24: 11.00pm – 12.00am
By fred | March 31, 2009
(S07E16) I know this is the whole concept of the show, one day, 24 hours, 24 episodes, but sometimes it feels like it might be a bit too much, because there are clearly hours during which not a lot takes place. This hour for instance, was not very big in development and only what we knew would happen did happen, not moving the plot forward more than the least it had to.
It’s always very frustrating, even more so when the end of the season is coming up rapidly. There were tow major “twists” featured this week, one of them worked on me as I was sure it wouldn’t happen, while the other one couldn’t have been more predictable and nothing else than an attempt to waste time, because they need one hour or two to pass before things get exiting again…
Let’s talk about the good stuff : Jack’s infected! Seriously, I didn’t see that one coming, because as soon as it was announced (to the President) that there was no cure, in my mind it meant Jack isn’t going to be infected, somehow and despite his clear exposition to the virus. He can’t be infected if there’s no cure, he’s Jack freaking Bauer!
So when the door opened and gave Jack got his result, I took it as a confirmation he was okay. Silly me walked right into that one indeed, as our hero actually is infected, even though I’m fairly confident a miracle cure will of course be revealed by season’s end, just he’s not contagious. That one got me, and I loved that! It was also a convenient way to keep Jack away for the action of the episode, as we’ll need him later obviously.
What did make me laugh, was how when Moss called everyone to let them know Jack was telling the truth from day one an never killed anyone and was framed and is saving the day once again, once again putting his own life in danger for the greater good, they all just switched back into trusting the guy in no time. “I knew it!” said the President, even though until then they were all pretty okay believing he had killed a US Senator and was out on his own revenge plot and whatnot.
Everyone who happened to catch him shirtless kept starring at all of his scars, impressed, sad, and maybe terrified about what it said about Jack and what he’s been through, but maybe people should have remembered all those and how he got them sooner, before finding it so easy to blame it all on him after he – yet again – had saved the President and his country.
Anyways, on to the second so-called “twist” which couldn’t have been more predictable, and obviously just meant to waste everyone’s time – starting with ours. I mean listen, from our point of view it’s simple mathematics : we’re in episode 16, so they can’t just get the WMD and go home by the end of the hour, it’s impossible. So the only question that might have been valid, was whether or not Tony was being played and lied to from the start, as was the case, or if he meant it but Hodges saw it coming and moved everything without telling him.
But was there really a question here? We were really supposed to believe the guy realized it was crazy and Hodges was out of his mind, because…what? What exactly had changed?? He said he didn’t realize it would go this far, but that was the plan from day one ! It had always been about let them do the testing in Africa, get the baby home and kill a handful of US civilians just to make a point — and money. Nothing changed, but maybe that they weren’t supposed to be known as the investigators of this mess.
With that in mind, I thought it was pretty obvious he was lying, and the weapons wouldn’t be there. It was a distraction, to get them busy and waste everyone’s time, creating a fake sense of tension. Also, it only leaves Jack & Renee to save the day on their own, Bauer-style!
Last word quickly about the White House crap: that President is really stupid! Bringing her daughter as chief of staff, really? Like that is the right choice to make! Even if it’s temporary, it’s a bad decision. I’m guessing Olivia bringing on Aaron back to be her bodyguard will eventually be her downfall. What would be the point otherwise?
Now, they said they needed 2 hours to get the weapons right, correct? So unfortunately and according to simple calculations, it means they won’t be ready for next episode, so we might be up for yet another filler before things kick back into exciting territory again. As Jack once said, Damn it!
What did everybody else think?
If Starkwood can make it non-contagious to prevent blowback, they probably made an antidote too. On the other hand, “Mad Cow Bauer” could be the craziest season of 24 yet!