This episode was an improvement over the previous episode. Is that faint praise?
Great line!
Still trying to decide if they really got the CIP device. Didn’t Debaku say something about “downloading” and reinitiating from another site? It’s gonna be really lame if the CIP ultimate doomsday superpassword key is out of play and Debaku has to resort to “I have the First Man, do what I say or else.”
Like that hasn’t already been done to death in 24.
Actually, Logan the first was pretty bad. He was a wishy washy, spineless twerp relying on the ex-Pres to save his bacon. Somehow he became a master manipulator slime for the second round.
Yes, my first thought when the automated system started to run away was shut it off/disconnect it and go manually activate things. But I loved that his personal protective equipment (PPE) consisted of a respirator, when they clearly spell out that the stuff is corrosive and causes burns and such. Surely they would have isolation suits for handling it, especially just for cases like this. And venting into the plant? Into the room with the valves?
The guy who resigned is too easy a patsy, and he took himself out of the picture. Ethan would make a great inside man - the right hand of the Pres trying to undermine her plan. But he seems unaware that Gedge was trying to off the First Guy, which doesn’t fit. At least 2 Secret Service agents have been involved, but I doubt they’re the full extent of the plot. Of course, 24 likes the bad guys to have layers working against each other without realizing it, so that could work.
Perhaps Debaku will follow in the footsteps of other great terrorists like Marwan and already has contingency plans A, B, C, D and E fully manned and ready to go. I mean having the radio controlled bomb on hand to blow up the CIP maker dude was certainly a good start!
Unless they are going to pull a Scooby-Do and have some hitherto inconsequential character be the mole there is a limited cast of characters to choose from at this point. Perhaps some other members of the cabinet will have greater roles in the near future. My first thought was that it was Ethan because he was so eager to call off the attack, but hedged I because he didn’t know about the VP issue. You could be right about the independent layers though.
Does anyone else think this show would be a lot better if they just shed very thin veneer of plausibility and openly embraced the impossible? Perhaps even the supernatural? What if instead of something so utterly implausible as the CIP device, they just said that it was some sort of ancient magical artifact. Really, it’s about as equally realistic, and at least that way we could just nod our heads and say “sure, I’ll take that as the premise.”
Really, I just want them to do a season in which the terrorist threat is a zombie apocalypse. Come on, Jack Bauer with a shotgun and endless hordes of the walking undead. Would that not be the greatest season of television ever?
Well, we know that Nichols was just a puppet, because his puppet master from “Redemption” seemed to be John Voigt – who hasn’t shown up yet this season, but I presume he’s going to be showing up eventually.
I’m still trying to decide if the relief of the strain on my suspension of disbelief corresponding to the removal of the CIP device as a constant plot element is completely counteracted by the ludicrous implausibility of any possibility of Debaku’s new tactic actually working. We’ll have to see, I suppose.
I’m with you 100%. That would make so much more sense than the current premise; it would be such a refreshing change to be able to watch 24 and say to myself “yeah, I could see this actually happening.” This season is just so absurdly implausible that I figure it will soon be necessary for me to make a trip to the local Jiffy Lube for major repairs to my suspension of disbelief.
Yes, you’re absolutely right. That wouldn’t not be the greatest season of television ever!
Brianthhsss, girlthsss! Let’th go get us thome brainths!!
Oh my god, Shirley, your mathcara is running! And your arm just fell off!
C’mon, shamble like you mean it! And a one, and a two…
Wait, wait, I’ve got it! Why didn’t I think of this before?
The real twist of this season is that 24’s writers have been kidnapped by General Jujifruit’s regime, and they’re being forced to include increasingly unbelievable and asinine plot devices in the hopes that the president will capitulate. Only Jack Bauer can save the writers and the show’s last remaining hope of a plausible plotline!
Well- nobody can top President Palmer… but this lady isn’t so bad. MUCH better than President Logan… especially when he first became President. He was such a whiney little wuss- and he could not make a decision to save his life. I started calling him President Pussy. Remember, he had to have ex-President Palmer come in and tell him what to do?
Somewhere between the 4th and 5th seasons- he became a mastermind. But he was the most annoying character before that.
I’ve enjoyed this President- she has not seemed stymied to me. Plus, she made her decision… and it was the right decision… and stuck with it- despite all the gutless windbags around her telling her to back down.
While I don’t really agree with most of your post-- I admit- this has merit. I like it almost as much as my Jack Bauer vs. Chuck Norris scenario.
I am kind of hoping Madame President goes out to the balcony and starts sining…
Don’t cry for me Sangala…
The truth is I want to help you
And through this wild day
This mad existence
I’ll keep my promise
Once we get my husband back*
While I agree that plenty that goes on in 24, in general and specifically in this season, is totally ridiculous (like the CIP device somehow crashing planes into each other, etc.), I don’t think this is one of them.
I guess the question is, was that building a custom-build CIA building where the government was trying to build a totally impregnable safe room for high level visitors that would resist all determined attacks for hours? Or was it just a random house the CIA bought to act as a safe house from some random eccentric rich guy who’d built a safe room so he’d feel safe against random home invasions?
I mean, there’s no reason that people can’t build safe rooms either (a) incompetently, (b) built by a low bidder, or (c) designed to withstand certain types of attacks, and keep you safe from certain types of scenarios, but not all.
MaxTheVool, I agree. Typical safe room scenario is someone breaking into your house to steal your stuff but you are home. Go to the safe room, set off alarm, call -911. Burglar can’t get you, either grabs some stuff or splits because of the alarm. Homeowner is in no risk.
Non-typical safe room scenario, invader desparately wants to take captive or kill home owner, and has arranged for all security to be neutralized, including phone lines and alarm systems. Attacker is prepared to drive a bulldozer through the wall of the safe room in order to get to occupant.
Where does breaking into the ventilation system and pumping homemade poison gas into the room fit? I’m thinking closer to bulldozer.
Note that the security forces were expecting the FBI to be notified and help to be minutes away.
Yes, we haven’t seen the bad guys from Redemption yet. We know they’re out there and involved with Debaku. But there still should be at least one mole in the White House. Although the way 24 writers twist things up, I don’t think we can even rule out the Vice Pres as the mole. (Think Nina, season 1.)
Yes, she’s been more OUTRAGED and determined than stymied to me.
I’m always so annoyed when people in TV shows don’t communicate essential information when they have the opportunity to. The plotlines in Heroes and Lost essentially revolve around this. And 24 is no sloucher either. I mean, Mutobo (and by extension, Jack). TELL THE PRESIDENT SHE HAS A MOLE IN HER ADMINISTRATION! No need to be all mysterious as to the nature of your meeting. If you don’t tell her about the mole, chances are she’ll confide in some of the people around her about your visit, which endangers your own bloody life. Maybe he has been watching Lost and wants to respect the American culture of not telling people crucial information.
