Well, on the evidence note, keep in mind. It
is 2015.
But, yeah, the main terrorist/whatever storyline needs to pick up and get into gear. Other than vauge Russian seperatist sects and this Middle Eastern State is anyone yet clear on
what this season's threat is?
Yeah there's nuclear materials floating around but that's about it.
Just to comapre:
This season started at 4PM it is now 1AM so nine hours have passed. Let's see where we were in other seasons at this point:
Season 1 at 9:00AM - The plot had moved along quite nicely, at 9AM Jack had already pulled the ruse with "killing Nina", had performed the assassination attempt on Palmer at the power plant, and hitched the ride with the sassy waitress and Teri has been taken to Gaines' compound.
Season 2 at 5:00PM - Jack's dealt with Nina, this episode ends with Nina taking Jack as hostage. The attack on CTU has happened, George has been infected with the radiation, and Kim has been picked up by the police in the stolen Psycho Dad car. We know the season's threat is the nuke.
Season 3 at 10:00PM - Jack's broken Salazar out of prison and has fled to Mexico. Tony's been shot, undergone surgery, and is back in CTU. We've had the whole mis-lead with the Gaiel, and we've know the season's threat is the VIRUS.
Season 4 at 4:00PM - Jack's held up a gas station, he's met back up with Tony who's helping Jack and Audrey out, we've had the attack on the terrorist cave compound were they're holding the kidnapped SCDUS. While we've little idea on what the "big plot" is (we've already has the Nuclear McGuffin and the SCDUS kidnapping) in this season that ended up as little surprise. Oh, season 4. If you weren't so cheesey...
Season 5 at 4:00PM - Main characters have been killed, Jack framed, Jack reutrns, he's saved an airport, got-in with the terrorists and released the nerve gas in the mall, gotten back into action with CTU and Martha Logan is in the car with the Russian dignitaries, whom the Preisdent knows will be attacked by the terrorists under threat of another major attack on the US.
Season 6 at 3:00PM - Jack has been called back into action, nuke has gone off in Valencia, we know the connection with Graem Bauer/The Bluetooth Group and the season's bads, and Daddy Bauer has killed Graem. Jack's son, er. "nephew" has been taken hostage and we've had the whole ordeal with Jack working with Terrorist Bashir and Morris has been kidnapped and used to rig up the other nukes, and then recovered.
Season 7 at 5:00PM - A season that moved a bit more in pace with the first season but still by this point the First Gentleman has been kidnapped, and recovered, Dubaku has stolen the season's MacGuffin, and it has been recovered, Tony is back in the game and Rene is taking her steps to the Jack Side. (Incidentialy at the end of the next episode we learn about the "big attack" coming soon which ends up being The White House.)
So here we are, nine episodes into Season 8 and where do we stand?
Jack's been called back into the game, Rene has been called back into the game, there was some to-do about the attack at the UN, which was averted, and we spent several episodes with Jack and Rene tracking down the Russian Tire Store Mob to get the nuclear materials which are now in the third set of hands over the course of the day. Has really that much happened this season so far when we look at past seasons? Are we as far along as we should be? And, again, I have to bring up about all the time wasted on the stupid subplot with Starbuck and Redneck DiCaprio.
. How come it takes CSI a few days to solve a case even though it's usually solved at the end of the hour, but it takes the DOJ 1 hour to get all the information she can get and we don't see how or where she got it. I guess it was from CTU, and she did have a lot of background, but still, that is so much information in so little time. 
