WRITERS: Evan Katz & David Fury DIRECTOR: Jon Cassar
CAST: Kiefer Sutherland (Jack Bauer), D.B Woodside (President Wayne Palmer), James Morrison (Bill Buchanan), David Hunt (Darren MCarthy), Peter MacNicol (Thomas Lennox), Carlo Rota (Morris O'Brian), Mary Lynn Rajskub (Chloe O'Brian), Eric Balfour (Milo Pressman), Marisol Nichols (Nadia Yassir), Missy Crider (Rita), Adoni Maropis (Abu Fayed), Alexander Siddig (Hamri Al-Assad), Lawton R. Metcalf (Pilot), Sam Younis (Taj), Evan Ellingson (Josh), James C. Victor (Agent Turner), Jamison Jones (Secret Service Agent), Michael Reilly Burke (Carson) & Chad Lowe (Reed Pollock)
CTU help Jack track Morris, who has been kidnapped by McCarthy to arm Fayed's nukes, Lennix contemplates resignation and President Palmer suggests Al-Assad denounce the recent attacks on TV...Season 6 continues to rattle along, losing some of the threat by virtue of its premature nuclear detonation. The writers are placing their faith in audiences being concerned about the remaining four nukes, but 24's loyal viewers are becoming experts at predicting the show. You can't explode nuclear bombs around L.A willy-nilly like last year's nerve gas, and seeing as a nuke has already struck L.A in episode 4, if another one does go off... its location will be the only way to shock viewers. The best candidate would be the White House itself, but 24's real-time format nixes a quick trip from L.A to D.C.
Anyway, for now we're busy focusing on the nitty gritty between 24's occassional "crowdpleasers". These episodes usually take the form of loyalty realignments (check), high-tech surveillance (check) and preparations to storm an enemy safehouse (check). It's a testament to the show that whenever 24 recycles itself, it mixes the familiar with a degree of freshness. Hey, making the old seem new is what the Bond franchise has been doing for 40 years!
So while CTU's protocols and tactics are becoming predictable, you can usually rely on the subplots to offer surprises. However, this year's Presidential situation hasn't been anywhere near as strong as David Palmer's tenure, or President Logan's criminal reign last year. D.B Woodside is too stiff as President Palmer for my taste, lacking a credible backbone. He was great as the calm voice of reason in season 3, but now he's top dog he just looks out of his depth.
Peter MacNicol's Lennix will hopefully begin tightening screws soon, as the White House bunker is in desperate need of drama. Here, the most notable new element is the arrival of Al-Assad (Alexander Siddig), who is quickly asked to denounce the terrorist attacks on national television. Siddig is a good actor, but not entirely convincing as an ex-terrorist leader wth a history of beheading enemies. He's just too handsome and statesman-like, so I have difficulty banishing memories of Deep Space Nine's Dr Bashir.
Episode 8 certainly cranks up the pace and contains some trademark deaths that caused me some sadness. Just when you're beginning to get into a particular character's groove, 24 likes to kill them for the momentary shock value. It's also a little disturbing to see another torture sequence presented here (the fourth of the season), which must surely break a record. These scenes are certainly attention-grabbers, but 24 should be careful not to desensitize their audience.
In summation; it's another fun mix of exciting (if routine) thrills, some unpredictable deaths, a few gruelling moments, no real surprises and an increasingly laborious White House subplot.
