WRITERS: Matt Michnovetz & Nicole Ranadive DIRECTOR: Bryan Spicer
CAST: Kiefer Sutherland (Jack Bauer), James Morrison (Bill Buchanan), Peter MacNicol (Thomas Lennox), D.B Woodside (Wayne Palmer), Marisol Nichols (Nadia Yassir), Eric Balfour (Milo Pressman), Jayne Atkinson (Karen Hayes), Rick Schroder (Mike Doyle), Jim Holmes (Dr Welton), Tzi Ma (Cheng Zhi) & Kim Raver (Audrey Rains), Mary Chris Wail (Reporter #2), Mike Smith (Stunt Marine #3), Powers Boothe (Noah Daniels), Kari Matchett (Lisa Miller), William Bumiller (Agent Lowry), Matt McKenzie (Agent Hollister), Lex Cassar (CTU Agent Ryan) & Reuben Grundy (Reporter #1)
Cheng tells Jack he'll exchange Audrey for a valuable suitcase nuke component and President Palmer asks for Daniels' resignation..."Hello, Mr Bauer..." It seemed like those three words would transform season 6 into a giddily enjoyable run of final episodes, but the fantastic Bond-style villainy of Cheng Zhi is squandered here by new writers Matt Michnovetz and Nicole Ranadive.
The new dilemma to kick life into the storyline has Jack tasked with delivering a nuclear component to his former captor Cheng in exchange for girlfriend Audrey (whose reported death was faked.) Although, she'd probably have stayed dead if actress Kim Raver's new series The Nine hadn't been cancelled.
Actually, this isn't a bad episode, per se. It's just one that doesn't capitalize on last week's genuinely thrilling installment, instead settling into a reliable groove. We've had last minute scrambles for microchips and gas cannisters for years now, so it's just a little disappointing to see this situation played out again.
Still, the parallel White House plot is good fun, as the various characters bask in the glory of a job well done (thanks to Jack, who really should be Lord Protector Of The Universe given his track record). Wayne Palmer's health comes back into play -- as if we didn't see that one coming -- and the reckless Daniels is quick to seize power legitimately. Powers Boothe has been brilliant as the hardliner Vice President this year, single-handedly saving the presidential subplots from implosion, along with Paul MacNicol as Lennox.
This episode contains some fudging of logic to suit its own purposes (Jack gets access to the nukes just by acting bullish). It's a good job the armed guards didn't ask for any ID, as Jack has none, or that he wasn't a surviving suicide bomber trying his luck!
It's great to see Jack have a more personal reason for venturing on a daring mission and the stakes are satisfying high (if a little contrived). It could all build to a satisfying conclusion to the Chinese angle, which has been stretched since season 4, although the move away from season 6's main focus seems to indicate Philip Bauer won't be back. Unless there's some unforeseen link between him and Cheng Zhi, which would be crazy -- but, then again, 24 is grounded in craziness!
Overall, my expectations were cruelly raised last week, although this is by no means a bad episode. It's actually very entertaining, mainly because it signals a fresh start from the overplayed suitcase nukes gambit. Cheng Zhi (Tzi Ma) also makes for a more intriguing villain than the likes of stoic Fayed and grumbling Gredenko. The on-screen history on between Cheng and Jack is worth capitalizing on, as other villains tend to have unseen bones to pick with Jack-- like Fayed's murdered brother.
Only six episodes left, 24. Please make them count.
