24: Season 4 (SPOILERS)

[Sinclair]

Anyone else catch the two hour premiere last night? I wasn't so sure how much I was going to like it, but I was pleasantly surprised. It's almost a fresh start, with an almost entirely new cast, save Jack and Chloe.

Things certainly have changed. Jack was fired from CTU and is now working for the Secretary of Defense, and dating his daughter at the same time. There's no Kim. Tony and Michelle are gone. There's a new president.

I like the idea of Secretary Heller being abducted. The image of him gagged with his captors behind him was really eerie, considering all the beheadings and such that went on last year. It felt so real.

I'm really looking forward to two more episodes tonight!

 

[Recoil]

I had no complaints either. I think the other erie thing for me in the episode is the little terrorist family. That is a scene that has always been disturbing. They look like the neighbors next door, but the dad and mom both are terrorists and teaching their son as well, and are all part of an operation. The scary part is that it isnt so unbelievable...

It was good to see Jack in a different job, but man did he jump into the fray quickly. I'm glad we are Kimless this year, although I hope this doesn't hurt her appearances on the cover of Maxim magazine --- you can never have enough of those.

So far the story is pretty gripping, but obviously given how last year went, we really do have no idea where this is really going. I mean the entire plot can't be about this trial that is to take place online because it is only to happen in 3 hours. Last year the first 6-7 hours were about the drug dealers, and that was only to get a hold of the virus, and we all know where THAT led. Likewise with Season 1 and Season 2, the midpoint of the season was where the real story came out (season 1 with the appearance of the Drazens, and season 2 with the bomb only being meant to start a war, not as an act by itself) I have a feeling that this is much the same thing.

Definitely off to a good start though. This is one show I can't not watch. Oh, and for me personally I'm excited because FOX a few months ago ported their HDTV channel over to DirecTV so I can finally watch this show in Hi-definition and in 5.1 sound. Amazing.

 

[Sinclair]

I was impressed with tonight's episodes too. Jack holding up that gas station was brilliant. I'm sure they'll come up with some rediculous way to get him out of being arrested though.

I did see the twist with Berus' mother though. The second I saw her making the tea I knew she'd put poison in it. I really thought he'd turn the gun on his mom though, and then he'd be running from his father.

Now we have the new chick at CTU who's trying to up her career by any means necessary. Kind of reminds me of that one chick from season two that was bugging Michelle.

Once again there's a plotline that thus far, doesn't seem to be essential to the plot, that being Erin Driscoll's daughter. I honestly can't see where they're going to go with this, unless the terrorists end up getting her at some point to use as leverage.

 

[haze]

I did see the twist with Berus' mother though. The second I saw her making the tea I knew she'd put poison in it. I really thought he'd turn the gun on his mom though, and then he'd be running from his father.

Same here. I kept waiting for her to start choking from poison as soon as I saw her drink the tea. I think they are setting him up to turn on his mom and dad later in the season.

With 24, I like the events Jack is directly involved in, but tend to despise the CTU aspects. I can look past all the lame technobabble computer stuff they do in the show. The part that gets old fast is having everyone eyeing one another and eavesdropping. Often, they work against one another instead of as a team. Few people tend to trust Jack or each other, etc.

With this being the 4th time Jack will "save the country" I expected people to rally around him for once even if they haven't worked for him yet. I guess all the internal conflict makes for better dramatic television though.

 

[B5_Obsessed]

I don't care much for the CTU office politics either. All the CTU actors have that "look" too, like they were whisked right off the bitch casting line at the local soap opera.

This will make the third devious manipulative black female on this show. Does someone have an axe to grind? She also has exceptional hearing: She heard the conversation between Chloe and lispy guy from 30 feet away.

Gotta love Jack, though. He doesn't have that little switch that tells him to stop before he does something crazy. Robbing the gas station was just nuts!

I too assumed Baruse (sp?) would attempt to kill his mother, but that the gun wouldn't be loaded anyway.

And by the way, that mother creeps the hell out of me.

 

[crazybillyo]

My mother and I were hoping Behrooz would keep the gun on his mother too, but I kind of expected it to end that way. The kid just doesn't have the guts. Yet.

I'm still kind of concerned for the season though, as the producers haven't really planned anything out yet in too much detail, at least this far in. Before they had at least some idea where they were going a few more episodes down the line. Now it seems they're winging it more, taking it an episode at a time. Not to say they can't do good stuff with it, but it does help to at least halfway know where you're going.

 

[Recoil]

I disagree CBO. Last season seemed to go no where in particular, but it lead to a very specific story. I am sure this season will as well.

I also thought the kid was going to shoot his mom with the gun...or try to because if he tried to I expected the gun to be empty.

Jack robbing the store was a pretty sweet move. And I disagree with that comment about him not having that "off switch" to do crazy stuff. He looked at his gun at the end, but decided not to shoot at the cops.

 

[B5_Obsessed]

Well, suicide wasn't a good idea to Jack. I mean, it would interfere with his goal. But if shooting hostages in the leg or robbing a quickie mart will further his aim, he's there.

 

[Sinclair]

But if shooting hostages in the leg or robbing a quickie mart will further his aim, he's there.

I still love that first or second episode in season two where he kills that one guy right in front of Mason. It was that one guy they brought back to CTU, and then Jack cuts off his head. Now that's classic Jack.

 

[Recoil]

Yea that is still one of my favorite 24 moments too. The look on the guys face as he pulls out his gone is priceless. The dude KNOWS he is going to kill him. And his comment to Mason "Thats the problem with guys like you. You want results, but don't like getting your hands dirty" is legendary.

 

[crazybillyo]

Perhaps you're right Recoil, but then I usually expect more when it comes to 24. They'll probably work it out. Did it 3 times already.

As soon as Chloe told him she needed more time, we pretty much knew what he was going to do. Yet knowing what's going to happen with Jack never seems to dull the action.

I sort of see what people are talking about concerning the internal CTU conflicts being kind of old and boring. However, they are somewhat necessary to create complications. It would be kind of boring if Jack were to just call up CTU and get a satellite feed. He'd never need to hold up the store in that case. Jack's at his best when everybody is against him.

 

[GKarsEye]

Finally got to watch the first 4 eps.

What is Jack's deal? Sure he went renegade and broke various rules and laws before to save the day, but he at least did it when he had no other choice. Now it seems like he does it with relish, every single chance he gets. Breaking some law or rule and getting arrested is now is first course of action, not his last.

Ok, yeah, he's always right, and it's fun to watch. But if they keep doing this for 24 hours, the show will become a parody of itself.

"Jack, can you please lower the thermostat, it's a little warm in here."
"No!" *punch* *cuff* *shot in the leg*

Now we have the new chick at CTU who's trying to up her career by any means necessary.

Portrayed by none other than one of my Ultimate Hotties, Aisha Tyler. Nut-bustingly sexy. Of course they had to make her the CTU slut. Oh well.

The second I saw her making the tea I knew she'd put poison in it. I really thought he'd turn the gun on his mom though, and then he'd be running from his father.

I think at some point he will turn against them. He already was willing to defy them once, he'll probably do so again once he personally sees the damage inflicted by his parents' actions. For now, maybe he's justifying them because he agrees with them politically and considers Heller a "criminal" and a legitimate target, but maybe at some point when civilians start suffering, his conscious will fight back.

I can look past all the lame technobabble computer stuff they do in the show.

Yeah, some hacker found something evil on the INTERNET- a bunch of red hexadecimal text...

This will make the third devious manipulative black female on this show.

All of the females are devious except for his wife (but she's dead) and Kim.

It would be kind of boring if Jack were to just call up CTU and get a satellite feed. He'd never need to hold up the store in that case. Jack's at his best when everybody is against him.

I lay awake nights dreading the possibiliy that our real-life counter intelligence forces are half as incompetent and ridiculous as these people. It's amazing that, in the world of 24, the US is still in one piece (proverbially- no Alaska or Hawaii cracks, please )


The terrorist family is so freaky and kind of silly. And what a MILF!

 

[GKarsEye]

Oh, I forgot my favorite moment of cheese: the little red state/blue state exchange between the Sec of Defense and his hippie commie pinko faggy son. Of course later they show the hippie crying like a little bitch under some pressure and the Sec getting all Rambo on the terrorists' asses. Priceless.

Don't be surprised if it turns out the son was working with terrorist, possibly by accident. Maybe they'll make it so that he didn't know they'd do anything physically harmful or whatever, but that his acts of dissension were not only meaningless but also somehow harmful.

 

[Sinclair]

Last night's episode was a pretty good one too. I particularly like the way Heller and his daughter tried to commit suicide by breaking that gas pipe. They had all the right reasons to do it, knowing they'd both be killed anyway once the trial was over. I'm just curious as to who the guy that was that Heller's daughter recognized, but I'm sure we'll find that out soon enough.

I kind of expected that one guy to martyr himself once he discovered he was being tracked. The president's call on destroying the facility was also a good call, and Jack rushing in to save them was to be expected.

The only things this season that have disappointed me are that girl's mother just happening to know where the Araz family lives and stopping by to try and find her daughter, and the stupid storyline with Driscol's daughter. Surely this is leading somewhere, but I can't for the life of me figure out where.

 

[PillowRock]

The only things this season that have disappointed me are that girl's mother just happening to know where the Araz family lives and stopping by to try and find her daughter

I don't find that all that farfetched. The two kids had been going out for a fair while (the Araz parents thought he should broken up with her a month ago).

The one thing about that is that I would have expected her to call before showing up at the door (unless she was literally driving by on her way home anyway; since we don't where they live relative to each other, we don't know if that is likely).

 

[Sinclair]

This season still isn't disappointing me. The rescue operation was awesome to watch, from Jack going in solo to the Marines showing up, and Heller letting the interrogation with his son continue.

Now we know where else this season is heading with terrorists taking over America's nuclear power plants. I wasn't exactly surprised that there was another mole inside CTU, but I really didn't expect it to be Marianne. I wonder how she's connected to these people.

I also didn't forsee Mr. Araz having Behrooz killed, but I knew Behrooz would get out of it.

 

[Recoil]

Yea so far they seem to be stepping up the level of threat each season.

Season 1 was a candidate
Season 2 was a single nuclear bomb
Season 3 a deadly virus outbreak
Season 4 (at least so far) 120 nuclear plants

Damn!

Yea everything went well in this episode. The only part that was a letdown for me was Marianne revelation. For some reason, I saw that one coming. It also irk'd me that Driscoll had no problem with, and didn't question the fact, that Marianne gave her a whole slew of passcodes from the FBI. Is THAT someone you can really trust? What do you think she is doing with your CTU passcodes Driscoll?!? jeez...

Not sure about the whole Bariuz thing either. Maybe the dad suspected the son was weak, but that was a rather extreme twist too.

 

[GKarsEye]

Yea so far they seem to be stepping up the level of threat each season.

Season 1 was a candidate
Season 2 was a single nuclear bomb
Season 3 a deadly virus outbreak
Season 4 (at least so far) 120 nuclear plants

Damn!

Season 5: Earth is bulldozed to make room for galactic highway.

So now we know the true plan: activate the magical maguffin device to blow up America!
A plot element that was insanely silly but dramatically brilliant was that the "trial" was just an excuse to eat up internet bandwidth, just because we got to hear the terrorists claim they were successful even though Heller survived.

The wacky terrorist family was ridiculous from the get-go so killing their own son doesn't surprise me. Maybe the father doesn't expect they'll survive the day anyway, so it doesn't matter if his son is killed now or later.

As for Marianne- we don't know she's necessarily working for the terrorists. I'm guessing she was talking to that defense contractor company. Their exact involvement is the great unknown at this point in the story, and it's probable that this is a result of some scheme of theirs to make money that they lost control of and now they need to cover their tracks.

And, you know, she may be kinda evil, but she's still so hot, and I'm jealous of that dude who she told, "No, I slept with you because I was attracted to you; I still am, get used to it." Damn, girl!

 

[B5_Obsessed]

I like it that, unlike LOST, we got a shitload of action only 6 episodes in, but the story is nowhere close to over.

I was warning Heller's slacker son, "Shut up kid! You're gonna go back in the box!" Too late.

In a weird case of typecasting, did anyone notice Arnold Vosloo (The Mummy) in the coming attractions for next week? Look like he's inside one of the nuke plants. He was just in a tv movie with Bruce Greenwood earlier this year about a group of terrorists (with a twist) trying to destroy a nuke plant.

 

[PillowRock]

Not sure about the whole Bariuz thing either. Maybe the dad suspected the son was weak, but that was a rather extreme twist too.

It is also entirely possible that the father suspects that the mother killed Debbie and is covering for Baruz. He saw Baruz arguing to prtect Debbie earlier, when they were just discussing bringing her over to see what she might know or might have told anyone. And if they really ordered him to break up with her a month before, then we aren't just talking about being a bit soft about his first kill.