I’m getting really really sick of Jack not being around in these past couple of episodes. He was in like the first scene, and then didn’t show up again until 9:26 in real-life time, which was very close to 24 time this hour. He does some cool stuff at the end but that’s it. I tend to lose interest in the episode if Jack’s not the focus. That wasn’t always true. Occasionally when there were some less Jack-centered episodes in previous seasons, they would focus on other characters I cared about. The only characters I’m invested in at this point are Jack and Chloe, and Chloe only had a couple of lines in this episode too. Some side plots and other character stuff is good filler for non-Jack time, but it’s been like Jack is the filler now for a good portion of the season. It’s making me extremely angry.
Anyway, here we go. I have a feeling this will be rough going. Wayne Palmer is meeting with his sister and Karen about the cabinet meeting to decide if he’s ok to stay on as president. He asks the doctor for a shot of adrenaline to keep him strong and makes a big deal about walking and appearing strong in front of the cabinet. He looks absolutely fine except for one scratch on his face. He’s also gotten a new shirt and tie apparently because there’s no blood or debris or rips in the one he’s wearing now. In the cabinet meeting, Palmer and Daniels both make their cases as to why Palmer should, or shouldn’t remain as the commander in chief. Then there’s a commercial like every ten minutes. Why is the kid from Even Stevens in more than one movie at a time? That’s weird.
The cabinet votes and comes out in a 7-7 tie. The attorney general says that the vice president needs a majority to win, and since he doesn’t have one the president will remain in power. Daniels then claims that Karen’s vote doesn’t count because she quit earlier in the day and isn’t an active member of the cabinet. Weak Daniels. Lennox says this is a legal matter, and lucky for them! the Supreme Court was hearing a case today (yeah right) and can have a decision within the hour.
Karen calls Bill because she’s upset that she might be costing Wayne the presidency. This reminds me that they’ve barely spoken all day. Bill’s really supportive and tells her that Daniels is trying whatever he can, knowing it’s a long shot. Sandra reaffirms that when they meet to go over their argument for the Supreme Court. She says that since Daniels treated her like a cabinet member and allowed her to sit in on a meeting, he gave no indication that she wasn’t an active member of the cabinet. They’re all pumped by this. On the other side of the batcave, Daniels is hearing the opposite from his creepy–weird nosed assistant. She doesn’t think that they have a case, so she suggests putting in an affidavit saying that Daniels was planning on keeping Karen on temporarily. Daniels is all like “that’s perjury” and assistant girl goes all Machiavellian on him and Daniels agrees with her. Then they share a weird hand holding moment. For some reason this suggestion really bothered me. Daniels isn’t giving very strong arguments as to why he wants to blow Derka Derkastan off the map. Usually I can see the reasoning behind the bad-guys’ actions, but this doesn’t seem to be based in much. And this would’ve just been frustrating and more backstabbing and lying than is necessary.
Something happens at CTU but I doubt it’s important enough to really comment on. Oh no wait, Doyle tells Nadia that he thinks Milo’s the one who didn’t update some security thing that allowed the breach. He wants Nadia to check out his computer to confirm it and she does because Doyle says it would be better than having him be investigated in front of everyone. Doyle was right about Milo messing up and she tells him so. Doyle then changes the logs so that no one will know it was Milo because he knows they need Milo around to find the nuclear bombs. Then he talks about how he’s read the Quran and other various religious stuff but I still hate his existence. Stupid old-man baby.
Then one of the only cool things to happen in the whole episode happens. Lennox tells Daniels he needs to speak to him privately. He tells him he needs to inform him about something in the room. He walks over to the desk and picks up a futuristic candy-dish and points out a radio transmitter. He had been recording everything that was being said in the room. OH SNAP! Lennox is officially cool. He explains to Daniels that after he tried to convince him to lie about Assad’s involvement in the assassination attempt, Lennox thought he needed to watch his back. And boy did it come in handy. He tells Daniels to call the Supreme Court and call everything off and let Palmer resume his duties. Daniels agrees, but looks like he wants to eat Lennox out of anger.
We finally see Jack again. He’s having Gredenko call Fayed and set up a meeting point. Jack says that if he says one word wrong he will shoot and kill him immediately. Gredenko’s being shady, he rolled over too easily to Jack, he’s definitely up to something. Gredenko and Fayed agree on a meeting point and Doyle is sent out with a tactical team. Then, even though he leaves before Jack, Jack gets there first, and Doyle never actually arrives.
In the van on the ride over, a CTU agent puts a tracking device in Gredenko’s forearm that goes deep in to the bone so that he can’t try and take it out. He meets Fayed at a carnival and they buy cotton candy. Then they get down to business. Gredenko takes off his wire. Fayed is pissed that Gredenko led CTU to their location but Gredenko convinces him that they’ll both get out alive. Jack suspects that something is wrong and goes inside to find them. He goes to where the transmitter is but the room is empty. Jack keeps looking and finds Gredenko’s arm. I have to admit, that was pretty awesome. I admire Gredenko’s commitment.
Jack follows the blood trail, because he’s also a CSI, and it leads him to a parking lot. The terrorists spot him and start shooting.
Show me your head. -Jack
Bang! BYEEE head. Quote of the episode right there. Never, ever show Jack Bauer your head. Fayed and Gredenko have stumbled into a bar and they try to escape out the back. Gredenko, who’s lost a lot of blood, yells to the crowd that Fayed’s the one on the news. The bar patrons start attacking him and Fayed shoots into the crowd and Gredenko escapes. The only explanation I could think up for this betrayal is that Gredenko knew he was going to die and might as well take Fayed down with him. But wouldn’t it be a safe assumption by all of them that chopping off a limb with a rusty axe and not getting immediate medical attention would lead to a quick death? Gredenko’s the worst terrorist ever. His plans never seem to work out, Brady out-smarted him and he doesn't think things through.
Jack comes in and fires two warning shots to clear the crowd away. He gets everyone to calm down. Some guy complains that Fayed shot his buddy.
I’m sorry about your friend. –Jack
I hope you’re friend is dead! -Fayed
Haha. I loved that. Jack now has Fayed in custody, and he did it all alone. As usual.
Gredenko has wandered down to the beach and is stumbling and losing blood under a pier. He falls into the ocean and presumably dies. Happy birthday gredenko good night. This scene seemed very OC to me. I expected Ryan Atwood to come and punch him in the face while Modest Mouse played in the background.
Lennox gives Palmer, Sandra and Karen the good news that Wayne will continue to be the president. Karen and Lennox then call a truce and shake hands. Lennox and Karen really seem like they want what’s best for the country, and maybe they’ve realized that and are getting passed their differences. Not like Daniels who just seems like a little boy eager to play with his toy nuclear weapons.
Buchanan calls President Palmer and tells him that Jack has Fayed in custody but they still don’t know where the suitcase nukes are. “That’s what I needed to know,” Palmer says ominously and hangs up.
Mid-truce, Lennox and Karen are informed that Palmer is about to go ahead with the nuclear strike. WHAT? This makes no sense. I don’t get it at all. Lennox enters the cabinet meeting room and asks Wayne what he’s doing. He says that he’s been accused of being weak all day or something. He risked his life to do what Daniels was going to do anyway? Did he just want to take credit for it? I’m confused. It seems really out of character since Wayne’s been kicking so much ass lately.
This episode was really weird. It didn’t keep my attention and a lot of things happened that didn’t make all that much sense. Hopefully next week we’ll get to see Jack torture Fayed at least. I chose this picture a) because it made me laugh b) because it makes as much sense as the end of this episode.
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