Fittingly, the season ends with clocks out of kilter. :60 to :57.
So, a unique ending. What does it mean for next year? Curtis flies to China to bust Jack out of prison? (Speaking of Curtis, he wasn't in the finale at all.) Jack in prison, meets an old man who tells him the location of a fabulous treasure and Jack returns to get vengeance? We shall see.
Now, as I did last year, I offer this in closing. This is in honor of all those who have made it this far with me. Thanks for coming along for the ride.
What's he that wishes so?
My cousin Wendell? No, my fair cousin;
If we are mark'd to die, we are now
To do this show loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more watch this show.
By Jove, I am not covetous for internal logic,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my reviews;
It yearns me not if men my blog read;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet something that maketh sense,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not another episode.
God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, through my internet host,
That he which hath no stomach to this viewing,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call'd Season 5.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tiptoe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of 24.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'I have all the seasons on DVD.'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say 'These wounds I had on the fifth day.'
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Jack the King, Bill and Chloe,
Curtis and Audrey, Aaron and Martha-
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red.
This story shall the good man teach his son to avoid;
And 24 shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that watches this show with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen on their couches now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That watched with us upon this fifth day.
Article comments
1 - Victor Lana
Nice job, JEff. I was very disappointed in the last 15 minutes. It seemed the writers were trying to go out with a Big Bang. It seemed forced and contrived. Jack(the real Jack) would never have gone in to answer that phone. It just was a poor ending in my opinion.
2 - Mary K. Williams
Please let us devote no more thought as to what Martha must have done
Jack promised Martha that she wouldn't have to swallow. Brave girl, that Martha.
3 - Mary K. Williams
This was wonderful Jeff - you outdid yourself!
Bravo Mr. Kouba!
4 - Jeff
Thanks, Mary! It's been a fun ride.
5 - Paul
False alarm. I went into that warehouse and got jumped by a squad of angry viewers. I told them I had nothing to do with the show, that the writers were in the next warehouse over.
I managed to catch the last hour from my hotel room in Marina Del Rey, which apparently was far enough from the carnage that I missed most of it--except for a bloodied tee shirt from the Bonzai Institute that washed up on the beach the next day.
I'm glad the writers didn't forget about the Chinese. They have long memories. It certainly sets up an interesting possibility for next season: namely, that Jack won't experience Day Six in Los Angeles. Then again, a la Mandy's handshaking assassination attempt on David Palmer, he may start the day simply showing up for work at CTU and no mention at all will be made of his jacknapping until a passing reference in about hour eight.
As with the end of last season, I'm really questioning whether I'll bother with next season. Maybe I'll just read Jeff's rants and comment on them instead.
So, there just one thing left to say, I guess:
Where's Wayne?