floor with his Democratic colleagues. David and Sherry have a heart-to-heart, where Sherry tries to get him to cover everything up. David tells her that people financing his campaign are blackmailing him, which sets Sherry in an uproar. She can’t stand that someone other than her got David to do exactly what she wanted. David tells her that “this is what happens when you try to cover things up,” and Sherry tells him that since he dropped out of the Seminary, he has no right to preach to her, that’s what her rabbi is for.
Teri and Kim arrive at the hospital wearing CTU-issued Snuggies. The doctor wants to get an ultrasound on Teri, but she says it’s nothing, just the microwave burrito she had at 11:55 the night before. Kim says she ate the last burrito at 10:30, and is dismissed. Teri admits to what happened at the compound, and the doctor arranges for Teri to be taken care of.
Mike tells Palmer he needs to meet with a couple of other Senators in order to get some extra support. Palmer doesn’t want to be seen with them, but Mike assures him that he’s in good hands. Palmer says that sounds like a good campaign slogan, and puts Mike to work with promoting it in all states. Mike mentions that he’s afraid the business with Ferragamo is getting to him. Like Batman, Keith drops from the ceiling and asks what’s up with the doctor. Palmer says that there was a fire in his office. Mike leaves, and Palmer says he’s sorry, but that Ferragamo burned alive. Keith, still on his Batman high, puts the pieces together that Ferragamo’s death is linked to Palmer’s campaign. Palmer and Keith go at it and Keith breaks down. David tells him that he needs to trust him, and that they can’t go to the police yet.
Back at CTU, Chappelle walks in. Ominous music plays behind him. He says hi to Tony, who plays it cool. Milo quits Facebook-stalking some sixteen-year-old named Nadia for a minute and asks Tony what will happen to Jack. Tony says that they won’t name a street after him, but it’s possible he’ll get a dedicatory statue. Chappelle and Jack start a recorded interrogation.
Nina arrives at the hospital and goes to Teri’s room. Some guy is poking around, and says he’s with the FBI. Nina shrugs it off and finds Teri and Kim. Teri is surprised to see Nina, who then introduces herself to Kim, who puts down her Cougar Town coloring book before she says hello. Everyone asks when they can see Jack, and Nina tries to pound it through their heads that a lot of crap has gone down and that things aren’t so simple. Teri thanks Nina for helping save them and tells Kim that they’ll probably see Jack soon. Nina returns to Teri’s old room, only to find that the FBI agent is gone. She finds an FBI Agent and asks to speak to her partner, but he isn’t the man she saw in the room earlier. Nina asks if anyone else is there, and the Agent says no. Nina asks if she’s sure, and the Agent asks if the Pope is Catholic.
Jack explains why he did what he did, and Chappelle says that any loving father would indeed grab a gun a storm a compound like a one-man army to save their family. Nonetheless, he says that CTU protocol must be followed, and since Jack forgot to cross his T’s and dot his I’s, he can’t be reinstated. Jack tells him that’s a load, and that Palmer is still in danger, and that he can help. Ryan says maybe, if the Justice Department doesn’t sauté him with a little jail time. Nina calls and tells him that she thinks there might be another mole in CTU, effectively clearing her of all suspicion. Jack says he thinks so, too. Jamie spent too much time playing Freecell to do what she did on her own, and they think that there may be more going on than they realize.
Green asks Tony what’s up. Milo quickly logs off of this Nadia girl’s Twitter page and pulls up some spreadsheets. Tony tells Green that they suspect three other shooters have come to Los Angeles in order to carry out the Palmer hit in case Jack failed.
Right at that moment, a guy is spying on something other than California Gurls. We see that it’s Kevin Carroll, with a bang-up nose job. He calls Andre Drazen, and tells him that Gaines is dead. He tells him that he told Gaines his plan was flawed, and that he can fix Gaine’s problem. He hangs up on Kevin, just as Peeping Tom detonates a bomb hidden in Kevin’s desert garage. Tom asks him if there’s anything left in his truck, but Kevin tells him to eat rocks. Tom shoots him. BANG!
Green and Tony discuss whether Palmer should stay in Los Angeles or not. Tony says that Palmer needs to bail like a crowd at a Kevin Federline concert. Green likes Tony’s style and tells him that she thinks he can do better than being #3 at CTU. She wants him to sell Jack out.
Alberta goes to Jack’s interrogation room where the man finally has a chance to eat. Never missing an opportunity to screw something up for Jack, Green interrupts his meal. She tells Jack she needs to question him, and Jack says he needs to speak with his family first. She says that can’t happen and Jack tells her to stuff her pleasantries. They go on with the questioning, pleasantries stuffed.
Nina calls Tony and has him send over someone to get prints off of the phone that FBI Agent Phony McCreepy touched. She thinks he’s bogus and wants to prove it. This proves without a doubt that Nina is a force for good in the world.
Back at Palmer HQ, Keith and Sherry duke it out. He tells her that they can’t cover up Ferragamo’s death. She demands to know why not, and Keith says that while covering up an accidental death is totally cool, out-and-out murder isn’t and something needs to be done. He says he’s going to go to the police, and Sherry says that she’ll have Secret Service drop him. She says that he needs to understand and respect his parent’s decision while giving him the Donald Trump “you’re fired!” hand. David comes in and tells them that they family needs to leave California because of additional threats. She asks where they’re going and he tells her that they’re going to Nevada where they can enjoy booze and gambling. Sherry tells Keith that he’s too young for either, but that he’ll have a fun time at Circus Circus.
Chappelle calls Tony in for his statement on Jack’s actions. Ryan puts the pressure on saying that Tony’s testimony may decide whether Jack stays, or if charges are pressed. Tony gives a chuckle and then becomes a man worthy of that soul patch when he tells Ryan that Jack may not be his favorite person, but that there’s no way he’d disapprove of anything Jack’s done. Ryan drops a brick in his pants and realizes Tony’s checkmated him three different ways.
In Palmer’s motorcade, Mike tells Palmer that he’s found out who Jack Bauer is. Palmer realizes this is sensitive material and leans in closer to Mike to ensure that Keith and Sherry don’t hear. Mike, however, doesn’t get the clue and talks at the same volume, totally ruining the moment. Palmer then does the exact same thing, but Sherry pretends not to know any different, so it’s all cool.
Back at the hotel, Palmer’s assistant, Elizabeth, tells some of the other staff she’s going to catch a later flight so that she can spend time with her family in California. They don’t think anything of this since she does this in every state they visit. Lady has a huge family. Anyway, she goes to room 1243, and Peeping Tom opens the door! What?! Elizabeth used Grandma as an excuse to shack up with Tom! GRANDMA! I don’t know what this lady’s deal is, but this just hit me like a letter opener to the gut.
Back at the hospital, Nina debates the merits of capitalist medicine vs. socialized medicine while the forensics guy dusts for prints. He tells her he’s an anarchist and doesn’t care, and that no prints were on the phone. Nina says that’s bogus and that she saw the guy handle the phone. He thinks that she may have seen a ghost, and gives her the number of a paranormal investigation crew. She asks if it could have been a professional, and he says that’s also a possibility.
Green continues to grill Jack, while Nina calls. She wants to move Kim and Teri to a safe house immediately. Alberta goes along with it.
The doctor tells Teri that she had a cyst that ruptured, hence her stomach pain. She says it’s possible that Teri is pregnant. The doctor and Teri discuss girly things, but it’s not as uncomfortable as you’d think since they’re both women. Nina comes in and Teri thinks that she’s come to join the party, but Nina’s really come to crash it. She says that they need to go to the safehouse now. The doctor says that they were just about to paint each other’s nails, but Nina says they can do that at the safehouse. Everyone leaves, but the doctor says she’ll have to come after she finishes with all of her other patients. Everyone is very saddened by this, but a girl’s gotta pay the bills.
Nina thinks she sees Agent McCreepy, but he bails before she can get a good glimpse at him. He calls someone presumably creepier, and says that the girls have left. Ominous music swells.
But hey, it’s not over yet! David Palmer enters CTU. As people notice, they try to find they’re Palmer campaign signs and a Sharpie. Tony rolls his eyes at this, gets up, and goes straight to Palmer. He asks him if there’s anything he can do for him. Palmer realizes that this is a man worthy of the soul patch and tells him he’s there to see Jack Bauer.
1:59:57 – 1:59:58 – 1:59:59 – 2:00:00
Editor's note: I usually like to chime in and interrupt these reviews with my wisecrackin' but as I read (and re-read) this review, I wanted to make sure I didn't mess with its excellent rhythm. And this is Chappelle's first appearance- epic in the history of this show. It seems like the higher the writers went up the CTU ladder, the bigger jerks they found to obstruct Jack and his mission to save the day.
Alex- thank you for your review and I hope you, BL, Spencer and others write more soon. Thank you all!
Monday, March 23, 2009
24 Season 7: 10PM-11PM Quick Review
Things just got real serious.
Let's start at the end- Jack Bauer may have been exposed to the deadly biological weapon that Jonas Hodges and his gun-toting crew arranged to smuggle into this country. No, Jack won't die, we can all safely take comfort in that fact. But Bauer is definitely hurt. And it will get worse as we learn more of his condition next week. I'm freaking out a little to be honest. But damn, this is awesome television.
There is a great moment that happens in tonight's episode that I think elevates this season far past Day 6- where Jack and Tony are setting up their ambush of Starkwood's crew (headed by the formidable newcomer Stokes). As Jack and Tony are about to stop the bad guys, Bauer sees an opportunity to save the Port Authority guard that unwittingly got himself involved in the terrorist plot. And the ghosts that haunt our hero (Chase Edmunds, Ryan Chappelle and Buchanan to name a few) push him to make the tactically incorrect decision in order to save the guard's life. For too long, Jack has been making the mathematical tradeoffs- letting one person die to save hundreds, etc. In a TV show, it's easy for the audience to accept those moral justifications. But Bauer defies the correct course of action and instead makes the "right" choice- saving the guard despite the risks.
Look, I'm not going to beat your heads with a 2 X 4 of morality or some other type of philosophical lumber. You either like that decision or you don't. I can see it from both sides of the argument. But either way, you have to give the writers credit for not making this a plain shoot 'em up tonight. I see Bauer changing as a result of this season's events. He's not so quick to sacrifice lives to win the day. As Senator Mayer alluded to last week- heroism is not always taking the most straightforward path. And maybe Jack is not a hero for selfishly doing the less repugnant thing, even if it risks thousands dying later. Tony certainly wasn't buying Jack's moral dilemma, but true to his nature he stuck by Jack and sacrificed his own safety.
On the other side of this moral equation sits Jonas Hodges. He is willing to act in any way necessary to protect his interests. No life matters to Hodges. He is completely Machiavellian in his deeds. And the President's daughter, Olivia Taylor, to a less homicidal degree, is acting with the same disregard for others. There are moral choices being considered on "24." Tonight's episode reminded me of this show's unique value.
