TNMC
This site’s design is only visible in a graphical browser that supports web standards, but its content is accessible to any browser or Internet device.
24
2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Written by Michael Churnuchin
Directed by Jon Cassar
Well, if last week's episode was quiet, this one was positively a sleeper - lots of dialogue, but little action. Then again, it's easy to see that they're building the structure that will take us to the end of the season. Anyway, the plot itself is intriguing enough that there doesn't have to be wall-to-wall action in order to hold the viewer's interest.
Last time, Palmer was waiting to speak to Jack, as our two heroes finally collide. However Tony, under orders from Chapelle, is trying to delay the Senator. Palmer's understandably put out by this delay and demands to see Chapelle himself.
Alexis and Elizabeth are busy having hot European sex, and since this show accurately portrays minutes going by you can tell how long the guy actually lasts. Only ten minutes. Poor bastard. We then get an almost Austin Powers-like sequence where Elizabeth is walking around nude but there's always an object in the way preventing the viewer from seeing anything interesting. Clever bit of camera work, though. And it's here that I also found out that I had misjudged Elizabeth. She's only a skanky ho in love, not a career-minded assassin. She had no idea who Alexis is and what's he's planning, so while she's taking a shower he's checking her itinerary to see what Palmer has planned.
We then cut back to the CTU for a brief scene between Milo and Tony, and we find out a little bit more about Alexis. He's the other Drazen brother. This sort of surprised me since I thought Dennis Hopper was going to be filling that role, but it adds a neat twist to things.
Palmer meanwhile has contacted the head of the Defense Department in the Pentagon, who promises to give him carte blanche in what he wants to do at the CTU. Sure enough, Chapelle gets the call telling him the very same thing and he's none too pleased about it. There isn't much he can do though, so he orders Jack to be brought up to Palmer.
Jack is being interrogated by Alberta, and seems perfectly willing to play ball until he finds out that his wife and daughter have been moved without him being informed. He becomes irate then and pretty much tells Alberta to go screw herself. Before she can really recover though, Jack is brought out of the room to confer with Palmer.
The aforementioned wife and daughter, Teri and Kim, are brought to the safe house, which actually looks pretty plush. I was expecting some sort of seedy hotel room or something. Guess I watch too many movies. Regardless they get cleaned up before the debriefing session starts. While getting cleaned up Teri takes the pregnancy test that the doctor gave her, and it turns out that she's with child. When Kim finds this out, she is immediately upset, since she wasn't brought into the decision. Teri tells her that she didn't plan on being pregnant herself. The mother and daughter quickly bond before Teri goes to be debriefed by Nina.
Jack and Palmer finally meet and Palmer immediately goes on the offensive, still operating under the assumption that Jack is acting out of guilt for the death of his men during Operation Nightfall. Jack is actually surprised to learn that Palmer had anything to do with the operation; his only point of contact was a man by the name of Robert Ellis. After telling Palmer that he was only trying to protect his wife and daughter, Jack earns the Senator's trust, mostly because the Senator has his own family issues he's been dealing with. It seems that Palmer was the head of a Senate Appropriations Committee dealing with defense. While in that post, Palmer came across Victor Drazen, who was committing atrocities in Kosovo. Palmer was unable to get anything done by normal channels, so he contacted Robert Ellis, who put together a Black Ops team that ended up being led by Jack. Their goal was to kill Victor Drazen. It was called Operation Nightfall. It is now the two-year anniversary of that operation.
Not being dumb by any means the two manage to connect the dots and contact Ellis who they believe is also in danger. He manages to get them the case file with the help of Milo and the two put together a list of who there might be that's a link between them. However, there are files missing that Ellis is trying to get to them. They also find out that Victor's wife and daughter were killed in the blast, which explains why the bad guys want Kim and Teri so much. It's personal. Learning this Palmer immediately steps up security for the two. Jack is, of course, appreciative about this. I'd also like to take this moment to spout off my latest theory, and I'm perfectly aware that I don't have a good track record with these so far. Victor Drazen is alive. He is the mastermind behind this. And this will be the role that Dennis Hopper plays. That's my latest prediction anyways.
Speaking of the Drazens, the two brothers meet at an outside café to make sure that everything is going according to plan. They reminisce, and Alexis sees a woman who reminds him of his sister. Andre tells him to stop daydreaming, their sister is dead and they're out for blood. Alexis tells his brother that the other two shooters are in place, and that Palmer will be dead by midnight.
Back at the ranch, Kim manages to call Rick. Apparently he went home. Have I mentioned Rick's not terribly bright? Kim tries to convince him that it's in his best interest to turn himself in, and he begs off saying he needs time to think. Teri meanwhile is being debriefed by Nina, and in the midst of the conversation comes to the realization that Jack was having his way with Nina while the two of them were split up. He left her to go back to Teri though, Nina insists. This understandably upsets Teri, but I have a theory. Prediction #2 - Teri had a one-night stand while she was split up with Jack also, and is worried that the baby she's carrying might not be Jack's. This is sort of a soap opera-ish storyline, but it could be quite effective if handled correctly. Teri goes back to her room to pout while Kim is put in the hot seat. She immediately starts trying to cover for Rick. Kim wants him so bad it's not even funny. At least they're not trying to hook her up with Palmer's son. Although that could be the basis for a mildly amusing sitcom. Or not.
Palmer and Jack are bonding while Ellis is trying to get information for them. Eventually though, Palmer decides he has to leave. He's not leaving town though, he's staying in order to flush out the Drazens and deal with them once and for all. He also uses his power to get Chapelle to temporarily reinstate Jack as the head of the CTU. Alberta's face is priceless at this. I swear she's about to bust out with a "Marsha! Marsha! Marsha!"
Palmer leaves and Jack gets in touch with Ellis again who has some leads for him to follow. Ellis goes to take a leak while talking with Jack, and while in the Men's Room is taken from behind (no, not that way) by an assailant who uses a piece of wire to crush Ellis's vocal chords. Now I don't know if this person was supposed to be the third shooter, or if the photographer is supposed to be the third shooter. All I do know is that there's a crap load of killers out there. Jack, of course, gets to hear his buddy dying over the cell phone in case he wasn't already motivated enough to take these guys down.
As I said, it was a slow ep but a revealing one. The villains have their plans in place and the heroes are getting ready to make their stand. The quality violence and action will soon return, and thanks to these eps they'll have significantly more meaning.
Episode Rating: 8 out of 10
-- Tim "tjarvis" Ritenour likes mildly amusing sitcoms.
What do you think? Talk about it on the Forums
