When Jack and Renee finally get the President on the line, he tells her that they need to talk. Madame Prez gets all defensive and tells him that they don't need to talk, he needs to listen! She goes into a mini-spiel about how appreciative everyone is of their work, but their just isn't sufficient intel to launch an air strike on private property. Jack, whose balls must be the size of mangos, tells her that "with all due respect" he thinks she's full of shit. He confronts her with the whole surface-to-surface missiles ready to spread the pathogen theory (and by "theory", of course...we mean straight-up truth!). He elaborates, telling her that he thinks Hodges is black-mailing her withe the capability to launch the pathogen and that Tony witnessed the tanker of "RP-7" fuel...the only purpose of which is to fuel missiles! The Prez listens to all this with head in hand and a trace of regret for being such a big pansy!
After an uncomfortable silence, the Prez informs Bauer and Zombie Spice that they are, indeed correct. Hodges has 13 Python missiles aimed at various cities on the Eastern Seaboard and threatened to use them if she didn't meet him face to face in the Oval Office. Jack gets a little pissed off that she agreed to meet Hodges, as the only reason he could possibly want to speak with her is to lay out his demands. The Prez knows all this, and assures Jack she's going to let Hodges speak his mind and then gently bring him down to Earth and explain how futile whatever he's trying to accomplish is. Jack, who in theory and practice has seen how "reasoning" with traitors and terrorists can be...calls "bullshit!" again. Madame Prez goes defensive and tells Jack she's no Spring Chicken and can take care of herself, and furthermore...there's not another option.
"And after I gently explain the error of their ways to them, they'll apologize! Then we'll all hug, and say the Pledge of Allegiance. What do you think about a choir of DC school children singing We Are the World? Too much?"
But WAIT! Jack has another option. He informs the Prez that Tony is on the compound (despite her order to get him out of there!) and can totally take out everything with a few well-placed C-4 charges! Madame Prez wonders aloud about the weapons, and Jack informs her that RP-7 burns at 5,000 degrees (just like whatever the F-18s were going to use) and it will be destroyed. Renee pipes in that Larry and crew are standing by and can move in on the compound as soon as they see the big Kaboom! The Prez notes that Hodges and his Evil Bastard Underlings threatened to launch an attack at the first detection of any government interference whatsoever...which would result in the death of thousands of Americans. Jack knows there's a risk, but BEGS her to consider their option.
The Prez pauses for a moment, shifts her tone, and asks Jack how long the doctors are giving him to live. He tells her the crack FBI medical team has no idea WTF is going on with him, and that the pathogen has already taken effect. She is sorry to hear that, and says "there's nothing I can threaten you with. I trust you'll do what's right." Jack, relieved, totally takes this as a go-ahead for their crazy mission. Renee, however, is confused! She wants to know what the hell that meant, and Jack tells her it means they got unspoken permission to blow shit up! Renee plays devil's advocate and notes the Prez didn't explicitly give them an order. Silly Renee, covering one's ass is all about plausible deniability! Jack fills her in that the Prez needs to be able to swear under oath that the FBI crew was working on it's own, just in case something goes wrong, the missiles launch, and a bunch of people die. In short: This is a covert Op! As he leaves the room, he tells her to call Larry and bring him up to speed.
« 90210: I Had A Girl, And Donna Was Her Name... | Main | Little Miss Perfect: All the way to The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas »
Comments (14)
Funny recap, Dogsnaxx.
I can't imagine old Hodgesy taking orders from anybody at this point in his delusion, so whoever else is involved, they must be more equals than bosses. I wonder if Williams (Powers Boothe) has anything to do with it. And I still hold out hope for Ho-livia, even though I doubt she would do anything against her mom--maybe she got involved when she and Mom were on the outs.
Beats me how Tony fits into all of this. Maybe he was involved just to get access to the bioweapon for whoever he's working for.
I'll miss Larry. It figures he gets killed just when he gets with the Bauer team.
1 of 14 | Posted by pixielated | Posted on April 18, 2009 8:19 PM
Great recap - I always look forward to reading it every week!
I'm TOTALLY (:-P) mystified about Tony. I guess what confuses me is how far he took things when working with Jack and Co. - why do all that - killings, destroying the bio-weapons, getting whats-his-face (Matobo?) and his wife back? Especially killing Emerson, since it seemed as if there were some sort of brotherhood thing going on? Just weird. I'm interested to see how it all turns out.
I still wonder if that man Ho-livia was meeting with when we first saw her has some sort of connection, since he specifically asked if she had her mother's ear.
And Kim. Ugh. If she's going to be inflicted on us, the least she could do is donate some stem cells. That has to hurt less than all that bleach on her hair does. Yeah, I shouldn't go there, but come on... Her hair glowed in the dark and looked plastic. Anyway...
I'm with Pixielated re: Larry. He finally grew on me, and bam, he's gone. I have to admit though, I started laughing when Tony started to smother him and Larry got that disgusted, you've-got-to-be-fucking-kidding me tone, and said "Oh GOD".
2 of 14 | Posted by jjnoza | Posted on April 18, 2009 9:27 PM
Forgot to add - I think this was my favorite screencap -
"Rules baaaad. Blow shit up goood. Eat bad guys braaains even better!"
I don't know how you manage to get so many eyes rolled back shots of Renee, but I bow to you!
3 of 14 | Posted by jjnoza | Posted on April 18, 2009 9:29 PM
Yeah, I love zombie Renee, too.
Ooh, I forgot to say that I love your monkey! And so apropos of what happened this episode!
4 of 14 | Posted by pixielated | Posted on April 19, 2009 12:09 AM
@ Pixie and JJ
I think you guys are my biggest fans! haha. Thanks for the recap love...it was a tough one to write this week! Lot's of "talking head scenes" and weird shifts in pace/action.
I am with you on Tony. The fact that he worded so dang HARD for the good guys and seemed so legitimately upset by President Taylor's delays and stuff? WTF?! I'm just hoping this doesn't turn out to be some last-minute lame "You better pardon me" ploy.
I think there's more to Seaton than meets the eye...don't know why.
Guess we'll see next week!
RIP Big Daddy Boss Moss. Your premature ejaculation issues are now fondly in Renee's memory. Your grumbly growls and by-the-books pontificating torch will need to be picked up by someone else.
-
5 of 14 | Posted by Dogsnaxx | Posted on April 19, 2009 6:47 AM
I don't understand why JJ and I are often your only posters, Dogsnaxx. I think your recaps are great and so is the show. What's not to love?
6 of 14 | Posted by pixielated | Posted on April 19, 2009 1:28 PM
I think we're creepy stalkers, and there are plenty of creepy lurkers! :-P
I know I enjoy the recaps because not only is DS funny as shit, but I only watch the show once, and he always manages to pick up subtleties that I missed the first time around, makes me think a little more than just being purely entertained by the show.
And yeah, something has to be up with Seaton. He's going from looking uneasy to shifty.
7 of 14 | Posted by jjnoza | Posted on April 19, 2009 3:23 PM
Do you think that Seaton saving Tony's life was all part of a scheme for the two of them to meet up and continue their plan? If Seaton is a genius, he may be the mastermind, huh? At some point he might have figured out that Hodges is nuts and decided to freelance by stealing the bioweapon and selling it or using it for extortion or whatev.
8 of 14 | Posted by pixielated | Posted on April 19, 2009 11:41 PM
I've started to look at IMDb. It's a little spoilery. It doesn't tell what is going to happen in future episodes, but it does have a cast list. Some characters are going to disappear in the next few episodes (one notable one--no, not Larry), and there is a guy who may be significant who is of, let's say, a different ethnicity. Hmmm.
I don't want to "spoil" anybody, but you can take a look if interested.
9 of 14 | Posted by pixielated | Posted on April 19, 2009 11:44 PM
Oh, now that is an interesting theory!
I'm going to check out the "spoilers" too - I can't resist - thanks for the FYI!
10 of 14 | Posted by jjnoza | Posted on April 20, 2009 6:54 AM
Uh-oh!
I'm going to avoid the spoilers until at least after tonight's episode!
If I'm as confused after tonight, I may go ahead and spoil away...
Only 6 episodes left! I read last week that season 8 is starting to go into production already. Time flies when you're having fun, eh?
11 of 14 | Posted by Dogsnaxx | Posted on April 20, 2009 6:59 AM
I read it's going to be set in NYC next season - has anyone else heard that? That would be pretty cool!
Pixie - whoa. That's all I'm going to say after checking IMDb! I would never have thought to check that - thanks!
12 of 14 | Posted by jjnoza | Posted on April 20, 2009 11:30 AM
@ JJ
Season 8 is definitely going to be set in NYC. Unfortunately, I heard they are only using the city for establishing shots and a few exteriors...but that the bulk of the season will be filmed in LA.
It's too bad...NYC could use the production jobs!
13 of 14 | Posted by Dogsnaxx | Posted on April 20, 2009 1:32 PM
>I think there's more to Seaton than meets the eye...don't know why.
I agree. Although I was really looking forward to watching Tony kick Seaton's ass for the double cross, I agree with pixielated that it was all part of a larger plan between the both of them. I've been suspicious of Seaton from the get-go. Hodges was too bat-shit crazy to be the mastermind and was obviously just being used as a pawn.
14 of 14 | Posted by Wildheart | Posted on April 24, 2009 3:13 PM