Sorry, Internet issues kept me from posting this earlier. But thanks for waiting! 24 is a unique series in the sense that it can essentially climax an episode or two before the finale, so that it can spend the last couple of episodes tying up all of the loose ends. Not a lot of shows can get away with that, but for 24 it works.
For me, one of the most enjoyable parts of this episode was the realization of how much Agent Walker has changed over the course of the last twenty somewhat hours. When the day started off, she was more or less against violence and torture, but was open to using it as a threat in order to acquire information. As the day wore on, she even became a reluctant participant. She then seemingly saw the err of her ways, and judged Jack for his cruel actions and harsh behavior. But now, after being betrayed and losing somebody she cares about, she’s turned into Jack Lite, authorizing torture with callous indifference.
Another aspect of this episode that I particularly liked was actually the opposite of indifference. That is, when Jack began pummeling Tony, only to stop and, with tears in his eyes, ask why his former friend would betray him. It was one of the most genuine moments of emotion we’ve seen from Jack. Many of the “emotional” scenes this season have seemed obligatory. As in, we’re only seeing them so that we – the viewers – don’t consider Jack a heartless monster. This scene, on the other hand, properly expressed how heartbroken Jack was over his one-time best friend betraying him. Between his wife’s death, his deteriorating relationship with Kim, and his tumultuous career at CTU, for a long time Tony seemed like the only constant in Jack’s life. He now looks at this person – one of only a handful of people who knew he faked his death – and probably doesn’t even recognize him. The man he fought alongside, who he trusted with his life, has become a murderous terrorist. As you can imagine, that’s an exceptionally difficult thing to have to come to terms with.
I’m actually a bit surprised they’re putting Kim in a damsel in distress situation again. Deserving or not, her character suffered MASSIVE backlash because she was constantly taken hostage and continuously foiled a seemingly happy ending. They decide to bring her back, decidedly more level headed and mature, only to put her in that exact position yet again. And geez, what a sigh of relief it must have been for that couple assigned to monitor Kim. I mean, really, she pretty much landed in their lap, didn’t she?
Speaking of bad guys hidden in plain sight, I have to admit the subway cop that told Jibraan to put the ear piece back in was pretty damn cool. As the scene played out, I was about to pull my hair out. I mean, a man calmly explains that he’s in trouble, and these subway workers just blow him off? But when it was revealed that the cop was actually working for Tony, it became clear. Very cool. Oh, and another thing 24 does really well: Every now and then, they write a great little story in which innocent people become heroes, and they get a nice little happy ending. Well done.
I also enjoyed the fact that Agent Pierce didn’t fall for Olivia’s little sympathetic song and dance. I’m really glad they brought his character back this season. And hey, there was a shout out to Mike! Things ain’t looking good for Livy, though.
If I’m not mistaken, next week is the two-part season finale. I’m interested in seeing where things go. Will Jack actually help Tony escape? What will ultimately become of Tony? Does he die? Get away to fight another season? Get captured and arrested? I’ve also been under the impression that Tony, despite his wickedness, has a soft spot for Jack. Am I right about this? Will he show compassion for his friend? Or, if the opportunity presents itself, will he attempt to kill Jack as well? Will 24 have the cajones to kill off Kim? I may be in the minority, but I personally hope not.
Matt Basilo has been writing for Inside Pulse since April 2005, providing his insight into popular television shows such as Lost, Heroes, Prison Break, and Smallville. You can visit his blog at A Case of the Blog.
