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, Emily Bennington, Giles Matthey.
Synopsis: Taking place between 2pm and 3pm, Jack heads for the Embassy with the CIA closing in on him. Margot asserts her authority with unthinkable force; Heller makes an impassioned speech to Parliament; Kate takes matters into her own hands.
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.
After last week’s rather touristy episode we are once again back onto a much more serious track. Last week’s episode ended with Jack storming the US Embassy and so, with being in real time and all, this week’s started off with him inside. He managed to find his target Chris Tanner whose flight key he needed. The poor pilot looked more than a little bemused when Jack, a stranger, showed up and offered to help clear his name. It was a story that the CIA were reluctant to believe, but they finally had enough sense to start thinking ‘what if’ and promptly tried to find as much information as they could.
Mark finally came clean to Heller and Audrey about Jack, and it would appear that jealousy must have played a big part in him keeping Jack’s presence a secret. Far from being disgusted, the pair wanted to know what he was up to, with Heller insisting on talking to Jack personally and neither ready to accept that he would maliciously hold prisoners.
As much as Heller knows who Jack was, it has been four years, and he let the devious Mark put doubts into his head; Heller agreeing that the marines should do whatever was necessary. Audrey was more than appalled with the decision, and the already rocky romance between her and her husband has turned artic. It would seem that someone hasn’t got over her ex, once you go Jack apparently you don’t turn back.
Mother Stark, or Margot as she is known within 24, truly is a cold hearted woman out for vengeance. We knew last week that she wasn’t happy with her son-in-law’s doubts and wondered how he would pay. The answer of course was he wouldn’t pay, she needs him to pilot the drones; her daughter Simone however, well she’s served her purpose. So what better way to motivate a man than to start chopping fingers off of his wife, even if that wife is your kin. Heartless. Having watched 24 all these years it has come to my attention that, given the fact that Jack, Heller and the CIA all know her name, she wont be the main villain. There will be someone else in on it, maybe someone we’ve already met. If it is a familiar face, then my monies on Mark or Adrien.
Adrien it would seem is another man more than a little jealous of Jack, he is not at all happy that he now has competition for Chloe’s attention. He reluctantly stepped in to help with the flight key upload, but made it very clear to Chloe that he was helping her and not Jack. Jack can cram a lot into a day as we’ve seen in previous seasons, however tonights show proved that even Jack is at the mercy of slow upload speeds. He even had to take hostages to buy himself time.
Whilst Jack was trapped waiting for the computer to do its thing, Kate took the opportunity to try and capture Bauer. She told Erik that she would get Bauer to believe that she believed him in order that he would turn himself in. Clearly the most open-minded member of the CIA, is she really pretending? Either way she managed to gain Jack’s trust enough for him to comply.
A vast improvement on last weeks far-fetched gimmicky episode, this weeks saw a realignment. Interestingly though there were no big London landmarks utilised this week so that might be where last week’s weaknesses lay. We are now a third of the way through this series as it is having a limited run of just twelve episodes, and as of yet nothing has really happened. With only eight episodes left they are really going to have to kick it up a gear or two to keep us watching.
CIA Blunder: In a rare first the CIA seem to be on track though I’m not sure how Kate’s blatant disregard for orders to stay back will play out. I get the sense we’re bring treated to another female Jack, the last lady Bauer, Renee, did not fair too well.
Badass Bauer Moment: When questioned by President Heller how he was sure he had only grazed the civilians he shot, Jack simply stated ‘because I was the one who shot them’.
‘Damnit!’ Counter: *Sob* none. Not a single one. He made it an entire hour without muttering his famous curse. The closest we got was a son-of-a-bitch. Maybe he’s storing them up for later episodes.
[usr=4] 24: Live Another Day airs on Sky One Wednesdays at 9pm.
