Watching 24

Just a little introduction here. I would just like to thank everyone that has really taken to the Character Countdown. Last week was a huge week for the Countdown. It was featured on the front page of Digg, and was also talked about on TV Squad. So, thank you very much.

Now on with the Countdown.

Tom Lennox (13)
-Handed over President Wayne’s itinerary to Reed (-10)
-Gave excellent suggestions for Assad’s speech (+5)
-Was playing Reed the whole time, who knew? (+15)
-Didn’t actually say on the phone to the Secret Service “There is going to be an attempt on the President’s life now,� (-10)
-Took a Mag Lite to the face (+6)
-Got beat up by a Lowe (-5)

Net Gain/Loss: +1
Current Total: 14

President Wayne Palmer (41)
-Told Tom he still values his opinions, he was very sweet about it (+4)
-Still values Tom’s opinions (-5)

Net Gain/Loss: -1
Current Total: 40

Bill Buchanan (126)
-Led Nadia around (+4)
-Didn’t utilize his recapping abilities this episode. I always look forward to Bill telling me what has happened, and catching me up, but it just wasn’t there. You really dropped the ball on this one Bill (-9)

Net Gain/Loss: -5
Current Total: 121

Jack Bauer (348)
-Added 2 more baddies to his kill count total (+6)
-Summoned the hockey player inside himself, and body checked the remaining terrorist against the fence twice (+4)
-Grabbed Marylin by the neck and slammed her against the garage, I’m sure he was thinking about when he did that to Audrey (+5)
-Called himself stupid, no one calls Jack Bauer stupid, not even Jack Bauer (-4)
-Didn’t tell Bill that his Dad was the one that blew up the house (-4)
-Got Marylin to go along with the plan to trick his Father into giving up his location (+5)
-Took a little peek at Marylin while she was changing, then helped her button up her shirt (+5)
-It doesn’t matter how completely insane Jack’s day is, he always has time for some eye flirting with his current love interests (+5)
-During the commercial break, for some reason walked up 21 flights of stairs to get to his Dad’s room (2132). Why didn’t he take the elevator? (-5)
-Offered himself in a prisoner exchange for Josh (+7)
-Knocked out the other terrorist sitting in the chair with one punch (+5)
-Didn’t call CTU and tell them to surround the building his Father was in (-7)
-Gave Marylin a short lesson in firearm safety “Point and Shoot,� (+3)
-Gave an inspiring, heartfelt, speech about his childhood (+5)
-Was actually going to let his Dad shoot him (-9)
-Didn’t hear his Dad sneak out of the room (-8)

Net Gain/Loss: +13
Current Total: 361
(more…)

Tom Lennox (35)
-Slunk around in dark places (-5)
-Return of his ‘shifty eyes’ (-5)
-Wanted to know who’s behind whatever Reed is planning (+5)
-Didn’t find out because he’s a total wuss (-7)
-Didn’t realize that Reed’s plan is probably upwards of actually assassinating the President (-10)

Net Gain/Loss: -22
Current Total: 13

President Wayne Palmer (24)
-Didn’t pee his pants while talking to VP Powers Boothe. I sure would (+10)
-Has a great scowl to show us all that he is angry, because we definitely cannot tell from his voice (+7)

Net Gain/Loss: +17
Current Total: 41

Bill Buchanan (116)
-Gave us all another wonderful recap of the happenings in the last episode, at the beginning of this one. It’s one of Bill’s better qualities (+5)
-Had the nerve to interrogate Jack (-4)
-Offered to doctor the report of Jack’s torture escapade (+9)

Net Gain/Loss: +10
Current Total: 126

Milo (101)
-Showed us all that if things don’t work out at CTU, he definitely has a future driving UPS trucks like a freaking madman (+10)
-Ran over a child’s plastic playground set (-4)
-Pulled the old grenade in the truck bit (+5)

Net Gain/Loss: +11
Current Total: 112

Jack Bauer (378)
-Thanked Chloe for everything she’d done (+2)
-Had a really, really creepy father/son chat over the dead body of Graem (-6)
-Believed his Dad again (-8)
-Didn’t add his Dad to his torture pool (-5)
-Admitted he lost control in the interrogation (+2)
-Didn’t let Bill doctor the report (-2)
-Always lets his pride get in the way when people are trying to help him (-7)
-Geez, he just moped around CTU from one room to another actually sad about Graem’s death, Jack Bauer does not feel sadness (-5)
-Left Marylin unattended, which in turn made it so his Dad could get to her (-5)
-Didn’t realize, from years of telling when people are lying and are nervous that Marylin wasn’t really talking to “Susan� on the phone (-9)
-But, then redeemed himself by jumping out of an exploding house, NEATO! (+10)

Net Gain/Loss: -30
Current Total: 348
(more…)

Tom Lennox (37)
-Whined like a little boy to Reed about the President shooting down his crazy racist proposal (-5)
-Had the first really great idea he’s ever had, he wanted to resign (+20)
-Thinking somehow that David Palmer’s response would’ve been any different from Wayne’s response (-10)
-After listening to Reed’s crazy speech, didn’t agree with having President Palmer removed (+8)
-Ended up not resigning and going along with Reed’s crazy plan after all (-15)

Net Gain/Loss: -2
Current Total: 35

President Wayne Palmer (33)
-Admitted he actually has valued Tom’s counsel (-5)
-Showing how strict of a President he can be. “One more nuke goes off, it means war.� Wow, strict guy (-9)
-Insisted Assad help by going on television to talk to his followers (+5)

Net Gain/Loss: -9
Current Total: 24

Bill Buchanan (109)
-Broke the news to Graem’s wife about his death. Bill just such a calming fella’ (+7)

Net Gain/Loss: +7
Current Total: 116

Jack Bauer (339)
-Felt bad when he heard about Graem’s death (-6)
-Found McCarthy’s body (+3)
-Thought of the ol’ fire drill swithcaroo to find out where the terrorists were (+5)
-Carried one sweet shotgun (+7)
-Killed two terrorist henchmen (+6)
-Disarmed a nuke (+15)
-Yelled at Morris for giving Fayed a working device (+9)

Net Gain/Loss: +39
Current Total: 378
(more…)

Tom Lennox (55)
-Acted like he really gave a crap about Karen’s resignation (-8)
-Gave yet another history lesson about the Founding Father’s, blah blah blah (-10)

Net Gain/Loss: -18
Current Total: 37

President Wayne Palmer (19)
-Said Tom’s words “sounded hollow� (+10)
-But, after saying that, he called a meeting with the Joint Chiefs to agree on the plan of racial profiling (-11)
-In the end, didn’t sign Tom’s racial profiling agenda (+15)

Net Gain/Loss: +14
Current Total: 33

Bill Buchanan (123)
-Took forever to explain to Morris what was going on and why he needed to come back to CTU. How about next time try this “Morris get back here they’re going to make you program the nuke.� Instead of “Morris, this is Bill Buchanan I’m on the line with Jack Bauer…� (-14)

Net Gain/Loss: -14
Current Total: 109

Milo (91)
-Didn’t want to Chloe to tell Morris (+4)
-Told Chloe about Morris’ brother (-9)

Net Gain/Loss: -5
Current Total: 86

Jack Bauer (321)
-Has some sort of disorder where anyone he loves is trying to screw him one way or the other (-7)
-Performed the tricky shoot a man with another man’s gun while handcuffed (+9)
-Finally added another person to his kill count (+5)
-Tied his brother to the same chair and interrogated the little twerp again (+8)
-Found out that Graem was behind the entire Palmer assassination, and the killings of Tony and Michelle (+18)
-Believed that was all Graem knew (-15)
-Went completely insane and almost shot Graem in the head (+10)

Net Gain/Loss: +28
Current Total: 349
(more…)

Tom Lennox (86)
-Going with the lesser known Lowe brother to be his henchman in disguise (+8)
-Gave us all an amazingly interesting history lesson on the Musket and it’s single shot capabilities (-9)
-Would rather wipe dog crap off his shoes with the Constitution, rather than follow it (-15)
-Blackmailed Karen Hayes into resigning (-10)
-Got Karen to resign (-10)
-Really showed his true slimeball-self in this episode (-10)
-Admitted to Karen that he is a “son of a bitch� and seems to be pretty dang proud of it (+15)

Net Gain/Loss: -31
Current Total: 55

President Wayne Palmer (23)
-Continuing his rousing speech to the American people (+6)
-Still doesn’t realize that Tom is a slimeball and not merely “another point of view� (-10)

Net Gain/Loss: -4
Current Total: 19

Bill Buchanan (118)
-Used that nice and calming Bill Buchanan tone to calm Nadia down over the racial profiling issue. He’d make a wonderful Grandpa (+9)
-Lied to Milo about Nadia (-4)

Net Gain/Loss: +5
Current Total: 123

Nadia Yassir (136)
-For some reason thought that lying about the racial profiling issue was what she had to do. I just didn’t understand all the secretiveness behind that (-6)
-Is a registered Republican (-4)

Net Gain/Loss: -10
Current Total: 126

Jack Bauer (311)
-Didn’t believe Graem even after the bag torture (+5)
-In his most forceful, Jack Bauer death-voice, told Graem he was indeed going to leave his family and go with him. “Oh, yes you are� (+9)
-Told Graem not to talk about “loyalty.� Man there’s some deep seeded hate between those two (+5)
-Handcuffed Graem to a bookcase because he could (+6)
-Let someone get the drop on him so easily and pistol whip him (-10)
-Attacked Graem after he mentioned Teri (+5)
-Actually listened to his Father and let Graem get freed from the bookcase (-10)

Net Gain/Loss: +10
Current Total: 321
(more…)

Welcome to the 5th edition of the 24 Character Countdown. For those of you that are new that are new to the Countdown check out editions 1, 2, 3, & 4 to get the rundown of what goes on here.

Tom Lennox (91)
-Acted like 12,000 people killed wasn’t a big number at all (-8)
-Put the Admiral in his place for interrupting the President (+5)
-Didn’t want to hide the fact that a nuke just went off on American soil, to the American people (+10)
-Did however want to use the nuke to springboard his own agenda of rounding up all the Muslims and putting them in detention camps (-12)

Net Gain/Loss: -5
Current Total: 86

President Wayne Palmer (24)
-Every line of dialogue consists of almost all whispers (-10)
-Seemed like a boy amongst men in the Joint Chiefs meeting (-5)
-Chose not to preemptively go to war (+15)
-Wanting to calm the American people with his message instead of incite their fears (+10)
-Probably ended up calming the American people too much (put them to sleep) with his ever-whispering voice (-11)

Net Gain/Loss: -1
Current Total: 23

Bill Buchanan (115)
-Didn’t shake Assad’s hand (-4)
-Did, however, shake Assad’s hand after Assad proved that he is a nice terrorist (+7)

Net Gain/Loss: +3
Current Total: 118

Nadia Yassir (127)
-Seemingly just wanders around CTU doing the occasional thing when it requires her to speak Arabic (+1)
-Is still too cute to take off the Countdown list (+8)

Net Gain/Loss: +9
Current Total: 136

Jack Bauer (252)
-Showed his MacGyver skills by making a TV antenna into the Jaws of Life (+13)
-Saved a man from a helicopter dangling off a roof (+7)
-Did what we all knew he’d do. Quickly rescinded his resignation and got back into the game (+5)
-Suspicious of Graham from the start, he knows the guy is bad news (+8)
-Was with Graham’s wife in the past, Jack sure gets around doesn’t he (+10)
-Knocked Graham out the first chance he got (+6)
-Tied him to a chair (+2)
-Invented new Bauer torture technique, the menacing plastic bag over the head (+8)

Net Gain/Loss: +59
Current Total: 311
(more…)

Tom Lennox (70)
-Didn’t want to pardon Assad (-4)
-Actually blew Sandra off. It was one of the best scenes yet (+20)
-Came up with a reasonable story to tell to the American people about why they were pardoning a known terrorist (+5)

Net Gain/Loss: +21
Current Total: 91

President Wayne Palmer (28)
-Somewhat redeemed himself from last episode, after he told Jack to take charge of the hunt for Fayed (+10)
-But, didn’t realize that we all knew Jack was in charge as soon as he got off that plane (-9)
-Gave Assad a pardon (+4)
-Mentioning the fact that he values Tom’s loyalty (-9)

Net Gain/Loss: -4
Current Total: 24

Bill Buchanan (115)
-Regurgitated the information we already knew about Namir in a way that drove me insane (-7)
-Told everyone at CTU that they have to do better. They can’t let terrorists escape in broad daylight (+10)
-Didn’t have the guts to say to everyone that this is all actually the President’s fault (-11)

Net Gain/Loss: -8
Current Total: 107

Nadia Yassir (127)
-Showed off her Arabic speaking talents to let us all know that there are still four more nukes out there (+6)

Net Gain/Loss: +6
Current Total: 133
(more…)

Sorry this one is a bit short. Like I said in my review this episode was pretty much all leading up to the fourth one. So, most of the episode was Assad in the car with the other terrorist.

Tom Lennox (53)
-Despite all his shortcomings he didn’t want to give into Fayed. Way to go Tom you’re really moving up in the Countdown (+17)

Net Gain/Loss: +17
Current Total: 70

President Wayne Palmer (69)
-Didn’t tell Fayed where to shove his demands (-7)
-Actually, for some insane reason loaded a bunch of terrorist prisoners on buses to fly them out of the country for Fayed (-15)
-Because of his decision the World’s Largest Lower Lipped Nuclear Terrorist is now on the loose (-19)

Net Gain/Loss: -41
Current Total: 28 (OUCH!)

Karen Hayes (80)
-Also, didn’t think it wise to give into Fayed’s demands (+10)

Net Gain/Loss: +10
Current Total: 90

Bill Buchanan (108)
-Stopped the prisoner release before the plane took off (+7)

Net Gain/Loss: +7
Current Total: 115
(more…)

7:00 a.m.—8:00 a.m.

Tom Lennox (63)
-Convinced President Wayne not to listen to Jack (-10)
Net Gain/Loss: -10
Current Total: 53

President Wayne Palmer (70)
-Didn’t believe Jack about Fayed (-10)
-Wanted, for a brief second, to change the air assault to a ground assault (+20)
-Didn’t do that either because he’s spineless (-21)
-Finally realizes Jack is always right (+10)
Net Gain/Loss: -1
Current Total: 69

Karen Hayes (113)
-Promoted the air strike against Assad (-8)
-After not believing Jack, she then attempted to give him a history lesson. (-10)
-Actually mentioned, and even fathomed, that Jack could be played (-15)
Net Gain/Loss: -33
Current Total: 80

Bill Buchanan (103)
-Didn’t trust Jack after telling him about Fayed. When will they learn? (-10)
-Didn’t turn Jack in after he found out, from Chloe, that Jack saved Assad (+15)
Net Gain/Loss: +5
Current Total: 108
(more…)

6:00 a.m.–7:00 a.m.

Tom Lennox (100)
-Reminding me of Dr. Janosz Poha from Ghostbusters 2 (+5)
-Wanting to detain all the Muslims in America and put them into detention facilities (-10)
-Acting like a complete weasel every time he’s asked about something (-3)
-He’s got shifty eyes, and we all know what that means (-7)
-Authorized detention facilities to be set up across the country (-10)
-Showed the first signs of working behind the President’s back for his own personal gain (-12)
Net Gain/Loss: -37
Current Total: 63

President Wayne Palmer (100)
-For actually hiring Tom Lennox (-15)
-Sporting a very un-Presidential goatee (-3)
-Negotiated release of Jack Bauer (+20)
-But, only did it in order to sacrifice him to the wrong guy (-25)
-Wondered if he should be the one leading the country (-5)
-Thought about calling off sacrificing Jack at the last moment (+8)
-Actually went through with it (-10)
Net Gain/Loss: -30
Current Total: 70

Karen Hayes (100)
-Marrying Bill (+5)
-Stood up to Tom Lennox (+8)
Net Gain/Loss: +13
Current Total: 113

Bill Buchanan (100)
-For being just about the only who really cares about Jack besides Chloe (+8)
-Marrying Karen (-5)
Net Gain/Loss: +3
Current Total: 103

Nadia Yassir (100)
-Being really, really good looking (+7)
Net Gain/Loss: +7
Current Total: 107

Jack Bauer (100)
-Grew a sweet Charles Manson beard while in China (+7)
-After almost 2 years of torture in China, not speaking a word (+20)
-Although his first words were Audrey (-7)
-Having the ‘cajones’ to tell Curtis to put his gun away because he’s not going to run (+10)
-Performed the most amazing shave job and haircut with only a steel bowl and water pitcher (+15)
-Not having any hesitation at all to sacrifice himself (+13)
-Gave a rather rousing speech about sacrifice and how he wanted to “die for something.� (+10)
-Memorized GPS coordinates after being tortured by Fayed (+8)
-Showed all of us that he hasn’t forgotten his Lost Boy roots, after biting a man to death (+20)
Net Gain/Loss: +96
Current Total: 196

Chloe O’Brian (100)
-Threatening the new girl, Nadia, that she’ll tattle on her (-7)
-Pulling the first Chloe scowl of the season (+10)
Net Gain/Loss: +3
Current Total: 103

Morris O’Brian (100)
-Reminding me of Simon Cowell (-5)
-Touched Chloe’s butt in the middle of CTU (+7)
-Touched Chloe’s butt (-7)
-For owning his own secret satellite (+14)
-Almost ruined the whole operation (-10)
-Smugness (-8)
Net Gain/Loss: -9
Current Total: 91

Milo (100)
-Being on a complete power trip even though he has no idea that he hasn’t been at CTU since season 1 (-7)
Net Gain/Loss: -7
Current Total: 93

Big Winner: Jack Bauer
Big Loser: Tom Lennox

UPDATE: IF YOU WERE LATE ENTERING THE KILL COUNT CONTEST AND DIDN’T GET THE NUMBER YOU WANTED HEAD ON OVER HERE FOR ANOTHER WATCHING24.COM CONTEST. WIN SEASON 5 ON DVD.

As you know I’ve talked a lot about this new feature that’s going to be coming to Watching 24. After every episode review, I’ll then post the points I have awarded or taken away from each character based on his or her merits or blunders.

Everyone will start out with 100 points depending on what they do, and how I feel their points will go up or down.

Example:
Jack starts with 100 points
-kills terrorist +10
-tells Chloe to shut up and do what she’s told +14
-actually listens to orders from division -7
Total: 117

Chloe starts with 100 points
-first scowl of the season -8
-stops killer virus infecting the CTU’s network +15
-watches poor Edgar die in a roomful of noxious gas released into CTU because the stupid fat hobbit didn’t want to appear moronic for losing his security pass -10
Total: 97

I’ll keep track the entire season. Hopefully everyone will have fun with this. I’ll still do reviews of every episode, but this will just be a way for all of us 24 fans to have a little fun with the most intense show on TV.

Also, I have a prototype of the logo for the feature, but I’m not sure about it. Keep in mind that I’m not a photoshop whiz like a lot of people are. But, here’s kind of what I had in mind. It needs to be cleaned up a little but you get the idea.

Again I’d like to thank Jess at Apropos of Something for the idea.

Also, the character’s pictures will be sized right, this is also kind of a test to see how everything will look.

What does everyone think?