And now, once again, here is guest critic Paul Foth. He caught his boss stealing from the office coffee fund, so his boss ordered a coworker to "take care" of Paul. But, the coworker tore a nail slamming the trunk, and Paul was able to escape and send this in.
***
I don't know what to make of this, but I'm actually going to be in Los Angeles the evening of the season finale. Should I bring a Kevlar umbrella?
My my my, Bierko's last gasp — er, final contingency plan — is a submarine. This coda feels like they had the season all finished and were shaking hands when the intern piped up and said, "Uh, guys? This only adds up to twenty-one hours." They beat the intern up and promptly hot-glued another three hours onto the raggedy edges of Jack kissing Audrey's knee in Medical. Business as usual, in other words.
Did you see how fast the Sentox MaxKill VX-1/6 UberDeathCloud worked this time?! It must've been no more than twenty seconds from the time Team Bierko closed the hatch to the time the crew was pushing up daisies. And it seemed like Mr. B and Co. were traipsing along getting the missiles ready to launch awfully quickly after the sub crew was taken care of. Don't they have the slightest qualm that just gas masks might not be enough protection against such a lethal gas? Or are they assuming that an air handling system that distributes the gas throughout the sub in twenty seconds also gets rid of it in another five? Well, whatever.
So Henderson doesn't want immunity; he wants to disappear. He wants Jack to use his skills (and Hood of Infinite Disguises) to make that happen, so that the Clip-on Phone Squad won't be able to find him. But, but, but.... The Clip-on Phone Squad knew Jack was alive. What makes Henderson think Jack's skills (and Hood of Protection Against Gas Attack) can hide him if they couldn't hide Jack? Granted, the CoPS didn't know exactly WHERE Jack was, but it certainly didn't take them long to flush him out once they put their plan in motion.
And at last Henderson acknowledges his wife again, although he doesn't mention that she's still tied up in her house with a fresh bullet wound, and might need to get that looked at before hightailing it to Anonymityville.
Where's Wayne?
While watching the previously-on-24's, the shot of Jack putting his gun to the co-pilot's head and telling him to land the plane reminded me of this sort of situation (i.e., someone who's the only person with an important skill being threatened with death if they don't perform said skill in order to save the person with the gun) arising in countless other TV shows and movies. What if the pilot refuses? Is Jack really going to shoot him? Who's going to land the plane then?
Article comments
1 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
It took me 24 hours to read this, but it was worth it--very funny.
2 - Victor Lana
Great job as always, Jeff. You pointed out to glaring flaws (in my opinion) which seems to indicate the writers are either getting sloppy or they don't care.
1. The Bierko escape situation. It was handled like well, we have to do this, so let's get it over with. It makes no contextual sense or any kind of sense.
2. The Henderson-Malina thing was weird. It could be a doublecross, but then again it could be Henderson (who trained Jack) not telling everything yet for fear Jack will get a little trigger happy. Who knows?
Otherwise, a very satisfying episode. Let's hope the finale ties everything up, but I have a feeling we're in for a real cliffhanger!
3 - Jeff
Yeah, that's a fair point about Henderson. Maybe he really was trying to screw CTU, and warn Malina, and made up his story when CTU came busting in.
4 - Mary K. Williams
You always get me giggling Jeff. So, does Paul. Speaking of Paul, he brings up a good point. Where is Wayne?
Next week is going to be a trip!
5 - Jeff
Thanks, Mary. Indeed, there is a whole raft of missing characters!
6 - Paul
Wayne is in a world of his own. With his pal. Garth. (Oh, come on. Don't tell me none of you have at least thought about that one.)
7 - Mary K. Williams
Honestly, I thought of it today, when you posed the question. I started singing...'Wayne's World, party on...excellent..'
8 - Victor Lana
Wayne is in the vast netherworld where 24 characters go when the writers don't know what else to do.
He joins:
Behrooz
Keeler
Erin
Sarah
Mary Kate
Ashley
and many more, including Richie's brother Chuck on Happy Days
9 - Mary K. Williams
Don't forget crazy Eurotrip Inessa from Hour Seven. Remember her? She shot Rossler? What ever happened to her?
10 - Jeff
Ah yes, forgot about the Russkie girl. That hardly seems like it was this season anymore.
Collette, Evelyn and daughter, the bank manager's wife, Old Doc Besson, the list goes on and on.
And Richie's older brother?! Wow, that's going back.