Watching 24

This is now just becoming ridiculous. Apparently Kiefer Sutherland will be speaking at West Point Military Academy to tell them that the way Jack Bauer does things, isn’t the way that the US Army should do things.

There are so many things wrong with this story I don’t know where to begin.

Ever since this season started it’s been one rock after another hurled at 24 and FOX because of the torture and right-wing craziness that is supposedly shown on 24. But, now it’s just getting a tad bit crazy even for my tastes.

First off, are the military’s top recruits really thinking of torturing suspects like Jack Bauer does? And if they are why in the world are they at West Point, supposedly home to the best and brightest the military has to offer? And are they so set on shooting suspects in the legs that they really need Kiefer to come out and give them a stern talking to? What’s that going to do anyway?

I mean isn’t this the same as a bunch of ER doctors taking their medical knowledge from Grey’s Anatomy? Or a bunch of incarcerated convicts thinking they could escape prison like the escapees in Prison Break?

Secondly, because 24 is an hour long show about terrorism, and because it’s made by Hollywood we’ve got to have quick resolutions, and not drawn out interrogations. Real interrogations could take weeks or months, but 24 doesn’t have the luxury of doing that. It needs to be one bullet to a terrorists leg and that’s it. The show needs to move forward at a fast enough pace to keep up with its real-time format.

Finally, man it’s just a TV show. It’s called dramatic license, and Hollywood has been using it since its birth.

24, FOX, Torture, Kiefer Sutherland, Jack Bauer, West Point

I do realize that we don’t know for sure who actually died in the blast. I’m pretty sure the Secret Service agents they showed were dead, so I’m putting them in the Graveyard. But, I’m going to put President Wayne and Assad in the “May be Dead” category.

Being a Secret Service agent in 24 is a very dangerous job, and your life expectancy is probably about 3-4 hours:

Two more Secret Service men:

MAY BE DEAD:

Assad:

President Wayne:

What do you all think? I’m betting Assad is dead, and Wayne is alive. But, I just can’t be sure about any of it. You know 24, they’ll surprise you somehow.

Hey everyone. I have been reading all your comments, and a lot of you would like to see Logan added to the Character Countdown. I’m planning on doing it.

As I’m telling you this I’d like to let you in on a little behind the scenes knowledge of the Character Countdown. As everyone here knows the Countdown is probably the most popular feature here on Watching 24. I love doing, but I’m always hesitant to add new characters because new characters never seem to last very long in 24. Or they are in it for a few episodes then their plot has moved on. Also, it takes me about a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours to do each Countdown, there’s a lot of stuff that goes into it. First I have to rewatch the episode and make notes the entire time. Then I go back over my notes and write the Countdown. One of the most time consuming aspects of the Countdown is the fact of adding everything up and then placing in all the pictures.

The fact is I planned on adding Charles Logan this time, but halfway through making the Episode 11 Countdown I completely forgot about adding him because of all the other stuff I was doing.

Anyway, without futher ado here’s the Charles Logan entry to Episode 11. He will also be entered in following Countdowns.

Charles Logan (100)
-Swung a sweet deal. After killing a President and aiding terrorists is only under house arrest. He must have had a killer attorney (+7)
-Wants to help without wanting a plee agreement (+5)
-Recommitted to his faith (+3)
-Knows Markov is lying (+5)
-Grew a sweet beard. Apparently this is what everyone does when they have been left to their own devices. Remember Jack growing a beard after season 1? And his amazing beard at the beginning of this season? Is 24 trying to say something about beards? Is it the ultimate sign of self-decay? Hmmm….(+3)
-Is apparently a rancher (-3)
-For wearing a doofy cowboy outfit (-5) [submitted by the other aaron]
-Adds much needed acting ability after we had to suffer through Marylin’s acting (+8)
-Recites scriptures to himself in the mirror like a crazy religious zealot, maybe he caught “the crazy” from Martha (-6)
-Thinks Wayne, or anybody for that matter, will ever forgive him for killing David (-9)

Net Gain/Loss:+8
Current Total:108

Well, this week was sort of a slow week for 24, because Jack didn’t really do anything this episode. I’m instituting a new rule here at the Character Countdown. Any time anyone uses the phrase “it’s complicated” to describe something that’s happening or has happened it’s an automatic -5. Jack is the worst person at doing this and it’s really starting to bug me.

Tom Lennox (14)
-Was against Reed’s plan from the beginning and had the cajones to admit it (+5)
-Tried turning something with his feet, but didn’t successfully do anything helpful at all (-3)

Net Gain/Loss: +2
Current Total: 16

President Wayne Palmer (40)
-Threatened military action against the Ambassador’s country (+5)
-Did so in his most threatening whisper. He was using his “inside voice,” shh (-6)
-Whispered sternly to Logan that he’s a criminal (+7)
-Threatened to hunt down Logan if he tries to escape (+5)
-Granted Logan’s release even though Logan was the one that killed his brother (+8)
-Got blown up (-10)

Net Gain/Loss: +9
Current Total: 49

Bill Buchanan (121)
-Threatened to hand over Morris’ duties to Chloe (+4)
-Was so moved by Morris’ rousing speech of duty that he didn’t do it (-5)

Net Gain/Loss: -1
Current Total: 120

Nadia Yassir (108)
-Followed Bill some more (-3)
-Even finished one of his sentences (-3)
-Wait, did everyone see that? Rewind your Tivos and VCRs you’ll want to check that out again. Yep, she did, she disagreed with Bill. Nadia has a backbone! (+10)

Net Gain/Loss: +4
Current Total: 112

Jack Bauer (361)
-Used the phrase “it’s complicated,” (-5)
-Called for a perimeter to catch is father. But, what he has failed to learn is that CTU perimeters couldn’t catch a cold (-5)
-Took over the recapping duties from Bill this episode. That’s Bill’s job Jack, how about you go kill some people (-3)
-Still has time to get a little touchy feely with Marilyn, Bow-chica-wow-wow (+7)
-Confronted the man that was the reason he was in a Chinese prison camp (+5)
-Told Logan that he didn’t trust him (+6)
-Looked nice in his new suit (+2)
-Wasn’t in this episode nearly enough (-7)

Net Gain/Loss: 0
Current Total: 361
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One question…where was Jack? I think he spent the entire episode putting on a suit to look like a member of Charles Logan’s detail, in order to go interrogate the Russian Consulate.

Sorry, I’m getting ahead of myself, I was just a bit mad that we hardly saw Jack at all this episode.

So, this is the first time I noticed that gigantic bruise on the back of Morris’ head. I’m surprised, that after that beating he took that’s about all he does have. Man, usually when people take beatings from baseball bats and drills they’re in the hospital for a week or so.

But, Morris did show us all, that he is kicking the drink, at least for now. He poured down the rest of his liquor, and I bet he was wishing that he would’ve kept his Red Bull.

Chloe spent the entire episode covering for Morris. To tell you the truth, it was getting a bit tiresome. But, I think Morris can do his job, and he’ll do it well. I mean he armed a bunch of nuclear bombs after he’d been drilled in the arm and beaten with a bat, so working at CTU under “pressure” should be a walk in the park for him right?

The biggest surprise of the episode to me was the fact that Charles Logan doesn’t want anything in return for helping Jack find Gredenko. I was sure he was trying to broker some kind of deal. But, I guess the deal he has now is pretty cushy. He just sits at his ranch, with Secret Service personnel, and none of the American people know anything about what he did.

But, apparently Logan knows how to find Gredenko, and he needs to go talk to the Russian Consulate to find out that information. He’s also become a man of faith, reciting and highlighting scriptures, that was a bit weird.

So, what in the world was that thing that Gredenko got delivered to him? The only things that I heard that were used to describe it were that it was paid for by the American taxpayers, and “drone.” What could it be? And how could it be any worse than nuclear weapons?

Reed actually went through with it. I thought he was going to get cold feet about doing it. I thought that at the last second he wasn’t going to do it, but he did. He detonated a bomb that blew up Assad, and President Wayne. We don’t know yet if both men are dead or alive. I think Assad is a goner, personally and that President Wayne will live, meaning we’ll be seeing a lot more of Sandra Palmer. Those are my guesses anyway. I was also happy to find out I was right, at least according to Tom. Tom told Reed that he was against him from the beginning, which was nice to hear, although Tom went about a really horrible way to make it known that the President’s life was in danger.

But, man Jack really wasn’t in this episode at all. He was in the first few minutes and the last few minutes and that was it. His kill count is going to go nowhere at this pace.

Last episode we were left wondering how is Charles Logan, the idiot President from last season, going to play into this season. What does he know? How does he know Gredanko?

I found a lot of previews on YouTube for tonight’s episode. I’ll post them up here and then we can talk about them after the jump.

Preview shown after last week’s episode:

Here’s a 17 second clip sponsored by Sprint:

Here’s a very interesting clip. I don’t know where it came from, but it’s of Gredanko talking about being the ‘real’ bad guy in this season:

Come join in on the discussion…
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On 24 Kiefer Sutherland plays the hard-nosed, no-nonsense Jack Bauer. But, in real life, Kiefer is very different.

A while ago I was able to watch Kiefer’s documentary about a band that was on his recording label. The band’s name is Rocco Deluca and the Burden. The documentary was filmed while the band went on tour in Europe, with Kiefer following them around doing whatever he could do to get them noticed.

While the film was actually made to get the band recognition, it ends up being mostly about Kiefer and how completely insane he really is. But, don’t get me wrong; he’s insane in a good way.

Kiefer goes all out all the time. His determination to get the band recognition is very endearing. He even ends up pimping himself out to do radio interviews about 24 and then he’s able to plug whatever show the band is doing that night.

One of the funniest parts of the movie is when Kiefer goes out on the streets to hand out fliers for the free concert they’re showing. Some people recognize him; some call him Jack Bauer, and others have no idea who he really is.
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I’ve received quite a few questions regarding how many people has Jack Bauer killed. I would guess that a lot of you are worried about your picks in the Kill Count Contest, I mean why wouldn’t you be? There’s 500 bucks on the line!

Well, Jack has officially (as far as this contest is concerned) killed 7 people.

I was hoping that when Jack and the CTU team stormed Fayed’s hideout that he would’ve killed more than only 2 people. Jack is pretty slow at being the Merchant of Death he is so widely known for.

Let’s hope he’s just warming up.

Also, I’m planning on doing a contest when we are half way through the season. So, be looking out for one around the 12th episode. That’s only in a couple weeks, and there will be a season 5 DVD on the line.

The only two people to meet their maker during this episode were the two henchmen of Phillip Bauer. Good news for Jack’s Kill Count though, because he killed both of them:

24, Graveyard, Jack Bauer, FOX

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
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3:00pm–4:00pm

I really liked tonight’s episode, except for a few things, that I’ll talk about at the end.

Morris’ backstory of being an alcoholic is going to play in later in the season, and I’m really looking forward to that. I mean, what wouldn’t make someone get back on the wagon like arming a bunch of nuclear bombs for a terrorist? (Is it on the wagon or off the wagon, like Seinfeld, I’m not sure?)

Jack was able to find Milo and Marylin just in the nick of time, perfect Jack Bauer style. He also added two more people to his kill count. Throwing Marylin up against the wall, choking her (much like what he did to Audrey) was a nice touch. But, I don’t know why he was so bent out of shape about his team being killed. It seems like CTU has an endless supply of them.

One of the huge surprises of this episode, at least for me, was the fact that Tom had been playing Reed the whole time. I thought Tom was all for assassinating President Wayne. I have renewed faith in him now. Finally, he came to his senses. Although, he was probably doing it for selfish means, meaning that if he exposed an assassination plot then he’d be a hero I still liked what he did. Except then he got smacked in the face with a Mag Lite and, man that’s gotta hurt.

I was very glad that Jack finally found out that his Dad was behind everything. Now we can put that to rest. Everyone knows how crazy Farmer Hoggett actually is, and we don’t have to keep yelling at our TV screens, “Are you crazy! He’s the bad guy!”

Now as I mentioned before there were some things that I didn’t like. Couldn’t Jack at least have surrounded the building his Father was in, after he got the call from him and saw him on the roof? One call to CTU and that building could’ve been surrounded, with no escape. Speaking of escape, how does an old man run that fast? That speech Jack gave about turning his back on the family couldn’t have been more than 2-3 minutes. You’re telling me that his Dad would have enough time to run out of that room, without Jack hearing him, and then have time to set the phone on the ledge, and book it down the stairs to freedom? Yeah I didn’t buy that.

Other than that, I thought this was one of the better episodes. Like I said I’m glad their exploring a bit more of Morris’ character because I really like him.

Also, what does everyone think about the return of Charles Logan? Looking all Grizzly Adams-like. I wonder what is going to happen with that. Does he actually know something? Or is this all a ploy to get some sort of freedom? Of course we don’t know why he’s not rotting away in some prison, or why he hasn’t been hanged for treason, but I guess we’ll all find that out next week.

24, Kiefer Sutherland, Jack Bauer, Episode 10, Season 6

Here we go again. As always, here’s the preview for tonight’s episode, let’s discuss it in the comments.

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Episode 8 1:00pm–2:00pm

McCarthy got capped by Rita, some girlfriend she is:

Rita got capped by Fayed, some trustworthy terrorist he is:

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I’ve been pondering over a new feature that I could do for the site, but I need to ask my readers what they think and if it would even matter.

I’ve been thinking about doing a live blog while the show is going, but I don’t know how that would go over with all of you guys. Would you be up for such an idea? I would still do the reviews, and the Character Countdown. But, maybe a live blog could be fun. Just my knee-jerk reactions to what is happening on screen.

So, I ask all of you, would this be a good idea for the blog? Would you be interested in it? Or is it something no one would really care about, and I should just stick to what I’m doing. Because doing this would require a bit of extra work on my part. Which means I really want to know if it’d be beneficial to the site.

Please let me know in the comments, and I’ll make my decision based on what you guys think.

UPDATE: After careful consideration of all your comments, and figuring in the amount of work it would take for me to do a live blog for every episode, I have decided against it. I’m sorry for those of you that wanted to see it. But, I have a great alternative for you. I just found out that one of my favorite humor writers, Dave Barry, does a live blog for every episode. It’s hilarious too! So, check that out if you’re into the live blogging, but be sure to return after. Thanks again for all the input you left in the comments.

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
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