24: Nice To CTU Again

AAAAHHHHHHHH!!!

Sorry, I’m still pumped up from that one scene in last night’s “24.” I was seriously looking for someone to high-five afterwards, but the only person around was my unbelievably tolerant girlfriend, and that would’ve been inappropriate.

You know which scene I’m talking about — it came at the very end of the first hour of last night’s two-part episode. Jack hotwired the car, pushed the pedal with his hands, let out that awesome scream (AAAAHHHHHH!!!) and crashed through the parking garage barrier (and landed not too far from Tony actually). I thought Tony’s own jump from the parking garage (leading to the car’s windows blowing out when he landed on them) was impressive, but our man Jack just had to one up him in the awesomeness department.

The scene was vintage “24” — intense, excellently-staged (this show has the best action sequence on TV) and featuring just the right amount of implausibility. It’s implausible enough to make you shake your head and chuckle a bit, but not so silly that it completely takes you out of the show.

The best parts about hours 3 and 4 (especially hour 3!) is that a lot of it made me feel the way I did after the parking garage scene — I wanted to stand up and high five someone.

Don’t get me wrong. The show still has gaps in logic big enough to drive a truck (with your hands on the pedals) through (how did the sniper know about the Matobo kidnapping if Emerson himself didn't know until he got the call?). More importantly, is the very real possibility that the show is going too far out of its way to win back fans after the poorly-received season 6. (In case you’re wondering I ended up getting the DVD — because I’m a fool.) Think about it: if producers sat around and tried to think of ways to make fans happy again, bringing Tony back from the dead would be right at the top, quickly followed by re-introducing the likes of Chloe and Bill.

It didn’t take long for Jack and Tony to face off in the interrogation room. The episode opened with Sangalan baddie Ike Dubaku notifying President Taylor that he had every intention of using the CIP firewall device unless she agreed to withdraw the American forces poised to invade his country. Since Taylor ran on a “not negotiating with terrorists” campaign, she implored the FBI to try to push Tony into telling them where the CIP device was located.

Jack convinced a reluctant Moss (who seems like the kind of guy who reluctantly agrees to a LOT of thing) to let him talk to Tony by telling Moss, “Right now, I’m your best option.” We all know Jack is pretty much always the best option, but that’s neither here nor there.

The interrogation scene began with Tony stonewalling Jack, but delivered all the explosive goodness we could hope for. When Tony told Jack that Jack was spitting on his dead wife’s grave by working for the government, Jack tossed a table (always fun) and threatened to kill him (and keep him dead). That’s when Tony muttered “Blue Sky” into Jack’s ear before he was taken out of the room by an annoyed Moss (when isn’t this guy annoyed?)

Turns out “Blue Sky” is some sort of old CTU emergency code. Jack called a secret number and on the other end of the line was an unshaven Bill Buchanan (pictured, left) and a still-snarky Chloe. Hell. Yes.

In yesterday’s recap, I theorized that Tony may not be all bad since he didn’t allow the two planes to crash. So it wasn’t exactly a shocker to me (and, probably, most long-time fans) that he was indeed working undercover. Despite the fact that Tony’s good-guy turn was somewhat predictable, it was still effective and impactful.

Plus, it led to a great, vintage “24” action sequence with Jack and Tony escaping FBI headquarters (culminating in that parking lot), while Chloe directed them from her computer station (this is the way things SHOULD be). The one wrinkle thrown in was that Chloe was facing off against another formidable, snarky techie in Janeane Garofalo’s Janis, which the show slyly acknowledged by having each character compliment the other. At least I thought that Chloe’s “it’s really pissing me off” counts as a compliment.

After picking them up in his blue van (which the Feds were inexplicably unprepared to chase), Bill explained that the makeshift CTU was running an operation to investigate an American connection to Sangalan interests in the highest levels of government (the usual, “no one can be trusted” thing). The thing I found most interesting (other than James Morrison’s startling resemblance to Neil Patrick Harris and Bill Buchanan now dressing like a Sprocket ) was the revelation that Tony actually WAS turned against the U.S. government after his resurrection and only came around to the good side after the CIP firewall job. Now, Tony and Jack had to convince Tony’s boss, Emerson, that Jack had also gone rogue, in order to gain his trust and gain access to Col. Dubaku.

Tony’s been working for Emerson, who recruits disgruntled former government agents and who he genuinely seems to admire. He will almost certainly present a conflict when the time comes for Tony and Jack to take him down. I thought Tony might be forced to make a decision sooner than he wanted when Emerson tried to have Jack killed, but Jack made a convincing case for employment with Emerson’s group. I also thought it was interesting that Bill was strangely ok with Jack potentially being killed. Then again, the guy doesn’t even bother to shave anymore, so why would he care if his friend dies. (I can’t help but wonder what became of Bill’s wife Karen Hayes.)

After quizzing Jack a bit further about his motives for becoming a traitor, he seemed satisfied with having Jack in his group. However, I’m still betting Emerson doesn’t trust 100 percent trust Mr. Bauer. Either way, Jack has to help Emerson get into that panic room and kidnap Prime Minister Matobo if he wants to get face time with Col. Dubaku and uncover the conspiracy.

Hot on his trail is the betrayed Agt. Walker, who was so furious that the seemingly traitorous Jack duped her that she decided to enroll in the undergraduate program of the Jack Bauer Institute of How To Get Stuff Done (she’s also too clueless to notice the borderline creepy crush Moss has on her). First, she was a little too willing to use dubious methods while Tony was still in custody, but she let her Torture Flag fly freely when pressing a gun against the wounded sniper’s abdomen and later cutting off his air supply to get information. I’m still not fully behind Agt. Walker and her junior badass routine, but I don’t think she’s the FBI mole anymore.

Janis thought she’d discovered the mole was fellow techie Sean. He didn’t help his own cause by creepily sneaking up behind her right when she found out he’d worked around the company’s security lockdown. Turns out Sean was just checking on his wife, who is on one of the flights threatened by the CIP passenger dilemma. Still, it’s not like Sean is above lying — he later pretended to be Moss in order to get his wife’s flight moved to the head of the queue for plans that were going to be grounded. I have to say, despite being extremely illegal, I’d probably do the same thing.

I haven’t spent too much time talking about the events in the White House because they’re not terribly interesting.

I’m not even bashing the First Gentleman Henry’s (I thought Ne-Yo was the First Gentleman) ongoing crusade to prove his son’s death was a murder. He got confirmation of his theory last night. His son Roger was killed and framed for insider trading because Roger had found a connection between a high-ranking member of the White House and Sangalan interest. Another interesting revelation is that Henry’s personal Secret Service Agent Eddie appears to be in on the plot (I actually Eddie genuinely cared for Henry). Of course, I’m solely basing this on the semi-sinister look on Eddie’s face after Henry’s meeting with Samantha.

By far, the least interesting stuff was the scenes with the president. Yes, Cherry Jones is doing a fine job, but every scene with her and White House aide consisted of him reminding her (and the audience) of her options, him pushing for a withdrawal of American troops, and the president refusing to make a decision. This seriously happened like five times last night. I’d hate to be a Monday Morning President, but why not give the order for the American forces to remain where they are until the very last second — if the Feds (or Jack and Tony) can’t get the CIP firewall, (thanks for reminding us AGAIN the deadline is 1 p.m. Ethan!) then you withdraw the troops. Duh!

Also, it’s so screamingly obvious that Ethan is playing for the bad guys that I’m surprised someone who’s supposed to be as smart as the president hasn’t seen it. I’d bet anything he’s not so much protecting American lives as he is looking out for Sangalan interests. Mostly though, I just have never trusted Bob Gunton since he played the evil warden in “The Shawshank Redemption.”

So what’d you think of this episode? Did you want Chloe and Jack to hug when they first saw each other? (I wanted them to WANT to hug, but not actually do it — which is what happened.) Anyone else think Jack telling Agt. Walker "don't fight it" when he subdued her was a little rape-y? Got any new ideas on who the FBI mole might be? (I’m now feeling Janis — she’s nervous all the time and I don’t think it’s JUST because she’s socially awkward.) Finally, are you ok with Tony’s explanation about how he’s alive? (Some chatter about a hypothermic compound.)