Season 9, Live Another Day: 7pm-8pm, Back down the mountain

Jack outsmarts us yet again. And found some more holes in drone technology. President Heller survived because Chloe and Jack have seen Speed. Chloe hacked the feed from the drone of death, recorded a bit of its view of PH, then fed it back to the DOD in a continuous loop. Somehow in those few seconds PH must have dashed to cover while Mummy took the helm, fired, watched the DOD Confirm Target’s Destruction, take a breath, and bask/gloat/realize that once you reach the mountaintop you are left with only figuring out what’s left/keep her word to that liar PH and start dropping drones in the Thames.

Seeing that PH is alive, I’m wondering where this plan found the time to cover his dash, how Mummy and Sonny didn’t notice the loop sooner (it’s a jet drone, not a helo drone that can stay relatively stationary like a video cam on a bus’s interior), and how DOD software decides whether the target is destroyed. But you might recall from last week that I willingly suspend my disbelief for this show.

Because Sonny keeps watching the video of the live PH (why is it still looping? Did he “Record that” thinking flying a DOD is like playing X-Box?), he picks up on the ruse, Mummy and he save one DOD before it kerplunks, and he goes looking for PH—the same way Chloe does, by hacking the video that blankets London. He loses no time finding the right Wembley cam, and there, not 5 min ago, is well-lit PH getting in a car.

Never piss off a terrorist—and get caught. Especially one with a mad on for you personally (is she really a terrorist if it’s a personal vendetta? Seems like her maniacal focus on PH has jeopardized “everything we’ve been working for,” which has been her consistent rallying cry. She points the DOD towards Waterloo Station as her last shot to make innocents pay for being innocent. Somehow she’ll get sympathizers with her that PH is so bad that she had to make innocents pay—that borders on religion. Yeah, I know, terrorists recruit that way every day in the real world, so it looks like I need to rethink the scope of my willing suspension of disbelief. Or the scope of George Hull’s vision.

Jack heads off in helo to find Mummy with the rest of the governmental principals watching the DOD’s flight trying to figure out where it’s going. Jack is kind enough to call them to tell them PH is OK. PM is happy. Audrey is happier (“I wasn’t ready to lose him yet. Thank you, Jack!” How nice of the writers to keep PH around till she is ready. The real world doesn’t wait.). It’s a good thing Jack was thoughtful enough to call because he stuffed PH in limo with his toady, ordered to maintain cell silence. PH quickly orders toady to break it, and toady says he’s not American so he doesn’t have to obey—as if he needed a reason other than Jack’s the boss. Also good nobody thinks Jack’s a murdering terrorist anymore.

Jack falls back on Chloe to help him pinpoint Mummy. Chloe somehow does—oh, yeah, by falling back on Julian Jr. Jack sends Kate into an ambush there, as Mummy figured she ought to be ready for some extracurriculars and sent her troops out to stand ready. Kate and her goon-friend from way back at 11am hide behind their vehicle, shoot a bit, some with effect, don’t get shot, and wait for backup. Backup comes, Kate asks GF for a grenade, then yells, “hey, watch this!” which in CIA field lingo comes out as, “Cover me!” I don’t know what happened to the grenade, but all the good guys survived, Jack landed the helo on the right rooftop, shot a baddie or 2, Chloe told her what floor Mummy was on, Jack unwired the HBO feed and body-rapped down (ignoring proper form 

, which is only slightly less painful than hitting ground) in time for Sonny to see him and shoot. But Jack’s too fast, jumping to the side, then back just as Sonny went to the window to see what he shot, leading to defenestration number 1. Jumping Jack fenestrates and shoots Mummy; Chloe tells him to manually override the missile that’s just launched towards Waterloo; he figures it out like he’s a born hacker, which is good because it was 30s to target, and while hugging Mummy’s still twitching body, he steers it into the Thames. Mummy’s disappointed but still tries to get in the last word: “The hundreds of dead today are on your head.” Jack doesn’t let her gloat for long or have the last word, replying, “Nuh-uh, the only dead on my head is you.” Defenestration number 2.

Jack collects the override box, and takes it to CIA with the crew. There, CSCS has a problem: Kate’s police contact has found Kate’s dead friend and the dead assassin that CSCS sent. Won’t be long before dead assassin implicates CSCS (especially w/ Jack now curious as only he can be)! CSCS calls Julian Jr. who says he’ll help CSCS escape in exchange for the override box. Jack conveniently brings in the box, inconveniently hands it over to a Defense personnel who discovers it can control any defense system in the world! So that’s what the rest of this day is about—did the developer realize how powerful it is? I don’t know, but JJ sure did! Making us wonder why he helped Jack as much as he did.

With CSCS and Jack looking over Defense’s shoulders, CSCS is trying to figure out how to get his hands on that box! Oh, the suspense builds!! Oh, if only there were a diversion!!! Just then, we learn again that without coincidence there is no story as Audrey calls to thank Jack AGAIN, and Jack takes it privately. CSCS uses the old choke hold on Defense and absconds with the box. Jack gets another call, this time from his contact who connected the dots to CSCS. And the chase is on.

Which brings us to the end of this hour.

Except we see the singularly disturbing image of Chloe kissing someone. Someone many already suspected, especially after seeing his thinly veiled distaste, nay, could it be jealousy, for Jack. Chloe kissing JJ, with her face screwing up into the pout of distaste only she can bring to that role. Ugh, I can’t wait till the next hour to get that taste, that image out of my head!

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Season 9, Live Another Day: 6pm-7pm, The Mountain Top

Jack should know what it feels like. But for Mummy this hour had to wind up in a pretty strange place. Do you have a feel for a common refrain in this blog (other blogs, too?) about Jack? He always gets what he wants. Just this episode, he got Chief of Staff Mark to be nice to him, or at least to cooperate (yes, it helped that PH told CoSM to cooperate), he got a helo, he got the secret service detail details, he got Kate to bully the doctor into juicing up comatose Wifey even if it kills her, he got Wifey to give up the goods to Kate even if it kills her. Somehow, getting what he wants over and over again doesn’t make him any happier. Is that what getting what you want feels like?

OK, he had to do something he didn’t want to: take PH to Wembley. PH did decide to meet Mummy’s demand/bargain/extortion. (What’s wrong with extortion? Two legal activities exchanged for each other? Mummy won’t blow up London—people do that every day! In exchange for PH going to Wembley—people do that every day! In this exchange, has Mummy done anything illegal till she blows something up? I wonder if the Social Contract falls in this bucket: I’ll follow the rules if you’ll follow the rules.) And lucky for PH, the only human in the world capable of getting him there (i.e., sneaking him out past the secret service without anyone else—except CoSM—knowing) just happened to have come out of deep cover that day. And be PH’s bud. Like I said last week—you can’t have a story without coincidence.

Jack didn’t want to do that, thought it was a bad idea. Till PH told Jack that Jack would do the same thing in PH’s shoes. That’s always the winner argument, the argument that ends the argument. Except I’m left thinking, “Huh?” PH made the obvious argument, including that he’s gonna die (or forget everything—what’s the difference?) in a year anyway. Jack makes the obvious argument (mine!), “You can’t trust her.” PH says he does, then throws in that if she welches, her credibility for seeking justice is shot if she still holds London hostage, still fires off missiles.

Some arguments are just too stupid to argue with. PH’s mind is made up, and rather than argue with a looney who’s losing his mind and won’t see reason, Jack decides that’s more unnecessary suspense and drama than this show needs. Just get on with it; 24 is on the clock.

CoSM gets Jack what he needs, including a diversionary staff meeting. PH and Audrey have a moment whose import Audrey doesn’t recognize that she fizzles by say, “Dad, I have to get back to work,” (let that be a lesson to you about putting work before family), Jack gets PH out of the building (albeit with one moment of gratuitous suspense as a secret service agent stumbles on them, Jack conks him on the head, PH says, “Aw, Jack, you didn’t hafta do that,”—look, we all know what’s gonna happen here, why do we need that one head conk? I agree, PH, but blame the writers, not Jack!). CoSM and Audrey have their moment later when Audrey finds out what’s up and CoSM knew, was in on it, and didn’t tell her. She’s furious, he’s “if that’s how you want it, so be it.” Till he nearly cries about how much he loved PH. He didn’t even have to use the, “Stick with me or PH’s death will be in vain” argument. Still too much easy resolution of issues in this season—I’m not used to 24, let alone TV, minimizing opportunities for drama!

With that out of the way, night falls like it does in the tropics (between 630 and 635 pm), and Jack gets some more of what he wants. Kate gets Wifey to give up Mummy’s secret hideaway, where she won’t be anymore, but also the disks MEH hid that “prove” Wifey’s innocence. (Those two really were lovey-dovey.) OK, here’s a real opportunity for suspense—will they find the disks in time? Ooooh, why did MEH hide them so well? Do we really believe they would have found them under the floorboards if they didn’t know to look? And once they get them, can Chloe figure out something from them in time to save PH from Wembley?

I think we all know the answer to that—this is 24, and it’s bound and determined to go where no show has gone before—what President has given up her/his life in response to terrorist demands? Let’s take pop culture to the next intellectual level and explore just what that means.

So, Jack gets PH to Wembley, all lit up with nobody home—is it always lit? PH walks to mid field, looks up, Mummy takes the helm from Sonny, and lets ‘er rip. Big crater right in the middle of the English pitch. Prescient of the English performance in the 2014 World Cup? Anybody remember PH’s last words? (I paid attention for them, wound up thinking they were pretty lame, and forgot them!)

And now Mummy finally gets to see what it feels like to get your heart’s desire.

While we get to think back on when we’ve finally gotten what we’ve wanted for-ever. I’ve followed, studied, cheered my favorite sports teams, mostly from afar these days. I watch scores, read up on game results, follow games on the internet. And once in a great long while I get the thrill of a championship (my teams rarely reach the pinnacle, then again, many teams never reach the pinnacle, and few do often). I find I’m left thinking, the same thing I do when my teams don’t win the championship, “There’s always next year.” It becomes a disappointment to finally get there. That’s over (even if “they can never take that away from me.” Of course they can—remember Floyd Landis? Joe Paterno?). In the past, and now, it’s time to start climbing the next hill. Like the physical pinnacle I scaled with a guide, who when we got there, hurried us off. More than the mountaintop experience, the journey itself is the reward. Win or lose.

What does Mummy think about the journey that got her here? Did she have a plan to “win the peace” after winning the war? Or is she left thinking, “Now what?”

But that’s for next week because this week’s hour is done.

And we’re left with the image of Mummy simply pulling the trigger from afar, watching her TV feed from the drone for the result. Showing us that even TV-life is more and more virtual. Was it ever real?

Or was it a trick (no wonder PH kept it secret) and PH survives? That sure blows a hole in this whole blog entry. That’s too big for me to consider now!

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Season 9, Live Another Day: 5pm-6pm: I don’t believe it

Is the willing suspension of disbelief needed to enjoy a story? Is it conscious? I’ve boiled it into a corollary that helps me keep reading: Stories require coincidence. However it works for you, it sure is flexible, letting whoppers through while tripping over the trifling.

You all probably tripped over the drone of death watching Jack drive under the overpass, then firing its last rocket as soon as his car came out the other side, even after a 30s wait.

But just cut it out. Just enjoy the ride. Or figure Sonny is nervous w/ Mummy back seat flying, with him down to his last missile to blow up Wifey/sissy/daughter—if Mummy so easily turns on daughter, aiming to blow ‘er up, Sonny better not mess up. You’d take the shot, too, in the heat of the moment, trained for flight only by watching MEH fly-by-wire, running a high-speed chase after Jack Bauer. See, there’s a logical explanation for everything.

Or, hey, have a little self-reflection here. I just can’t suspend my belief that these other parts of the latest past hour of Jack’s latest bad day don’t have you giving up on your willing suspension of disbelief and the story:

•  Jack walks away clean with explicit acceptance from MI5 amid the destruction of last hour’s operation that resulted in dead MI5 agents
• Jack frees his crony from MI5 on only his say-so and a single flick of a knife through the tie-wrap restraint
• Kate looks chipper after her torture (where’s the slash to the leg? How come Jack didn’t stitch hers like Mummy stitched Wifey’s?)
• PM gives PH total support because PH asked for it after events proved he was right to trust Jack all along (even if he tried to kill Jack before trusting him)
• PM cows after confronting PH’s loony-ness when PH says simply—“I’d quit if I thought my condition put anyone in danger”
• Chloe has a video feed right above the scene of Wifey v. Bus, and she recognizes Wifey trussed up on a gurney with a neck brace and fat lip
• Wifey wins (or at least draws) v. bus!
• Doctor brings Wifey to for Jack to question her just ‘cause Jack asked in his own nice way
• Nearly catatonic daughter of dead sis-in-law opens up to cold Kate’s cold bedside manner, remembering details that even my recap doesn’t!
• Wifey walks out of hospital arm-in-arm with Jack just as DOD blows it up
• DOD runs out of missiles (and maybe Jack knows?)
• Follow-up on the trigger for this bulletized list: The blown up SUV (direct hit!) has enough integrity to allow Mummy and Sonny to see that it was empty
• Virtually invisible drone can’t image vehicles and people under an overpass—why doesn’t it have the sensitive IR imagers that MI5 has?!?!
• Professional killer ambushes completely unsuspecting and green computer geek in the field for the 1^st time but manages to shoot only his arm
• PH tells Audrey and Mark that he’s gonna resign tomorrow (OK, when the crisis is over, but he knows it’s only 12 hr this season)
• And the biggie, as if the one that started this sleigh ride and the rest of these aren’t big enough: PH has an intimate 1-on-1 Skype call w/ Mummy, dropping enough hints to figure out (or stay tuned for scenes from the next 24) that he’s gonna trade his freedom to her for the safety of London.

Whew. OK, OK, I’ll believe!

What else? Jack finally tortures someone. Remember Wifey’s missing finger? Jack finds it (not the missing part) when she’s strapped on gurney after doc woke her. She quickly stops talking to Jack, and Jack isn’t nice to the finger, figuring Mummy did it, pulling my finger multiple ways (it hurts, what’s next from Mummy if she can do this?). He stops, Kate saw, he APOLOGIZES (what’s come over this show?) saying he shouldn’t have done it, but he hates these people—so hate is now an excuse? (Thanks for highlighting that, too.)

Thanks again for indicating where I’ve seen Mummy:  I’ve not watched much Game of Thrones, having read the books and not wanting to relive all my favorite characters’ deaths. But at least Catelyn died so she could wind up here, but she might have to do double-duty if this season of 24 doesn’t finish up soon!…. Probably good for me that 24 comes out before the book, but then again, I don’t know that I really have any favorite characters that I don’t want to see die, except for Tony (though it was a comic book death) and Michelle    and Rene (thanks).

And then there’s 24 being 24, doing the unthinkable. Blowing up an atomic bomb! That never happens in stories, but right there in Season 1 (I think it was). OK, this show will take you to the edge, drop you off it, show you what happens next. Poison gas taking out CTU? No problem. This season—PH surrendering to terrorist demands. OK, we’re not there yet, but I have one overarching tenet on this topic: never trust someone you can’t trust, like someone holding anyone (let alone thousands of people) hostage/captive. PH and Mummy’s tête-à-tête tried to address this with PH asking if he can trust her, and Mummy replying that she’s the one who should have trust issues with him! Yeah, now, if I’m PH, I’m really thinking this swap of me for London is gonna work right.

We start to find out next episode. I’ll do what I can to keep you updated, but I’ll be traveling a bit.

One other loose end, very 24-ish in its full circle-ness? Julian Jr. (Chloe’s “Anonymous” bud, leader of team-Assange) is CSCS’s contact, who convinces him to send assassin after analyst who’s starting to unravel the mystery of Kate’s husband.

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