24 8.3-4: Baby, did you forget to take your meds?
George Harrison: “Hey guys, don’t mind me. I’m just going to slip behind this pillar to make a private phone call right in the middle of an emergency evacuation.”
Moscow Mike: “Hey guys, don’t mind me. I’m just going to speak on the phone in my native Russian accent shortly after replacing another cop on U.N. security detail.”
Jesus.
Seriously, have these people heard of text messaging? Are they worried about lingering evidence? If you’re willing to call an assassin on your phone, there’s no reason to be bashful about texting. It would have looked a lot less conspicuous for both parties. “Slumdog in 3rd car. Make boom boom.” Problem solved, and he wouldn’t have to hide behind a pillar to do it.
All right, Rule #1 for home invasions: if someone is willing to shoot your wife in the leg as the first step in the “I’m not fucking around” dance that captors and hostages take, you can safely assume that neither you nor your wife is going to live through said encounter. So why not die with your boots on? I understand the cop’s desire to protect his now-crippled wife, but he lost me the second that the phone rang, and Moscow Mike looked away to the phone…and the cop didn’t take Mike’s gun and shoot him with it. He had a good second and a half. That may not sound like much, but in TV time, it’s an eternity. It goes even slower for the viewers. Any cop worth a damn would have made a move for the gun.
Which is why, while I knew that Buffy was putting his life in grave danger by entering that evacuated building looking for Moscow Mike – and sure enough, Mike got the drop on him, but inexplicably did not shoot him in the head on sight – I was thrilled to see Buffy not make the same mistake as the cop in Queens. He knew he was doing to die either way, but if he had a chance to stop the assassin, it would be worth it. As it turned out, Jack was there to take Moscow Mike down, though I’m still a little perplexed how he was able to shoot Mike twice in the back without hitting Buffy. There were exit wounds in Mike’s chest, and from what I could tell, it looked as though any pass-through bullet would have gladly made a home in Buffy’s flesh. But still, major props to Buffy for being willing to die for the cause.
As for the vengeful cop that tied up Jack as retaliation for the dead cop and his wife: ha ha ha ha ha ha! I know you needed something to keep Jack from getting to Buffy sooner, but that was just silly. You know what would be a perfectly reasonable way to delay Jack from arriving somewhere on time? Traffic. New York has a lot of it, not that you would know from these first four episodes.
“You can tell from the state of my room that they let me out too soon.”
Holy fucking shit, what has happened with Jacqueline Bauer? She’s positively unhinged, pulling stunts that rival Jack at his most unstable. Remember when he shot the federal witness and cut off his head to use as currency to infiltrate a weapons gang? That actually pales in comparison to what Renee pulls here. Cutting off a guy’s thumb while he was still conscious? The girl has issues, to say the least…and I love it. It’s like Jack being partnered with himself – his dark, evil self. I’m sure we’ll reach a point where Jack has to pull a gun on Jacqueline and tell her she’s Gone Too Far. But for now, I am totally loving Crazy Jackie.
Likewise, I’m loving Slumdog President, too. He isn’t at all predictable, or perhaps more accurately, he’s not playing the stereotypical slimy politician game. Of course, we still have 20 hours to go, which means there are surely some skeletons that George Harrison will gladly hurl out of the closet in order to buy either time or leverage. I’m not sure what those skeletons would be worth to the Russians – they just want George’s money – but we’ll see. It’s nice to see David Anders, a.k.a. Sark from “Alias,” on the show. Hopefully he gets to do a little more than say “Yes, sir” to the big baddie.
Oh, and I love scenes of empty restaurants at 7:00. How very “Godfather” of them. And for the record, a guy stashed away in a meat locker with the sniffles is not irrefutable proof of the possession of nuclear weapons. What a gulli-bull.
On the Starbuck front, her blackmailer Kevin dropped a line about seven years of hard time. Did he do jail time for a crime that she committed? And even if he did, he’s the convicted felon, not her, and the law favors the innocent, or at the very least those without criminal records. One anonymous call to the police should take care of him, yes? I mean, if she’s willing to work for the government despite being an alleged fugitive, why would she be afraid of the police? And doesn’t he know how bad it looks that he’s been caught on security cameras shaking down a government employee? Just rat the guy out already. He’s wasting time.
Still, for all my complaining, I just love what they’re doing with Renee. It doesn’t speak well for her long-term well-being – I’m thinking she has a tollbooth and a hailstorm of Russian bullets in her future – but it’s good to see that Jack isn’t the only good guy that’s willing to be bad. How has he not proposed to her by now? She completes you, Jack.
As for the blog’s title, Placebo, take it away.
Posted in: 24, Actors, Actresses, TV, TV Action
Tags: 24, 24 blog, 24 Season 8, 24 season 8 episode 1, 24 Season Eight, Alro Glass, Annie Wersching, Bob Gunton, Brian Hastings, Cherry Jones, Chloe O'Brian, Chris Diamantopoulos, Cole Ortiz, Dana Walsh, Elisha Cuthbert, Ethan Kanin, Freddie Prinze Jr., Jack Bauer, John Boyd, Katie Sackhoff, Kiefer Sutherland, Kim Bauer, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Mykelti Williamson, President Allison Taylor, Renee Walker, Rob Weiss
Crazy Jackie rules.
Good lord, I’m already four hours behind on this thing?
Jackie, Jackie, Jackie!
That was so unexpected, shocking, just a “whoa, what just happened?” moment, that 24 throws at you that takes your breath away.
Okay, the crazy girl from TLC, Left Eye Lopes, who burned down Andre Rison’s house because he cheated on her? Right Wrist Renee meet Left Eye, a whole new level of whack job. Didn’t I see his hand on the floor not just his thumb?
One more comment, using a small bladed power saw, that actually took a few seconds to get through was a nice touch.
Starbuck isn’t calling the cops. This is like the sign at the biker bar that says “We Don’t Call 911″ right next to the shotgun. She is going to make this guy real dead. I hope soon, this is a lame storyline.
Jesus II, from the 7th Sign, who would of guessed the youngest son of God would be selling weapons-grade uranium? Oh well, gotta make a living, even if it kills one of my sons.
Big upgrade for the last 2 hours, over the first 2. What are the chances the shifty eyed blonde wants some payback?
Just watched it again. She *only* took off the thumb.
I knew Renee was cutting off something as soon as she told the poor Russian doofus that she knew how to get the device off, but perhaps BlogMaster Medsker led me to think that way with his PWNZ comment. I also thought that Renee took off the wrist, but my 15 year old corrected me…
Anyone else not really find the backstory for Renee/Jackie a little odd, for lack of a better term? If you went back to the beginning of last season and remember Agent Walker, the “6 years ago undercover spy in the Russian mob” just doesn’t fit for me. That being said, where her character is now makes sense.
Not everyone texts…
I think this season will be just fine…
I think this season will be another great one in the books. I thought this was a very good season premiere, and I like how they brought in the new cast. Not really yet liking the whole Starbuck subplot, but I did get intrigued after that guy Wade (I think that’s his name) started blowin up at her and showed a violent side of himself… now we kinda know the person she’s dealing with. Arlo reminds me a bit of Morris without the accent, Cole is pretty badass already, and Hassan and Farhad have been portrayed really well. Hassan definitely reminds me of David Palmer, a character I’ve missed a ton. And the Chief of Staff, although brash and a little hot-headed, definitely seems like a wise choice made my Ethan… wonder what those pills he was poppin’ were all about though.
What’s bothered me is how many of my friends who watch the show are all over Hastings already and want him killed off. After just 4 hours! lol I hope I’m not the only one, but I like the guy. He’s definitely stubborn and needs to be more open-minded, but I wouldn’t say he’s stupid. He knows how to cover his tracks and I think since Chloe and Jack proved themselves to him in person, he’ll quickly warm up to their advice, as he did when Jack suggested he go with Renee undercover.
I didn’t realize she only took his thumb off. I thought she got his whole hand. She has gone WAY off the deep end. I totally agree about Moscow Mike. Dude should have gone for his gun right away!
Bubba’s got some bad posture.
David — your first two paragraphs are spot on. The cop-sitting-on-his-ass-while-his-assailant-is-changing-clothes thing killed me. I mean, at some point, he must have had to put on his pants. You must suspend disbelief.
Yes, the Jackie-undercover thing came out of nowhere, but we can’t expect the writers to drop a hint about it last season. They have trouble thinking three or four minutes ahead, much less a whole season. You must suspend disbelief.
Starbuck’s storyline is LAME. The old white trash boyfriend with a beef thing is so tired. And what are the odds that he shows up the day this crisis happens? You must suspend disbelief.
I love the stereotypical group of black guys that give Jack grief for walking on their court, yet they’re not aware that a frigging NYC cop lives RIGHT THERE. You must suspend disbelief.
Who called the cops that showed up at the house and arrested Jack? The assassin wouldn’t have risked his cover being blown, so someone else must have called them, right?
One comment to add after JP’s comment woke up some corrupted synapes in my brain.
After the “bad” cop had taken to smashing Jack’s face around a bit, with some related blood from the mouth and nose, the next time we saw Jack he looked like he just stepped out of the shower. No swelling, bruising, black or swollen shut eyes, blood stains, anything. Seems like a big whiff on the continuity concept.
You Must Suspend Disbelief.
Bubba coming around on Chloe was nice, but I agree on the posture. Dude, stand up straight! You look like you are getting into a helicopter.
Those EMTs must have done a heck of a job cleaning up Jack. A little off camera ice and ibuprofen for the swelling…
Bubba isn’t even hunched over. It looks like he is actually bending forward at the waist. Not a good look. Probably no chance someone brings him some shrimp for dinner…
“You look like you are getting into a helicopter.”
Classic.
I think his head is just really, really heavy.
Having seen hours 3/4, I don’t get it with Renee. She is supposed to have been in deep cover six years ago acting, if we believe the image in the auto parts store, as a moll which goes right along with the hard-as-nails front she’s put on now. Are we to believe that she came out of deep cover, worked for the FBI some short time ago, and that she is not damaged goods in the undercover work again? Are we to believe that this woman who was dead set against Jack’s methods did see them when she was undercover. Do I have the timeline wrong? Or, as others have noted, do I just suspend belief and enjoy the show?
Oops, I meant:
“…did not see them when she was undercover?”
I agree with you AllanW, but as with buying Tony’s return from the dead last season, you should just sit back and enjoy the roller coaster ride that is 24…
Maybe the Renee was saw last year was of the “born again” variety, where she tried to amend her own mistakes by preventing others from following her path.
Ah, who am I kidding. They didn’t think about this at all until last season was finished shooting. As T Bone says, just sit back and enjoy the ride.