24 - Day 8: 6:00AM - 8:00AM - Discussion and Spoilers

[Trekker4747]

Ok, as I planned my buddy came over about half-way through so I re-watched the first hor and just got done watching the whole episode.

A very good couple of episodes. Doubly-so for the second hour with a well-deserved Silent Clock.

This is what this season should've been several episodes ago not this late in the "day."

Some comments on the rest of the episode:

• 
  * I will gripe that I think there were a couple places of time tom-foolery going on. I'm not sure when there was time for the terrorists to move Hassan from the SUV to the hybrid sedan. I'm also not sure when there was time for Lead Terrorist Guy to give that long speach/video and escape the apartment without being seen.
  
  * Starbuck finally becomes interesting and watchable. Her killing the head valet guy and the other valets in the parking lot vestibule and her raid in the garage was the most awesome she's been all season.
  
  * I laughed when she said she "wanted Jack Bauer" my friend and I both said at the same time, "No, you don't."
  
  * Jack got a good three kills in and Renee got at least one that I caught.
  
  * The ending was a real shocker and again well played out. The actor did a really great job with the part and the show played out his death really, really nicely.
  
  * When the (Russian?) diplomat came in I kind of figured he was the first thread in the next plot for the last part of the season.
  

Overall, I think I'd grade this episode an "Excellent." I've very few complaints about it other than that I think they pulled some sleight of hand with the time with the switch in cars and Hassan's assassination. (As my friend said when I pointed this out, "On 24? No!")

On rewatching, I did notice that Chloe must've hacked into the Hyundai Jack stole to unlock the doors and start the engine. (I believe some Hyundais come with this feature now where the car just senses your Key fob and will let you start the engine with a button. We also see the car's lights flash calling Jack to it.)

 

[StarshipDefiant]

I guess Dana doesn't get that immunity now, huh? Although, I suspect she was expecting this; the look on her face during the speech was as if she knew. As for the car, the guy had left the car running and ran across the street, that's why the lights were flashing.

 

[Trekker4747]

I guess Dana doesn't get that immunity now, huh? Although, I suspect she was expecting this; the look on her face during the speech was as if she knew. As for the car, the guy had left the car running and ran across the street, that's why the lights were flashing.

I seriously doubt that a guy would leave his car running sitting on a street in New York City on an oddly very bright 6 AM.

 

[StarshipDefiant]

I do to, but I am pretty sure I had seen it running, but maybe she did hack it. Awfully convenient, either way though, huh?

 

[eastman23]

And to think, if only CTU had surrounded the perimeter of that parking garage like Jack asked and prevented any cars from leaving, that would have prevented Hassan from dying.

But I guess that would make for a short season.

 

[Danny99]

^^
Well even now, what the hell are they going to do for the rest of the season?

They killed Samir, killed Hassan, found Dana out.

What's left? Bringing back Audrey?

 

[StarshipDefiant]

Was Samir killed? Funny, I thought he had escaped or something, but yeah...

 

[Yoda]

And to think, if only CTU had surrounded the perimeter of that parking garage like Jack asked and prevented any cars from leaving, that would have prevented Hassan from dying.

But I guess that would make for a short season.

I picked up on that one. I decided to let it slide and vote excellent anyway. That does require ignoring that little gap in logic, and a lot of the stuff leading up to tonight though. What can I say, what they put up on the screen was exciting, not too stupid, well-paced, and I just enjoyed it from start to finish.

I did sniff out that it was a recording and they would be too late though. When Hassan was doing his I'm a defiant great man schtick it became clear to me that they would probably want to prerecord it to make sure they control the message exactly, and edit if need be before broadcast.

Was Samir killed? Funny, I thought he had escaped or something, but yeah...

I figured he had escaped too, but I went back and replayed the fight, and I think he was the last one to die, he was still wearing his executioner's mask, and was spraying ineffectively with a submachine gun.

 

[Gil T.Azell]

Much better tonight on both counts, 'Starbuck' got Busted her conditional immunity seems to be gone.
Agent Red got a few kills in, Jacks count went up by about 4-5.
I don't have the luxury of recording so I missed it if Samir was killed ( Though with his over confidant attitude you knew he would or hoped it so.).
Also let remember that the ‘blonde’ who brought Hassan to the building was Russian so I figure they are still in play.
Should be interesting next week?
Silent count down Not Good, fairly moving at the end.

I seriously doubt that a guy would leave his car running sitting on a street in New York City on an oddly very bright 6 AM.

whos to say this day is not taking place in mid to late June or July?
its that bright here on a sunny day at that time of year.
just my 2¢.

 

[Trekker4747]

whos to say this day is not taking place in mid to late June or July?
its that bright here on a sunny day at that time of year.
just my 2¢.

I don't remember exactly when the sun went down on the show, but it seems to me it went down a bit "early" for this season to be taking place in the Summer. I just wish this show had done more dawn/dusk times. Anymore it's like it's instantly night-time or instantly daytime with no twilight/dawn/dusk periods. (Yeah, yeah, I know production scheduling, etc.)

 

[firehawk12]

You know, I'd like to know how many cars Jack has stolen over the years.

Decent pair of episodes - I definitely appreciated the little twist at the end.

Logan coming back would explain why the actor was written off The Mentalist though. Go figure.

 

[scorpius1701]

Also let remember that the ‘blonde’ who brought Hassan to the building was Russian so I figure they are still in play.
.

THe blonde was a wig and i Agent Red spotted it on the floor which is how she knew that girl she shot was a bad guy.

 

[StarshipDefiant]

Much better tonight on both counts, 'Starbuck' got Busted her conditional immunity seems to be gone.
Agent Red got a few kills in, Jacks count went up by about 4-5.
I don't have the luxury of recording so I missed it if Samir was killed ( Though with his over confidant attitude you knew he would or hoped it so.).
Also let remember that the ‘blonde’ who brought Hassan to the building was Russian so I figure they are still in play.
Should be interesting next week?
Silent count down Not Good, fairly moving at the end.

I seriously doubt that a guy would leave his car running sitting on a street in New York City on an oddly very bright 6 AM.

whos to say this day is not taking place in mid to late June or July?
its that bright here on a sunny day at that time of year.
just my 2¢.

whos to say this day is not taking place in mid to late June or July?
its that bright here on a sunny day at that time of year.
just my 2¢.

I don't remember exactly when the sun went down on the show, but it seems to me it went down a bit "early" for this season to be taking place in the Summer. I just wish this show had done more dawn/dusk times. Anymore it's like it's instantly night-time or instantly daytime with no twilight/dawn/dusk periods. (Yeah, yeah, I know production scheduling, etc.)

The 24 Wiki (Or I guess Wiki 24) is able to date it as May 20-21. I can't remember when the Sun set, I think it was around 5-6 PM, but I could be off, there, I know there were not very many episodes before it set.

 

[Base_Delta_Zero]

Excellent. The end was crazy good. I was so afraid they were going to kill Renee after Jack's comments to her and the fact she wasn't wearing a vest that I didn't realize till they entered the closet that Hassan was already dead.

Arlo actually asked some good questions, he just didn't follow up. Liked the fakeout with the improvised garotte.

And the CTU guard Dana killed first (Jim was it?) deserved to die like a punk. When he saw the alert on her, he should have said, "You're all clear, Ms. Walsh," buzzed her out and then drawn down on her when she turned to leave. How it actually played out, he'd have been better off putting the gun in his mouth and saving Dana the bullet. Bad idea to quick draw on someone from a sitting position if you clearly have no clue how to actually do so.

As for the 24-verse immunity deals, even with provisions, they make absolutely no sense. The only people privy to these type of deals would be the bad guy, the negotiator/interrogator and the President and her US attorney of the day.

Every single immunity agreement should have played out like this:

Bad Guy With Critical Info: I will help you out of this jam I got you in, but I want Complete, Ironclad Immunity from anything and everything and Ridiculous Demand #2. Oh and I want it signed by the President in the blood of a virgin. Preferably a hot one. I want pics, too.

Jack: Mr./Mrs President, I can see no other way around this. This Bad Guy is immune to enhanced interrogation techniques for the purposes of Plot.

President: *Angst* OK, we'll deal with the traitorous/terrorist Bad Guy JUST THIS ONCE. This is a real sweetheart deal I'm giving them. They better appreciate it. *Faxes signed deal and virgin pics*

Jack: Here you are Bad Guy With Critical Info, one pristine Get Out Of Jail Free Card back dated to all the shit you've ever pulled up until this moment.

Bad Guy: Excellent, I have outsmarted you all and really pissed off the audience. Here is the info I have. It may or may not actually be useful and probably isn't worth letting me walk away scott free, but them's the breaks.

Jack: Thanks. *Shoots Bad Guy in face, puts immunity deal in shredder*

Jack (to President): Yeah, it's me again. It worked. The Bad Guy bought that the most powerful nation on the planet would bend over for one info dump from a Bad Guy ... again.

President: Hahahahaha! Excellent! I won't tell anyone if you won't. That bit never gets old. Now, follow this latest plot thread and save the world, Jack.

 

[Harvey]

Excellent. Those were two of the best episodes of the season, and the silent clock at the end was truly heartbreaking.

Not that Dana working with the terrorists makes any more sense, or the crazy general is anything less than insane, but these episodes did the best they could have done with those story threads.

And count me as another person confused if Samir was killed or not in the end.

 

[joVuNik]

First Excellent this season for me.

Truly shocked me at the end, wow this show has not done that in a while (except for the out of nowhere Dana is evil thing lol).

Well done, show. So I guess the 'covertly' setup they next bad to be the Russians? Makes sense (in the 24 world) since the rods were provided by the Russians as well.

And a sad silent countdown. wowzers...

 

[FreezeC77]

I absolutely loved the look Chloe had when Jack stole the car. hahahaha. Awesome.

These were two very good episodes and maybe the best this season when you factor in the conclusion. I really didn't expect Hassan to die. I guess his wife will try to become the leader of the country, but c'mon. If this really is 24's version of Iran. There's no way a woman is leading Iran.

 

[DarthPipes]

I don't have the luxury of recording so I missed it if Samir was killed ( Though with his over confidant attitude you knew he would or hoped it so.).

I didn't realize he was killed until I read a review afterwards. I guess I was too stunned with what happened. Having successfully pulled off his mission elevates the Samir character. It's a case of having your cake and eating it too. He read a list of Hassan's crimes and killed him. Juma didn't do that with Taylor last season.

BTW, was anyone expecting Samir to grab one of those kids in the apartment and threaten to shoot them if Hassan didn't read that statement?

 

[Bad Bishop]

Excellent. The end was crazy good. I was so afraid they were going to kill Renee after Jack's comments to her and the fact she wasn't wearing a vest that I didn't realize till they entered the closet that Hassan was already dead.

My heart skipped a beat. I thought Renee Walker was going to die in this episode. Whew! I'm looking forward to her shipper-friendly scene with Jack next week.

 

[Sheep]

Hey 24 writers--was it REALLY that hard to pull some good storylines and action out of your asses like you did for these two episodes? Far from perfect, but easily the best two episodes of the season after a run through head deep in mediocre shit.

I don't mind that CTU let the Honda Insight of the future get through--the show's established that minus Jack and a handful of core characters, they make Barney Fife look competent. However, two plot points really bugged me:

1. When did the Honda Insight of the future have a chance to get rid of Hassan? The only thing that might work is if Taran tossed him out right by the conveniently located Insight, but I'm not sure there was time to do that.

2. The Hassan interrogation being on a delay shows a time warp of Trekkian proportions, even by 24 standards. When they did they have time to record that and start playing it to the world? By my estimation, they had to have done so at least 10-15 minutes before CTU arrived, which doesn't work with what appeared on screen any way you slice it.

Sad thing is that a little editing and some extra scenes could've made both of these things more plausible.