Showing posts with label President Taylor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label President Taylor. Show all posts
Friday, May 21, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Season 8, 11-12 noon: When it rains, it pours
Yup, it just keeps getting better and better. Jack is getting into a tougher and tougher pickle, we keep losing one key character in every episode (but I'm thinking hoping for Logan to finally eat it is a fool's errand), irony pokes up its sardonic head, NYC weather serves up a metaphor, moral dilemmas resolutely resist resolution, women rule CTU and 2 countries.
I'm thinking Mark Twain's comment about the weather applies anywhere, just ask the internet. Watching 24, I'm sure that's the case in NYC. I'm pretty sure we saw the sunset yesterday. I don't remember the sun today, seemed like it was a bit overcast, though the helicopter scene last hour and in tonight's Previously scenes showed some blue sky.
But after blowing up Chloe's ambush and escaping with Freddy, Jack and Freddy head to the raindropped CTU SUV. Hmmm, not 15 min ago it was pretty sunny.
Why did we go to the trouble of rain? Only guess I have is that contemporaneously we were seeing Dana undergoing water boarding. Rain there didn't seem to serve another purpose--later Jack is driving through town on dry pavement, running around on dry pavement. Writers were going for art there, I guess.
Poor Dana. Yeah, I got some of my wish. She came into her own a bit. Holding out gamely under water boarding, sticking to her story that she was bluffing about having evidence. Though I don't know what her angle is there. Holding out as long as she can hoping for rescue? Once they believe that she doesn't know anything, she's no use to them. Seems like a dead end no matter how you look at it. When we find out her backup plan was a safety deposit box, I'm still at a loss as to how she could make that work--if she's the only one who can get to it, then just what leverage is it? But all my knowledge of these things comes from TV shows, so what do I know.
Jack and Freddy spring her. Jack kills a lot of private security baddies, including torturer. Torturer has Dana at gunpoint, hiding behind her, Jack has him in his sights--stand-off right? Torturer tells Jack the shot's too tough, Jack won't take it, and thinks he's OK. We all know Jack's hit tougher shots, and Jack's not in the mood for subtlety. Another baddie bites the dust. Freddy can only gape. And us, too--Dana alive is the only reason Jack is there: off her, and Jack goes away, right? And the evidence vanishes with her, no? Well, this is 24, and national security is involved, and we know all those secrets eventually come out, right?
But why is Freddy stunned, too? Jack's only option was to try the shot because the foolishly deployed back up "units" (meaning gunsels--wow, that scene and how it's acted in The Maltese Falcon take on a whole new meaning when you look up the word!) had to have figured out the diversion on the roof and headed back down by now. I'm thinking Freddy being stunned is to clue us in to Jack losing it. Chloe harped on it last hour and this hour, and Freddy is thinking it, and even Dana is trying to play that card. But we all know Jack better than that, right? We're not gonna believe Jack's lost it, right? We've seen him play us in seasons of yore, never better than in his prison escape.
Well, we find out that Dana really does have the evidence, and boy, can she act, too. But we had to know that already with that huge range she's shown us. Just this episode she looks lost, forlorn, hopeless then cursingly defiant during torture, then pleading, conniving, manipulating, clever with Freddy trying to get him to turn on Jack. Then heartfelt, caring when she bares her heart to Freddy. Then cold, resourceful when she turns the tables on him and then blows away the bank VP. Then hysterical as she places a false 911 call. Which is the real Dana? We're probably to think that she really cared about Freddy and wanted to turn her life around because she doesn't kill him when he's unconscious, rather she caresses his face (Lord John Whorfin knows when you show true character).
Dana also tries her best with Jack, and maybe this is where we're to find out Jack's one deck shy a full load. She doesn't believe Jack's as good as his word even though we all do. So he puts the gun to her chest and counts down from 3 (torturer gave her all of a 10 count). Freddy tries to intervene at 2, but Dana caves at 1. Jack later tells Freddy he had to make her believe he'd have shot her. Freddy tells Dana that later, and Dana says, "You believed that??!?" I guess she should know how gullible Freddy is.
And after escaping the bank, and "letting" Jack see her escape (while the police are trying to nab him) she has alas, one last scene. Jack shoots a cop in the foot after saying, "Sorry" in order to escape (lotta good that sorry's gonna do--is it for our benefit or is it character development, Jack feeling tortured?). Dana didn't skedaddle fast enough, though, and the cops didn't slow Jack down enough, so he catches up with her, even after she ruthlessly guns down someone getting into a cab and pats a guy on the shoulder (so many subtleties in this show--like why did Jack swap guns in the shoot out when both still had bullets? This show gives you more for fodder than Lost!). She runs into a building under construction, and Jack follows. She discards her shoes, even though we haven't yet heard her clicking heels. Barefeet have jumped up a few times this season. She gets to the high ground (though running upstairs seems to take away escape routes), Jack flips his jacket her way, and she plugs it with her remaining bullets. Jack seems to have at least one left when he finally catches up with her. She gives up her evidence, and asks Jack what she can do. "Nothing." And he finally plugs her in the chest. Then again after she's fallen on the ground.
Was she right when she said he wanted vengeance, not justice? Was she right when she said he was going to take the evidence and kill all whom it implicated? And seeings how it's just an audio, don't we already know what kind of luck Jack has when he tries to use audio evidence against a president?
Scenes from next week suggest Jack takes up torture again, this time on the guy who murdered Renee. Seemingly confirming Dana's points. The writers gotta be hating themselves for writing Dana so well. Oh, we all couldn't stand her for the 1st 1/2 of the season, but when her depth started coming out, whoa, I for one am sorry she had to go. But at least this is the last season for everybody. And Dana was entirely self driven. No higher purpose, not even money. Just doing whatever she could to save her skin. Though she had the flash of hope that true love can provide.
Even with all that, we still had the new Islamic president saying in her speech how much integrity Taylor has, Logan continuing to pull strings, Taylor continuing to trust Logan ("one last time"), Logan continuing to try to keep up appearances (continuing to talk for the benefit of his aide after Taylor hung up on him), and a new plant arriving at CTU. Chloe doesn't like it, but he came under Taylor's order. She also feels betrayed by Jack ("He threatened me!"). I'm tempted to guess where this is headed, but I know better than that. OK, I'm guessing terrible endings for most involved--but where does that leave us for the movie? Wow, can you have a series ending cliff-hanger to set up a movie?
Oh, and Freddy told Chloe that she did the right thing. I guess we're not tired of that yet. Sphere: Related Content
I'm thinking Mark Twain's comment about the weather applies anywhere, just ask the internet. Watching 24, I'm sure that's the case in NYC. I'm pretty sure we saw the sunset yesterday. I don't remember the sun today, seemed like it was a bit overcast, though the helicopter scene last hour and in tonight's Previously scenes showed some blue sky.
But after blowing up Chloe's ambush and escaping with Freddy, Jack and Freddy head to the raindropped CTU SUV. Hmmm, not 15 min ago it was pretty sunny.
Why did we go to the trouble of rain? Only guess I have is that contemporaneously we were seeing Dana undergoing water boarding. Rain there didn't seem to serve another purpose--later Jack is driving through town on dry pavement, running around on dry pavement. Writers were going for art there, I guess.
Poor Dana. Yeah, I got some of my wish. She came into her own a bit. Holding out gamely under water boarding, sticking to her story that she was bluffing about having evidence. Though I don't know what her angle is there. Holding out as long as she can hoping for rescue? Once they believe that she doesn't know anything, she's no use to them. Seems like a dead end no matter how you look at it. When we find out her backup plan was a safety deposit box, I'm still at a loss as to how she could make that work--if she's the only one who can get to it, then just what leverage is it? But all my knowledge of these things comes from TV shows, so what do I know.
Jack and Freddy spring her. Jack kills a lot of private security baddies, including torturer. Torturer has Dana at gunpoint, hiding behind her, Jack has him in his sights--stand-off right? Torturer tells Jack the shot's too tough, Jack won't take it, and thinks he's OK. We all know Jack's hit tougher shots, and Jack's not in the mood for subtlety. Another baddie bites the dust. Freddy can only gape. And us, too--Dana alive is the only reason Jack is there: off her, and Jack goes away, right? And the evidence vanishes with her, no? Well, this is 24, and national security is involved, and we know all those secrets eventually come out, right?
But why is Freddy stunned, too? Jack's only option was to try the shot because the foolishly deployed back up "units" (meaning gunsels--wow, that scene and how it's acted in The Maltese Falcon take on a whole new meaning when you look up the word!) had to have figured out the diversion on the roof and headed back down by now. I'm thinking Freddy being stunned is to clue us in to Jack losing it. Chloe harped on it last hour and this hour, and Freddy is thinking it, and even Dana is trying to play that card. But we all know Jack better than that, right? We're not gonna believe Jack's lost it, right? We've seen him play us in seasons of yore, never better than in his prison escape.
Well, we find out that Dana really does have the evidence, and boy, can she act, too. But we had to know that already with that huge range she's shown us. Just this episode she looks lost, forlorn, hopeless then cursingly defiant during torture, then pleading, conniving, manipulating, clever with Freddy trying to get him to turn on Jack. Then heartfelt, caring when she bares her heart to Freddy. Then cold, resourceful when she turns the tables on him and then blows away the bank VP. Then hysterical as she places a false 911 call. Which is the real Dana? We're probably to think that she really cared about Freddy and wanted to turn her life around because she doesn't kill him when he's unconscious, rather she caresses his face (Lord John Whorfin knows when you show true character).
Dana also tries her best with Jack, and maybe this is where we're to find out Jack's one deck shy a full load. She doesn't believe Jack's as good as his word even though we all do. So he puts the gun to her chest and counts down from 3 (torturer gave her all of a 10 count). Freddy tries to intervene at 2, but Dana caves at 1. Jack later tells Freddy he had to make her believe he'd have shot her. Freddy tells Dana that later, and Dana says, "You believed that??!?" I guess she should know how gullible Freddy is.
And after escaping the bank, and "letting" Jack see her escape (while the police are trying to nab him) she has alas, one last scene. Jack shoots a cop in the foot after saying, "Sorry" in order to escape (lotta good that sorry's gonna do--is it for our benefit or is it character development, Jack feeling tortured?). Dana didn't skedaddle fast enough, though, and the cops didn't slow Jack down enough, so he catches up with her, even after she ruthlessly guns down someone getting into a cab and pats a guy on the shoulder (so many subtleties in this show--like why did Jack swap guns in the shoot out when both still had bullets? This show gives you more for fodder than Lost!). She runs into a building under construction, and Jack follows. She discards her shoes, even though we haven't yet heard her clicking heels. Barefeet have jumped up a few times this season. She gets to the high ground (though running upstairs seems to take away escape routes), Jack flips his jacket her way, and she plugs it with her remaining bullets. Jack seems to have at least one left when he finally catches up with her. She gives up her evidence, and asks Jack what she can do. "Nothing." And he finally plugs her in the chest. Then again after she's fallen on the ground.
Was she right when she said he wanted vengeance, not justice? Was she right when she said he was going to take the evidence and kill all whom it implicated? And seeings how it's just an audio, don't we already know what kind of luck Jack has when he tries to use audio evidence against a president?
Scenes from next week suggest Jack takes up torture again, this time on the guy who murdered Renee. Seemingly confirming Dana's points. The writers gotta be hating themselves for writing Dana so well. Oh, we all couldn't stand her for the 1st 1/2 of the season, but when her depth started coming out, whoa, I for one am sorry she had to go. But at least this is the last season for everybody. And Dana was entirely self driven. No higher purpose, not even money. Just doing whatever she could to save her skin. Though she had the flash of hope that true love can provide.
Even with all that, we still had the new Islamic president saying in her speech how much integrity Taylor has, Logan continuing to pull strings, Taylor continuing to trust Logan ("one last time"), Logan continuing to try to keep up appearances (continuing to talk for the benefit of his aide after Taylor hung up on him), and a new plant arriving at CTU. Chloe doesn't like it, but he came under Taylor's order. She also feels betrayed by Jack ("He threatened me!"). I'm tempted to guess where this is headed, but I know better than that. OK, I'm guessing terrible endings for most involved--but where does that leave us for the movie? Wow, can you have a series ending cliff-hanger to set up a movie?
Oh, and Freddy told Chloe that she did the right thing. I guess we're not tired of that yet. Sphere: Related Content
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Season 8, 10-11AM: I'm hungry
The elephant in the room when you watch 24 is when do they go the bathroom (well, this is TV after all, and only Archie Bunker goes to the terlet--unless there's a chance for suspense in the airport restroom), when do they sleep, when do they eat??? Jack's been up for over 24 hours already I'm guessing (everybody else pretty much, too, unless they're dead), and OK he took 5 minutes off to have sex, but the only other bodily function he's taken care of is breathing. Come on, get real here!
Look, I've climbed Tahquitz, this climb many times--I'll take you up it if you want. I know if I don't at least snack once on the way up, I get loopy, and you don't want to get loopy a couple hundred feet above the pine trees. Can Jack really afford to let that happen to him when he's packin' serious heat, has serious heat aimed at him, is disobeying the President (treason?), has the fate of the US, let alone world peace in the balance? So, when he calls Sidewinder (and many more colorful characters) (that's why I love this show--all the great actors it pulls outta nowhere!) and demands repayment for a favor consisting of all sorts of weapons and spy gear, then stops by to pick up the gear (declaring the debt still due), why doesn't he ask for even a granola bar? Or at least a Tigers Milk?
But Jack's too focused to realize he's running on empty. He stuffs all his stuff into a pig bigger than anything I'd ever want to jug up a big wall (OK, that's a pretty geeky link) and heads off into an ambush Chloe has set up for him. Doesn't he know her better than that?
Of course he does. Doesn't Chloe know him better than that? Of course not. And Jack turns the tables on Freddy without killing any of the good guys. He sets it up like he's been captured for Chloe's benefit, convinces Freddy to help him (when Jack's first lame attempt doesn't work--"What if you're wrong, Jack?" "I'm not"-- Jack slides the gun to Freddy and tells him to decide, a ploy that worked very well, on both Freddy and me--it makes sorta sense because if Jack needs Freddy's help to succeed, if Freddy decides taking Jack in is the best path, Jack might just as well give up anyway), and they head off together because Jack can't do it alone--there's another whopper I have to believe or else I'll give up on this show.
But now's not the time to give up on it. Now, they're getting to the really good stuff. Like Dana getting a chance to come into her own. The baddies have her, and though the President told them to use gentle persuasion first and resort to the rough stuff only if the easy stuff fails, they're opting for the tough stuff from the start--waterboarding. This show is so cutting edge. Showing that only the baddies, even when under the auspices of the goodies who have sorta turned bad, use waterboarding. No more torture for Jack.
Seems, though, that Dana should be prepped for this. OK, she looks all scared (great make-up job, too), and at 1st says she doesn't know anything. They proceed nonetheless. So here's where she should start using her back-up stories (what, she doesn't have any? What kinda spy is that without contingency plans out the ying yang?). Here she should show them just how unreliable torture is. Start telling them any story you can think of! They go check it out, when it's wrong, what are they gonna do, torture you some more? OK, so tell them something else. If they don't believe you, they're admitting their methods don't work, but they've so bought into them, that they have to believe.
OK, that's as much as I want to get into the head of a torturer. Thank you very much, 24. But at least it's taught me to always have at least one back-up plan/dummy plant.
I bet if Jack had her, he'd be doing something not nice to her. Last they were together he bashed her head against a table. She's a softy because that's all it took for her to try to deal. Jack's a softy, too, because he took her deal rather than try to beat the info out of her. And he fell for that one twice! She knows she has Jack wrapped around her finger. That's why as the baddies are taking her away from CTU, she's pleading with Chloe to let Jack have her. What other season has anyone preferred Jack's torture over anyone else's? Jack's rep is so blown since he's a grandpa.
This is still great 24 for other reasons. First, actually last, at the end of the episode, Ethan tells Charles that if Charles steers Taylor wrong, Ethan will make Charles pay. Charles says, "Is that a threat?" Ethan says it's a warning. And that just makes me wonder all over again, what is the difference between a threat, a warning, and a promise? Just why do you ask someone, "Is that a threat?" Is it because you want to know? Or are you making threat back? And I mean in the real world here, not the land of 24. Because in TV-land, the reason you have that stupid back and forth is to add drama or suspense. But in the real world? I just don't get the distinction. Do you?
And we have more fun, too. Last week we learned that Taylor would hide the truth about a terrorist attack for her peace deal, even if under no reasonable construction that idea makes sense. This week we learn that we were right, it was a stupid idea. President Taylor learns it, too, but rather than listening to her closest adviser and friend, she goes with that weasel, whom she knows is a weasel, Charles and tries to hide the truth some more (hence the baddies absconding with Dana, well sort of absconding because they took her with Chloe's blessing and though they didn't know it, Chloe knows where they went). Charles is so good at looking stupid, but we're coming to believe he had this scenario all figured out.
Taylor is just running faster and faster down the slope to self-destruction. Ethan sees it happening, tries to talk her out of it, she tells him she's made up her mind, and he resigns. Some friend he is. More like a rat fleeing a sinking ship. A real friend, even after having a heart attack, would find some way, some less direct way, to help her do the right thing. But please, let's have not one more person tell her, "You're doing the right thing." I think she as well as we have already figured out that anybody saying that is simply happy she's doing what they want her to do, which is not always the right thing! (Like the salesperson saying, "She'll love that sweater," even though the salesperson doesn't even know her!)
And to show us that she's fully bought into the peace deal, in her UN speech she says the peace deal is more important than anything else. Which we kinda knew already because after last episode when she hides the terrorist plot for the sake of the deal, this episode she authorizes torture for peace. Looks like Jack's taught everybody his brand of justification--I'm right so any way I can get my way is right, just so long as I get my way. Hence his trying to convince Freddy to follow him simply because he says he's not wrong. Duh! Why does he have to even say it?!!! (Must be for the benefit of new viewers.)
Five hours left. Looks like Dana escapes next week. I sure hope she lasts another couple weeks. We've invested a lot in her. Watched her simper for weeks. Let's see her really start showing more than just sparks of competence. She has so much more potential here. And Taylor. Charles telling Ethan at the end of the episode that Taylor's smarter than the both of them. Ooooch he's smarmy. But I'm hoping he's also right. Taylor's not been herself this season. I'm hoping here that she's got more upstairs than she's showing. She bought into Charles's story waaaay too fast. With so many twists and turns in this show, I just can't believe she's not brighter than that. She always has been. Drat. I thought I'd checked my disbelief at the door! Sphere: Related Content
Look, I've climbed Tahquitz, this climb many times--I'll take you up it if you want. I know if I don't at least snack once on the way up, I get loopy, and you don't want to get loopy a couple hundred feet above the pine trees. Can Jack really afford to let that happen to him when he's packin' serious heat, has serious heat aimed at him, is disobeying the President (treason?), has the fate of the US, let alone world peace in the balance? So, when he calls Sidewinder (and many more colorful characters) (that's why I love this show--all the great actors it pulls outta nowhere!) and demands repayment for a favor consisting of all sorts of weapons and spy gear, then stops by to pick up the gear (declaring the debt still due), why doesn't he ask for even a granola bar? Or at least a Tigers Milk?
But Jack's too focused to realize he's running on empty. He stuffs all his stuff into a pig bigger than anything I'd ever want to jug up a big wall (OK, that's a pretty geeky link) and heads off into an ambush Chloe has set up for him. Doesn't he know her better than that?
Of course he does. Doesn't Chloe know him better than that? Of course not. And Jack turns the tables on Freddy without killing any of the good guys. He sets it up like he's been captured for Chloe's benefit, convinces Freddy to help him (when Jack's first lame attempt doesn't work--"What if you're wrong, Jack?" "I'm not"-- Jack slides the gun to Freddy and tells him to decide, a ploy that worked very well, on both Freddy and me--it makes sorta sense because if Jack needs Freddy's help to succeed, if Freddy decides taking Jack in is the best path, Jack might just as well give up anyway), and they head off together because Jack can't do it alone--there's another whopper I have to believe or else I'll give up on this show.
But now's not the time to give up on it. Now, they're getting to the really good stuff. Like Dana getting a chance to come into her own. The baddies have her, and though the President told them to use gentle persuasion first and resort to the rough stuff only if the easy stuff fails, they're opting for the tough stuff from the start--waterboarding. This show is so cutting edge. Showing that only the baddies, even when under the auspices of the goodies who have sorta turned bad, use waterboarding. No more torture for Jack.
Seems, though, that Dana should be prepped for this. OK, she looks all scared (great make-up job, too), and at 1st says she doesn't know anything. They proceed nonetheless. So here's where she should start using her back-up stories (what, she doesn't have any? What kinda spy is that without contingency plans out the ying yang?). Here she should show them just how unreliable torture is. Start telling them any story you can think of! They go check it out, when it's wrong, what are they gonna do, torture you some more? OK, so tell them something else. If they don't believe you, they're admitting their methods don't work, but they've so bought into them, that they have to believe.
OK, that's as much as I want to get into the head of a torturer. Thank you very much, 24. But at least it's taught me to always have at least one back-up plan/dummy plant.
I bet if Jack had her, he'd be doing something not nice to her. Last they were together he bashed her head against a table. She's a softy because that's all it took for her to try to deal. Jack's a softy, too, because he took her deal rather than try to beat the info out of her. And he fell for that one twice! She knows she has Jack wrapped around her finger. That's why as the baddies are taking her away from CTU, she's pleading with Chloe to let Jack have her. What other season has anyone preferred Jack's torture over anyone else's? Jack's rep is so blown since he's a grandpa.
This is still great 24 for other reasons. First, actually last, at the end of the episode, Ethan tells Charles that if Charles steers Taylor wrong, Ethan will make Charles pay. Charles says, "Is that a threat?" Ethan says it's a warning. And that just makes me wonder all over again, what is the difference between a threat, a warning, and a promise? Just why do you ask someone, "Is that a threat?" Is it because you want to know? Or are you making threat back? And I mean in the real world here, not the land of 24. Because in TV-land, the reason you have that stupid back and forth is to add drama or suspense. But in the real world? I just don't get the distinction. Do you?
And we have more fun, too. Last week we learned that Taylor would hide the truth about a terrorist attack for her peace deal, even if under no reasonable construction that idea makes sense. This week we learn that we were right, it was a stupid idea. President Taylor learns it, too, but rather than listening to her closest adviser and friend, she goes with that weasel, whom she knows is a weasel, Charles and tries to hide the truth some more (hence the baddies absconding with Dana, well sort of absconding because they took her with Chloe's blessing and though they didn't know it, Chloe knows where they went). Charles is so good at looking stupid, but we're coming to believe he had this scenario all figured out.
Taylor is just running faster and faster down the slope to self-destruction. Ethan sees it happening, tries to talk her out of it, she tells him she's made up her mind, and he resigns. Some friend he is. More like a rat fleeing a sinking ship. A real friend, even after having a heart attack, would find some way, some less direct way, to help her do the right thing. But please, let's have not one more person tell her, "You're doing the right thing." I think she as well as we have already figured out that anybody saying that is simply happy she's doing what they want her to do, which is not always the right thing! (Like the salesperson saying, "She'll love that sweater," even though the salesperson doesn't even know her!)
And to show us that she's fully bought into the peace deal, in her UN speech she says the peace deal is more important than anything else. Which we kinda knew already because after last episode when she hides the terrorist plot for the sake of the deal, this episode she authorizes torture for peace. Looks like Jack's taught everybody his brand of justification--I'm right so any way I can get my way is right, just so long as I get my way. Hence his trying to convince Freddy to follow him simply because he says he's not wrong. Duh! Why does he have to even say it?!!! (Must be for the benefit of new viewers.)
Five hours left. Looks like Dana escapes next week. I sure hope she lasts another couple weeks. We've invested a lot in her. Watched her simper for weeks. Let's see her really start showing more than just sparks of competence. She has so much more potential here. And Taylor. Charles telling Ethan at the end of the episode that Taylor's smarter than the both of them. Ooooch he's smarmy. But I'm hoping he's also right. Taylor's not been herself this season. I'm hoping here that she's got more upstairs than she's showing. She bought into Charles's story waaaay too fast. With so many twists and turns in this show, I just can't believe she's not brighter than that. She always has been. Drat. I thought I'd checked my disbelief at the door! Sphere: Related Content
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Season 8, 9-10AM: Nearly great
Blogging brings an extra depth to this show. It encourages me to think about it more, rather than treating it as a snotty tissue.
But tonight's episode did all the encouraging I need. Sure, I'm disappointed with the peace ploy being the driving drama. Ooooh, if we don't do this or that we won't have peace. Ooooh, I'm so scared. Oooh, I'm so ready to sacrifice anything to get peace. Oooh threaten me that if I don't do what you want my action will torpedo the peace deal. Somehow I'm seeing all these scenes tonight and wondering how these actors can deliver these lines with a straight face. OK, I know some folks wonder that about most of the lines on 24, but now that I've drunk the Koolaid, now that I consciously check my disbelief at the door once I settle in on Monday nights, it takes a lot to pull me out of that dull fog of mindless entertainment bliss.
But President Taylor in person trying to convince Jack that peace is worth his sacrifice? Well, that pushed me over the edge, albeit a dime's edge. And I bemoan the days/seasons where the choice was Jack's way or the imminent death of countless innocents. This time around, do I want to continue peace negotiations including the delegation that's been working the whole day to derail them? Instead of getting the proof of their shenanigans? That's too easy--if Charles Logan can simply threaten to tell the president about the Russians' complicity and they'll cave, how much more convincing would Taylor be when she had hard evidence? Ah, but my kind of thinking doesn't work in the 24 world. I still don't know why, but it doesn't.
OK, other than that digression, this was a great episode. We get Logan v. Jack again, w/ Logan looking all weaselly, gloating, impotent, crafty, cornered, vindictive, driven, self-righteous, smarmy, oh so much going on there all at the same time, especially when he sees that Jack stands in the way of his reclaiming some stature. His toady tells him he has to call Taylor to stop Jack. Here, I hoped Logan would be wilier than his assistant, but he simply does what his assistant tells him to do.
We get Chloe running CTU and still doing a bang up job of it, and I mean that in a good way. She meets Taylor and is dutifully respectful, though Taylor, after her initial "Ms. O'Brien," gets to a first name basis awful fast. She has plenty of the facial contortions that assure us that she is a troubled soul in a troubled environment dealing with troubling problems. She tells Jack she's sorry about Renee. (Jack gets that a lot--orderly at the hospital, Chloe on the phone, Chloe at CTU, Freddy at CTU, Taylor at CTU, and I'm already tired of scripts that think saying, "I'm sorry for your loss," sets everything right enough that the plot the writers think is more important can get rolling again. Watch any cop show, look for the cop interview with anyone who's faced a loss--"I'm sorry for your loss"--adding a "so" in there if they "really" mean it--and we're done that part, on to how to get the info we want.) When Jack finally goes rogue (again) and steals a chopper, Chloe gets up there fast, tells the guards not to shoot (what good would shooting have done?), then radios Jack to tell him to come back or she'll call the Air Force to bring him down (I can't wait to see how you force down a chopper; only way I see to keep anyone on-board alive is to wait for it to run low of fuel). That's perfect, perfectly by the book, and she doesn't miss a beat doing it, like she's been born to command. I wish she were put in tougher situations, or situations where the right choice would make a difference. Here, she's gotta know Jack has figured out an out, and if she were really good, she'd be on top of that, too. I seem to remember her out-thinking Jack in an earlier season, but I don't recall the details. But, boy there's another chance for greatness--Jack v. Chloe. Wow.
Instead, we have the battle of ideas and ideals. The opportunity for that analysis attracted me to this show years ago. Then it was what ideal do you sacrifice to prevent a greater harm. This year, in the softer 24 (less torture, wow, no guns fired this episode), we get what do you sacrifice to achieve the greater good. Taylor is willing to sacrifice knowledge--knowing the Russians are scheming with terrorists to scuttle the peace conference (now I'm wondering if we get to find out why, especially with so many on the show asking that question but not getting an answer). Jack doesn't like it when someone else plays "the ends justify the means" when it's his principles on the line.
And boy, that opens up a bunch of other conflicts. Where to start? How 'bout with Jack now faced with disobeying the president?! OK, him taking Logan down was OK because Logan planned a terrorist attack. But Taylor--she has no hidden agenda. She straight up wants peace in the middle east, and she's decided taking down the Russians isn't worth sacrificing the peace. Rather, it's the other way. And Jack doesn't buy into it. This same Jack who wouldn't give up Islamic Pres in exchange for saving 10s of thousands of innocent New Yorkers because he followed Taylor's order.
And there's wondering if the ends justifies the means for Taylor--is negotiating with the Russians when you know they don't want the negotiations to succeed worth sacrificing uncovering the dirt on them? Seems like either way, the Russians aren't really in this for the long haul. But on a more abstract level, is peace worth knowingly letting someone get away with murder?
Then there's Taylor telling Jack that she won't sacrifice the peace for his vengeance. Jack retorts that he wants justice, not vengeance. Now, setting aside both that he knows the difference and he's right that he wants justice, not vengeance, do you know the difference between justice and vengeance? How often do we hear, "I want Justice!" and the line really mean "vengeance"? And with how that justice-y stuff has worked out for folks on 24 (Logan is a great example), how many think that Jack even stands a chance of seeing justice done? And does Jack really think it'll happen?
To show the show hasn't gone completely soft, we had Jack interrogate Dana. He slapped her around a good bit before she asked for immunity again for tons of info. I'm not sure why Jack had to even hit her, maybe indeed to show the show's not soft on traitors. And to show that Freddy knows Jack and that Chloe can make the wrong call sometimes ("Stop him" when Jack's hitting Dana, with Freddy saying, "No, wait, Jack hasn't lost it." Does that show Freddy knows Jack? Or that he wants "Dana" to pay for tricking him so thoroughly?)
Missing Renee already. Seeing her freckles with her laid out on the gurney of the ER. Ugh, I'll miss those. Also made me wonder how the make-up/special effects crew do such a lifelike job of making a dead body. Our only hope left is that Jack tracks down Tony after the Air Force forces him down. Sorry, thin on the links this week. I guess the show had too much food for thought. Sphere: Related Content
But tonight's episode did all the encouraging I need. Sure, I'm disappointed with the peace ploy being the driving drama. Ooooh, if we don't do this or that we won't have peace. Ooooh, I'm so scared. Oooh, I'm so ready to sacrifice anything to get peace. Oooh threaten me that if I don't do what you want my action will torpedo the peace deal. Somehow I'm seeing all these scenes tonight and wondering how these actors can deliver these lines with a straight face. OK, I know some folks wonder that about most of the lines on 24, but now that I've drunk the Koolaid, now that I consciously check my disbelief at the door once I settle in on Monday nights, it takes a lot to pull me out of that dull fog of mindless entertainment bliss.
But President Taylor in person trying to convince Jack that peace is worth his sacrifice? Well, that pushed me over the edge, albeit a dime's edge. And I bemoan the days/seasons where the choice was Jack's way or the imminent death of countless innocents. This time around, do I want to continue peace negotiations including the delegation that's been working the whole day to derail them? Instead of getting the proof of their shenanigans? That's too easy--if Charles Logan can simply threaten to tell the president about the Russians' complicity and they'll cave, how much more convincing would Taylor be when she had hard evidence? Ah, but my kind of thinking doesn't work in the 24 world. I still don't know why, but it doesn't.
OK, other than that digression, this was a great episode. We get Logan v. Jack again, w/ Logan looking all weaselly, gloating, impotent, crafty, cornered, vindictive, driven, self-righteous, smarmy, oh so much going on there all at the same time, especially when he sees that Jack stands in the way of his reclaiming some stature. His toady tells him he has to call Taylor to stop Jack. Here, I hoped Logan would be wilier than his assistant, but he simply does what his assistant tells him to do.
We get Chloe running CTU and still doing a bang up job of it, and I mean that in a good way. She meets Taylor and is dutifully respectful, though Taylor, after her initial "Ms. O'Brien," gets to a first name basis awful fast. She has plenty of the facial contortions that assure us that she is a troubled soul in a troubled environment dealing with troubling problems. She tells Jack she's sorry about Renee. (Jack gets that a lot--orderly at the hospital, Chloe on the phone, Chloe at CTU, Freddy at CTU, Taylor at CTU, and I'm already tired of scripts that think saying, "I'm sorry for your loss," sets everything right enough that the plot the writers think is more important can get rolling again. Watch any cop show, look for the cop interview with anyone who's faced a loss--"I'm sorry for your loss"--adding a "so" in there if they "really" mean it--and we're done that part, on to how to get the info we want.) When Jack finally goes rogue (again) and steals a chopper, Chloe gets up there fast, tells the guards not to shoot (what good would shooting have done?), then radios Jack to tell him to come back or she'll call the Air Force to bring him down (I can't wait to see how you force down a chopper; only way I see to keep anyone on-board alive is to wait for it to run low of fuel). That's perfect, perfectly by the book, and she doesn't miss a beat doing it, like she's been born to command. I wish she were put in tougher situations, or situations where the right choice would make a difference. Here, she's gotta know Jack has figured out an out, and if she were really good, she'd be on top of that, too. I seem to remember her out-thinking Jack in an earlier season, but I don't recall the details. But, boy there's another chance for greatness--Jack v. Chloe. Wow.
Instead, we have the battle of ideas and ideals. The opportunity for that analysis attracted me to this show years ago. Then it was what ideal do you sacrifice to prevent a greater harm. This year, in the softer 24 (less torture, wow, no guns fired this episode), we get what do you sacrifice to achieve the greater good. Taylor is willing to sacrifice knowledge--knowing the Russians are scheming with terrorists to scuttle the peace conference (now I'm wondering if we get to find out why, especially with so many on the show asking that question but not getting an answer). Jack doesn't like it when someone else plays "the ends justify the means" when it's his principles on the line.
And boy, that opens up a bunch of other conflicts. Where to start? How 'bout with Jack now faced with disobeying the president?! OK, him taking Logan down was OK because Logan planned a terrorist attack. But Taylor--she has no hidden agenda. She straight up wants peace in the middle east, and she's decided taking down the Russians isn't worth sacrificing the peace. Rather, it's the other way. And Jack doesn't buy into it. This same Jack who wouldn't give up Islamic Pres in exchange for saving 10s of thousands of innocent New Yorkers because he followed Taylor's order.
And there's wondering if the ends justifies the means for Taylor--is negotiating with the Russians when you know they don't want the negotiations to succeed worth sacrificing uncovering the dirt on them? Seems like either way, the Russians aren't really in this for the long haul. But on a more abstract level, is peace worth knowingly letting someone get away with murder?
Then there's Taylor telling Jack that she won't sacrifice the peace for his vengeance. Jack retorts that he wants justice, not vengeance. Now, setting aside both that he knows the difference and he's right that he wants justice, not vengeance, do you know the difference between justice and vengeance? How often do we hear, "I want Justice!" and the line really mean "vengeance"? And with how that justice-y stuff has worked out for folks on 24 (Logan is a great example), how many think that Jack even stands a chance of seeing justice done? And does Jack really think it'll happen?
To show the show hasn't gone completely soft, we had Jack interrogate Dana. He slapped her around a good bit before she asked for immunity again for tons of info. I'm not sure why Jack had to even hit her, maybe indeed to show the show's not soft on traitors. And to show that Freddy knows Jack and that Chloe can make the wrong call sometimes ("Stop him" when Jack's hitting Dana, with Freddy saying, "No, wait, Jack hasn't lost it." Does that show Freddy knows Jack? Or that he wants "Dana" to pay for tricking him so thoroughly?)
Missing Renee already. Seeing her freckles with her laid out on the gurney of the ER. Ugh, I'll miss those. Also made me wonder how the make-up/special effects crew do such a lifelike job of making a dead body. Our only hope left is that Jack tracks down Tony after the Air Force forces him down. Sorry, thin on the links this week. I guess the show had too much food for thought. Sphere: Related Content
Monday, February 15, 2010
Season 8, 11-12PM: fine craftmanship
Thank goodness for figure skating. I have become slightly less patient with commercials as I mature, but they give me a chance to keep abreast of popular culture during the times I choose to partake in it. It's about the only way I get to follow Heroes, which has teased me enough during commercials during 24 that I start to consider watching it. But after it's winter finale (whatever that means; those marketing whizzes sure are clever in how they find new ways of saying LAM!!--look-at-me, for those who've never programmed a CAMAC crate), what can I try to fill commercial spots with?
NBC figured that out for me--figure skating!!! But even better, as I'm not interested in that ice work so much, NBC filled most of the 24 time slot with figure skating, saving the parts I like watching more for the House spot and at least one commercial--I watched the men's downhill, then I watched a bit of House, then the quarterfinals of board cross, then 24, then during one commercial the semifinals of board cross. Just about perfect. Now if only I can time this note right, I'll get to the board cross finals. Man, those network execs are geniuses!
House ended tonight with Chase brooding, what's her name wanting in on the brooding, saying, "I'll love you no matter what." Somehow, I got the feeling Chase knew better. But you didn't come here to hear me get distracted by all that.
Tonight, I'm thinking about classic story-telling. Stories that are fleshed out, with full characters and intertwined plots. Stories that are more than just action and suspense. Stories that take a while to develop, that build to a climax, then patiently resolve, leaving the reader with a sense of completion. Now, that's what you come to 24 for, right?
Well, whether or not you do, that's what you got here. Maybe these writers this year are trying to show the TV watching minions a new--err, old--way to tell a story. And boy, if they can pull it off, just think of where TV will go. Aww, jeeze, what'll happen to the sit-com?
'Cause here we all (well, the few other blogs and reviews that I've tracked down--if you're interested, I'll find some links later) are complaining about how great Walker is and how little Jack's had to do and how slow and boring the subplots are. You're missing the point! You're missing what's going on here! This is the return of great story-telling! You gotta believe me! I'm telling the truth! (Aren't those last 2 telltale signs of lying? Didn't Jack say those same things under his "interrogation" tonight?).
But whether that's true or not, last week we had Jack do the knife trick. This week it's starting to get really good. He got himself captured by the baddies without CTU knowing where he was headed. He was tied up, weaponless, being tortured (after taking a knife to the belly), in one of those "how's he gonna get outta it" situations, and he had them right where he wanted them!! He even got his twitches back! We've been waiting soooo looong for 24 to get back to this stuff, and ooh, it feels so good. Wouldn't have been 1/10th as good without this year's long build-up. 24 does this better than anybody else on TV.
So, Jack goes all Lethal Weapon on his Russian "interrogator" (without even needing the head butt). With a little Houdini mixed in (why do you think they took his shoes and socks off? You think Russian restaurateurs care about cleanliness? I think I'm glad the writers had the decency to refrain from stealing from Die Hard.). He uses his feet to grab the jumper cables from the Russian, then electrocute him. If it weren't Jack Bauer doing this, if it weren't Jack Bauer after he was twitchy, I wouldn't have believed it possible. And then Russian wakes up just as Jack breaks the water pipe he's strapped to (hmm, I don't remember water spraying all over the place when he broke the pipe, even though he found the weak spot because it was leaking), and Jack breaks his neck with his feet. Oh, that's good stuff.
And the subplots are getting going. Daughter of Islamic pres tries to talk sense into him, but he's way off the deep end (hmmm, could he be off the deep end like a fox? Like at least a couple US presidents before him? Like James T. Kirk?). Now, I have to go back to last episode when daughter's squeeze meekly handed over his side arm when his second in command came to take him into custody. In the world of 24, he's gotta know what's gonna happen next. He's gotta be smart enough to do something better with his gun. Only Jack can get away with giving his gun to a baddie.
And only-still-living son of Russian boss is taking things into his own hands, again, defying poppa, again. Hokey smokes, Bullwinkle, this kid's a real loose cannon. And he looks like Sting! I can't wait to see him try to sing when Jack trains his steely stare on him! Maybe we're finally learning this season how over-rated actual physical torture is.
But best of all, LBD is getting serious. She's finally gave her locks their head--they no longer stay mysteriously only on the left side of her head. She started telling fiancee Freddy why she's been acting strange for the last couple days. He said, no worries, I'll love you no matter what. Wow, that could be the first time I've experienced deja vu. Or foreshadowing from one show to the next--the immediately preceding show! Do you think this is gonna turn out A-OK? Come On. This is 24! What does LBD do? Instead of telling Freddy, letting the truth set her free, She goes after her ex (Kevin, somehow that name works so well for him) ALONE! And instead of using her strong suit, her smarts, her talents, what she's good at, she goes after her ex with a gun! It'd be one thing for her to threaten him with intel--"I'm a data analyst, I have data, and I'm not afraid to use it!" What's she gonna pull here--"I've got a gun and I know how to use it"?? No matter the look in her eyes, the hair no longer perfectly on the shoulder away from the camera, I'm not sure I'm gonna buy that one. And if Kevin's not bright enough to figure it out, I bet his bat-happy partner will.
What's been missing here?? That's the beauty of what these writers have been building. All this other stuff finally gets its chance to start showing that our patience will return its reward (I can hardly wait to see how LBD at a strip, err, underwear--this is Fox--club and renegade Russian son facilitate a plot resolution), and we're so happy, that we forget the best part of the season so far [just saw Westscott's gold medal run--almost, yes, almost as thrilling as watching 24, and what with the qualifiers and the quarter and semi finals leading up, almost as slow as this season of 24. Great story-telling there, too!].
Renee! Forgot about her, didn't you? Everybody at CTU thinks she's the reason they lost Jack. Everybody back there thinks she's lost it. Everybody, even her. Wersching uses the empty eyes trick again--can she make them even emptier? Wow, she's a master of her craft. Did I say "everybody"? Everybody but Chloe. She's looking out for Renee, even if it's only because Jack's in trouble. But Renee could use any friend by her side right now, 'cause Jack's indisposed. Chloe's also looking out for LBD, covering for her in front of director Dopey. Chloe sure is turning into a mother hen. When Jack's in trouble, it brings out the best in all his friends.
He's caught Russian boss. Any other season, he'd be trying to get boss alone to torture him to find out where the U235 was. He even told the cops, "I want to talk to him alone". But with NYPD getting there faster than the tac-team (hmmm, that seems a bit suspicious, but I'll suspend disbelief again), torture wasn't an option. Too many cops around for a distraction to work, I guess (I'm not sure that would have discouraged him before he became a grandpa). So he called his bud President Taylor, and got the boss full immunity. She caved way too fast on that one. I'm kinda missing Jack saying in his insistent whisper, "It's your only option, Madam President." I guess many things change once you're a grandpa.
And to finish on Renee, did you forget about her again? I have always loved previews. I love them at the movies. I love scenes from next week's show. I love teaser commercials. Last week the previews had me seeing that LBD would start to take charge of her problem, though I was looking forward to the truth setting her free. This week I find out the truth doesn't matter when you have a gun. Looks like next week we have a silencer on the gun--so much the better. And next week Renee's presence seems to amp up the suspense at CTU--and it looks like Jack finally comes to her rescue. And the teaser commercial for this week told me something about the world's most dangerous man, initially trying to suggest it was Russian boss, but then telling me it was Jack. Wow, even their commercial teasers have twists. And knowing it was Jack heightened my anticipation for watching this episode. These 24 folks, writers, actors, marketing folks, ad-men, this is quality stuff, top to bottom! I just can't wait.... Sphere: Related Content
NBC figured that out for me--figure skating!!! But even better, as I'm not interested in that ice work so much, NBC filled most of the 24 time slot with figure skating, saving the parts I like watching more for the House spot and at least one commercial--I watched the men's downhill, then I watched a bit of House, then the quarterfinals of board cross, then 24, then during one commercial the semifinals of board cross. Just about perfect. Now if only I can time this note right, I'll get to the board cross finals. Man, those network execs are geniuses!
House ended tonight with Chase brooding, what's her name wanting in on the brooding, saying, "I'll love you no matter what." Somehow, I got the feeling Chase knew better. But you didn't come here to hear me get distracted by all that.
Tonight, I'm thinking about classic story-telling. Stories that are fleshed out, with full characters and intertwined plots. Stories that are more than just action and suspense. Stories that take a while to develop, that build to a climax, then patiently resolve, leaving the reader with a sense of completion. Now, that's what you come to 24 for, right?
Well, whether or not you do, that's what you got here. Maybe these writers this year are trying to show the TV watching minions a new--err, old--way to tell a story. And boy, if they can pull it off, just think of where TV will go. Aww, jeeze, what'll happen to the sit-com?
'Cause here we all (well, the few other blogs and reviews that I've tracked down--if you're interested, I'll find some links later) are complaining about how great Walker is and how little Jack's had to do and how slow and boring the subplots are. You're missing the point! You're missing what's going on here! This is the return of great story-telling! You gotta believe me! I'm telling the truth! (Aren't those last 2 telltale signs of lying? Didn't Jack say those same things under his "interrogation" tonight?).
But whether that's true or not, last week we had Jack do the knife trick. This week it's starting to get really good. He got himself captured by the baddies without CTU knowing where he was headed. He was tied up, weaponless, being tortured (after taking a knife to the belly), in one of those "how's he gonna get outta it" situations, and he had them right where he wanted them!! He even got his twitches back! We've been waiting soooo looong for 24 to get back to this stuff, and ooh, it feels so good. Wouldn't have been 1/10th as good without this year's long build-up. 24 does this better than anybody else on TV.
So, Jack goes all Lethal Weapon on his Russian "interrogator" (without even needing the head butt). With a little Houdini mixed in (why do you think they took his shoes and socks off? You think Russian restaurateurs care about cleanliness? I think I'm glad the writers had the decency to refrain from stealing from Die Hard.). He uses his feet to grab the jumper cables from the Russian, then electrocute him. If it weren't Jack Bauer doing this, if it weren't Jack Bauer after he was twitchy, I wouldn't have believed it possible. And then Russian wakes up just as Jack breaks the water pipe he's strapped to (hmm, I don't remember water spraying all over the place when he broke the pipe, even though he found the weak spot because it was leaking), and Jack breaks his neck with his feet. Oh, that's good stuff.
And the subplots are getting going. Daughter of Islamic pres tries to talk sense into him, but he's way off the deep end (hmmm, could he be off the deep end like a fox? Like at least a couple US presidents before him? Like James T. Kirk?). Now, I have to go back to last episode when daughter's squeeze meekly handed over his side arm when his second in command came to take him into custody. In the world of 24, he's gotta know what's gonna happen next. He's gotta be smart enough to do something better with his gun. Only Jack can get away with giving his gun to a baddie.
And only-still-living son of Russian boss is taking things into his own hands, again, defying poppa, again. Hokey smokes, Bullwinkle, this kid's a real loose cannon. And he looks like Sting! I can't wait to see him try to sing when Jack trains his steely stare on him! Maybe we're finally learning this season how over-rated actual physical torture is.
But best of all, LBD is getting serious. She's finally gave her locks their head--they no longer stay mysteriously only on the left side of her head. She started telling fiancee Freddy why she's been acting strange for the last couple days. He said, no worries, I'll love you no matter what. Wow, that could be the first time I've experienced deja vu. Or foreshadowing from one show to the next--the immediately preceding show! Do you think this is gonna turn out A-OK? Come On. This is 24! What does LBD do? Instead of telling Freddy, letting the truth set her free, She goes after her ex (Kevin, somehow that name works so well for him) ALONE! And instead of using her strong suit, her smarts, her talents, what she's good at, she goes after her ex with a gun! It'd be one thing for her to threaten him with intel--"I'm a data analyst, I have data, and I'm not afraid to use it!" What's she gonna pull here--"I've got a gun and I know how to use it"?? No matter the look in her eyes, the hair no longer perfectly on the shoulder away from the camera, I'm not sure I'm gonna buy that one. And if Kevin's not bright enough to figure it out, I bet his bat-happy partner will.
What's been missing here?? That's the beauty of what these writers have been building. All this other stuff finally gets its chance to start showing that our patience will return its reward (I can hardly wait to see how LBD at a strip, err, underwear--this is Fox--club and renegade Russian son facilitate a plot resolution), and we're so happy, that we forget the best part of the season so far [just saw Westscott's gold medal run--almost, yes, almost as thrilling as watching 24, and what with the qualifiers and the quarter and semi finals leading up, almost as slow as this season of 24. Great story-telling there, too!].
Renee! Forgot about her, didn't you? Everybody at CTU thinks she's the reason they lost Jack. Everybody back there thinks she's lost it. Everybody, even her. Wersching uses the empty eyes trick again--can she make them even emptier? Wow, she's a master of her craft. Did I say "everybody"? Everybody but Chloe. She's looking out for Renee, even if it's only because Jack's in trouble. But Renee could use any friend by her side right now, 'cause Jack's indisposed. Chloe's also looking out for LBD, covering for her in front of director Dopey. Chloe sure is turning into a mother hen. When Jack's in trouble, it brings out the best in all his friends.
He's caught Russian boss. Any other season, he'd be trying to get boss alone to torture him to find out where the U235 was. He even told the cops, "I want to talk to him alone". But with NYPD getting there faster than the tac-team (hmmm, that seems a bit suspicious, but I'll suspend disbelief again), torture wasn't an option. Too many cops around for a distraction to work, I guess (I'm not sure that would have discouraged him before he became a grandpa). So he called his bud President Taylor, and got the boss full immunity. She caved way too fast on that one. I'm kinda missing Jack saying in his insistent whisper, "It's your only option, Madam President." I guess many things change once you're a grandpa.
And to finish on Renee, did you forget about her again? I have always loved previews. I love them at the movies. I love scenes from next week's show. I love teaser commercials. Last week the previews had me seeing that LBD would start to take charge of her problem, though I was looking forward to the truth setting her free. This week I find out the truth doesn't matter when you have a gun. Looks like next week we have a silencer on the gun--so much the better. And next week Renee's presence seems to amp up the suspense at CTU--and it looks like Jack finally comes to her rescue. And the teaser commercial for this week told me something about the world's most dangerous man, initially trying to suggest it was Russian boss, but then telling me it was Jack. Wow, even their commercial teasers have twists. And knowing it was Jack heightened my anticipation for watching this episode. These 24 folks, writers, actors, marketing folks, ad-men, this is quality stuff, top to bottom! I just can't wait.... Sphere: Related Content
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Season 8, 8-9PM: Mirror, mirror
Renee just finished proving her cover's legit by cutting off the Russian's hand [later: looks like it was just the thumb; note to FOX: you gotta be able to shoot that better, shoot, you had 2 chances, end of last week and start of this week!] so he could escape the tracking bracelet, and Jack comes busting in (fortunately, probationer is unconscious from the operation) threatening to shut down the undercover op. Jack just doesn't get it. He worked so hard to get her to cross over to the dark side last season. She struggled, with Jiminy Cricket (Larry) trying so hard to keep her on the straight and narrow, but the power of the dark side (the ends justify the means) was too powerful. I guess she didn't see anything after Revenge of the Sith (then again, maybe she did and knows that like in Return of the Jedi, she'll find redemption--didn't Jack find that last year?). Come to think of it, Anakin (and Luke) lost a hand, too. These parallels are just too spooky. I had never thought of the writers of 24 as quite this nerdy.
At least probationer won't have to suffer as long as some of those others who lost limbs (except for the other Russian mobster a couple years ago). Whereas Jack will have to suffer for a whole day watching someone other than him use his own tricks and tactics and confidence to do the job her way. "Go ahead, Jack, call it in. But I had to do this to get in." She's just playing you, Jack. Can't you see it??? How'd you get so gullible, so unsophisticated? Guess you've been hanging around the granddaughter too long.
Whereas Renee has been plumbing the dregs. Man, Wersching's acting is spot on there. Her eyes really are dark and hopeless. We don't even need all the characters saying that all the time. Jack stared into those lipid (ooops, limpid) pools seeing straight to the abyss, and he didn't seem to recognize it as him anymore as a reflection. He even said so. You know what? Keifer is playing the caring partner pretty well so far. Though it's not very believable after all the other days we've been through with him. This is the guy who pulled the trigger with the gun at the head of his partner, his son-in-law, I think, without flinching (the gun wasn't loaded, which only meant that the partner lived to ultimately lose his arm in the last episode). And he goes all wackadoodle when Renee whacks off the arm of a minor mobster???? (I'm still wondering about why and how she taped it back on, but the episode end shows me that I'll never learn why as probationer winds up in the drink. [previous brackets clears this one up])
Jack gets worried about Renee's past with these Russians just as all she wants to do is get her newly crafted cover story solid. He's all, "What's your history with them?" She's all, " That's over and done with. Shut up and tell me what my cover story is." And he hardly presses her about that back story. Has he really become as stupid as everybody he's ever dealt with?
And there's more--once she's in with the Russian she used probationer to get to, they stuff her in the trunk and drive off. And Jack falls for the oldest trick in the book--the old decoy car drives off first! We all saw that one coming. And here's the worst of it--the only smart one left is in the trunk! Chloe falls for it, too (but maybe that's not so surprising as she's remote sensing, although that's what she's done so successfully her whole career--and strangely enough, after having so much trouble with all this new technology at CTU for the 1st hour, all it took was Director Dopey to tell her to get better at it or he'll fire her, she's not having any trouble anymore---hmmm, maybe I should try that motivation technique.). And Dopey--oh, man is he useless. Well, count on him to pull a Kirk--make all the wrong decisions for the first half of the show (but I'm not sure he'll know when 1/2 the show is over and it's time to start making the right calls). So Jack is following the wrong car, telling Dopey to intervene with the interdiction team he just sent (sorry, I already forgot their word for the team, but it wasn't the Away Team, or even the A-Team), and Dopey's still thinking about whether to intervene, but not telling us why he's pausing, and finally he gives the word, and then we get contact from Renee again! She's outta the trunk. That must mean they fell for the old decoy car trick! Boy, don't they feel dumb (lucky that Jack doesn't recognize that strange feeling and become confused).
Russian blows away probationer right next to Renee, and still not a freckle has flinched. This is great stuff. Then Russian turns to Renee and with the gun to her head asks for the truth (Jack would demand the truth--I guess he really has a lot to learn about how to handle Renee, and I hope when this day is done she gets a chance to teach him some more). She tells him to shoot, her life is meaningless without this big deal she's offering. (Didn't I say this is good stuff?) Wow, Jack has to understand that! How many times has he pulled the same one? Or seen it done (Tony last season, maybe?)? Russian buys it, to everyone's relief (writer's included).
The biggest suspense left? When is Grandpa gonna snap out of it?!?!?!?!?!?
Pretty nice primary story. Of the back stories I gotta like the Islamic Republic's president the most. It takes learning that his brother was in on the plot to kill him for him to realize he still loves his wife and that he probably wasn't in love with the reporter he flung with. "It was nice to know I could still have feelings." Wife: "Great, that's my fault, too." Pres: "No, it was our fault." Simple dialog, showing a complex situation. Wife walks out anyway. And before that, with President Taylor who wants him to abide by human rights as he cracks down on the coup plotters (amazing how much cracking down he was able to do back home in the 15 min since he avoided assassination!). She's all, "You can't give up on human rights." He's all, "You don't understand my country, I'm dead if I show weakness." (I tried to remember his line; it was so great, but I lost it.) And the best she can come up with is, "There has to be some middle ground." Well, it's tough to wade through the thicket of the middle ground when all the writers have time for is one sentence. I truly marvel at how much TV (and even movie) writers can do with so little. With only a handful of lines here, they have conveyed how complex real life is.
Unlike what's going on with LBD--too many lines for how simply they're treating a very complex interaction (abusive man, emotionally crippled woman). Now we find out this felon is holding her conviction for accessory to homicide over her head (if he was the killer, how'd he get out so soon? Must be one of those soft on crime states--I didn't think those existed anymore.). And that she was a minor at the time. Oh, puh-leeez. He is so manipulative, and she's so falling for all of it all over again. I just don't get how someone as dumb as her (with a record, but I guess even CTU background checks don't get past a judge's sealing of the record of a minor) is working on as important stuff as she is at CTU. Oh, wait a minute, maybe it was Dopey that hired her! But how did she snag that dreamy Freddy Prinz? And she has slimy analyst chasing her tail--I guess that's to lend credence to how she's letting ex-con manipulate her--she attracts more losers than winners. Are the writers doing this just to teach us that giving into blackmailers' demands only encourages them? I will be so disappointed if this story-line plays out so simply that ex-con goes down with nothing more. 24 is normally so shades a grey. Or rather, as I said last year, shades of grey and black. But this one looks so black and white. It just has to work itself out in a more complicated way.
And I can't even speculate on how plot line of Russian son disobeys father to get dieing brother medical help will tie in.
So far, I'm still disappointed not to see a bigger conspiracy afoot, but the day is yet young.
And I'm disappointed that it took 4.5 hours before Jack broke the law--driving while on cell phone! Now, I'm getting pissed at how this show glorifies and justifies illegal behavior. Sphere: Related Content
At least probationer won't have to suffer as long as some of those others who lost limbs (except for the other Russian mobster a couple years ago). Whereas Jack will have to suffer for a whole day watching someone other than him use his own tricks and tactics and confidence to do the job her way. "Go ahead, Jack, call it in. But I had to do this to get in." She's just playing you, Jack. Can't you see it??? How'd you get so gullible, so unsophisticated? Guess you've been hanging around the granddaughter too long.
Whereas Renee has been plumbing the dregs. Man, Wersching's acting is spot on there. Her eyes really are dark and hopeless. We don't even need all the characters saying that all the time. Jack stared into those lipid (ooops, limpid) pools seeing straight to the abyss, and he didn't seem to recognize it as him anymore as a reflection. He even said so. You know what? Keifer is playing the caring partner pretty well so far. Though it's not very believable after all the other days we've been through with him. This is the guy who pulled the trigger with the gun at the head of his partner, his son-in-law, I think, without flinching (the gun wasn't loaded, which only meant that the partner lived to ultimately lose his arm in the last episode). And he goes all wackadoodle when Renee whacks off the arm of a minor mobster???? (I'm still wondering about why and how she taped it back on, but the episode end shows me that I'll never learn why as probationer winds up in the drink. [previous brackets clears this one up])
Jack gets worried about Renee's past with these Russians just as all she wants to do is get her newly crafted cover story solid. He's all, "What's your history with them?" She's all, " That's over and done with. Shut up and tell me what my cover story is." And he hardly presses her about that back story. Has he really become as stupid as everybody he's ever dealt with?
And there's more--once she's in with the Russian she used probationer to get to, they stuff her in the trunk and drive off. And Jack falls for the oldest trick in the book--the old decoy car drives off first! We all saw that one coming. And here's the worst of it--the only smart one left is in the trunk! Chloe falls for it, too (but maybe that's not so surprising as she's remote sensing, although that's what she's done so successfully her whole career--and strangely enough, after having so much trouble with all this new technology at CTU for the 1st hour, all it took was Director Dopey to tell her to get better at it or he'll fire her, she's not having any trouble anymore---hmmm, maybe I should try that motivation technique.). And Dopey--oh, man is he useless. Well, count on him to pull a Kirk--make all the wrong decisions for the first half of the show (but I'm not sure he'll know when 1/2 the show is over and it's time to start making the right calls). So Jack is following the wrong car, telling Dopey to intervene with the interdiction team he just sent (sorry, I already forgot their word for the team, but it wasn't the Away Team, or even the A-Team), and Dopey's still thinking about whether to intervene, but not telling us why he's pausing, and finally he gives the word, and then we get contact from Renee again! She's outta the trunk. That must mean they fell for the old decoy car trick! Boy, don't they feel dumb (lucky that Jack doesn't recognize that strange feeling and become confused).
Russian blows away probationer right next to Renee, and still not a freckle has flinched. This is great stuff. Then Russian turns to Renee and with the gun to her head asks for the truth (Jack would demand the truth--I guess he really has a lot to learn about how to handle Renee, and I hope when this day is done she gets a chance to teach him some more). She tells him to shoot, her life is meaningless without this big deal she's offering. (Didn't I say this is good stuff?) Wow, Jack has to understand that! How many times has he pulled the same one? Or seen it done (Tony last season, maybe?)? Russian buys it, to everyone's relief (writer's included).
The biggest suspense left? When is Grandpa gonna snap out of it?!?!?!?!?!?
Pretty nice primary story. Of the back stories I gotta like the Islamic Republic's president the most. It takes learning that his brother was in on the plot to kill him for him to realize he still loves his wife and that he probably wasn't in love with the reporter he flung with. "It was nice to know I could still have feelings." Wife: "Great, that's my fault, too." Pres: "No, it was our fault." Simple dialog, showing a complex situation. Wife walks out anyway. And before that, with President Taylor who wants him to abide by human rights as he cracks down on the coup plotters (amazing how much cracking down he was able to do back home in the 15 min since he avoided assassination!). She's all, "You can't give up on human rights." He's all, "You don't understand my country, I'm dead if I show weakness." (I tried to remember his line; it was so great, but I lost it.) And the best she can come up with is, "There has to be some middle ground." Well, it's tough to wade through the thicket of the middle ground when all the writers have time for is one sentence. I truly marvel at how much TV (and even movie) writers can do with so little. With only a handful of lines here, they have conveyed how complex real life is.
Unlike what's going on with LBD--too many lines for how simply they're treating a very complex interaction (abusive man, emotionally crippled woman). Now we find out this felon is holding her conviction for accessory to homicide over her head (if he was the killer, how'd he get out so soon? Must be one of those soft on crime states--I didn't think those existed anymore.). And that she was a minor at the time. Oh, puh-leeez. He is so manipulative, and she's so falling for all of it all over again. I just don't get how someone as dumb as her (with a record, but I guess even CTU background checks don't get past a judge's sealing of the record of a minor) is working on as important stuff as she is at CTU. Oh, wait a minute, maybe it was Dopey that hired her! But how did she snag that dreamy Freddy Prinz? And she has slimy analyst chasing her tail--I guess that's to lend credence to how she's letting ex-con manipulate her--she attracts more losers than winners. Are the writers doing this just to teach us that giving into blackmailers' demands only encourages them? I will be so disappointed if this story-line plays out so simply that ex-con goes down with nothing more. 24 is normally so shades a grey. Or rather, as I said last year, shades of grey and black. But this one looks so black and white. It just has to work itself out in a more complicated way.
And I can't even speculate on how plot line of Russian son disobeys father to get dieing brother medical help will tie in.
So far, I'm still disappointed not to see a bigger conspiracy afoot, but the day is yet young.
And I'm disappointed that it took 4.5 hours before Jack broke the law--driving while on cell phone! Now, I'm getting pissed at how this show glorifies and justifies illegal behavior. Sphere: Related Content
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