The first four hours of 24 are now over, and with twenty hours left, it looks like President Wayne Palmer, CTU Los Angeles, and Jack Bauer are once again in the middle of a crisis that will test what everybody in the country is made of. When we started out at 6 AM, it looked like Jack just wanted to die, the worst thing that could happen in this country would be suicide bombers forcing us to rethink our stance on public transportation, and it could all be fixed quickly with some word and a few promises. By the time the clock struck 10 AM, it was obvious that our enemies were intent on causing unprecedented destruction on a mass scale, that it was going to take more than words and some ransom money to get them to stop, and Jack Bauer would once again be willing to do anything to put an end to it all. While the clock said last night's episode was between 8AM and 10AM, we all know that it really took place between KICK and ASS.
As of 8AM, Jack Bauer had been doing a pretty good job. While he hadn't stopped the suicide bombings all over the country, he was able to stop one on the Los Angeles subway and after making the difficult decision to team up with former terrorist turned do-gooder Hamri Al-Assad, it looked like they were going to be able to track one of Fayed's men back to his headquarters. That means that by the end of the four-hour premiere, Fayed would be dead and we would be introduced to another character that would be the REAL mastermind behind everything that is happening.
Sure this pattern gets a little repetitive, but I figure that by the time the 20th season of 24 rolls around, the producers will finally take my suggestion to have an zombie army full of Ninas, Mandys, Marie Warners, Sherry Palmers and Dina Arazs, and I supposed some Victor Drazens and Habib Marwans, terrorizing the country. This may seem far fetched, but it would be great for me personally because I believe this would be the easiest way to bring Edgar back (undead armies requires undead agents opening undead sockets to track them) and it would also be the easiest way to bring Mila Jovavich on as a guest star. But since that is another 15 seasons away, I guess I’ll stick to the reality, or should I say the surreality, of life this season.
Where were we? Oh yes. Jack meets up with Assad and they begin to track the guy back to Fayed's place, but Fayed first tells his man that he needs him to make a stop in Newhall before coming back. And really, is there any better way to start your day than a quick run to the Santa Anita valley? Jack quickly realizes that the man they are trailing is heading North, which means that the traffic will thin out and it will become much more difficult to stay on his tail while keeping a safe enough distance so as not to be noticed. Now, this is still Los Angeles, and traveling to Newhall will put them on I-5 which doesn't really thin out until you're about to hit the Bakersfield exit, but whatever.
Jack uses the traffic excuse to convince Assad that it would be in their best interest to get in contact with CTU since they have the resources to track this guy by satellite and whatnot. Assad is a little apprehensive, because he is worried about working with the enemy, to which Jack says that he is already working with the enemy and if he is serious about the political process, he is going to have to start working with the enemy. And hey, once Assad gets a look at Nadia, maybe he'll want to start sleeping with the enemy as well. And besides, we know nothing wrong ever happens when you begin to work with the enemy, just ask President Logan!
After making his case, Jack puts in a call to CTU, and I see now that the receptionist is the only person who gets a coffee break because Chloe is back to answering the phones. She is very excited to hear Jack's voice, and I am sure he is excited to hear her, but he really needs to talk to Bill Buchanan. Bill goes on to tell Jack that they need to find Fayed by the end of the hour because the president is about to authorize the release of 110 enemy combatants, née freedom fighters, or else the attacks are going to continue.
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Comments (27)
jack shot curtis.
?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
this one's hard to take. we have lost many in the past (tony, michelle, mason, edgar, samwise rudy, and of course, david 'd-palm' palmer)and a few of them have felt the wrath of bauer in their final moments (nina, chapelle), but--even though i kinda saw it coming--this one floored me.
j-unit, i request a memorial video homage to curtis, the only man on 24 besides jack who could escape a strapped-to-the-chair terrorist torture session, cover sixty miles of los angeles roadway in under 4 minutes to kick multiple terrorist ass, and still manage to get his blood- and sweat-stained shirt cleaned and pressed along the way. people who are new to tvgasm and 24 deserve to see him in his former glory--especially that time he cold-cocked mandy in the parking lot.
RIP, curtis. see you when the zombies come in season 15.
1 of 27 | Posted by jack
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Posted on January 18, 2007 5:29 AM
I agree with Jack. A video montage of Curtis is in order. A super slow mo of Mandy taking one in the schnoz should be a feature. RIP, Curtis, RIP.
A show of hands for who thinks Acchhkkmed looks 35 as opposed to the 17 that he was supposed to be? Huh?
2 of 27 | Posted by RealityTV4Me
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Posted on January 18, 2007 6:43 AM
The general feeling around my office is that Curtis isn't dead...they just made us think that. What does everyone think?
3 of 27 | Posted by needrealitytv
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Posted on January 18, 2007 7:00 AM
I felt that Curtis wasn't dead too, though maybe it was just denial but he really just looked shocked that he had been shot and the medical team rushed to him right away. Maybe it just means that he'll end up in medical for the rest of the season, it seems unlikely I know but we can always hope for the return of Curtis in season 7.
4 of 27 | Posted by wniffene
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Posted on January 18, 2007 7:14 AM
I agree with needrealitytv (#3). Curtis isn't dead, he'll come back towards the end of the season a la Tony a few seasons ago after getting shot in the frickin' neck!
Sandra Palmer = Kim Bauer. All we need now is a goddamn cougar/panther/mountain lion and we will have a seamless transition. Please make her go away...
-Fg
5 of 27 | Posted by Firthguy
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Posted on January 18, 2007 7:20 AM
Oh Why Curtis....
whhhhhhhy. :(
http://www.fox.com/24/profiles/cm.htm
6 of 27 | Posted by Court_Love
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Posted on January 18, 2007 7:20 AM
And if Curtis truly is dead, why no Silent Clock. He deserved as much. I know his "death" didn't come at the exact end of the show, but they could have had a shot of him at the end with the clock.
I agree, RealityTV4Me (my sib) with the Acchmed age thing. This guy's been around for like 30 years now. Teenager my ass.
7 of 27 | Posted by realitybred55
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Posted on January 18, 2007 7:23 AM
Oooooh I forgot about the silent clock.
Curtis should have gotten a silet clock. I agree!
8 of 27 | Posted by Court_Love
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Posted on January 18, 2007 7:33 AM
The Curtis death felt a little cheap to me. There really was no reason for it except to shock the audience. I mean, why did it have to be Curtis who was a total nut job all of a sudden? Couldn't it have been some random CTU day player?
As soon as I saw that Roger Cross was merely a guest star on the first episode, I was concerned. He probably landed a gig on another show.
I think they should have simply not had him in the premiere and then brought him back midway through the season as a suit from Division -- Michelle Dessler style. No need to kill him off. Take Morris instead. Or Milo!
Or why not bring Chase back and then kill him?
9 of 27 | Posted by B-Side
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Posted on January 18, 2007 8:29 AM
what's with the guy in charge of the islamic american alliance not speaking arabic? how'd he get that job, because he has a muslim-sounding name? that's like putting me in charge of the vatican because my last name is godd.
10 of 27 | Posted by copygodd
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Posted on January 18, 2007 8:29 AM
Love the shout out to Bakersfield! Too bad about the bomb going off in Valencia. No more trips to Magic Mountain for Jack and the gang.
11 of 27 | Posted by jimster66
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Posted on January 18, 2007 8:47 AM
I agree with B-Side, take Morris out instead. No guy who hosts a cooking show in Canada can possibly work for the bad ass CTU!
12 of 27 | Posted by dboy
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Posted on January 18, 2007 9:10 AM
Anybody else wonder why they had to wait for the nuclear engineer to enable one device when they had 4 more that were ready? Or at least I hope they are ready since the engineer went and nuked himself.
13 of 27 | Posted by cincy_josh
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Posted on January 18, 2007 9:16 AM
Damn, damn, damn. Curtis was the "black Jack"--an equally badass mofo butt-kicking, and I think that he could have taken over at CTU quite easily.
Curtis, we will miss you, and you DEFINITELY deserved a silent clock.
Oh, and on another note...aren't we all proud that, after umpteen years in movies and TV, Raphael Sbarge GREW A PAIR??? And, a third to the notion that AKKKKKKKKKKmed is WAAAAAY too old to be a teenager. Sorry, but everybody mispronounces my last name....if I went around beating down everybody who did it....hey, that's not a bad idea.
God, I am so GLAD this is back on....but WHY, OH WHY are "24" and "Heroes" on at the same time??????
14 of 27 | Posted by cruella_deville
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Posted on January 18, 2007 10:05 AM
Cruella...do the name Dual Drive DVR mean anything to you?
I had a feeling Curtis was going to bite it when this season started. If not him, who would be the CTU goner? Chloe? NFW. Buchanan? Nah. He probably draws the lowest salary in the cast of regulars. Karen? I wish!
I have to admit I gulped when Numeer pushed the switch. I actually said "Oh, my God" out loud, even though I was alone. This season has got to continue to rock. I feel like a boxer that's overmatched and I'm against the ropes taking punch after punch but I can't fall down...not yet!
Only glitch for me was already pointed out. If the component was needed so badly, why didn't they detonate one of the other suitcases? And if they didn't have components for all, how will they now detonate them? And if they're ready, why not detonate them all at once? Methinks the writers didn't think this one through, but, whatever, if they can get Numeer from his orange coveralls in Bumfuck, California all the way to the warehouse in Valencia in under 10 minutes, changed into street clothes then I'll just continue to suspend reality. BUT I WON'T LIKE IT!!!!!
Rock on, 24.
15 of 27 | Posted by Tony A.
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Posted on January 18, 2007 10:56 AM
The bit about the president at the Bellagio --- ohhh, you are in fine form this season, my friend... :) What's with the "we cave in to all terrorist demands, all the time" policy anyway?
It's the most annoying subplot of the season, but just to be picky, Sandra's not in LA, but in DC. When they took her and her boyfriend to the detention center, it was in Anacostia in DC. Frankly, the sooner Sandra disappears, the better, in my book.
16 of 27 | Posted by Deb
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Posted on January 18, 2007 11:10 AM
B-side, I agree that Curtis morphing into a nutcase just so they could kill him was way too contrived. (Sex and the City used to do this all the time with major male characters, who would suddenly turn into completely different people so they could be dispensed with. Big must have had a multiple personality disorder...)
But don't take Morris! If we have to keep checking in with CTU, let us at least have a little comic relief. I like Morris -- especially with Chloe.
17 of 27 | Posted by Deb
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Posted on January 18, 2007 11:19 AM
Great recap J-Unit ... I'm gonna cry like a baby if you and B-Side give up the 24 recaps. loved the shoutout to Leeroy!
RIP Curtis ... we'll always remember you for the time that you cold-cocked Mandy. And the time that Tom Baldwin whipped your ass on The 4400.
Wow ... Palmer, Tony and Michelle, and Edgar last year. Curtis at the hands of Jack this year. Is there any other character that they can kill where the death would actually shock us at this point (besides Jack, of course)? Wayne Palmer as the sitting president? Chloe, maybe????
18 of 27 | Posted by dumbanddumber
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Posted on January 18, 2007 11:27 AM
Nice review! Glad you commented on Jacks "Wolverine" abilities to heal in seconds. And will somebody pin down Milo and shave that crap off his chin? He looks like a goat.
19 of 27 | Posted by Murfy
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Posted on January 18, 2007 12:48 PM
sweet jesus. whoa...true to form each explosion on 24 gets bigger and better. not that dropping a nuclear bomb in Valencia is a positive (i sincerely felt afraid to live in California when that happened). but what is the next explosion going to be...i thought for sure they would at least blow up a 747 on the tarmac at LAX or something! but a nuclear bomb..how do you beat that?
20 of 27 | Posted by cnote
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Posted on January 18, 2007 1:18 PM
Did anyone else happen to catch the same guy who played ACH-MED's older brother in White Castle was Numeer? Rip Curtis- "If you try to carry out that command I will draw my weapon." Since I don't have Tivo I wasn't able to check, but did Jack say something right as the nuke went off?
21 of 27 | Posted by 24Ever
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Posted on January 18, 2007 5:22 PM
RIP Curtis, I'll always love you :( I really like the zombie plot, I miss the old CTU gang. I wish they hadn't killed off most of the good people.
22 of 27 | Posted by mangos
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Posted on January 18, 2007 8:44 PM
The actress who plays Nadia was also Audrey Griswold in Vegas Vacation. And the guy who played Ray was also the dad in Flight of the Navigator. In case anyone cared...
23 of 27 | Posted by dizzlevizzle
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Posted on January 19, 2007 9:46 AM
Just wondering if anyone saw that the 30 year-old teenager aka Kumar was also Law & Order SVU this week???
Anyway, great re-caps. This season is already amazing!
24 of 27 | Posted by livemusicjunkie
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Posted on January 19, 2007 11:20 PM
Is anyone else alarmed that 24 keeps killing LIKEABLE characters (Pres. Palmer, Curtis, Edgar, Michelle, Tony, etc.) while the truly annoying characters get to stay on season after season after...I hope Nadia gets a chance to put me out of my misery and shoot Chloe already. I hate watching her. She's ugly, snippy, a know-it-all, and not even good at sarcasm. Who is this actress sleeping with that her character seems to be the ONLY analyst at CTU who knows anything and, therefore, is so indispensable???
25 of 27 | Posted by Blah Blah
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Posted on January 21, 2007 12:00 PM
#23
Actually, the dad was Cliff De Young, character actor extraordinaire. He also played Brad in the Rocky Horror Picture Show sequel "Shock Treatment".
26 of 27 | Posted by fignuts
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Posted on January 23, 2007 3:53 PM
Sorry, meant the dad in "Flight"...
27 of 27 | Posted by fignuts
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Posted on January 23, 2007 3:55 PM