Monday, April 09, 2007

24 Season 6: Episode 17 Recap
(Hour 10:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.)

WARNING: The following post may, and probably will, contain spoilers.

Oh brother. We leave off last week where Gredenko died, Fayed was caught and Brother Palmer shot the nuke. Just when we were all asking what the hell was going on, this week brings us quite a few closures... and a glimpse of someone we wished were really dead.

Dr. Jekyll, Brother Palmer
Brother Palmer has shot the nuke. I repeat, he has shot the nuke. No one knows what's going on! But we do, he's addicted to adrenaline and adrenaline makes him crazy. Fish says they can't shoot nukes at Fayed's country -- WHERE THE HELL IS FAYED FROM!?! Brother Palmer calls the Ambassador of ______ and tells him he better give him more information or ______ will go up in flames. And what do you know, new information is given!

There's a General Mohmar Habib (yes, like Habib Marwan, just reversed and slightly different) that's been in connection with Fayed -- unfortunately, NO ONE AT CTU caught that, you'd think that on a day that a nuclear weapon has gone off, they'd be monitoring all communication coming from the Middle East... especially from _______. Since new information was given, Brother Palmer calls off the strike. Fish says he'll send in a crew to retrieve it, but Brother Palmer says it's not necessary since it was a decoy missile! D'oh! Good one! You fooled everyone on your staff... for NO REASON.

During a heart-to-heart with Fish, Brother Palmer looks constipated and his hand starts to shake. The Ambassador of _______ shows up to speak with Karen, Fish and Brother Palmer. He says that Habib isn't responding to the interrogation, so Brother Palmer suggests they threaten to kill his family -- which, for some reason, is just absurd to everyone in the room. Well, the ______'s government complies and they get Habib to cooperate. Afterwards, the Ambassador of ______ is ushered out quickly as Brother Palmer crumples to the floor.

Doc is rushed to Brother Palmer's side and finds out his blood pressure has dropped. Doc suggests that they get him to medical, but Brother Palmer won't go. He's addicted to adrenaline and wants another shot. Doc denies the request and tries to quit, but Brother Palmer won't have it. Fish tells Doc that his decision is final. Um, the President just crumpled to the floor... don't worry about telling anyone. To supplement his adrenaline addiction, Brother Palmer tells Fish to get a hold of CTU, he wants to know what happened while he was laying on the floor like a baby.

Fayed vs. Jack, to the death!
Meanwhile, Jack is punching a suddenly-stoned Fayed. They exchange words and Jack punches him in the balls, nice! Jack knows it's not working and Silver Spoon wants to take a shot. While Jack talks to Bill about the new Habib info -- Silver Spoon tries to coerce Fayed by saying if the bombs go off now, Fayed won't be the jihad hero. And if you all didn't understand what he was trying to do, Fayed explains it for us all by asking, "do you honestly believe you can manipulate me by playing on my vanity?"

Jack tells Silver Spoon they're going to transfer Fayed back to CTU, because the only way they can break him is with a "pharmaceutical package." While en route back to CTU, their vehicle is ambushed. Silver Spoon gets shot! THEN JACK! Man, the bad guys suddenly got really good at shooting. Then Fayed escapes! Oooooh, psyche! It was another bluff -- that's TWO this episode.

Before Fayed takes his new friends to the nukes, he wants to talk to Habib. It'll be hard to do, but Bill's gotta make this work, because Jack believes this is THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO FIND THE BOMBS. Bill calls Brother Palmer to sort it out. Fish suggests that maybe they should use more conventional methods, but Palmer says that if Jack says it's a dead end, then by God, it's a dead end. Fayed and crew pull into an un-manned garage. Habib calls and Fayed talks to him. Fayed seems convinced and they leave.

Meanwhile, at CTU, after a tif with Milo, Nadia studies the transcripts and thinks that Habib has warned Fayed secretly. Jack commandeers Silver Spoon's phone (since his has gone missing all of a sudden), and calls Jamal to warn him. Then, in the technology blunder of the whole season, both Jamal's cell phone AND video feed go out -- because the car entered a tunnel. Jack doesn't understand and asks how big the tunnel is -- apparently he just doesn't want to look up, because he IS right behind them.

Jack and Silver Spoon find the truck RIGHT in the middle of the tunnel. All passengers have been shot, including the driver -- luckily he came to a nice complete stop and didn't wreck as to not hurt anyone. Jack notices a door open in the tunnel and decides to persue alone, again. He spots Fayed stealing a cell phone from some rando worker in the tunnels. Lucky for Fayed, THIS cell phone works in the tunnels. Jack, for whatever reason, hugs the undercarriage of the garbage truck that Fayed drives off in.

Fayed arrives and his men are just walking around casually with their guns. He tells them to load up the bombs, because they're going to take out downtown LA. Say, on a day when a nuclear bomb has already gone off, there won't be any security downtown, right? Jack trips a baddie and breaks his neck. He then infiltrates the warehouse, again, alone. He kills every baddie and has a brutal to-the-death fight with Fayed. This was truly the most superb moment of the season.

Just as Jack is reveling in his kill, Silver Spoon rushes in, they somehow tracked him by satellite. The bombs are secure -- even though only one of the suitcases is open -- and everything is great!

Return of the Living Dead, 2
Jack hobbles up and gets a phone call that's been patched through CTU's swtichboard. You're NOT going to believe this, it was Audrey! But, wasn't she dead!?! No way, I'm stunned. In a stupid cliff-hanger, Jack is told to call back in 10 minutes to the SAME STUPID PHONE NUMBER THEY'VE USED ALL SEASON. Seriously, stop/


And there you have it. We've clearly gone off the tracks again and are changing gears. Seven more episodes, that's PLENTY of time to start at least three more lame plots.

9 comments:

Ivan said...

It really is incredibly annoying that they never name Fayed's country. Especially when it is obviously America's newest enemy, Iran.

About the re-used phone number: You probably know that it's a fan phone number, so if you dial it, you can speak to somebody on the set. They just put the number everywhere on the show so you try it and call. I agree it's stupid because it disrupts the continuity, but that's marketing for you.

Seth Gunderson said...

Oh yeah, I'm fully aware it's a marketing ploy -- but seriously, that's what, the fifth time this season? If they want to use phone numbers that's fine. I suggest they set up different lines for each person.

Imagine if they were using an email address instead -- since it's a 10-digit phone number, I guess they think no one will know that it's the same one over and over.

Anonymous said...

First comment I've ever left....

First off, love the blog. Cracks me up to no end. I used to be a huge 24 fan but now I'm viewing it with pretty much the same eyes you are.....

Couple of things... Did you notice that Milo (aka Phil McConkey) actually grabbed someone with the very same arm that not 2 hours ago was in a sling? Apparently he is the genetic equivalent to the Incredible Hulk with his regeneration ability...

How about the 24 convenience store running a half price sale on well timed phone calls? Did you not cringe when 1 minute after saving the world, the Chinese people conveniently call Jack to tell him about Birdface being alive?

Anyways, keep up the great work. The blog is a great read....

Seth Gunderson said...

You know, that was the ONE thing I failed to mention and I'm upset that I didn't. That man's ability to call Bauer at the most precise times is amazing. Really... amazing.

Jonk said...

It seems to me the plot would've been a lot more interesting if Jack had received the phone call from Cheng BEFORE his hand-to-hand combat with Fayed.

For example...

When Jack kills that henchman outside after Fayed goes inside with his other dudes, Jack then receives a phone call. He's assuming it will be Doyle or CTU, but he is shocked when instead it's Audrey and Cheng.

At this point he would be very conflicted. He knows that he may be on the verge of taking down Fayed and securing the bombs, but in the process he might be killed (yeah, right) and would then be unable to save Audrey.

At least this way, it wouldn't be so silly that he receives the call for a new plot line 20 seconds after the previous one wrapped.

Seth Gunderson said...

I agree completely with that. A Jack who doesn't care, or is pissed off during a conflict is better. Why not call Jack before, then Jack finds out there's only one bomb and he STILL kills Fayed, thus severing the only lead. That would be good conflict.

Unknown said...

One question, how does Chinese torture people? Apparently feeding them very well and training them for wrestling, otherwise Rambo or Seagal or Bauer would be very thin and hungry and couldn't save the day.

By the way, it's not Dr. Jekyll it's Dr. Bauer because of the bluffing and psychological torture.

Unknown said...

One question, how does Chinese torture people? Apparently feeding them very well and training them for wrestling, otherwise Rambo or Seagal or Bauer would be very thin and hungry and couldn't save the day.

By the way, it's not Dr. Jekyll it's Dr. Bauer because of the bluffing and psychological torture.

Unknown said...

One question, how does Chinese torture people? Apparently feeding them very well and training them for wrestling, otherwise Rambo or Seagal or Bauer would be very thin and hungry and couldn't save the day.

By the way, it's not Dr. Jekyll it's Dr. Bauer because of the bluffing and psychological torture.