Writers: Joel Surnow, Robert Cochran.
Director: Omar Madha.
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 3pm and 4pm, an unlikely duo join forces to stop an impending attack. The terrorist reveals her demands. The President orders a military lockdown, but it may be too late.
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.
Kate and Chloe have teamed-up to takedown Margot and prove Jack’s innocence. The two women seemed to get on pretty easily considering they are complete strangers. Together they of course got the information they needed, though Kate got no thanks, instead she got kicked-out thanks to a tattle-telling marine.
Adrien clearly disapproved of Chloe’s involvement with the CIA; reminding her that they take secrets from the organisation rather than provide them with information. He also rather callously brought up the attack on Morris and her son before telling her he loved her. I’ve had an interesting Adrien theory raised to myself recently; what if in his desire to have someone with Chloe’s exceptional computer skills, coupled with her old high-ranking government job, meant that he was behind the attack on her family, deliberately targeting them, knowing the guilt would send her running to him. Or is that just too much of a conspiracy theory?
Mark has finally started to show a few signs that he does have a heart as he apologised to Heller, and later Audrey for doubting Bauer. He did also reveal that he knew all about the drone attack that Margot is seeking to avenge. How is there anything that the President shouldn’t know? He better end up in hot water soon as its getting a little irritating how deceitful he keeps being.
This was the episode that all long term 24 fans have been waiting for, Jack, Heller and Audrey all coming face to face again. For those newcomers, once-upon-a-time Jack worked for Heller, who at the time was the US Defence Secretary, and was dating Audrey. Events unfolded which saw Jack have no option but to fake his own death. In the next series he and Audrey were reunited briefly only for him to be kidnapped by the Chinese. Audrey campaigned for his release, and with the aid of second President Palmer, he was freed. Audrey then found herself kidnapped and tortured in the most extreme ways meaning that when Jack finally came to her rescue she was catatonic. Heller then ordered Jack to leave the family alone, something he has respected until now. Once you know this backstory you can fully appreciate just how powerful these new scenes were. The exchange between Audrey and Jack was electrifying; it is clear that although many things have changed over the years their love for one another still remains. The scene also showcased to those 24 critics out there the reason that the show has survived this long, the acting prowess of lead Keifer Sutherland.
All isn’t right in the Al-Harazi house. Michelle Fairley has morphed from the beloved mother figure of Catelyn Stark into one of the worst with Margot. Last week she chopped daughter Simone’s fingers off in order to coerce her son-in-law into doing her biding. This week she realised that he was beyond controlling and so shot him at point blank range whilst her daughter watched on. I’m starting to think that Simone may very well become the weak link through which Margot’s house falls.
And it ended with a bang. An entire mansion exploded as Margot unleashed one of her captured drones upon the CIA tactical team. Having being lured to the wrong location it would seem that Heller will have no choice but to accept Jack’s proposal and permit him to go undercover with one of Margot’s known associates.
Easily the best episode so far with all the pieces finally starting to slot into place, but interestingly it only featured Jack for all of three scenes. Next week takes us nicely to the halfway point and, with one drone having already being used to great effect, we can expect a lot more action from here on out. Plus there is that hope that Jack will go undercover once more. Jack undercover is always fun to watch.
CIA Blunder: Believing that they had uncovered the lair of a career criminal that quickly and easily; they didn’t even think to double-check the info first. This would have never happened on Chloe’s watch.
Badass Bauer Moment: Jack plainly told Heller that they needed him to get the result. It was no use him giving-up his contact as the only person who could get him to talk was him.
‘Damnit!’ Counter: Is anyone else getting damnit withdrawals? For the second episode in a row there wasn’t a single one. Though Jack wasn’t really in tonights show, so hopefully we’ll hear it again soon.
[usr=5] 24: Live Another Day airs on Sky One Wednesdays at 9pm.
