24: Day 5 Discussion Thread

[Woochifer]

The ads on Fox weren't kidding when they said that the first 10 minutes would change everything!

I was absolutely not prepared for former President Palmer's assassination. Sheez, we're talking about well liked character from the first four seasons -- BANG, dead just like that. And then Michelle getting taken out right afterwards.

I'd have to say that this is probably the best setup that 24 has done since the first season. Already in the first two hours we've had two mainstay characters from previous seasons killed, Jack Bauer framed for assassinating former President Palmer, and now a hostage standoff at the airport with the President's own security chief involved in the conspiracy.

The direction that the storyline is taking seems a lot more personal than the past three seasons. Jack was tight with Palmer and Tony and Michelle, so it will be very interesting to see the lengths that he will go to this season. No need for a nuke or bioterror threat, there's more than enough tension going right now.

Another two hours tomorrow! Can't wait!

[topspeed]

Great episode! When Jack took out Palmer's assassin, both my wife and I channeled Marv Albert with an emphatic "Yessss!!!" THAT'S what makes Jack such a compelling character. No PC, no namby pamby rhetoric. You kill my President, I kill you. Simple. I also loved when he told the kid (Derek?) "The only reason you're conscious is because I don't want to carry you!"

Classic.

I was definitely not a happy camper when Palmer was taken out. He's the only politician that isn't a slimeball. The current pres is a whiney, gutless, turd. Jean Smart's character should add some interesting twists though. Walt was a bit too easy to pick-out as the mole, especially as every fan of the show knows there's one somewhere. I think Tony will make it back as Jack's wingman somewhere down the road. I could care less that Michelle was waxed, I never liked her anyway ;).

Another two hours tonite! Sweet!!! :)

[Woochifer]

I must say, the first four hours have had me absolutely riveted to the set the entire time! This was the kind of taut and tight tension that got me so hooked on the series during the first half of Day 1. The "real time" aspect of the series though has been waning through every successive season, to the point that I don't even think they try for clock realism anymore (c'mon, it takes a lot more than 15 minutes to get from downtown L.A. to Ontario Airport!). But, who's complaining when the suspense and plot threads thus far are this tight?

That really something when the Sean Astin/Sam Gamgee/Lynn McGill character came in like the usual overbearing prick from "Division" yet managed to save Jack's hide during the hostage standoff.

I'm looking forward to seeing how these story lines play out, but I'm also a little worried that the writers might have sprung the escape hatch too early. I mean, the hostage standoff is now over, the treaty's been signed, and the audience got a big chance to exhale. This is similar to the 13th episode from Day 1, when Jack rescued his wife and his daughter from the kidnappers, and resolved that entire plot thread. I know with Day 1 they had to have an escape hatch just in case 24 got cancelled midway through the season. (Can you imagine watching a cliffhanger episode, and then Fox canceling the series?) But, it virtually stopped everything in its tracks and took at least three more episodes to get the momentum going again.

Aside from the First Lady, none of the main characters were in any peril at the end of last night's episode; and I always thought that 24 was at its best when it managed to keep the tension going on all of the different subplots. And I really hope that 24 isn't about to try yet another nuke/bioterror threat. But, however it goes from here, they've already got four stellar hours in the can, and I'm just biding time until next Monday!

BTW, in case anyone wants to read some tongue-in-cheek recaps/reviews of 24, the Television Without Pity website has been doing some hilarious work at 24's expense. Some of the nicknames that they use on the characters are especially hilarious.

Jack = Kiefer
Tony = Soul Patch
Michelle = *****elle
Secretary Heller = DaD
Audrey = DoDder
Chloe = Potato Face
Kim = Spawn of Kiefer
Chase = Special Agent Charlie Brown

http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/story.cgi?show=73&story=8719&limit=all&sort=

[topspeed]

I noticed the Ontario Airport commute too. 15 minutes? Maybe if you've got a handy dandy Atlas rocket strapped to the roof of your car. I also noticed Ford isn't a sponsor anymore. Jack drives a Toyota!

I was a little surprised they resolved the airport standoff so quickly as well. They should have dragged it out a little longer. This nerve gas deal is like a whole new season now. Anyway, the last two hours were excellent and as tense as any episode before. It will be interesting to see how Lyn plays out. At first you thought he was another Washington pencil-neck, but then you realized he's a pro. I like Sean Astin so it was cool to see him on the show.

I'm not crazy about the nerve gas storyline. Like you, I feel the whole "Jack saves the planet" is getting to be a little old. The story writers couldn't come up with anything a little more subtle or even clever? I'll still watch to see how it plays out, but I still wish they would have come up with a more compelling storyline.

BTW, how'd you like the First Lady's little card-key scene in the bathroom? That was pretty brilliant on her behalf. I have a feeling she's a lot smarter than they're letting on right now.

[Woochifer]

I noticed the Ontario Airport commute too. 15 minutes? Maybe if you've got a handy dandy Atlas rocket strapped to the roof of your car. I also noticed Ford isn't a sponsor anymore. Jack drives a Toyota!

No kidding! Next thing you know, they'll start using transporters just so the series can go global. Why not? They've already come up with ridiculous leaps of technological faith -- remember last season's pulse bomb detonation?

And you notice that the baddies were driving Tauruses, while Jack and Derek broke into a Contour and hotwired the thing in like 10 seconds? The things that can happen to the product placement when a rival carmaker outbids you!


I was a little surprised they resolved the airport standoff so quickly as well. They should have dragged it out a little longer. This nerve gas deal is like a whole new season now. Anyway, the last two hours were excellent and as tense as any episode before. It will be interesting to see how Lyn plays out. At first you thought he was another Washington pencil-neck, but then you realized he's a pro. I like Sean Astin so it was cool to see him on the show.

It almost felt like the writers were practicing for that long-rumored 24 feature film. Actually though, this would have been a pretty good movie-of-the-week if the story had ended at four hours. As it is, it does feel like a restart. It might have been interesting to still have Jack on the run, and framed for Palmer's asssassination. I'm surprised that he came out of hiding as quickly as he did.

I had no idea how the Lynn McGill character would play out -- is he another obstructive bureaucratic prick like Chappelle, or is he a pro's pro? So far, we've seen both sides, so it will be interesting to see how that character develops.


I'm not crazy about the nerve gas storyline. Like you, I feel the whole "Jack saves the planet" is getting to be a little old. The story writers couldn't come up with anything a little more subtle or even clever? I'll still watch to see how it plays out, but I still wish they would have come up with a more compelling storyline.

I would have preferred that they keep the tension more at a personal level. They haven't gone in that direction since Day 1 when Jack was forced to deal with the assassination attempt on Palmer while the assassins kidnapped his wife and daughter, and the first four episodes worked very well because all the perils hit Jack very personally (Chloe, Tony, Michelle, Palmer, and Derek). I hope there's something more to this bioterror thread than yet another group of baddies threatening to exterminate L.A.


BTW, how'd you like the First Lady's little card-key scene in the bathroom? That was pretty brilliant on her behalf. I have a feeling she's a lot smarter than they're letting on right now.

Loved it! The First Lady is probably the most intriguing new character this season. We don't know yet how far her "friendship" with Palmer went, and what else might underlie the information that she was supposed to get from Palmer.

It seems that 24 has always created great female characters that are a little shadowy or off-center -- Nina, Sherry (so sad when they off'd her!), Chloe, and now the First Lady.

[topspeed]

Who was Sherry?

I'd like Jack's daughter back, particularly if she's in peril...in a white t-shirt...with lots of water...in slo-mo :D

Umm, I'll be back, I gotta take a cold shower...

[Woochifer]

Who was Sherry?

Sherry Palmer (i.e. Lady Macbeth) -- Senator/President Palmer's manipulative and scheming wife/ex-wife. She was one of my favorite characters from the first three seasons -- sooooo good at being bad!


I'd like Jack's daughter back, particularly if she's in peril...in a white t-shirt...with lots of water...in slo-mo :D

Rub on that magical lamp a little bit more and your wish might come true ... hint hint ... while we're at it, let's bring that mountain lion back as well, that poor beast didn't get enough face time during the first go-round!

[topspeed]

How is it possible that we are the only two members on this board that watch 24?!?

Anywho, I found it interesting that the nerve gas is for Moscow, not US soil. It was mil spec, yet buried in an int'l airport hanger? Interesting location to store weapons, eh?

I've said it before, but I really do hate Pres. Logan. He favors his political profile over believing his own wife. What a weasel. The question becomes whether is was Logan or Cummins that arrest Jack in the next episode. Interesting stuff!

Cool scene between Jack's new and old girlfriends. You had to love how the new gf mentioned she accepted Jack for who he is, not what what he's done. Nothing like driving the stake in a little farther :). I never like the old gf anyway, especially after she didn't stand beside him when he needed her. Good riddance.

Best part of the show was Jack's last line; "I can get to him [Cummins]."

[Kam]

I started watching Season One and i loved it, but then wasnt able to follow and lost it about half way through. i didnt want to pick up at the end because i am a stickler for that kind of thing (like watching a new movie after its started, i wont do it, have to catch from beginning to end). since i havent had a chance to catch up yet, i've just been biding my time and waiting in the wings. but figured i'd take a week of vacation and watch each "day" straight through haha. (i only wish that was a joke). once i get into a series... it's really not that healthy (see for e.g. "Lost"). but i did really love season one, just havent had a chance to catch up. and am sure you two can generate 200 more posts and catch up to the lost thread in no-time!

[Woochifer]

ts-

I'm surprised as well that we don't got more devotees of 24 chiming in! But, if they ain't watchin', they're missin' out big time! And apparently, the ratings for 24 this season are the highest ever.

Last night's episode was another great one. I thought that the nerve gas plot could bog things down, but that did not happen with last night's episode. The pace of this season so far has been more relentless than any of the other seasons. It seems that the show's moving through the plot very quickly, and not dragging things out. I hope they don't start running low on ideas by dinnertime! (BTW, do ANY of these characters ever eat or go to the bathroom?)

The identity of the CTU mole was no surprise, and I'm glad they didn't drag that out like with previous CTU moles (although in the case of supposed CTU mole Gael from Day 3, that was a shocker when it turned out that he was actually working with Jack and Tony undercover; probably the best restart in the entire series, even if the rest of that season was comparatively weak). Last night's episode also tied in very well with the "prequel" from the Season 4 DVD, because in that prequel, Chloe told Jack that CTU's network had been compromised, along with information about how Jack's "death" was concealed. Now we know that it was probably Spencer that dug up the evidence that Jack was still alive. Too bad they didn't make mention of this in last night's episode.

The ending with Jack's "I'm not CTU" vow to get Walt Cummings was great! But, I think Chloe got off some of the best lines last night, especially her exchange with Edgar about sitting down and sharing their secrets over tea, y'know after they find the nerve gas and the terror level goes down. Great stuff!

Audrey's probably got the most thankless role so far. Looking ahead, wouldn't it be the ultimate trip up if we find that Diane and Derek have been working with the terrorists? That might be enough to sweep Audrey into the fray. But, I will add that my batting average with mindless 24 plot speculations has been quite low -- sign of a very well written show if I can't come close to predicting what comes next.

Logan's definitely a spineless scumbag, but he still has some opportunities to redeem himself. Should be interesting to see how things play out as Jack storms the gates of the Presidential compound. We know the First Lady will find a sympathetic audience with Jack, but we'll see who finds her first!

[Woochifer]

Alright, I've been neglecting this thread for way too long!

Have to chime in regarding the this week's "9pm" episode. My gawd was that ending a shocker when Audrey got implicated as the information source for these Russian terrorists. Audrey?! Geez, now I'm gonna have to buy the DVD set for this season, so I can go back and retrace Audrey's steps (kinda like how the surprise ending of The Sixth Sense completely changes how you view the movie the second time around).

It was very reminiscent of an early episode from Day One, when Jack and his boss got ambushed in a gunfight. Before dying, his boss gave Jack a key card that would reveal the identity of the CTU mole (back then, the idea of a mole at CTU was still a novel idea, unlike now where it's pretty much a given!), and the name "NINA MYERS" popped up. That plot twist was a shocker at that time. Later, Nina "proved" to Jack that she was framed, but of course, we found out later on that she was really a Serbian mercenary and she wound up killing Jack's wife as the clock ticked down on the first season.

So far, I think this is easily the best season of 24 since the first half of Day One. (Overall, I think Day Two was the best from start to finish) I like how they're not letting stray plot threads linger and get stale.

Jack's new girlfriend and her teenage son? Rescued from the hostages, and now back home in Bakersfield.
Lynn McGill? Created tension and conflict, but now gassed and gone.
Tony Almeida? Didn't drag out his recovery very long, now also a goner.

The pacing on this season has moved along very well, and unlike in other seasons, it seems that the action does not bog down when the focus shifts away from Jack. I really like the dynamic that they've created around President Logan. Considering how spineless he is, it's very conceivable to see him collaborating with terrorists plotting to assassinate the Russian president, and having all these other powergrabs in play from that scumbag V.P. With President Palmer, you knew he was a good guy who would in the end do the right thing, but you never get that sense with Logan.

And now we've got Wayne Palmer back in action (but considering the predicament he's in with those militia guys chasing him in that van, who knows how long we'll have him around). Something tells me that Agent Pierce is about to see some action as well, and that doesn't bode well for his future. Conspiracy theories abound, but I would guess that Mike Novick wants Agent Pierce out of the picture, because that would leave Novick and Jack Bauer as the lone remaining cast members from Day One!

And talk about cold blooded, what about when Jack shot Henderson's wife?! Yikes! I guess Jack's having a pretty bad day!

[KaiWinters]

Shooting the bad guys wife in the thigh when he refused to talk was awesome...the shocked look on her face was so well done...I even jumped...woohoo great stuff.

Watching all those people in CTU die was shocking. I did not expect that at all...great to see a show taking such risks.

It seems to me that Homeland Security will be portrayed as a very bad outfit from the end of the last episode...personal power grabs seemingly regardless for the safety of the country will make great tv...maybe it will even spur some real life interest and commentary regarding the real HS and how it acts/overacts/underachieves to the real security of our country and its citizens.

Seems to me that Jack may not be on a "leash" at all very soon...at least in my forward looking imaginiation. That could provide some interesting episodes and all sorts of intrigue regarding "subversion/treason/etc.

I did not want to get sucked into another show...love Bones, House and CSI Vegas...but my wife LOVES the show since day one and one evening the "Giant Sucking Sound" of 24 pulled me in and I am stuck...ah well...lol

[Kam]

i was talking with a friend about this show, and how this is basically the fifth really, incredibly crappy day in this guy's life. (i dont really know that much about the show and need to catch up on it, but given the previous 4 seasons were all just one day each). but in the whole realm of plausible shows and all that, this one is quite possibly the most plausible of all tv shows ever.
given that, for example, take a show like Murder She Wrote, where for (how many seasons was that on? 3-4?) every week someone dies around this woman!!?? that's insane! i mean i stick by my friends through thick and thin, but if in a two year span, for 23 weeks of the year, someone dies around a friend of mine once a week EVERY week.... i'm gonna have to let that friendship slide a little, or at least stay VERY far away from them for 22 more weeks after that first death occurs!
and the doctor/hospital show with dick van dyke... where again.. .every week someone croaks around this guy! and he's a doctor!!!
and all the older (albeit cheesy and fun) shows like The Equalizer, Knight Rider, and The A-Team, granted they're all in the business of buttkicking, but seriously, c'mon! how much work can there be out there for these guys? (apparently several seasons worth of work!) even ER! i have several friends that are doctors, and it seems like this ONE emergency room has had an inordinate amount of tragedy and mayhem occur within it... one might even say that this hospital is flat out cursed!
but when it comes to the realm of suspending belief about "how much bad crap can ONE guy go through" type deal (ala mcclaine in die hard) 24 doesnt seem all that huge a suspension at all.
just a non-sequitor observation i had.
:)

[topspeed]

take a show like Murder She Wrote, where for (how many seasons was that on? 3-4?) every week someone dies around this woman!!?? that's insane! i mean i stick by my friends through thick and thin, but if in a two year span, for 23 weeks of the year, someone dies around a friend of mine once a week EVERY week.... i'm gonna have to let that friendship slide a little, or at least stay VERY far away from them for 22 more weeks after that first death occurs!:lol: :lol: :lol: ROTFLMAO!

Who sent the merc's after Wayne? It had to be the VP, right? So the question is, why did he do it? Is it possible both the VP and Cummings were in this together with the VP knowing it was going to play out like this all along? It's not inconceivable that he planned this whole thing as a power play. After all, Logan clearly doesn't make decisions for himself and can be manipulated pretty easily. Not a bad way to slide into the presidency.

What is it with Jack sleeping with terrorists, anyway?!? He banged Nina, and we all know how that ended, and now it looks like Audrey's involved too. Maybe she's involved with the VP in an effort to ursurp the President, which while the intention is good (he's a tool)...it's being done in the worst way possible.

Finally, I'm hereby protesting the all-to-short presence of Kimberly :mad:! Plus, she's with an entirely too old C. Thomas Howell, a fact that I'm sure went over well with her dear old dad. What is up with that?!?

[KaiWinters]

The show is over the top but that seems to be the intent of the show. I wonder when Jack has the time to go to the bathroom, relax and watch Home and Garden on the telly or listen to his Paradigm Studio 20's? lol...

The VP sending in his goons is also way over the top and in the land of the unbelieveable...that has soured me a bit on the show.

The Prez is the biggest pussy...wow...talk about no balls, easily manipulated, coward.
I loved the look on the Russians face when the prez met him after the attack...he knew they were set up...jeez he is a freakin' Russian...that is the norm in Russia...what a wuss.

[topspeed]

That slime ball! I always hated that sniveling coward, and now I have a legitimate reason to want Jack to take him out. Good twist tho. After leading everyone to believe it was the VP, they spring it on you that it's been Logan all along.

Now the question is why?

[KaiWinters]

Wow what a twist...not the VP at all but the "no balls, weasel" of a president.
Wonder what his wife will do?
Wonder what Jack will do?
Wonder what Cleo will do?
Wonder what the VP will do?
Add your "Wonder what..." here

[Woochifer]

Oh man! And I already erased all the earlier episodes from this season! I'm going to need to rewatch a whole bunch of episodes to see if anything from before makes sense anymore.

Logan?! Holy crap! Great plot twist, but now I'm really confused over how everything from Walt Cummings to the First Lady to Mike Novick to Agent Pierce fits together. I mean, everything up to this point logically made sense with Logan as the incompetent slimeball and all these other people scheming behind his back, and the audience guessing who's really behind everything. I just don't see Logan having the backbone or the brains to actually plot everything that has happened.

Will be very interesting to see Mrs. Logan and the President knock heads (you know that conflict is coming, well, unless Mrs. Logan is actually the brains behind this whole plot), AND if the Secretary of Defense is connected, because that would of course bring him on a collision course with his own daughter Audrey.

I guess we'll find out soon enough! I gave up on trying to predict 24's plot twists a long time ago, because since Day One, my plot predictions have rarely been right. Of course, not knowing what happens next keeps me hooked! (And IMO, there's nothing more boring than a show where I can anticipate every plot twist)

[topspeed]

IMO, there's nothing more boring than a show where I can anticipate every plot twist
Heh, watch Lost.

[Kam]

for you 24 fans... straight from Kiefer when asked about a 24 movie... (as told to MTV)

He says, "The 24 movie would be a two-hour representation of a 24-hour day. That would be the first time that we would not do something in real time, but the characters would obviously all be derivative of the show. The timing issue is something the writers are working on right now. But the sky's the limit at that point for them, because we would not be restricted by the time element."

[Groundbeef]

I think the time limit thing is a bit of a distraction actually. It really limits the scope of travel and other action to a very unbelivable level.

For example, the take over of CTU by homeland IN 1 HOUR? This is high level govt. agencies. It would take days if not weeks to get a transition team in and running. Let alone 10 minutes alloted in "real" time. And how is it that Jack can get around traffic w/ narry a delay.

I enjoy the show, but I think lifting the time limit would lend much more credence to the action.

[topspeed]

I agree. Just make it a Jack Bauer movie and screw the time element. It was a great gimmick during season one, but does anybody actually pay attention to it anymore? The action is so great, who really cares? If anything, it's a distraction. Does anybody really think you can get from downtown LA to the Ontario Airport in 20 minutes?!? Only if you had Scotty beam you up ;)!

[Woochifer]

I guess it's a sign that 24 is an unqualified hit if we got cartoonists drawing up parodies of the series. Here's an amusing bit of political humor featuring "Special Agent Bush" with the clock ticking down from "36" (percent). Man, and I thought Agent Bauer had a difficult mission! :)

http://www.markfiore.com/animation/special.html

[dean_martin]

remember when Jack started off in the FBI? 'member? Special (wet behind the ears) Agent Sam Stanley.

[Groundbeef]

Is it just me, or in a couple of weeks we should have the rest of the cast of RoboCop on board.

I'm just waiting for Peter Weller to ask Logan what the "Prime Directive" is for his next mission.

[MomurdA]

Is it just me, or in a couple of weeks we should have the rest of the cast of RoboCop on board.

I'm just waiting for Peter Weller to ask Logan what the "Prime Directive" is for his next mission.


Thats great ! Unfortunately i missed the first five minutes last night, so I guess the Sec. is dead now?

[topspeed]

Is it just me, or in a couple of weeks we should have the rest of the cast of RoboCop on board.

I'm just waiting for Peter Weller to ask Logan what the "Prime Directive" is for his next mission.:lol: I noticed that too! That 70's Show is shutting down, maybe they can squeeze Kurtwood Smith into an episode or two?

You've got to hand it to Jack, the boy has industrial strength cajones to get on a diplomatic flight all by himself. Correct me if I'm wrong, but on a diplomatic flight, doesn't that mean he has no rights as an American?

Does anybody know who the group of guys are that are pulling Logan's strings? Do they represent corporate america? The oil cartel? Cub Scouts Den 313?

[Groundbeef]

I am not sure about the "rights of American Citizens" on Diplomatic Flights. Depends on how they classify the plane. It is in American Airspace, so that may play a part.

Is the plane considered "soverign (sp)".

Does it really matter when you have a gun on an airplane? I think unless you are a DECLARED armed official, you are pretty much in deep s*it if you bring a firearm and commendeer a flight.

Also, they way the casting is going, no doubt it will be "Dick Jones" who is pulling the strings.

This show makes me want to watch RoboCop again. Ahhhh, so campy, yet so satisfying at the same time.

[Woochifer]

Wow! Just four more episodes to go! Now we got YET ANOTHER layer of baddies to sift through, the guys that are really pulling Prez Logan's strings. Like the rest of you, I can just see the camera panning back to reveal Kurtwood Smith and Ronny Cox puffing away on a stogie, and the VP walking in on them for the Robocop reunion!

While this season has been another great thrill ride, I think some of the story threads are veering dangerously close to the edge right now. Push the envelope any further and it could turn 24 into camp. I'm still hooked, but I think that the really taut interpersonal tension that the writers injected into the early episodes is pretty much gone, and now it's bouncing around from one impossible situation into another.

In a way, the story has not evolved as well as I had hoped after the big revelation with Logan, and last night's episode with Jack hijacking a diplomatic flight was really stretching things! Now, it's a matter of whether Jack's co-opted jet can outduel an F-18 armed with air-to-air missiles (but hey, in the Season 5 prequel, Jack managed to outrace a group of baddies in a Bimmer by gunning a Toyota Avalon in reverse!).

Still though, seeing Chloe and Bill setting up CTU-in-exile was pretty cool, and as laughable and ridiculous as it is, I loved seeing Chloe tweaking with the fate of the world from a freakin' hotel bar armed with only a laptop and a wireless card (not to mention a well-placed Tazer gun to ward off any unwanted advances -- how cool was that, and Chloe didn't break stride)! Oh and by the way, someone needs to send the Alcoholic Beverage Control officers to that hotel. What the hell are they doing serving drinks after 2am?

I'm also really enjoying the tension between the First Lady, the Prez, and Novick. You just KNOW something's going to break loose there!

And from the week before, I wonder if Secretary Heller really off'd himself, or if he lived through that plunge (I would have given much better odds if Jack had been driving the Secretary's Toyota Avalon).

And last night, where the hell was Curtis, Henderson, Audrey, and Agent Pierce? I mean, Buchanan was paraded through CTU like five minutes after he was apprehended, yet Curtis and Robocop haven't shown up yet? What up with that? It's not like they can go for a late night burger run or camp out at Canter's with L.A. under martial law.

So anyway, we're now in the stretch run. What do you all think is going to happen? I have a feeling that the First Lady might do Logan in, and that somehow, the Chinese are going to put Jack back on the run by the time 7am rolls around. Even though the press has been reporting that Keifer is signed on for three more seasons, could all that just be a smokescreen leading up to Jack Bauer's demise? A couple of months ago, there were a lot of rumors about Edward Norton taking over the lead role on 24. At this point, anything's possible!

[dean_martin]

OK, so I finally watched an episode last night. You say the early stuff was even better? It was a tension filled hour. I take it I don't know even half the players in the series. What struck me last night is that I could read just about all the characters except for the Chief of Staff. One minute his expression suggests he's sincere in getting to the bottom of what's really going on. The next he seems determined to discover the truth for his own gain. I liked that. His close-ups were the best. I'll have to go back and pick up on everything. I think re-runs of early episodes are already airing so it shouldn't be too hard. Heck, I didn't get into my favorite series of all time ("Twin Peaks") until it started running on Bravo.

[Woochifer]

OK, so I finally watched an episode last night. You say the early stuff was even better? It was a tension filled hour. I take it I don't know even half the players in the series. What struck me last night is that I could read just about all the characters except for the Chief of Staff. One minute his expression suggests he's sincere in getting to the bottom of what's really going on. The next he seems determined to discover the truth for his own gain. I liked that. His close-ups were the best. I'll have to go back and pick up on everything. I think re-runs of early episodes are already airing so it shouldn't be too hard. Heck, I didn't get into my favorite series of all time ("Twin Peaks") until it started running on Bravo.

I think the two-night four-hour premiere back in January was some of the most riveting stuff that 24 has delivered to date. What I liked about the tension created in that early plot thread was that you had terrorists and civilians PLUS a lot of peril that directly affected Jack and people very close to him. As the season's moved along, they've started adding more baddies and upped the stakes. But, I think some of the situations have gotten very close to ridiculous, and some plot threads were allowed to fray a bit for sake of creating plot twists and cliffhangers.

I still think that the first 13 hours from Day One of 24 remains the best that the series has offered up so far, because it was so simple. Jack had to prevent assassins from killing Senator Palmer on the day of the presidential primary. But, the assassins kidnapped his daughter and directed Jack to carry out the assassination or else they'll kill her. All the while someone at CTU was working with them, so Jack had to outwit the assassins, save Senator Palmer, find his daughter, and uncover who at CTU was the mole. No nukes or nerve gas or biobombs or planes getting shot down, just a lot of people in peril with unbearably tense and nerve-wracking suspense. Unfortunately, Fox only committed to broadcasting 13 episodes at the start of the season, so it feels like that season was written as two distinct parts, rather than one continuous narrative.

But, you should still rent the first season because the first half at least is damn good stuff. Or you can just watch A&E, because I think they're still broadcasting blocs of 24 on Mondays. WGN also shows reruns, but I don't know their schedule.

[dean_martin]

Thanks for the background info, Wooch. Somehow I saw the whole last episode but missed the previews for the next one. I don't think Logan and his puppet master really thought through the shoot-down-the-plane plan. I mean you can only cover up so much, right? Anyhow, I'm watchin' next week.

Oh, and what's the story on the Chief of Staff? Is he the pres's lap dog, a straight-up do the right thing kinda guy, or does he have his own agenda?

[Woochifer]

Thanks for the background info, Wooch. Somehow I saw the whole last episode but missed the previews for the next one. I don't think Logan and his puppet master really thought through the shoot-down-the-plane plan. I mean you can only cover up so much, right? Anyhow, I'm watchin' next week.

Oh, and what's the story on the Chief of Staff? Is he the pres's lap dog, a straight-up do the right thing kinda guy, or does he have his own agenda?

At this point, there are a lot of things in the plotline that don't make sense if you think them through! Just click off the logic button in your brain and enjoy the ride! The writers are just trying to keep you hooked and carried over to the next episode at this point.

Mike Novick, that Chief of Staff, is actually one of only two remaining cast members from Day One. (Secret Service Agent Pierce was the other, but he got "reassigned" a couple of hours ago) He formerly worked as an advisor to Senator/President Palmer, until he did some stuff behind Palmer's back and got fired back in Day Two. He turned up in Day Three as an advisor to Senator Keeler who was running against President Palmer. Novick is well intentioned, but he's a politco who prefers to work behind the scenes, and prefers persuasion over confrontation. He might seem slimey at first glance, but he'll usually try to do the right thing, though it's questionable how far he'll stick his neck out.

[Woochifer]

Alright, we're down to the season finale tonight! Someone down at ABC though needs to get fired for deciding to air the series finale to Alias directly opposite 24! For a serialized drama, I think Fox got it right by airing the entire season on the same night of the week nonstop with no repeats or preemptions. People I know who tried following Alias got frustrated by the repeats and schedule changes. I sort of followed Alias during the first season, but the narrative really got messed up when they decided to skip forward in the timeline.

Anyway, back to 24, the last few weeks have been quite interesting though a bit uneven at times (that whole plot thread with the recording and Miles somehow erasing it after Chloe had the device hooked up to her computer for at least five minutes comes dangerously close to a jump the shark moment).

I love how they've now setup the First Lady as one of many potential protagonists with an axe to grind with Prez Logan (or as Agent Pierce so eloquently spouted in perhaps the best moment of the season when he called President Logan, "Charles"!). And they've now got a lot of others on board as well, and everything leads up to the 7am departure of former President Palmer's funeral casket.

Just think of how many potential presidential assassins we now have on board -- Jack, Agent Pierce, Mike Novick, Martha Logan, Secretary Heller (if he manages to climb out of his hospital bed), Audrey Heller, and my personal dark horse for a surprise reappearance tonight, Wayne Palmer.

And I have a feeling that the identity of that mysterious group pulling Logan's strings will also hold some surprises -- like what if it turns out that this Graham character is in fact the Attorney General?

Despite some stumbles down the stretch, this has probably been the best season of 24 overall from end-to-end since Day Two. For one thing, the plot threads focusing on the White House have been far more interesting this season than any of the previous four. Having Logan as a shadowy character that could not be counted on to do the right thing, and then ultimately revealed as the villian was a brilliant decision. And I think Gregory Itzin absolutely should get an Emmy nomination for his role as Logan. As illogical as that plot twist with Logan could have been, Itzin made the character and that entire spectrum from spineless buffoon to duplicitous mastermind plausible.

In a way, Senator/President Palmer was an overly idealized character. You KNEW that he was a good guy, and you knew that he would always have Jack's back. But, that also made him less interesting and more predictable (constrast that with his ex-wife Sherry, who was a much murkier character). I read an article that described David Palmer as the president we wish we had, and Charles Logan as the nightmare president that we hope we never see.

[Woochifer]

Remember that 24 starts an HOUR earlier tonight at 8pm (PT/ET)!

[superpanavision70mm]

Interesting how something that is a TV show can show up in the FAVORITE FILM thread...key word: FILM.

[Woochifer]

Interesting how something that is a TV show can show up in the FAVORITE FILM thread...key word: FILM.

If the admins start up a Favorite TV Shows forum, I'll be glad to post it there. Otherwise, there are plenty of other TV threads that have been posted onto this forum over the years.

But, if you want to get technical, 24 is produced using film cameras and film stock, so in that sense it would qualify as a "favorite film." But, when a movie like Star Wars episodes I to III or Sin City is produced using digital video cameras, what forum would they belong in?

[superpanavision70mm]

Digital.

Technically you are correct, but keep in mind that we are talking not just about film as a format, but also film as a medium. Film = feature film or movie. You don't see 24 getting any nominations at the Oscars now do you? You also don't see SIN CITY on 7pm Tuesday nights each week either.

Thanks for pointing out things on that behalf though Wooch, but I'll always be smarter smart%$^ than you.

[Woochifer]

Digital.

Technically you are correct, but keep in mind that we are talking not just about film as a format, but also film as a medium. Film = feature film or movie. You don't see 24 getting any nominations at the Oscars now do you? You also don't see SIN CITY on 7pm Tuesday nights each week either.

Like I said, if you want to limit the discussions on this forum, feel free to bring it up with the admins. In the absence of a TV-specific forum, this is where those discussions go and have gone long before you first signed on.

And with your definition of "FILM", I suppose that short subjects and documentaries that were initially aired on HBO don't count as "FILMS" (remember it's not TV, it's HBO!)? Or do they count as "FILMS" because there are Oscars for those categories? Or would they not count as "FILMS" if I saw them on my local PBS affiliate, which has a weekly series devoted to them?


Thanks for pointing out things on that behalf though Wooch, but I'll always be smarter smart%$^ than you.

Hmmm, but I would think that a "smarter smart%$^" would have figured this out before someone else had to point it out! Oh well, maybe another alternative interpretation is in order here, or perhaps a better "keyword" thesaurus ... :lol:

[KaiWinters]

Jack is truly on a "slow boat to China". Wow what a cliche and I get to be the first to use it.

But now we have to wait nearly 8 months for the start of the new season...yuck lol.

[Groundbeef]

Jack is truly on a "slow boat to China". Wow what a cliche and I get to be the first to use it.

But now we have to wait nearly 8 months for the start of the new season...yuck lol.

Well Duhhh, this series is filmed in "Real Time". How long does it take a freighter to get to China? At least a couple of months. Plus then figure in the time to clear customs, and get off loaded.

Anyway, the finale was good. I enjoyed it quite a bit. I have a nagging suspision that Logan somehow sold Jack to the Chinese. Remeber, he did have a plan to "get Bauer".

I think that will come out next season.

[topspeed]

The whole Chinese thing was a pretty cool way to set-up next season. If anyone says they thought the kidnappers were anyone else other than the group behind Logan, they are lying. When the Chinese Ambassador(?) said "Did you think we'd forget?", I was thinking, "Well I sure did!" :lol:

BTW, did anyone else wonder how Audrey suddenly had two good arms? Wasn't it just a few hours ago that Christopher damn near sliced the flippin' thing off requiring a tourniquet?
Ooops!

Two of my favorite moments during the finale were:
1) Blowing away Christopher. Who needs the court system? Jack delivers justice...no waiting :)!
2) Martha's look as Charles was being arrested by the Secret Service. That was perfect, especially after the coward hit her.

Great season from beginning to end and apparently ABC noted how successful it was to run a show like this non-stop. Lost will now be run from Jan to May non-stop next season.

[topspeed]

Interesting how something that is a TV show can show up in the FAVORITE FILM thread...key word: FILM.

http://www.op.net/~cinder/flags/tool_wrench.jpg

[Woochifer]

Wow! So Jack got Shanghai'd!

Even though it would be more emotionally satisfying to see Jack finally get his life back and march off into the sunset with Audrey (okay, it would be really cool to see him go off with Chloe and all her drama). But, sugary happy endings (like how Alias concluded) are not 24's style and wow did they ever setup one helluva Day Six!

TS, actually I immediately suspected that the Chinese agents grabbed Jack. For one thing, I'd been waiting for them to enter the picture all season long. (In post #29, I suspected that they would reenter the picture before the end of the season; I just didn't expect that Jack would get packed into a shipping container and exported back east!) I think the writers tipped off the cliffhanger last week when Henderson mentioned how Jack failed to cover his tracks when the Chinese were after him. The whole reason Jack had to fake his own death last season and go into hiding was to keep the Chinese from doing exactly what they did last night. Henderson bringing up that subject was the first mention in a long time that the Chinese were still after Jack.

I thought that last night's finale would end with either Logan getting assassinated (when they mentioned that Wayne Palmer would not attend the ceremony, I thought that potentially hinted at an assassination attempt by Palmer) or something bad happening to Jack. Turned out that something REALLY bad happened to Jack.

Lot of great highlights in the season finale. The First Lady did one of the all-time power plays last night, but geez what the hell was up with Logan taking care of business in ... oh what was it ... like FIVE minutes?! That smirk on her face was a class F-U to her hubby.

And when Jack faked out Henderson by giving him an empty gun, that was a great student-besting-the-teacher moment. Henderson almost seemed proud that Jack could be that coniving. I hope that they manage to bring Chloe and her ex-husband back next season. Way too many angles that they can pursue with that couple!

The only disappointment was that we did not find out anything new about Graham and that shadowy group that Logan plotted with. I guess that will have to wait until next season!

As for next season, the fansites a few months ago were rife with rumors about Edward Norton joining the cast next season. The way that this season ended, he would be a perfect addition. With Jack somewhere in China, the plot could go in so many directions. CTU (or whatever agency) could send someone after Jack, but would it be a rescue or search-and-destroy mission? Could you imagine Edward Norton playing that kind of shadowy role, with Jack trying to figure out whether his purported rescuer is fishing him out to save him or to kill him?

Oh man, but now we have to wait until JANUARY 2007?! Argh! I guess I'll have to play that 24 video game in the meantime ...

[KaiWinters]

Well Duhhhhh yourself. That is an old saying that actually pertained to what was happening.
Have you never heard anyone say "Take a slow boat to China"?

[KaiWinters]

Remember the previous episode when Jack had to work with Henderson to find out about that bad guy. Henderson went into his house and as they were getting ready to crash the party the bad guy gave Henderson a gun. The first thing he did was pull the mag and check the ammo. I can not believe he would not do that especially with Jack giving him the gun. I wonder if something is up with Henderson. They even panned his dead mug at the end. I was expecting him to open an eye an wink at the camera...jk but the thought made me chuckle.

The pres' wife is one hell of a woman...banging the bastard to delay him. The look on her face was indeed priceless as they led him away.

Jack's planting that chip on the pres' was pretty neat. They have him dead to rights now lol.
Waiting until Jan will be rough though lol.

[Woochifer]

Well Duhhhhh yourself. That is an old saying that actually pertained to what was happening.
Have you never heard anyone say that?

You're right, there are a few old sayings that pertain to sailors getting forcibly conscripted into working on ships bound for China in the late-1800s. That used to happen in west coast port cities. Supposedy, there's still an underground tunnel system in Portland that was used more than 100 years ago to kidnap and smuggle conscripts onto those ships. Maybe there's one in L.A. as well, otherwise how would Jack have wound up on a freighter in less than 10 minutes?

[Groundbeef]

Well Duhhhhh yourself. That is an old saying that actually pertained to what was happening.
Have you never heard anyone say "Take a slow boat to China"?

Wow, a little catty I'd say. The joke loses any humor at all when explained, but here it goes.

The next season doesn't start until 2007. The episodes are in "Real Time" .......
So, Jack would have to be on a "Slow Boat To China" in order for it to take 7 months to get it filmed.

The more it is analyzed, the less funny it gets.

Sorry to have p issed on your parade.

[KaiWinters]

lol most jokes or humor gets washed out when someone trys to analyze it.
it was merely a moment to use a funny comment but the moment is over.

I, for one, wonder how anyone can survive such a day as Jack and the clan had this season. I have had long days at work but sheesh that was a day to beat all days. I often forget that all this takes place in one day.

I especially like the realism, or at least what I would consider to be the right way to do the things he has to do. No "Mr. Goody Two Shoes" here. He shoots Henderson's wife, nearly has his "love" tortured, shoots bad guys in the back with no warning or notice and gives over the phone tutorial on how to kill a person..."be sure to cut hard to cut the esphagus and carotid artery"..."but I am an engineer" lol great lines.

For a tv show I like the portrayal of the brutality. It has more of a sense of realism than most other shows out there.

[Groundbeef]

I, for one, wonder how anyone can survive such a day as Jack and the clan had this season. I have had long days at work but sheesh that was a day to beat all days. I often forget that all this takes place in one day.

I especially like the realism, or at least what I would consider to be the right way to do the things he has to do.

For a tv show I like the portrayal of the brutality. It has more of a sense of realism than most other shows out there.

Actually, for me I have had to suspend all sense of reality to enjoy the show. But that being said, I DO enjoy the show.

As far as "realism" please. How many times does Jack get knocked out in a season? At least 2 or 3. Your looking at a minimum of a few HOURS before you are functional at the level he is supposed to be at. And don't forget Audry, who just 4 hours prior suffered a MAJOR injury to an artery in her arm. But alas, she doesn't even need stiches. Just a fresh bandage and all better.

And the Nerve Gas in the facility? Cleared and workers back before the bodies are even cold. Hell, they closed the post office for 2 days here because some idiot shipped baby powder and the bottle leaked.

And the speed at which Govt works on this show is unbelivable. I can't get my drivers license renewed in less than 2 hours, and yet Homeland Security can take OVER CTU in 1 hour, and get their people trained on proprietary computer systems in the next. Never mind that it was after 5:00 when we all are aware thats when most Govt business gets handled.

This show is entertainment. There are very little if any parts that are remotely "real".

That being said, I am a watcher, and enjoy the program.

[Woochifer]

Alright! We already got our first spoiler for Day Six!





S P O I L E R A L E R T










Turns out that Jack ain't going to spend next season in China after all! An interview in the NY Post with 24 producer Howard Gordon indicated that having the story involve Jack escaping from China would not work with the show's real time premise, since getting him back to the U.S. would take 16 hours. So, basically it looks like Day Six will begin with Jack having already escaped from that China-bound freighter.

Maybe we'll now find out who these guys working with Graham are, and whether Logan gave up Jack to the Chinese when he said that everything had been "taken care of."

http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/69097.htm

[KaiWinters]

I agree Gb but it is hard not to try to figure out the realism and how it would work. I often forget that the whole premise is "24" hours and each episode is "1" hour of that day.
I have no idea how he or anyone could survive such a day. I would like to see him go through a McD drive through so at least I know he eats now and then.

Normally every time I sit down, whether at home or in a theatre, to watch something my only requirement is "entertain me"...I usually do not try to over think it, whether it could work or not, etc. but find it hard not to when watching 24.

[Woochifer]

For those of you who missed the early part of the season, Fox will show repeats of 24 in two-hour blocs every Friday starting on June 16th. :cool:

For those of us who've already seen the whole thing, the seven month countdown continues! :mad2:

All we got to look forward to in between is the DVD set, which for the past couple of seasons has included a prequel that sets up the chronology for the upcoming season. However, I heard an interview with the show's producer who said that they have no plans include a Day Six prequel with the DVD set for Day Five.






S P O I L E R S A H E A D






But, if the action on Day Six is not supposed to take place in China, then a logical prequel would show how Jack got back to the U.S. (or wherever the action on Day Six will take place). C'mon guys, we need our fix! :incazzato: