(7:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M.)
Review/Commentary
Reviewer: J
So I was thinking about how ludicrously busy my life seems to be this particular week and I got to thinking that maybe I could do the review differently this week. Normally I jot some thoughts down and refer to my notes from the show as I write, but for Hour Thirteen I am going to write the review in complete chronological order. I’ll review the events as they happen since I’m currently sitting in front of my TV with the TiVo cued up. I’m not sure if this will give you, the reader, a different experience or not, but hey, what the hell.
So we open up with a rather lengthy “previously on 24.” McClennan-Forster gets their own freeze-frame, continuing the dislikable trend of entire units getting freeze-frames instead of only people. I have never like the “CTU” freeze-frame but it keeps rearing its ugly head. I guess an entity like CTU is indeed a character on the show, but in that case why not have “Los Angeles” get its own freeze-frame as well? Ah, but I digress.
The “previously on 24” montage rolls on and reminds us that M-F’s head of security also appears to be adept at computer file deletion cover-ups. How handy. He also packs a gun and convinces the CEO to utilize the electromagnetic pulse bomb – which Jack seems to be explaining to an awestruck Paul. Wait, isn’t Paul pretty bright? He knows computer technology as well as he does but he needs a lesson on what an EMP is? Uh, okay, I guess.
So we open up with some eerie music that I like that indicates the dark silence in the eight square city miles that are blacked out. Audrey asks Curtis, “What was the last word we heard from Jack and Paul?” Rather than give the actual answer of “Ahhhhhhhhhh!!” which is what I believe Jack was saying as the EMP did its bad-ass thing, Curtis tells her that they “found something.” Audrey exposits for the rest of us that M-F must be guilty in some way if they’re trying to stop CTU from finding everything. Duh, Audrey, we know that already. Didn’t you just watch the “previously on 24” thing on one of the many monitors tuned to Fox at CTU? Anyway, she says that the fact that M-F is trying to stop Jack and Paul is “evidence against them” “Yeah, but not proof,” replies Curtis cryptically. Uhm, okay. Audrey looks perplexed. So am I.
Apparently, Audrey doesn’t know what an EMP is, either, since she wonders if Jack or Paul are hurt. On cue, we see Paul getting his ass kicked by the head of security’s henchmen. Jeez, everyone has henchmen in this show. We see Jack standing by watching Paul get his fingers slammed in a file drawer. Jack enjoys this for a little while before moving in. I liked Paul and Jack together in this episode. I had said to D that I hoped we’d find out Paul had been in Her Majesty’s Royal Army or something, but I don’t think he was. More like Her Majesty’s Royal Prep School. Anyway, as Jack moves in to save him, Paul gets into the standard hostage situation drop-your-gun-or-I’ll-kill-him position. He and Jack seem to communicate telepathically and Paul jerks his head enough for Jack to get a clean shot off. Nicely done. Of course, if Paul fully understood that Jack hasn’t been in the field in a year and a half, maybe he would have thought differently. Although I’m sure Jack’s got one of those suction-cup dart guns set up in his cubicle in D.C. So it’s cool.
Moving right along, they head off to look for the all-important data printout that Paul was able to salvage from the computer system. Damn, after all they end up going through in this episode, I sure hope there’s something on that encrypted paper and not just Marwan’s porn collection.
At about the same time, back at CTU, Heller is introducing Michelle to the group and asking her estranged, drunken husband to “bring her and everyone else up to speed.” Christ, Heller, we all saw the “previously on 24” thing four minutes ago. I think we’re good. Nevertheless, Tony, in a very pained way, rattles off what’s been happening and where things stand. Which is to say, “lots of close calls ‘n shit” and “in darkness.”
Another fun pairing this hour was our old class couple, Tony and Michelle. Michelle has become a full-on Division hard-ass and initially assigns Tony some crap work and manages to work in a barb about his drinking. She also gives him only a Level 3 security clearance. Tony appears to be hurt, claiming that he “used to be a 6.” Well, Tony, it’s only a security clearance. It’s not like she said your cunnilingus skills went from a 6 to a 3, you know?
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