24: Day 7 | 3:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m.

Wow! And I thought last week felt like an old episode of “24”! This felt like a really really deep version of something from Season 1. Let’s get started before my brain melts with nostalgia.

Debrief

• Jack, Renee, Bill and Matobo met with President Taylor. They told her that Bill had found that there were people around her that were corrupt and were thwarting every chance she took to invade Sangala. Matobo left to consult with his people about the incoming invasion.

• Dubaku called President Taylor and told her that Henry is being held captive and that if troops were not pulled out of Sangala by 4:00 p.m. (the end of the episode, conveniently enough) that he would kill Henry. Taylor said she couldn’t pull the troops out because of her husband when hundreds died earlier in the day from the same decision. Jack pledged to do all he could to find Henry before 4:00.

• Jack and Renee met with Larry. He agreed to help them, but had reservations about working with Jack.

• They identified that Agent Vossler was brought in to help kidnap and kill Henry Taylor. Jack found him and got Henry’s location before he had to kill Vossler in self-defense. Renee has been extremely affected by the psychological torture that she had to perform on Vossler’s family.

• Bill and Ethan put together a body double for Matobo to buy Jack and Renee more time. Think of the last fifteen minutes of “Hairspray” but replace the giant hairspray can with a limo. Dubaku kills the body double and orders Henry to be killed.

• Dubaku’s girlfriend, Marika’s sister, Rosa knows that Dubaku is living a lie and has threatened to expose him to the authorities if he doesn’t break up with her immediately.

• Jack and Renee invaded the location where Henry was being held and killed all of Dubaku’s henchmen, but not before Henry was shot in the abdomen.

Agent Philboy’s Assessment

Sorry for the long debrief section, but I feel like a lot went on tonight. But, that’s not the reason this was my favorite episode of the season.

This was the deepest episode of “24” I think we’ve ever seen. When I was younger, and the show had just started, I think I would have been bored by a lot of this episode. But, now, as a senior in college, and in a year where I devoured the book “24 and Philosophy,” the discussions that took place between characters in this episode were as exhilarating as the car chases and shootouts.

Taylor had to decide whether or not to trust Bauer and crew. But, that paled in comparison to the struggle she went through after she got the call about Henry. Past presidents might have buckled and pulled the troops out of Sangala. But, a President with conviction like Taylor had to still think about her actions. Plus, she actually had the rationale that she couldn’t make the American public make sacrifices that she was not willing to make. It was such a human moment and I continue to be blown away by this newest President.

A common theme all season has been Renee dealing with becoming more like Jack. First of all, she’s way too good at being the bad guy (girl). It wouldn’t surprise me if we found out halfway through the season that she had a previous life as a special op or something. It worries her that she’s can turn off her moral compass that easily. The moments of hesitation added a very human factor to this episode.

But that’s not to say it was devoid of awesomeness. This to me was an example of a perfect episode with parts that every fan of “24” could enjoy.

Everything I Need to Know in Life I Learned from Jack Bauer (and Others)…

• When you want people to think you’re dead or off the grid, the perfect public meeting place is the Capitol reflecting pool.

• Juneau is the FBI equivalent of hell.

• Spending a little time in a city being under investigation and on trial will give you a perfect sense of direction.

• A street being “One Way” is really only a suggestion.

• Surviving a multiple car crash is easy. It’s a kick to the side that hurts!

Weekly Kill Count = 7 Total Kill Count = 304+

What was your favorite part of this episode, the action or the character development?

Philboy is GMMR’s resident Dexter and 24 analyst. He spends his days studying Communications at Purdue University and his nights failing at keeping up with all of the TV shows he loves. His can’t miss shows are “24”, “Chuck”, and “Life on Mars”. The thought running through his head for this week are, “My new computer CANNOT get here soon enough!”