(2:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M.)
Review/Commentary
Reviewer: D
"Explosive!" is an overused word in television marketing, particularly by our friends at Fox. But frankly, I can think of no better word to describe this last episode. Explosive in several ways: Explosive cars! Explosive (and impressive) marksmanship by the bad-guys! An explosive and cringe-inducing display of wanton torture by the good guys! An explosive display of guts by former door-matt Edgar! OK, not a literally explosive display of guts - with Edgar's girth, that'd be gross. How about "An explosive display of balls by the previously emasculated Edgar!" Again, not a literal display because that’s scary to even think about...anyway, you get the idea.
In general, another wham-bang bonanza of good fun! In many ways, just as good as Hour 6. The even-numbered hours seem to be the kick-ass ones this season for some reason – sorry about that, J.
The best part of this hour, the truly transcendent part, was the re-introduction of our boy Tony. I can’t really gauge what it’s like for newbies to the show, but like J has said, for vets it was a little like welcoming back a good friend. And Tony’s plot trajectory has made him a wonderfully intriguing character. From petulant Nina-lover on Day 1 to wounded and eventually arrested head of CTU on Day 3, Tony’s been through the ringer and the cracks are showing. He’s got a bitchy girlfriend, a bit of a drinking problem, and a petulant attitude. But when it comes down to it, he’s still ready – maybe secretly a little eager – to play Kemosabe to Jack’s Lone Ranger. It’s no secret that Michelle is scheduled to reappear somewhere down the road this season, meaning that the story of Tony is destined to get even more interesting.
If I could make one brief plea to Fox (who obviously reads this page regularly – J predicted the Presidential pardon for Tony NINE MONTHS ago, so where else could they have got that idea? [I think D is making fun of me – J]) On behalf of J and me – please don’t kill off Tony! He adds another layer of tasty dramatic goodness on top of a season already chock full of the stuff. It would bruise me to the core if he were to end up wearing a toe-tag in the already overstocked 24 morgue.
Anyway, let’s run through this most fine episode, shall we? First off, now that President Keeler has announced evacuations, do you think we’re going to get scenes of panic in the streets, massive traffic tie-ups, and general chaos? I’m thinking probably. But it’s got to be a hard call for the 24 producers – gangs of extras don’t just grow on trees you know. Here’s a tip, fellas: between the hurricanes last fall and the tsunami, there’s reams of footage out there that you can massage for use in the show. Who would be the wiser? Slap a little fake TV news voice-over on top of it and you’re golden! That one’s free, Fox guys, but after this, it’s going to cost you!
Also, why aren’t they telling us what cities are in danger? Are they afraid of setting off a “War of the Worlds” style panic in those places? And furthermore, will Flagstaff be included?
Back in CTU land, Jack calls Heller who brings in baby-faced assistant Scott Borman (in case you missed the name) to nab the agency mole. Like so many other aspects of this season, the inter-agency tension angle just continues to gain depth. Apparently, the Department of Defense has ways of spying on CTU that even CTU can’t detect. Sure, they end up snatching up the wrong chick, but still, it was an honest mistake. Sarah ends up getting a little high-voltage electrolysis but, hey, at least she won’t be bothered by those unsightly back-of-the-neck hairs that women hate. Also, the shocks might finally wipe that constipated look off her face.
Meanwhile, we’re getting a little view into Tony’s domestic life. He apparently thinks his situation is pretty crappy – and the writers reinforce that by having Tony mention the neighbor’s dog and its regular deposits on their yard. Nice symbolism! But frankly, I’m thinking Tony got off OK. Maybe it’s one of those half-full/half-empty things: I’m imagining that he could have wasted away in federal prison for a couple of decades, whereas he’s probably thinking he should’ve been awarded the Purple Heart for taking a bullet in the neck last season. It’s all about perspective people.
Anyway, in addition to a smelly yard, Tony has a grouchy girlfriend who obviously hasn’t had much interaction with his former colleagues. But as irritable as she is, she knows her national news, picking up on who Audrey is pretty quickly. This sets up one of the few injections of humor (mild as it might be) in the show, with Audrey saying she could have girlfriend’s boss killed. It’s heartwarming to see that women can reach across the social and economic barriers and agree that asshole bosses should be shot. I’m hoping Tony’s girlfriend works back into the story later. I imagine a scenario where the bad guys kidnap her to use as leverage and Tony basically goes, “go ahead and keep her.”
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