24 This Week: 5/8/06

So after waiting for what seems like an eternity again for the new episode, we get the softer side of "24" this week. I must say, I liked it, and I'm a little biased because I like the writer of the episode, Manny Coto. He's cut his teeth on a lot of TV, but Coto was responsible for bringing some humanity to "Star Trek: Enterprise" in its last season, and he brings a lot to this episode where we get the action of landing the plane out of the way from the get go, and then on to personal relationships in the show. Jack and Audrey....Karen and Miles...Logan and Marty...Chloe and--the nearest laptop. :) Some people may think this one was a little slow, but I liked it a lot. But....what did we learn?

--that budget ain't necessarily going to special FX. I don't know, the plane stuff just looked bad to me for a show of "24"'s caliber, but maybe the money is being spent on all these freakin' guest stars this year and not CG. I mean it was decent for episodic TV budgets, but yeah, this show ain't Battlestar Galactica.

--that Jack shouldn't have to repeat himself. When the co-pilot/traitor is giving Jack some lip, Jack gets his gun a little closer to his head as if to say, "Just in case there's some confusion here, I have a gun. It's pointed at your head. Do as I say." That's effective negotiating in my book.

--that I thought at one point "24" would get wacky and it'd be the Marines vs. CTU (Curtis' ground team picking up Jack). Thankfully they realized we've had quite enough "Oh, come on" moments so far, so they gave us a break with this one. Besides, we all know who'd win--CTU agents can't keep a building secure to save their life, but in the field, with Jack Bauer, who can stop 'em?!

--that someone--oh, Miles--needs a BIG timeout. Okay, first of all, if I had a subordinate talk to me the way Miles talked to Karen, whoa nelly, there'd be some bitch slappin' going on! Maybe that's why I work alone, hmmm. But yeah, he demands that she tell him what's going on? She needs the Jack Bauer School of Counterterrorism, especially the class on "Do as I say or people will die, starting with you." And who couldn't see the treatchery from Miles coming a mile away. I didn't know if he was already in on the plot with the President, but I knew in some way, scuzzy Miles would do something underhanded and piss me off even more. Execution at the end of the show for two, please--Miles and President Logan. I do kind of feel like his betrayal of Karen is sort of not in character--he's a weasel but so far had been a loyal weasel--but hey, we need all the villains we can get on this show to keep it chugging for another 3 hours.

--speaking of villains, what's up with the driver of Beirko's transfer detail being in on it and the one eventually to lead to his escape? Come on! Is like every third government agent on the take in this universe? Grant you, we've gotten up the the President being crooked now, but damn, every time you turn around, there's some "inside man" giving a wink and a smile to the bad guy in custody to say, "Don't worry, man, we're going to the Sizzler after we get you out of those cuffs." Hopefully as the show is winding down, we've seen the last of this. Again, whoever's doing these background checks for these employees...we have a serious HR problems in the CTU/government world.

--another TV law: Right before you're ready to kill yourself, if there's not enough time to eat that last great meal, but just enough time for you to reflect, a character will always take a drink of alcohol...always. And it's most of the time a dark liquor, all the better to see on camera (gotta love that aged scotch someone always has stashed). Is it that you want to get sloshed enough to do the deed or we like liquor so much we want that to be the last taste on our lips? You be the judge.

--Great acting by the way of Greg Itzin (Prez Logan). The quiet moments during his walk back to his room after talking to the First Lady...his dialogue with Rocket Romano hinting at suicide...the guy is doing a great job. I must admit, they almost had me thinking he really was going to off himself...but then I looked and there was like 10 minutes left in the show, so I knew SOMETHING was going to happen to stop him :) And great little tender moment with Jack and Audrey as he visits her in the infirmary. I actually felt it was genuine. What can I say, I'm a mushy guy...

--two quotes of the week:
MILES: I'm just doing my job, Chloe.
CHLOE: Well, if your job is to slow things down, you're doing a great job, Miles.

and then when Marty says she'd be impressed with the President's ability to lie if she wasn't horrified that she was married to him. Ouch.


We're in the home stretch now, people! Secretary Heller IS alive after all, so that's one mystery solved. Aaron is tied up and looks like he's been beaten to a pulp. Here's hoping he says, "And I'm going to have relations with your wife," right after he plugs Logan upon his escape :) Jack tries to get the evidence from Henderson after the sabotage, so this is probably the last stand with Robocop--may the best badass win. And I've got to admit, I'm curious now with the tape destroyed how they're going to bring down the President. Unless someone talks, there's no way to get him. But we'll soon find out, same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.

SHAMELESS PLUG OF THE WEEK: http://www.retrojunk.com/
You must, must, must check out this website. It'll mean more to those of us in the 30 and up category, but will be nostalgic for you younger tykes, too. It has a lot of intros from old TV shows and sadly, I have some in my video library I could give them to fill in their blanks. This is your warning: it is highly addictive and once you start watching, you can't stop! Till next week....