24 This Week: 5/15/06

Three more to go! Three more eps to go and this season of 24 will come to an end. How time flies. DirecTV has this thing called Showcases and one of them was a 2-minute summary of this season so far and has a few clips from the finale, and I've gotta say after watching it, this season has flown by and man, they packed a lot into it. I don't know about the rest of you, but I feel like this season was the best in terms of them presenting a good, straight coherent storyline and sticking to it. I mean, it wouldn't be 24 without the plot twists and turns (Edgar dying, President Logan being the baddie), but in terms of the overall arc of the season and all the things they did to get there, it was very straightforward and not...all over the place as some seasons have tended to be. Last night's episode, not one of my favorites I must say. They save a sub full of missiles as the big gun of the end? I just as well would've had Jack destroying the gas plant as the finale, or even the diplomat plane siutation. I just felt the sub thing was too much to present in just three episodes left. But last night did have some great moments...

--From my boy Cameron's mouth to the writers' ears: Friday we were talking about how would Jack handle Miles' betrayal and destruction of the tape and Cameron says, all Jack is gonna do is grab him by the throat, yell at him, and almost kill him. And lo and behold, that's what happened! I'm just glad they caught Miles and realized it was him, even though they had to let him go so he could hump the President's leg. And did you see how Jack took out the guard Karen told to stop him? One punch in the chest and dude was DOWN. I've gotta learn that....

--Henderson is Jack Bauer version 1.0 I mean, dude thinks like Jack, doesn't give a crap like Jack...he may be one of the best characters created yet for Jack to deal with. I just wish they had made him an out and out villain. That would've been a good battle of wits (he escapes and comes back next year?). And as for him saying he was helping them to obtain the files and stuff: dawg, you're going to tell the guy they're trying to apprehend you've got CTU with you, ask for a gun, and you want Jack to trust you that you're doing what you agreed to? Come on. I'm surprised Jack didn't shoot him on sight after the gun fight.

--The lovers, Aaron and Martha Logan. Ah, love is in the air. She finds Aaron, shoots his captor, and is tending to his wounds. Okay, who else thought they would go there and kiss? I totally thought they'd go there, but I guess with Aaron being all honorable, he wouldn't get all freaky with the still married Martha...but you could see the "unspoken bond" between them. I still have Vegas odds Aaron shoots Prez Logan, despite the tease for next week that shows Jack possibly doing it. On a side note: Keifer's movie "The Sentinel" features a Secret Service agent who is set up and blackmailed due to his having an affair with the First Lady. Coincidence, no? And the Chloe O'Brien Line of the Week goes to Aaron: "You are not a man and you have disgraced the office, CHARLES." I mean, all that was missing was Aaron spitting in his face. To no longer call him the President and give him no respect, you go, Aaron.

--So Bierko has one canister of nerve gas left, I can get with that. But you use it on a submarine? I mean, in that enclosed area, you'll never get all that gas out and you know how it stinks up the upholstery! But seriously, how did they know that submarine was in port there when it wasn't --as far as we know -- part of the original plan? And why do all the bad guys have great HR people? Because I always hire a team that's multitasked in not only chemical warfare, but how to RUN A FREAKIN' SUBMARINE! These guys can do it all. No terrorist plot too big, none too small. I find it amazing. And like Kathy was saying, that poor sub captain. Even if you're talking to Jack on the phone, you're a red shirt waiting to die. My man pokes his head out of the hatch, boom. Don't get next to Jack Bauer, I'm telling you.

--In one weekend, I've seen two "What Would" scenarios. On the West Wing finale, there was "What Would Leo Do?" In 24 last night, it was "What Would David Palmer Do?" Wise men to follow and live by. Something tells me there will be no "What Would George W Do?" ever uttered because that would mean interrupting our TV viewing with a political soapbox speech that could be shown on C-Span in the time it took to reiterate stuff he's said before. Fool! I'm not saying the immigration issue isn't important, but a national TV address? In the middle of sweeps?! To say things you've said already and just looking to ease the tension you, yourself, created? David Palmer would have known the value of not doing that....and the value of All-State Insurance :)

Next week, the stunning two hour season finale. How in God's green Earth are they going to bring Logan to justice without evidence? Will he even live or die (chant with me now: Aaron, Aaron, Aaron)? Will Chloe stop the submarine with her computer LIKE ALWAYS and give Jack the window he needs to save the day? And what happens to Jack? Now that every government agent in the world (thanks to that arrest warrant by the President) and everyone in LA knows he's alive, will the Chinese come knocking? Dude just signed on for a couple more years, so unless we're now called 24: Prison Break II, he's got to get away or be exonerated somehow. Will he and Audrey live happily ever after? And what about that Grey's Anatomy finale? What a let down! :) Until next week!