Pages

Monday, May 12, 2014

24: Live Another Day Season Premiere

Jack is Back!


The last time we saw Jack Bauer, he was thanking Chloe and going on the run while on a CTU drone's fuzzy camera feed. Now Jack is back, and it's a nice dovetail that the first time we see him is on a CIA operative's fuzzy camera feed. So what's been going on these past four years?



After Day 8, Chloe O'Brian was arrested for helping Jack escape. In the time between then and Live Another Day, we also learned that she's gone on the run and has been "liberating" sensitive government information working with a group of hackers based out of London. As a result, she got picked up by the CIA and "interrogated."

Jack, who's apparently been keeping some questionable company, intercepted some intelligence that there would be an attempt on the President's life, and traced it back to one of the hackers in Chloe's group. So with Chloe as his only way in, Jack had to break her out. And what better way to do that than getting yourself caught. And for a guy who's trying to get caught, he sure made it difficult taking out 5 CIA agents while trying to "escape."

Thanks to his questionable friend and some doohickey in Jack's wrist, he was able to overpower the men holding him. First choke hold of the season, and in handcuffs! Everybody drink! He was able to free Chloe, and after a brief confrontation with Kate Morgan, they were able to escape.


Kate Morgan, played by Yvonne Strahovski, retains none of the kick-assery she had playing Sarah Walker on Chuck. And as far as I'm concerned, only Jack Bauer is allowed to have that much ass-kicking ability on 24. So here, she's a disgraced CIA field agent given a desk job and a transfer because she didn't know her husband was selling government secrets. But, considering she was the only one to recognize what Jack's true intentions were, and she thought to track the SIM cards, she's obviously the smartest person in the CIA.

Steve Navarro, played by Benjamin Bratt is another in a long line of hard-headed, stubborn CIA/CTU heads. Ignoring all of Kate's advice, he tried to send her home early, but after Jack escaped, he was blackmailed into putting her back in the field to pursue Bauer. Oh inter-office politics on 24, how I've missed you.

And Eric is the CIA agent who actually "apprehends" Bauer. He's in a completely pissy mood because Steve put Kate back into the field, jeopardizing his promotion. New kid in the office and trying to prove himself; his cockiness is indirectly proportional to his ability and he was the guy Bauer choked out! That's what you get for talking trash. I give this guy 4 episodes before his arrogance and incompetence gets himself killed.

This is where the episode gets a little dicey. Instead of asking Chloe to take him to the hackers, Jack just lets her go and assumes she'll just go there, which she of course does. Jack does mention that he has no friends, but c'mon! It's Chloe! If there was an attempt on the President's life, she would have helped out and Jack wouldn't have had to bust in there with guns blazing. But they did, and they found out the person they were looking for wasn't there. But thanks to Chloe and her magic hacking skills, they found out he was under the protection of a heroin dealer.

So they headed to the apartments and Grandpa Jack showed he still knows how to take care of business. He managed to string up a guard in about 30 seconds while a camera was disabled and took out a room full of bad guys. But leave it to the CIA and the head heroin guy to screw things up and let Yates and his girlfriend get away.

First Family Under Fire


Just to pace the episode since it can't be all adrenaline filled like Chloe right now, the First Family needs some screen time. Secretary of Defense Heller is now President Heller, but it's been a while, and he's been forgetting things and his Chief of Staff is being a real dick about it.

Mark Boudreau, played by Tate Donovan is already on my list of annoying people who need to die. I understand he's looking out for the President's best interests, but prepping him for the speech that way was totally uncalled for. Maybe this is just how assholes treat their father-in-laws. Yup, he's married to Audrey Raines, who's no longer in the land of catatonia.

But the President has bigger worries. Dealing with a rogue US drone attack on a military convoy carrying American and British soldiers is his problem right now. And that drone is coming for the President soon.

Attack of the Drones


In the C-plotline that is probably only marginally better than Kim and the cougar, Lt. Tanner is accused of piloting that drone and killing those soldiers. He's a new character that we have no vested interest in so they better find out who's really behind this attack fast and put this plotline to bed.


And in control of that drone? It's Lady Catelyn Stark! And it looks like she traded in her daughter for an upgrade because this one can take care of herself way better than Sansa. So what's her deal? What's her motivation? And is there another big baddie behind her like there always is in 24?

And in the promo for tonight's episode, it looks like more hell breaks loose.

No comments:

Post a Comment