By now it has become pretty evident that Jack Bauer is (physically and mentally) simply a mess. Jack’s injuries from months of torture in China, his more recent torture by Abu (Mr. Clean) Fayed, his battle damage from the Russian embassy, and revelations about his family (and Audrey last night) have left him compromised, like a bruised and battered hunk of Swiss cheese. How Jack manages to move on makes us wonder about how he can function, yet seasons past have set a precedent for Jack to accomplish amazing things (think of how he bounced back from “dying” in Season 2). Thus, we suspend disbelief once again and go along for yet another ridiculous, but exciting, ride.
In Monday night’s episode we switched gears from one injured president to another. There is no mention of the wounded ex-President Charles Logan; the concern is now centered on the badly injured President Wayne Palmer. He has been put into a coma to stabilize him, and his sister Sandra does nothing more than stare at him during the episode. Perhaps she is thinking of Walid, or maybe of suing someone for something, but she does seem pensive and worried about Prez Wayne.
There is a good deal to worry about too, with Vice President Noah (Jim Jones) Daniels waltzing around the bunker like he has a Colt .45 strapped to his hip. He is literally gunning for the Middle Eastern country from which Fayed comes, but Tom (Twitchy) Lennox and Karen (Hillary) Hayes are quick to point out that this country (of course, unnamed) has disavowed ties to the terrorists. Jones doesn’t really give a hoot because he’s got the sun behind his back and he’s dying to draw his weapon.
Jack Bauer returns to CTU and is about to get some medical attention when he runs into his sister-in-law (and former girlfriend) Marilyn. Marilyn makes yet another move on Jack, but he turns away and explains his heart belongs to Audrey (White Coat) Raines. That metaphor from last season seems even more apropos when we learn from Marilyn that Audrey died in China. A livid Jack drops her faster than a hockey puck on center ice, runs off to Chloe, and demands to see the file.
Article comments
1 - Mary K. Williams
Good work Vic. Yeah, what IS the name of that middle eastern country that is about to become dust? I'm sure they can't come out and give a name, it'd make too many folks creeped out - to say the least. But it's kinda goofy that they just keep calling it, 'that country'.
Isn't Daniels such a cowboy?
2 - Victor Lana
It think it's Ratsnestistan, MK (just kidding)! Yeah, Daniels is a cowboy, and I think it is telling that he is dangerous to say the least. A cowboy with a Colt is bad enough, but with a nuke, well, that like giving a kid a matches and a box a fireworks.