Monday, May 14, 2007

24 Season 6: Episode 22 Recap
(Hour 3:00 a.m. - 4:00 a.m.)

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

Aw no! Only three hours to go!?! Speaking of three, it's 3:00 a.m. in LA and all those people who were at the bar earlier in the season are now hitting the roads, probably drunk out of their gords since a NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLODED earlier in the day. That is, if they even noticed. What else is going on at 3:00 a.m.?

There's a Hole in the CTU Bucket
After finally coaxing Josh out of the air ducts, The Attack Team (TAT) takes Josh into the sewers (yes, the same one that's 8 feet below CTU's basement and only separated by a thin layer of concrete). Marilyn freaks out, Nadia protests (and gets knocked the hell down) and Jack screams for them to stop. They actually stop, because, who else besides Jack would they listen to? Then, for some reason, TAT Leader explains their escape plan – they're going to move everyone into a secure room in two groups and then they're leaving. Why don't they just kill everyone there? Chang already said to secure the boy by any means... and they've already declared them public enemy number one by blowing up a helicopter... but no, TAT chooses to go the Dr. Evil route by telling everyone their plan of escape.

While en route to the secure room, Jack formulates a plan to escape, because if they get locked in the room, they'll "lose their only chance to get the component." Never mind that Silver Spoon and his team are out there, Jack's just concerned because there's less than three hours left in this season, and rightfully so.

Jack makes his move and engages two TAT members. Nadia takes on a third one and Morris (who knew NOTHING about this plan) puts the sleeper hold on another guy. Jack chokes TAT Leader to death and then breaks his neck for good measure. Morris, who's showing no signs of a previously DRILLED SHOULDER, takes care of his guy. Then, Silver Spoon (who's not in his attack gear anymore) finally shows up -- he must've gotten caught up in that 3:00 a.m. bar traffic.

With the situation handled, Jack says that all he needs is a tactical set up and comm, and he's ready to go. Oh, but wait, Jack's still under arrest! He pleads with Nadia because he knows the schematics of the building better than anyone (since he's spent so much time down there -- Teri's death, killing Nina, trying to un-psycho Audrey, etc.) and he can find them -- I'm guessing that he knows the sewers, too, since that's where TAT went. Like a true leader of CTU, Nadia breaks protocol and allows Jack to be not-arrested. As she's telling Silver Spoon about Milo, Jack, who just got the tactical set up (aka a flak jacket), interrupts what would've been a lame romantic moment, and he leaves with Silver Spoon.

Jack and Silver Spoon hop into the tunnels -- literally. Which, I'm guessing isn't the smartest way to being a pursuit. They follow for five minutes and still haven't caught up to Josh's captors. Just then, Josh and TAT arrive at the warehouse. Chang calls Daddy Bauer and then gives the phone to Josh. Daddy Bauer tells Josh he wants to protect him from Graem's mistakes and says he's taking Josh to China. Chang and his men pack up to go.

The writers, seeking a new way for Jack to be extremely precise with his shooting, have him shoot the driver of a moving car while climbing through the warehouse floor. Another shootout commences, yawn. Jack pursues Chang and Josh to the roof. Josh kicks Chang in the face -- who cusses ($10 says it's the same phrase he muttered a few episodes ago when finding out that the component was damaged) -- and runs away. Jack makes it up to the roof and corners Chang -- who suddenly teleports away while Josh nearly kills himself.

Chang calls Daddy Bauer and tells him that Josh was lost. Daddy Bauer's upset because Josh was the price for fixing the circuit board! Daddy Bauer calls the deal off and says that the component is no longer the Chineses'. Chang threatens some serious consquences if it's not given back (like 20 months of torture, or blowing up an American Governmental Agency's helicopter, or driving three Hummers around thus hurting the Ozone layer), but Daddy Bauer doesn't flinch -- he's not scared of Chang.

Nadia asks Chloe if Chang and/or the component (which is now being called the circuit board, or, sometimes the sub-circuit board) had been found. Just then, Ben Cramm (Cram-It) shows up to assess the damage done to CTU. He then explains that it's basically Nadia's fault that CTU was broken into and that they lost a few people. Cram-It also explains that he feels dumb for accepting Bill Buchanan's (alert, what happens when a character's full name is used?) suggestion that Nadia should take over. Viewers are supposed to think this is unfair and that no one, not even Bill, could've prevented this break-in... but I suggest you not fall into that trap. Instead, we should ask why the writers continue to have CTU broken into and out of nearly every season? Surely they can come up with something better than that, right?

Morris overheard Nadia's conversation with Cram-It and consoles her that it wasn't her fault. But she totally blames herself for Milo's death. Boo-hoo. Morris gives her a rah-rah speech. And we all roll our eyes.

Jack phones in to CTU and asks to be patched through to Marilyn's cell phone -- which CTU happens to have handy and on file. Silver Spoon tells Jack that he and his men couldn't find the sub-circuit board anywhere and it looks like Chang somehow made it out alive. Jack explains all that he knows to Marilyn. Then Josh gets to talk to his mom, which probably means that Josh is going to get taken from Jack's custody.

Why the White House Shouldn't Lead Undercover Ops
Karen's back and informs Evil Veep about the Russian troop movement. She then says that Fish was supposed to be on the call with her and that she couldn't find him anywhere, so she asks Evil Veep if there's something that she should know about. The quick answer would be, "it's none of your business, or you'd already know." Instead, Evil Veep explains that Fish is in the filed running a classified operation...wait, WHY!?! He's the Chief of Staff! He's supposed to be running the White House while the President runs the country! That's unimportant!

Evil Veep explains that Invasion Chick's Hornball boyfriend was the leak... so Karen, just to assist the audience and clarify what he meant, asks, "so that's how the Russian's knew the Chinese had the component?" I feel dumber every time I watch this show. Evil Veep then explains why Karen wasn't on last week's episode kept in the loop on this -- because he was sleeping with Invasion Chick, too! And that if she doesn't convince Hornball to contact the Russians and say the component has been recovered, his mistake could lead them to war! Morale of the story -- don't have sexual relations with your employees.

Viewers are then treated to hearing Invasion Chick and Hornball having sex. Necessary. Hornball looks like he's in pain, but isn't sweating at all. Their pillow talk is lousy and she decides to finally go and wash up. Hornball hops outta bed and moves toward her purse. Fish gets excited because Hornball is too predictable. Wait... or is he...? Turns out he doesn't fall for the trap and then confronts her about her sex and how lousy it was! He freaks out on her and she breaks a wine bottle over his head. He then slaps her to the ground and then starts choking her. Just then, Fish's task force team breaks in and saves her (thank God, right?).

As the sun starts rising in DC, Fish breaks the situation down for Hornball. Either he helps fool the Russians, or he gets the death penalty.

Fish calls in to Evil Veep and says that the planted information has been sent to the Russians. He also tells him that Invasion Chick was hurt during the operation... Evil Veep gets upset with Fish and says that he should've protected her! Karen ends the phone call and tries to get Evil Veep under control so they can call Russian President Suberov and tell him a lie.

Suberov then calls them out for planting fake evidence!!! Oh man, what a twist! The Russians were watching Hornball's apartment, too, and already knows that they were lying. He then gives Evil Veep two hours (which, for those of you NOT keeping track, will be around the end of the season) to really destroy the component or else! Evil Veep then says the most obvious stupid plot point ever -- they're about to go to war over a piece of circuitry. Yeah, lame.

Fish gets back to the White House and intgerrupts Evil Veep's meeting after he gets a scrambled phone call from Daddy Bauer -- he wants Josh and clear passage to the country of his choice in exchange for the FC sub-circuit board. To prove that he has it, he calls out the serial number -- 3PTL3, which Fish confirms is true. Karen can't believe that Evil Veep is considering brokering a deal with Daddy Bauer. Evil Veep then questions why Suberov is doing this, which is something that NO ONE has thought of until now? Evil Veep decides to comply with Daddy Bauer and wants CTU on the phone.


In yet another lame cliff-hanger, as Jack tells Josh to get in the car to go back to CTU, he gets a phone call -- which turns out to be a diversion! Just then Silver Spoon grabs Josh and gets in a helicopter. Jack tries to get to Silver Spoon, but is stopped by all of the other CTU agents.

Seriously. Can't you just wait for the next two hours to be over? I bet Evil Veep is, since he was ready to go to war with some country in the Middle East, but now has to start planning on a war against Russia. Oh my, the suspense is killing me!!!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I loved the part where Fish arrives back at the White House and kicks everyone but Evil Veep and Karen out of the room so they can all listen to Daddy Bauer's call in secrecy. All season they've shown how important it is that only three people in Washington know what's going on. Seriously, even before David Palmer was president he had a bigger entourage. I take great comfort in the fact that the real leaders of our country couldn't possibly be so incompetent that any of this could actually happen.

Jonk said...

Anybody remember when (Senator Palmer/VP Daniels)'s staffer (Elizabeth/Lisa) found out that her lover was a baddie and was sent on an undercover tryst to trick him, only to end up attacking him... and (Jack & CTU/Tom & Secret Service) were overseeing things nearby and yet took forever to react ? Me neither.

bh said...

In addition to teleporting away from Jack on the roof of that building, Chang also managed to get from the roof of whichever building he reappeared on to his car without breaking a sweat. Why do the writers even bother to stick the line "we're setting up a perimeter" in someone's mouth when it clearly means nothing?

The other thing I wondered was this: when Fish comes in with Philip Bauer's phone call for the president, and Philip says he wants sole custody of his grandson, nobody in the Oval Office said "who?" Did I miss the scene where they were all became familiar with the Bauer family tree? Why did they know exactly who Josh was?

That scene with Morris and Nadia hit new levels of awful.

Bryan

Seth Gunderson said...

Bryan! Come on!

We know the perimeter words were muttered so that Chang can look like a resourceful villain by averting it. Yes, I call him "Chang" because I like it better than "Cheng." Besides, Jack can't call his brother (Gray or Graem) or enemy by their real name.

We also know that the THREE people in power at the White House know EVERYTHING that has something to do with Jack and his family. So it was really no surprise when Phillip called in. What WAS surprising, though, was that Phillip just casually called the White House, was taken seriously and was able to get through to Fish's phone.

In the previews for next week, it looked like Chloe was hurt -- so are we still flirting with the mole inside of CTU crap?

bh said...

You're right, Seth; I somehow forgot that perimeter-busting was a measure of a villain's cunning, not CTU's (or 24's) incompetence. Now that both Cheng and Philip Bauer have eluded CTU this season by magically descending stairs, maybe Division should be more worried about more than CTU's security. Or maybe Jack should partner with Harry Potter next season. Half of what Chloe does is total fantasy, anyway.

Jonk said...

FYI. From Variety and the Hollywood Reporter:

With the countdown clock ticking till Fox's Thursday upfront presentation, the network has picked up real-time drama "24" for two more seasons.

The unusually late renewal for the Emmy-winning "24," from Real Time Prods., Imagine TV and 20th Century Fox TV, will keep Jack Bauer saving the day through the 2008-09 season.

Series star Kiefer Sutherland already is locked to stay with the show through May 2009 under a three-year, eight-figure deal Sutherland inked last year with 20th TV (HR 4/10/2006).

"We're re-creating the series," executive producer/showrunner Howard Gordon said. "It is going to be a real-time thriller. Beyond that, it's an open book."

"24" has had a roller-coaster ride the past couple of seasons. It earned rave reviews for Season 5, which was capped by five Emmys last year, including best drama series and a best actor trophy for Sutherland. But during its current sixth season, "24" has drawn criticism from fans about losing some of its creative footing.

Gordon said he felt those assessments were "unfair." "On balance, it was a very successful season," he said.

The upcoming re-invention of the series was something the producers have talked about for a while, Gordon said.

Aside from Sutherland, "24" will return with a new cast (some old favorites might return in different roles) and a new, non-Los Angeles location, with the producers even contemplating telling the story from two locations.

Ivan said...

quote/Aside from Sutherland, "24" will return with a new cast (some old favorites might return in different roles) and a new, non-Los Angeles location, with the producers even contemplating telling the story from two locations./quote

ples, make it a prequel season... who cares that the actor look older?
just please drop the China plot line for ever!!!

About the episode:
It was painful from start to finish, as it was for tha past.. 21 episodes. But what really got me was that scene with Cheng and Jack. What the hell was Josh doing? Impersonating Kim? Why did he try to climb among the pipes, only to end up hanging from a chain (in what was presented as mortal peril but really looked like a very short fall). Lucky that the cougar didn't come and eat him.

Anonymous said...

The point where I literally had to laugh out in utter disbelief was when Karen Haynes uttered something along the lines 'you cannot seriously consider re-uniting a single boy with his estranged grand-daddy, merely because that might save millions of innocent lives?'

What, just what, is she doing in her role as national security advisor?

At least she is up to date on the VPs private sex life.