24 Day 7 - 12pm to 1pm

Before we get all into it……just a few thoughts on the first 4 hours of the day.

A BIG welcome back to Jack!!! The first 4 hours have been really (really) good. The storyline so far has been engaging and well told. There seems to actually be a coherent story with a point this season and the leaps of faith have been few and far between (so far).

Some first impressions of the gang –

JACK – what’s there to say? He’s back with attitude. Loved him putting Neil Perry’s Dad (DEAD POET’S SOCIETY SHOUT OUT) in his place during the Senate hearings and telling Agent Freckles and the FBI – if you want to get things done you need to do it my way.

AGENT RENEE WALKER – I like Agent Freckles. She’s got spunk. Hopefully they have big things planned for her today…..although its looking a little bleak at the moment.

PRESIDENT ALLISON TAYLOR – Seems like she’s got a nice head on her shoulders and isn’t afraid to mix it up with her team. I liked that she let her Sec of State have it. She’s getting a little bit annoying now that the (stuff) is hitting the fan. Of course everyone can’t be President David Palmer (a moment of silence if you will).

HENRY TAYLOR – ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ…..(yawn) Is he off the screen yet??

CHIEF OF STAFF ETHAN KANIN – I’ve got no major vibe so far from Shawshank Redemption’s Warden Norton. He seems to just be going along for the ride. He’s either a Mike Novick (trusted advisor through and through) or he’s going to be the mole. I like that he prefers to protect American citizens before Sangalans….but maybe that’s just me.

AGENT LARRY MOSS – HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…….the guy just kills me. His reactions towards Jack in the first 4 hours have had me falling off the couch in laughter (ok – not quite off the couch but still – giggling loudly). You get my point. Possibly the worst FBI agent in charge ever depicted on 24. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

JANIS GOLD – giggle. Pure entertainment. Socially awkward. Brilliant. Just a joy to watch on the screen. Can’t wait for her and Chloe to have a showdown. It’s inevitable.

SEAN HILLINGER – Welcome to 24 – Entourage’s own Billy Walsh!!! You are just plain weird. Where do they find these guys??? Can’t wait to see how the Sean-WIFE-Erika 3-some plays out….and what else they have in store for him.

And last but certainly not least – our old favorites…….

TONY ALMEIDA – so happy to have you back Tony. Even happier that you are still Good Tony rather than Evil Tony. Sorry you are still scarred Tony. It’s going to be fun watching you and Jack take on the bad guys again…..how about smiling a bit more ‘kay?

CHLOE O’BRIAN – YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What more is there to say?

BILL BUCHANAN – Our favorite CTU lead is back….AND WITH SCRUFF!! (even better - NO KAREN!!) Not sure where this little group “working outside of the government” is going to end up but I for one am along for the ride!!!



Now without further ado….hour 5.

DAY 7 – 12pm to 1pm

Larry Moss briefs Agent Remick about the Matobo situation. He learns that Tanner's lawyers are going after the FBI and calls Renee, who is on her way to the scene. "We got the information we needed," is her only answer. Larry demands that she return to the office, but she refuses, blaming herself for Jack's escape. Renee shuts off her mobile phone.

AGENT FRECKLES HAS GONE OFF THE RES...APPARENTLY A FEW HOURS WITH JACK WAS ALL IT TOOK TO UNLEASH HER INNER BAUER.

AS FOR HER BOSS - AGENT MOSS KEEPS CRACKING ME UP WITH ALL THE TORTURE TALK AND THE FACT THAT NO ONE SEEMS TO RESPECT HIM AT ALL. HE SURE IS SNAPPY FOR A SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE…SHOW A LITTLE TACT LARRY….

Sean speaks to his wife, who has landed. She wonders if he had something to do with her flight getting priority. He says she got lucky.

SEAN IS WEIRD…WHAT IS HIS DEAL?? THIS WHOLE THING WITH HIS WIFE IS JUST STRANGE. IT DOESN’T SEEM TO HAVE A POINT….AND THE ONE THING THE WRITERS HAVE DONE SO FAR THIS SEASON IS MAKE SURE THINGS HAVE A POINT….FRANKLY IM JUST AS CONFUSED AS YOU.

Locked in the safe room, Matobo tells his wife Alama that the people who have come for them work for Dubaku. He will not give up the names of his allies. She realizes that they want to use her to get him to talk. Alama encourages him to be the leader that the people of Sangala need. Sean calls Matobo's security guard, and Emerson sees the FBI number on the man's phone. Tony and Jack are insistent that they cannot leave without Matobo. Jack thinks he can flush him out with gas before the SWAT teams arrive.

JACK DOESN’T JUST THINK SO…HE IS QUITE ANIMATED ABOUT IT. THE 74TH RULE OF 24 – WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING CHEMICAL WEAPONS FROM HOUSEHOLD CLEANING PRODUCTS YOU DON’T ARGUE WITH JACK! LEARN IT. LIVE IT. KNOW IT

BY THE WAY – IT STRUCK ME AS VERY ENTERTAINING HOW THE ID ON THE PHONE SHOWED UP AS “F.B.I.”…..SUBTLE…REAL SUBTLE.

Jack whips up something in the kitchen and blows it into the safe room's ventilation. Emerson warns Matobo, who doesn't want his wife to be sacrificed. Alama is afraid to die and opens the safe room door. Emerson's team carries them out into a waiting van.

SEE. JACK KNOWS BEST. WAS IT JUST ME OR DID THE WIFE SEEM PHYSICALLY STRONGER THAN MATOBO?? NO SELF CONTROL BUT SHE DID MANAGE TO GET THE DOOR OPEN. PROPS TO ALAMA…

Tanner's lawyers arrive at the FBI, but Larry doesn't let them question Janis because of the national emergency. Meanwhile, Renee arrives at the Matobo house and calls Larry about the abduction. One of Emerson's men finds her and takes her hostage. Renee curses at Jack, who convinces Emerson not to kill her, and they load her into the van as well. They pull away before the SWAT team arrives. "I can't believe I trusted you," Renee sneers at Jack.

CAN YOU BELIEVE THE BALLS ON TANNERS LAWYERS?? WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU NEED TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THINGS (AND YOU WERE SENT BY THE AG HIMSELF) BUT THERE IS SOME SERIOUS (STUFF) GOING DOWN….CAN’T IT WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW?

AGENT FRECKLES IS BUMMING. HASN’T SHE LEARNED THAT THERE’S ONLY ONE PERSON WHO CAN TAKE ON ALL OF THE BAD GUYS ALONE – AND HIS INITIALS ARE J.B. I DO LIKE THAT SHE’S STILL GOT A BIT OF SPUNK….ALTHOUGH SHE NEEDS TO SETTLE DOWN A BIT. CALLING OUR BOY A LYING S.O.B…..UMM - KEEP MOUTHING OFF AT THE GUY WITH THE GUN. THAT’S ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA.

BIG YELLOW VAN?? COULDN’T THEY FIND SOMETHING SLIGHTLY LESS CONSPICUOUS??

Despite Ethan's argument, President Taylor still wants to authorize the military action in Sangala because she refuses to give in to terrorist blackmail. She is shocked to learn that Matobo was abducted by Jack and Tony, which now affects the U.S. invasion. Yet Taylor wants to find Matobo first before she meets Dubaku's deadline.

AFTER STARTING OFF THE DAY WITH A BANG – PRESIDENT TAYLOR IS STARTING TO REALLY ANNOY ME…..AND WHY IS IT THAT SHE ALWAYS SEEMS SO SURPRISED WHENEVER SHE IS TOLD SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED?? WHEN SHE FOUND OUT MATOBO HAD BEEN ABDUCTED SHE NEVER CONSIDERED IT COULD HAVE INVOLVED TONY AND JACK??? HELLO??? WELCOME TO DAY 7!

AS FOR THE AUTHORIZATION OF MILITARY ACTION – LET THE FOLKS IN SANGALA FEND FOR THEMSELVES FOR THE TIME BEING. IS COUNT DUKU GOING TO KILL EVERYONE THERE IMMEDIATELY IF YOU TURN THE CARRIER GROUP AROUND?? JUST TURN IT BACK AROUND NEXT WEEK WHEN THE U.S. HAS RECOVERED THE CIP UNIT AND THIS LATEST CRISIS HAS PASSED!! IT’S NOT CAVING IN TO TERRORISTS MADAM PRESIDENT – IT’S JUST A TEMPORARY CHANGE OF PLANS. GOTTA LEARN TO ADJUST ON THE FLY BABY!!

Janis picks up that there's something going on between Sean and another girl in the office named Erika. She assigns Sean a task. Larry is upset that Renee has been captured.

JANIS CRACKS ME UP. SHE IS CHLOE LITE. I GUESS SHE’S THE FBI WHISPERER – PICKING UP ON THE VIBES BETWEEN SEAN AND ERIKA….APPARENTLY SEAN ISN’T THE CONCERNED HUSBAND WE WERE ALL SUPPOSED TO THINK HE IS….THE QUESTION NOW IS WHY MAKE SUCH A BIG DEAL ABOUT GETTING YOUR WIFE’S PLANE DOWN SAFELY IF YOU ARE SLEEPING WITH ERIKA?? LIKE I SAID BEFORE – SEAN IS WEIRD.

WATCHING LARRY MELT DOWN BECAUSE FRECKLES HAS BEEN TAKEN HAS BEEN SO MUCH FUN. THINK THEY’VE GOT SOMETHING GOING ON??? YEAH – ME TOO. I DO LIKE THAT HE ACTS LIKE HE’S THE ONLY ONE WHO CARES SHE’S BEEN TAKEN.

Emerson gets a call from Nichols. His source at the FBI said that Renee found out about their Matobo abduction by breaking Tanner. They detour to a construction site to kill Renee.

YOU THINK FRECKLES IS DONE THINKING THAT JACK IS THE LEAK INSIDE THE FBI?? SINCE WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THAT – WHO DO YOU THINK THE MOLE IS??? ONLY TIME WILL TELL.

Janis notes to Sean that she thinks Larry has feelings for Renee.

THE FBI WHISPERER HAS STRUCK YET AGAIN.

Dubaku is concerned that the American troops have not withdrawn in Sangala. Nichols encourages him to use the CIP device to cause another attack and convince the President otherwise.

COUNT DUKU IS A LITTLE JUMPY. HOW LONG DOES HE THINK TROOP WITHDRAWAL TAKES??? IT’S NOT LIKE CLEARING A BAR AT CLOSING TIME….GIVE IT A FEW MINUTES WHY DON’T YA….JEEPERS.

Agent Gedge tells Henry he will have a friend help decipher the thumb drive, and they head to the friend's house. Henry says he cannot take the evidence to his wife until he can prove his theory about his son's murder. They arrive at a condominium and Henry sees photos of his son on the mantle. Putting on rubber gloves, Gedge tells him that it is Samantha's apartment. Henry realizes that Gedge killed Roger. Suddenly, Henry falls down, almost paralyzed. Gedge spiked his coffee with a neuromuscular paralytic. Gedge says that Roger was "looking into things he shouldn't have."

DANGER WILL ROBINSON!! DANGER!!! UP TO THIS POINT THIS STORYLINE HAD PRODUCED NOTHING MORE THAN A BIG “ZZZZZZZZZZZZ” IN MY NOTES….OH HENRY. AT LEAST I WON’T MISS YOU….

Gedge calls another agent, Vossler, who is tracking Samantha. Their plan is to make it appear she killed Henry. Vossler approaches Samantha and says that Henry believes she is in danger. She goes with Vossler to her apartment.

MRS.GEEK COMMENTED “WOW – SHE’S PRETTY TRUSTING.” MY RESPONSE – “IT IS THE SECRET SERVICE.” I’M THINKING THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO TRUST SOMEONE WHEN YOU CAN’T TRUST ANYONE, THE SECRET SERVICE IS A DECENT PLACE TO START….EXCEPT IN THE LAND OF 24 (AND A TON OF SPY NOVELS OUT THERE).

Sean intercepts a call with mention of Renee. They hear Nichols instruct Emerson to kill her. Meanwhile, the van arrives at the site. Emerson instructs Jack to shoot her. Jack walks her out toward a ditch, and whispers in her ear to trust him. He points his gun at the back of her head and fires. Renee falls to the ground, still alive but with blood on her neck. Emerson sees Jack roll her into the ditch and place a plastic tarp over her body. Emerson orders Jack and Tony to bury her. Renee watches silently in fear as they shovel dirt on her.

OF COURSE JACK GETS THE “KILL” ASSIGNMENT….AND JACK AND TONY GET THE “BURY” ASSIGNMENT. CONVENIENT - BUT RALPH WALDO IS KEEPING AN EAGLE EYE ON THEM. (THAT LAST STATEMENT WAS SPONSORED BY THE MOVIE “EAGLE EYE”, CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN STORES ON DVD AND BLU-RAY DISC).

OKAY – A PRETTY CREEPY WAY TO END THINGS….CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO FILM THAT SCENE – NEVERMIND HAVE IT ACTUALLY HAPPEN. I LIKE AGENT FRECKLES AND DON’T WANT THE 5 HOURS I’VE INVESTED IN HER SO FAR TO GO TO WASTE. SHE’S GOT SOME SPUNK AND HAS ALREADY SHOWN A WILLINGNESS TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET INFORMATION. IT’S ALMOST TIME TO GIVE THAT WOMAN A LAMP AND A BOTTLE OF WATER!.

Some thoughts on next week -
* Looks like Henry and Samantha are doomed....but could they have a trick up their sleeve??? Well planned murders always seem to go wrong
* Looks like things are going to get a bit tense for Jack and Tony
* Where o' where are Bill and Chloe?? Time to get them further into the mix.
* Who's the dude in charge of the bad guys??? What's his deal??

I'm officially re-hooked. How about you??