24 This Week: 3/13/06

Okay, so after the harrowing events of last week's two hour extravanganza of the non-stop season of "24," the thought is that this week's episode would keep the pace and live up to what those two hours built up. Um, not so fast.

I've had many conversations about this, and I'm sorry, I've got to put the hater hat on and say this episode wasn't that good. I can be a big guy and admit maybe the things they did in the two hour blitz raised the bar a little too high and because this episode wasn't as good, I'm being unduly negative, but it just wasn't that good to me. I will admit, it's a filler episode. The writers dug themselves in this hole of having CTU attacked, people dying--especially poor Edgar--and made good drama. The following episode had to be them getting out of this dramatic situation. I just didn't think it was all that and done particularly well. That said, there's still stuff we learned:

What did we learn this week:
-- Jack is still The Man. Out of everyone stuck in the room, who did everyone listen to? Who was the only one willing to hold his breath and go through the wall to get to the computer? Jack Bauer. Recognize. Just make the man a statue already and his birthday a national holiday.

--That said, Peter Weller's no joke either. Another problem I had with this episode is the old trick of a super badass faking his vital signs only to rise up and wreak havoc on unsuspecting folks. Weller looks like he's in a coma, and has been injected with this horrible drug forever, and pops up and escapes. Too easy. I mean, he's a badass cause he got the jump on Jack and can resist torture, but come on. I hope they catch him cause he shouldn't be able to get too far.

--And on that note, when you want to kill somebody, make up your mind before you wield the weapon. Tony, I love ya, but man, if you're going to hover over a superbadass, use the needle, don't hesitate. We see what can happen. So boys and girls, when choosing to kill someone you think is unconscious either: A) knock that fool in the head and make sure he's out and THEN use something to kill them, B) make up your mind you're going to do it, get the weapon, and have at it, or C) do what Cameron suggested and just blow the opponent away with a gun. Distance weapons, people. No need to get all down and dirty.

--Using my "You are such an idiot" ratings system, this episode should've been a five-star, cause I didn't say until the end when President Logan's waxing poetic about his day and CRYING. The President is CRYING. And saying he doesn't know how much more he can take. Oh, please. Instead of trying to find the gas, they should be trying to find Logan's cajones, cause he has NONE! God, I hate this guy. Interestingly enough, I read an article with the actor playing Logan and he says people come up to him on the street and say anything from "You're no David Palmer" to more...let's say colorful things, and he doesn't know how to take it. He's proud he's doing a good job with the character, but man, is he going to be typecasted in the future.

--That tenure does not matter on this show as far as your character's death/exit. Lynn McGill, the Hobbit, dies heroically saving about 20 people in CTU. Tony Almeida--Mr. Michelle Dessler as I know him--dies waffling over the bad guy who then sticks some bad potion in his chest cavity. Not good. I'm alright with Lynn sacrificing himself b/c the whole thing was his fault. And it pays into my theory of no good can come from being head of CTU (George Mason, sacrifices saving everyone from a nuke; Jack's losses; Tony almost going to jail over being a traitor to save Michelle; and like I said, the lady last year). Bill Buchanon, watch your back! But Tony is a great character and deserved to go out more honorably. I almost would've preferred him to be in Lynn's place in the story, but I understand why they did it. I would've even preferred Peter Weller just shot Tony in the back, making it all the more about revenge when Jack gets his hands on him. But stabbed in the heart with the needle? Nah. Also, that little bit with the security guard with Lynn calling his family and stuff? Didn't need it. They wasted sentiment on a character I didn't give a rat's ass about. Sad he had to sacrifice through no fault of his own, but they didn't build up for me to feel anything for him as he talked to his daughter. Waste of plot to me.

--best line of the week goes to Chloe with the "I woke up in bed with a man I'll probably never see again and just watched my best friend die, so I'm not having a good day." Runner up was Chloe again with "What is it with you and breathing? Does that solve everything?"

--Kiefer's a great actor. Since about, I'd say Season three, we've seen maybe one or two moments a season where we actually see the day's effect on Jack. This time, it was done perfectly with him after he asked Lynn and the security guard to sacrifice themselves, and you saw it when Kim tells him she doesn't want to be around him and Audrey comes to comfort him. Great stuff.

Like I said, not a great episode, but necessary to get them out of the hole they dug themselves into with the previous episodes. Let's hope getting back on the main storyline brings back the action. And I can't wait to see how the surviving CTU folks we know and love thwart Homeland Security, who are arriving to bring the smackdown on them. Oh, and I think this is the end of what we've seen of Kim this season, which is fine b/c you get a little of Jack's soft side, and now she's gone, so poof, he can disappear again. And for those who didn't get the Pony Boy reference in the last blog (credit to those that used their own means to figure it out), C. Thomas Howell, Kim's boyfriend, played that role in Francis Ford Coppolla's "The Outsiders" way back in the day. Come on, people, you've got to have the IMDB and Google open when ya read this blog! :) Till next week....