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24: 12:00PM - 1:00PM

by Jonathan Toomey, posted Jan 20th 2009 1:30AM

Kiefer Sutherland and Annie Wersching(S07E05) "If you trust me, I will get you through this alive." - Jack

Over the span of any given season of 24, it's inevitable that as different plots emerge, the "real time" aspect of the show forces them to jockey for the top spot. One week, Plot-X might be the most exciting part of the hour and the next week, Plot-Y is.

With all that being said, this season of 24 is shattering that expectation. For six seasons that's been the norm, but not so for Day 7. All three major threads (Jack and Tony, Sangala, Roger Taylor) have been thrilling since the clock first started ticking and this episode was a prime example.

We last left Jack, Tony, Emerson, and Token Fourth Man in Terrorist Group as they attempted to kidnap Sangala's former P.M. Matobo from his Washington D.C. consulate. With Matobo and his wife caged inside a concrete reinforced panic room, it didn't look as though they were going to succeed - until Jack pulled out his best MacGyver move and made some ammonia gas from what appeared to be Clorox, Mr. Clean, and a spray bottle of Scrubbing Bubbles. They pumped the gas into the panic room's air ducts, and before long, Matobo and his wife emerged.

By then, Renee (on her coerced tip from Tanner) had made it to Matobo's home just in time to be captured. After Emerson's boss Nichols verified with his FBI mole that Renee only knew about the Matobo job, they agreed to kill her. Naturally, Jack got stuck with the task. The whole situation reminded me about two previous incidents: when Jack "killed" Nina in season one, but actually gave her that flak jacket first, and when Jack really killed Chapelle in season three. He gave Walker a heads up, just grazed her with the bullet, and she played dead perfectly ... right up until Jack and Tony had to bury her. If anything, that plastic tarp Jack threw on her first will make it easier when she has to dig herself out.

After all that, how could this hour have been even more exciting? Three words - Agent Brian Gedge. I knew there was something off about him, but I really didn't think he was part of the conspiracy. Of course, the obvious question would be to ask who he reports to. However, as of right now, it seems like he's calling most of the shots. He admitted to killing Roger, and now he's going to kill Samantha and Henry. Or at least try. I'm guessing his plan to frame them both in some sort of double murder/suicide mess isn't going to work out. I assume that will lead Gedge into a meeting with his boss. I said from the beginning that I though Ethan was too obvious, but he could still be who Gedge is reporting to. It would certainly fit.

A few more thoughts on hour five:
  • What exactly is the point of revealing that Sean is having an affair with Erica? How else are we to interpret, "I can't stop thinking about last night?" Feels like a lot of filler right now. Unless...
  • ... who does everyone think is Nichols' (Emerson's boss) FBI mole? It has to be someone we've met already. My guess? Erica. That would be the only value to revealing the affair with Sean. It'll make her unveiling more dramatic.
  • The attorney general is on top of his shit! Renee tortures Tanner and 15 minutes later, there are two reps from the AG's office, with an opened case docket, ready to interrogate her about her methods. Even in the world of 24, that came together way too fast.
  • So what does everyone think about Moss? Did he date Renee? Are they dating now? Or is his worry just the result of a serious cubicle crush?

One final point: the clock was silent, save for Renee breathing. But the "no ticking?" That's usually reserved for an episode when someone major dies. But no one died ... yet. Three possibilities though - Samantha, Henry, or Renee. I don't see Renee kicking it or Henry either. Samantha? Well, we got the info she had. Not really seeing any more value to her character. Then again, all three of them might live. The whole silent clock is very confusing to me. Was it merely to add ambiguity to Renee being buried alive?

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Pau

I think this season is pretty boring. Maybe they've done everything and can only start repeating themselves (like in episode 3 scaping again from a building with the help of cleo, they've done that twice in the past). At least it's not dumb like season 6.

I keep watching it but I'm a bit indifferent to it. I hope they surprise me or raise the tension a little bit.

Anyway I think the actress that plays the FBI agent is the best of the season, and the one who plays the president the worst (she looked promising in the tv-movie, but here she keeps doing these "apalled-opened mouth-oh my god bad news" faces that I don't believe).

January 21 2009 at 3:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mark

Nothing to do with the show, but I watched it on Fox online, and if I see that woman mention a cat named Louie to the audience again I can't be responsible for my actions.

January 21 2009 at 3:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
alexi

guys you dont need DVR to watch it again. watch it on fox.com
(http://www.fox.com/fod/play.php?sh=twentyfour)

January 21 2009 at 12:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joe

I don't understand why people think that the 'silent clock' automatically means someone has died. There are no rules to the 'silent clock', it's just used when it would have greater impact then a smash cut to the loud clock.

January 21 2009 at 8:45 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Joe's comment
tcc3

Aside from last night, when has the silent clock ever been used except as memorial to the death of a major character?

There may not be any "rules" that you know of, but it is established tradition. I think its a good one, and I hope they dont cheapen it by messing with the clock too much.

January 21 2009 at 9:21 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joe

"Aside from last night, when has the silent clock ever been used except as memorial to the death of a major character?"

I'm glad you asked. A silent clock has signalled the end of 8 episodes, including Redemption. Only 3 of those were deaths: Teri, Chappelle and Edgar. That's a total of FIVE time it has been "used except as memorial to the death of a major character".

Sorry to rock your world with the disproving of your 'established tradition', but all of the times it has been used, it was to enhance a dramatic moment. I agree that overuse would cheapen it, but the slow dread of being buried alive is more unsettling with the silent clock, so I feel it was used effectively here.

Source: http://24.wikia.com/wiki/Silent_clock

January 21 2009 at 1:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Therron

I found it hilarious that for once Jack used the logic in traffic to account for how long it would take for the FBI to show up. Usually traffic times are ignored especially when its Jack driving through it. I guess the only one on the show who doesnt follow the rules of traffic is Jack.

January 20 2009 at 5:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
MosquitoControl

Using the silent clock as a decoy is cheap. Not cheap like the first hours of last season (all I managed to stomach, well, I eventually made it to episode 12 before I just gave up), but cheap.

Maybe she is dead. Jack thought he was saving her, but just gave her a far, far worse death.


So far this season feels very slow. It's entertaining and not annoying, but still off the mark set by seasons 4 and 5. Far beyond the idiocy of last season, though.

January 20 2009 at 4:59 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Steve Toomey

I agree with most of the above. The "silent" clock was a decoy, clearly just highlighting the breathing. She'll be back, but her boss will not believe Jack or Tony are good guys...

January 20 2009 at 4:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Michael

"After all that, how could this hour have been even more exciting? Three words - Agent Brian Gedge. I knew there was something off about him, but I really didn't think he was part of the conspiracy."

Did you forget about the happenings in the 24: Redemption prequel??? Gedge was revealed to be one of the baddies way back in that storyline when he was driving Roger's limo to his mother's inauguration. He was clearly shown to be working with Jon Voight at that time and they even set up for Roger's eventual "suicide" by the time this season started. Gedge is in hip deep but he's just a henchman doing the dirty work for his bosses.

LOVED this week's episode though! I couldn't wait to read what everyone's opinions were on Agent Walker and the semi-silent clock at the end of the hour! Next Monday can't get here soon enough in my opinion...

January 20 2009 at 3:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Michael's comment
Jonathan Toomey

Good call - I had completely forgotten that we even saw Gedge in "Redemption." Makes a lot more sense now...

January 20 2009 at 3:34 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Eric

It is funny that the AG arrived at the FBI office within 15 minutes - whereas no local or federal law enforcement showed up at Motobo's house (neither had they any kind of security) despite his involvement in an international crisis. It just becomes too unrealistic and annoying...

January 20 2009 at 2:24 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Eric's comment
MK

If only THIS is unrealistic and annoying in this show! How about the first husband going around town with just one secret service/driver guy who happens to be a mole? And conducting his own secret investigation? Not talking about FBI agent disobeying her commanding officer direct order, or torturing a guy in ICU ward cutting his oxygen supply. It's so ridiculous and pathetic! I missed two previous seasons (mainly because of repetitive, annoying and unrealistic torture scenes), decided to give "24" another chance this time, but I see now that nothing has changed on FOX (in spite of the new president and new climate in the country). Now I'm done with "24" for good. And, besides, "Heroes" is coming back soon in 9PM slot on Monday!

January 20 2009 at 3:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Manuel Reis

"One final point: the clock was silent."

Not quite that. We can hear Renee's breath. In other "death episodes", the clock was fully silent. But in this one, we had a "Darth Vader" effect.

No one is going to die. If someone dies, it has to be Samantha, but she's not in the main cast.

January 20 2009 at 2:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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