The Hour of Chloe

Besides Jack, Chloe is the one constant in 24.  Since Day 3, her character has always been loyal (to Jack, at least), competent and involved in the action with very little personal drama or wasted subplots getting in the way.

However, during the last two days, Chloe was always treated as a sideshow- forced to withstand the mendacity of the intellectually challenged Agents Janis, Arlo and Dana.  But tonight, that all changed.  24 may be the story of the longest days in Jack Bauer’s life, but tonight’s episode was all Chloe.

It would be an understatement to say that Chloe has been underused this season.  Just like last season, Chloe has played the part of a fish out of water in the new CTU (although last year, it was the FBI). But in her actions tonight to get CTU back up and running after an EMP attack, Chloe’s story brought me back to simpler times when she stopped a terrorist’s runaway car with an automatic weapon.  Or that time she put down a lecherous barfly with a taser.

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Jack Bauer Vs. The Boy In The Iron Lung

The main arc in tonight’s episode of 24 took place in a hospital, where Jack Bauer tried to lure a teenage suicide bomber out of an iron lung.

For most of the episode, Jack tried sweet-talking the kid (who looks like a dullard but somehow, in a manner of minutes, managed to sketch out the bomb wiring on the inside wall of his chamber) out of the iron lung, before bringing in the big guns: the kid’s mother.

At last, I thought, something to break the monotony of this episode.  I thought Jack would pull a gun on the mother, aim it at her head and tell the kid he was going to watch his mother die.  But no.  Jack let the kid and his mother have a few moments to discuss things.  Sure, Jack even busted out the “I give you my word” card for (what felt like) the first time this season, but nothing happened.  I was convinced this episode was another waste of what could have been perfectly good TV, but then Jack ordered the mother pulled out of the room.  And then Jack really went to work…

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Jack Bauer Vs. Scoliosis

I have an issue with this season of 24.  Much like previous days, I can’t take the CTU director/token authority figure seriously.

Sure, Brian Hastings is borderline incompetent, way too egotistical and follows the CTU rulebook a little too much.  But that we’ve seen before.  Rather, scenes with him are near unwatchable for one simple reason: the man cannot stand up straight.  Don’t believe me? See for yourself:

I know CTU is underground, but it seems like it has plenty of high ceilings.  And if he’s hunching over to hear those who are shorter than him, it may serve him better to take that dumbass earpiece out of his ear.  But if this guy has an early case of scoliosis, I don’t know if I can watch him slouching his way through another 20 hours.

I did have a few other things to say about these two hours of the eighth longest day of Jack Bauer’s life.

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Of Patsies, Overachieving Hitmen and a Wasted Supervillain

Let me say off the bat that Season 7 of 24 has been great. The show has redeemed itself from the waste that was Day 6.

That being said, I’m glad there are only a handful more episodes left, because I’m getting tired of these episodes, like tonight’s (4:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.), that are all plot setup with a minute or two of action tacked on at the end.

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Dear Tony, Jack Will Shoot You In The Face. K Thx Bye.

Tony has the upper hand, for now.Last week, during the 1:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. hour of Season 7 or 24, Tony’s heel turn was the big surprise.  During tonight’s hour, we saw evil Tony in action, and even more surprising than seeing evil Tony was watching him plot against Jack, and in the final scenes, actually point a gun at and threaten Jack.

Jack Bauer has the symptoms of Mad Cow disease.  His memory may be Swiss Cheese and he may be unable to control even the smallest of bodily functions.  He may not be able to communicate that Tony has betrayed him and the country (yet again).

But one thing is for sure. No matter how much Tony may have a grip on the situation now, Jack Bauer will extract his revenge on Tony Almeida.  Jack Bauer will shoot Tony in the face.  Possibly after incapaciting Tony using his legs.  But Tony’s actions will not go unpunished.

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Jonas Hodges. On The Balcony. With The Whiskey Bottle.

Throughout tonight’s episode of 24, I kept on waiting for some action.  More specifically, some action involving Jack Bauer.

Sure, we had Special Agent Larry Fine’s staredown with the Starkwood security team.  And we had Tony sneaking into the bunker with the help of Doug something-or-other (played by the guy who was Hank Jennings).  But the first 40 minutes of tonight’s episode was pretty light while Jack Bauer stood around in FBI headquarters suffering from the early effects of Mad Cow disease.

But then [My Name Is] Jonas Hodges went to go have a little talk with Doug and things picked up considerably.

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