I figured out what was missing in 24 this season. It’s Jack taking charge and working over the bad guys. But there was plenty of that in this episode, so I’m feeling better about things.
First off, we have Jack looking the President straight in the eyes and saying, “You can trust me.” When she asks how she can know for sure, he says, “With all due respect, Madame President, ask around.” Before you know it, the team is set up in an office at the White House. So the President is either a really good judge of character or a complete fool. Of course, we know it’s the former.
Then Jack sends Renee to work over Edward Vossler’s wife and kids, because Jack knows that’s the only way he’ll reveal where Henry Taylor is being held. Jack knows that you can’t play by the rules. That never works!
He then proceeds to drive down a one-way street the wrong way, smash into Vossler’s car, and work him over with a gun, a knife, and hand-to-hand combat. He also utters the line I’m convinced will be in every episode: “You are running out of time.”
The Jack-ness continues when he and Renee go to extract Henry Taylor from the basement. Jack tells the store clerk to unlock the door, threatening, “You do one thing I don’t like, and I will blow your head off! You understand me?!” That’s the Jack I’ve been missing.
After some massive firepower and Henry being shot, Jack yells at Renee to “Get an ambulance!” I wasn’t too sure about Jack and Renee, but after seeing them work together in this episode, I’m liking the partnership more and more. I have a feeling it will come down to her choosing between Jack and Larry (whom I think is either a big wimp or the FBI mole).
So what are your thoughts? Are you happy to see the old Jack back in action?
Clacked by Jane Boursaw 
on Feb 10, 2009 @ 10:00 EST5EDT
I wonder if Renee crapped her pants when she came around the corner and Jack yelled for her to call an ambulance. Jacks slide shot was great. My first guess was Larry was the mole. Now I’m not as sure. Larry is the only one they are talking to at the FBI now so it would be too obvious. Unless the writers didn’t think anyone would guess Larry was the mole. It looks like we’ll find out who it is next week.
Gotta love the master jack =)
“With all due respect, Madame President, ask around.”
Ask who? Wouldn’t anyone that could vouch for Bauer have done so to prevent the Congressional investigation?
David Palmer’s dead. Wayne Palmer, the last we heard from, had a possible cerebral hemorrhage. Bill is part of the team that’s gone rogue. Karen Hayes, but we don’t know what she’s doing. James Heller maybe, but I think his loyalty lies with his daughter.
While it was a great line, it really stuck out in my mind as a relatively stupid thing to say :)
*POST AUTHOR*
Dorv – I had that same thought. In fact, after he said that line, I asked my son, “Did he just say, ‘Ask around?'” Because it seemed like an interesting thing to say, given that there’s really no one to ask. Is there? Anyone else have thoughts on this?
Not sure why they haven’t been paraded in front of Congress but Sec. Heller (who even though he dislikes Jack for Audrey wouldn’t lie when questioned about Jack’s heroics), Mike Novik, Aaron Pierce, Martha Logan (even if shie is a bit crazy), Tom Lennox, Karen Hayes among others could give President Taylor somc evaluable insight into Jack’s abilities and trustworthiness. I imagine she would have been briefed on the actual story behind Charles Logan’s ordeal.
I’m thinking that Larry will be the mole uncovered by Renee, and that the blond that Sean is messing with will be a red herring. I’m also thinking that Renee will march into the Senate hearing alongside Jack in the final hour of the season. She is the only one who has actually walked in Jack’s shoes.
Boy do I wish that we could still edit our comments…
I’d imagine a lot of them are unable to testify due to National Security concerns. That being said…
Most of those folks are relatively low on the totem poll. Heller and maybe Novick are the exceptions, but I think it would take one of the people that I mentioned above to make a difference.