Writers: Joel Surnow, Robert Cochran.
Director: Adam Kane.
Cast: Kiefer Sutherland, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Kim Raver, Tate Donavan, Jon Boyega, William Devane, Yvonne Strahovski, Michelle Fairley.
Synopsis: Taking place between 1pm and 2pm, Kate Morgan continues her hunt for Jack, as Heller prepares to address Parliament after a devastating attack. Margot Al-Harazi proves she is willing to sacrifice anything for revenge.
Jacks back! It’s hard to believe I know, but it has been a whole four years since we watched Jack, now a wanted man, bid Chloe farewell and disappear from our TV screens. You can’t keep a good man down though and everyone’s favourite rogue agent has this time set-up camp on British soil. Though not quite 24 this time around, with only twelve episodes, 24: Live Another Day promises to be crammed full of just as much action. THN will be here every step of the way in our new episode-by-episode Bauer Blog.
Given this series location is was inevitable that at some point the Underground would be used. It took till this, the third, episode for the tube to play a part. I couldn’t help but feel that it’s inclusion felt a little gimmicky. It’s use to me really detracted from any sense of realism in the series, but maybe that’s because I had just got in from Waterloo station when I watched the episode. I’ve never seen tube cars or platforms that empty. They even changed the ‘tube lady’s’ voice. I also like how Jack and Chloe can easily drive around London having not found themselves in traffic once.
Once we had gotten through what must have been contractual tube scene we started to unearth some back-story. Chloe has been keeping a secret, Morris and her son are both dead, killed in a car accident. I was wondering what happened there, the last we knew Morris was a stay at home dad; I had until know just assumed that her prison stay caused a breakdown in the family. Turns out I was wrong though and Chloe is living with guilt believing that their death was caused by people targeting her. Jack soon pulled her together making her realise that she cant bring the dead back, but they can help the living stay live.
The what game is Mark playing? He’s made a deal with the Russian’s to give them Jack under the rendition act. The hitch is that he needs a Presidential signature. This should clearly be where Mark comes clean to Heller and tells him of Jack’s presence, however he opts for the much more sinister and devious forging of Heller’s signature. This is one man not to be trusted, that or he is being set up as a massive red herring.
Having survived her jaunt on the Northern line with Jack Bauer, Simone has made her way back to mother Margot. Thanks to intel that Chloe uncovered her motives have been made crystal clear, her terrorist husband was killed in a drone strike which was ordered by Heller three years ago. Learning this information means that Jack wants to go to Heller directly.
Meanwhile Kate and Erik are finally starting to bond a little and are still chasing Jack. Pulling another Bauer-like move Kate kidnaps gangster Bashir who had his throat slashed by Jack last episode in a bid for information. Luckily for her she gets what she needs after dangling the stereotypical cockney gangster in front of a rival mob. Given that so far she’s been the only one in the CIA to understand what is happening it’s hard not to agree with Erik when he asks how she missed her own husband treachery.
Mother Stark’s Margot is an interesting villain for 24. The show has never had a murderous matriarch as lead ‘bad guy’ and she will clearly go to any lengths to get her job done. Daughter Simone gets a scolding for being careless enough to be found by Jack who at this point they only know as ‘the American’, and her son-in-law should really watch his back. Margot is onto his lack of faith in their cause, having watched his confession on her daughters hidden bedroom camera.
Back with Heller, Mark and Audrey it is clear that all is not well in the family. Heller alludes that Mark and Audrey have had some recent problems as he asks how they are. Audrey says fine, covering up the earlier argument where she called Mark on his cruelty towards her father. She then goes onto to accuse him of being too controlling, letting him know she’s not the broken woman she used to be. Heller then takes his place in front of Parliament, ready to give a rousing speech, a speech that doesn’t get past the first line of before the politicians start shouting demands at him.
Jack needs to get to Heller and the easiest way to do that is by gaining access to the US Embassy, he of course is a wanted man so he asks Chloe and her people to help get him in. Chloe as ever is ready to help with his cause, however, Adrien wants Jack out of their hair and what’s easier then giving him the wrong fake credentials and having him captured by security? Well that’s Jack Bauer he’s messing with and it’ll take more than that to stop him. Thinking on his feet he makes the most of the protesting crowd, steals a gun, starts shooting and with the help of a panicked crowd breaks his way into the embassy. It can’t be long now until he and Heller are face to face.
Overall the third episode was more than a little disappointing. Most of the episode just felt a little too far-fetched, even by 24 standards. Hopefully it was just a one off and the show will return to it’s usual standard next week.
CIA Blunder: They didn’t feature too heavily and as such couldn’t really cause too much damage.
Badass Bauer Moment: Jack doesn’t need a ticket to ride the tube.
‘Damnit!’ Counter: Two. Once on the revelation that there was no CCTV. The second in the car as he pieced Margot’s plan together.
[usr=3] 24: Live Another Day airs on Sky One Wednesdays at 9pm.
