24 8.22: On with the body count
There’s no other way to say it: the carnage from tonight’s episode of “24” made me positively giddy. Jack Bauer may have dispensed some Dirty Harry-style justice in the past, but this time around, he’s a Terminator. He doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, and he absolutely will not stop until you are dead. Jesus, I can still feel the small jabs that he hit that hit man with last week, but that shot of Novakovich’s suite littered with dead guys, with Novakovich himself taking a poker to the stomach…that was a thing of beauty. I have been waiting for years to see Jack do something like that. Way to give the people what they want, Fox. I love it when shows finally start acting like they have nothing to lose. Unfortunately, they usually only do so after they’ve lost everything.
Having said that, I’m still unhappy that Jack hasn’t thought to upload the incriminating video to the interwebs. On the plus side, Mr. Blonde still has a copy of it on his hard drive, and since the video is of Starbuck, and Buffy is the one that’s about to pay him a visit, it’s possible that Buffy will get one look at this video and want to blow the whistle whether Jack wishes it or not. Either way, it will be a huge missed opportunity if the world doesn’t see that clip.
I thought for sure that Timmy was going to quit on the spot when Allison asked him to organize the raid of a newspaper. He’s always had a strong moral compass. He has to know that this is bad juju. But never mind that: Jack had to know that White She Devil was not smart enough to evade the authorities long enough to get her piece written. Heck, how many of us are smart enough to fall off the grid? The second you use a credit card, boom, you’re done. Need cash? Can’t get any out of an ATM. She was a sitting duck, and Jack should have known that.
“Hello? Hey, Mr. Rafferty, how are you? Are the royalty checks still coming in?”
Then again, I’ll forgive him for having other things on his mind, namely how he was going to make I.M. Weasel sing like a canary about his involvement in the day’s events. I’m actually tempted to reinstate Logan’s other nickname of Buck Buck Brawwwwwwk, because the sounds he was making as he was grilled by Jack sounded just like a chicken. And, to bring the Terminator analogy back, I loved how Jack only wounded the American agents while mercilessly killing any and all Russians. I half expected him to say to Logan, after knocking one of his Secret Service agents unconscious, “He’ll live.”
So I.M. Weasel finally reveals his source within the Russian government, and it is none other than President Suvarov himself. Now forgive me, because I can be a little dense – I’ll pause while you get all jokes out of your system – but this doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. Why on earth would Suvarov tell Logan anything? There is no good that can come from this, especially if he’s trying to torpedo a peace treaty that the President of the United States is pushing. If I’m Suvarov, I am meeting Logan’s call with a long string of phrases that vary on the theme “You dumb motherfucker!” Gee, thanks for not ratting me out, but you may as well have, dingus. Please tell me I’m missing something here.
That was a nice touch, though, to see that Jack planted a bug on Logan and overheard everything he said to Suvarov. Here’s the question, though: was he able to capture that recording? Overhearing isn’t exactly admissible in a court of law. Not that Jack is thinking about the letter of the law at the moment, but you get the idea. In case the video’s destroyed, he’s going to need a backup plan. Assuming he even has a plan at this point. Seriously, he’s killed every single Russian connected to Renee’s death. What else is left? Killing Suvarov? He should make a video of himself, in the event of his untimely death, where he explains everything that has happened up to now, and finish it by playing the recording of the conversation he just overheard, if he’s capable. Then, upload it to the Web. Have I mentioned that he should be uploading stuff to the Web, multiple times, and sending copies directly to TV stations as well?
Two hours left. It’s the end of an era, if you will. We’ve given nine years of our lives to this show, and in a week, it’ll all be over. They say that they want to turn it into a movie franchise, but as Mr. Paulsen points out, if people aren’t willing to watch it for free, who’s going to pay to see it? Surely the people at Fox know this, which gives me hope that they will actually have the balls to kill Jack in the final seconds of next week’s series finale, giving him a ten-second silent clock tick. Ah, but who are we kidding, that will never happen. The thing is, it should. For what he’s done in the last few hours, Jack’s either looking at death or life in prison, even if he succeeds in exposing two corrupt administrations. And I for one do not want to see Jack end the show behind bars.
I originally planned on titling this blog “…And you will know us by the trail of dead” after seeing that slow pan of Novakovich’s suite. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t pimp Ice-T’s hardcore side project from the early ’90s, which seems positively quaint now but was a big deal at the time, to the point where his song “Cop Killer” got him in so much trouble that Time Warner voided his contract. These days, of course, he’s a “Law & Order” guy. You know what would be really awesome? When the time comes to kill off his character, it’s at the hands of a guy who was amped up after listening to some rapper talk about killing pigs. I have to think even Ice-T would appreciate the irony of that.
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Posted in: 24, Actors, Actresses, TV, TV Action
Tags: 24, 24 blog, 24 Season 8, 24 season 8 episode 22, 24 Season Eight, Alro Glass, Annie Wersching, Bob Gunton, Brian Hastings, Cherry Jones, Chloe O'Brian, Chris Diamantopoulos, Cole Ortiz, Dana Walsh, DB Sweeney, Elisha Cuthbert, Ethan Kanin, Freddie Prinze Jr., Headlines, Jack Bauer, John Boyd, Katie Sackhoff, Kiefer Sutherland, Kim Bauer, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Michael Madsen, Mykelti Williamson, President Allison Taylor, Renee Walker, Rob Weiss
Suvarov bites it, Logan as well. Taylor possibly, if they want to give us a big assed twist. All three if they’re going for fun. Jack walks away in handcuffs, leaving us with the 24 movie “Jack Strikes Back” in which SoulPatch Almeda tries to take over the world, and Jack-man stops him with great vengance and furious anger. (Special Guest Star: Samuel L. Jackson as the OTHER long lost brother of Jack Bauer. You know…the good one.)
Any chance – and I mean any at all – that Jack turns the gun on himself next week, not allowing Logan / Suvarov / Taylor (assuming any of them are still alive) or CTU to get the last laugh, so to speak, and put Jack away forever? I mean, wouldn’t that be an appropriate ending (if not appropriate, at least jaw-dropping)? Jack goes Terminator + Rambo + Jason Bourne + guy from Taken and then after he’s killed all those that he wanted to kill, got his revenge, finished what he started…he takes himself out, knowing full well (as you said) that he’s either getting the death sentence or 50 consecutive life sentences behind bars. The sad part is I don’t know if I want to see Jack live or it would be some type of closure if he somehow died.
I haven’t had this much fun watching this show in years. Jack is on a fucking rampage, and it’s awesome. The gear he had on when he grabbed Logan was perfect too. But seriously, what are the options at this point? Jack dies or Jack goes to jail forever, like you said, and I’m split. If he goes to jail, he could always get out as soon as the government needs his “expertise” for something, which leaves the movie option open.
But you’re right, killing him feels like the best move. He said this week that he wasn’t planning on coming back from this, and now he’s wounded. If the idea for a movie is dead, then so is Jack next week.
By the way, Logan’s reaction when Jack started walking toward the car was absolutely priceless. I’ve wanted someone to react that way when Jack shows up for years. “Jack Bauer is here?! Fuck, I’m DEAD!” Logan acted like Freddy Krueger was walking toward his car.
Let da bodiez hit da floh.
Let da bodiez hit da floh.
Let da bodiez hit da floh.
We have all wanted Jack to kick ass like this for years. IM Weasel was great in terror. Mz Prez was painful to watch in full “cover up” mode. Pillar was classic as the law enforcement guy who never had to deal with Jack before and was not sure how to.
One last thing, how in the world does a woman who looks like Pillar’s blonde Chloe think she can be an analyst? Way too good looking.
“…he absolutely will not stop until you are dead.”
except for the guy who wasn’t dead that managed to stab him, further stacking the odds against him.
Manufactured conflict.
“Why on earth would Suvarov tell Logan anything?”
Manufactured conflict.
“Have I mentioned that he should be uploading stuff to the Web, multiple times, and sending copies directly to TV stations as well?”
Is it good or bad that I’m going to miss this blog waaaaaaaaay more than the show itself?
Despite all the MC, this was a great episode. Jack was very bad ass in his masked outfit, and it was cool when he was taking shots and kept standing. I noticed the not-killing-Secret-Service thing too, and I thought it was funny that when Jack first pulled I.M. Weasel out of the car, he addressed him as “Mr. President.” Ever the patriot, Jack is.
By the by, the current President is turning into a real scumbag.
I’d like to see Jack die in the final hour, if only to guarantee there won’t be a movie.
I love this season, Jack’s rampage has been terrific. This episode reminds me of the end of Gladiator, when Maximus gets stabbed but still manages to take down the Emperor. Jack should finish taking down the Russians (and Logan for good measure), then die peacefully as he thinks of Renee. The show ends with Chloe ordering CTU to carry Jack on their shoulders up the Canyon of Heroes (Broadway for all you non-New Yorkers out there) and fade to a 10-second silent clock.
A 10 second silent clock would be cool but who really wants to see Jack die? I mean, c’mon now. And there’d probably be a couple idiots out there accusing of the show having ended with “filler material” for the last 10 seconds. I think he’s much more badass just going dark, although I like the idea of him being behind bars and then called upon in an emergency, sort of how when he was taken out of China with the full beard and disheveled look. And speaking of badass, his getup when he attacked Logan’s vehicle was priceless. Just absolutely epic and awesome. Jack sure knows how to kick some ass and it’s been a pleasure watching him do it all these years.
Great season, great show, and rather than being bummed out it’s ending, I’ll sort of think of it as a celebration and culmination of the show’s success and all the great characters and moments its produced. As for this question: “Is it good or bad that I’m going to miss this blog waaaaaaaaay more than the show itself?” It’s bad.
Got to agree with DMB. Toasting the overall success rather than throwing dirt on the grave. 24 was a cool concept, and despite the recent last couple of season issues it was still a fun time overall.
Here is one vote for Jack to survive the day and get on a plane for LA…
This is a wonderful tribute on my life in the last 28 hours..
“Power Like Jack Bauer” by the Invincible Bullies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhbdx_iWZS0