New Details on the 24 Movie Emerge

It's well known to all the readers out there, that I'm a big 24 fan. So big in fact that i'm convinced that the very intriguing looking "Touch" premiering this Wednesday is actually an undercover season 9 of 24, I'm hoping halfway through there is going to be some type of time jump caused by Desmond from Lost (he was on 24, don't you see it's all making sense) and we'll back in the 24 dimension. I've been told this type of thing happens all the time on "Fringe" so, yeah it will probably work.

I might not need the time jump though as new details have emerged on the 24 feature film from Kiefer via an interview he did with website Collider. Here is what he said.

• The movie takes place six months after the last episode of the season which saw Bauer going off the grid or in spy terms "going dark"
• It will follow up on the events on the series.
• Filming is set to begin in April/May
• The film will be not be 24 hours long, rather it will be a 2 hour representation of a 24 hour day. 

While I was really pulling for a 24 hour epic feature film, I can I settle for this. Can't wait to see Bauer again.

Terrorism, 24, and Showtime's Excellent New Series "Homeland"

It's no secret that the good folks over at This LA Life loved the hell out of 24. For 8.5 seasons we got to see terrorist destroyer Jack Bauer save the by any means necessary, and when I say any means necessary I mean crazy torture, wild violence, and a whole lot of self sacrifice. Yet, when the show left the airwaves in 2009 it left partly because our national appetite for terrorist killing had dimmed with the election of Obama and the hope of change. Simply put, Bauer was banished to the Bush era past, the one full of Abu Ghraib torture, color coded attack alerts, and water boarding.

But the war against against terrorism didn't end with an election did it? With Bin Laden taken out in a daring raid, drone strikes continuing overseas, and shady Iranian bombing plots, the world of counter-terrorism is alive and well. So where's Jack Bauer? He's starring in a pseudo spiritual show about a magic child. It's all good though because now we have Showtime's Homeland, which could be the best show about terrorism that I've ever seen.

The core plot line focuses on CIA agent Carrie Matthieson (Claire Danes) as she investigates a terrorist threat to America. She believes a key component of the threat is Nicholas Brodie (Damian Lewis), an American POW who she thinks has gone full "Manchurian Candidate" after being helpt captive in Iraq for 9 years. The show focuses on both her investigation of the threat and Brodie's adjustment to his domestic life after being locked away for so many years.

24 worked because Jack Bauer  was so captivating. He was a terrorist hunter Jesus figure, saving our freedom but paying deep  personal costs for it. It's no surprise then that Homeland, which comes from 24 producers Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa also features characters that are mentally damaged by the war of terrorism. Both Brodie and Carrie are not hiding from their peers, their jobs require them to be interacting with people on a daily basis, Brodie as a spokesperson for the Marines, and Claire as a lead analyst at the CIA. Internally though they both are seriously screwed up. Carrie is taking medication secretly for some psycho-disorder and we learn she forgets to eat and seemed to have a habit of screwing her superior officers. Brodie can't connect with his wife, has intense nightmares and hallucinations, and has secretly converted to Islam during his captivity, but hasn't told anybody. Everyone is processing the effects of terrorism on this show, which is captivating, because as nation we are doing the same.

And while it has all these deep themes working with it, the whole terrorist hunting plot is just as dope as it was in 24. There are dubious legal maneuvers, a mysterious network of villains, intense surveillance details, and plenty of secret allegiances. Since it's on Showtime the violence is more visceral, the language dirtier, and the themes even darker. Yet, even with all this show still feels realistic, and avoids the action movie violence that permeated 24. I mean, we're five episodes in and the body count is hovering at two! Two! At five episodes into 24 we'd be at at least 15!

As Americans we've always craved media during wartime as a way to understand. We hunger for fictional narratives to be applied them, and Homeland is a perfect example of it.  The opening credits feature audio, video, and photos from notable real life parts of the war against terrorism and features references to real life events, something 24 never really did.

And just how real life counter-terrorism politics have evolved, so has the methods on the show. In the most recent episode, the interrogation of a suspect who had been been snatched up in Pakistan and brought do the US under extraordinary rendition, seemed terrifyingly real. Carrie and her team subjected him to sleep deprivation, made promises about saving his family, and in a very un-24 moment, didn't lay a finger on him. The icing on this cake was Carrie's response to an inquiry if the suspect would be tortured Bauer style, her response: "We don't do that here."

It's a strange feeling because the 24 fan in me expected for Carrie to say that and then promptly go snap some fingers and start getting answers. But the key part of that line is the "here" part. Sure you won't do that "here", but maybe you'll do it somewhere else. Somewhere else that isn't in the news and exists in a gray area of counter-terrorism politics. And that is the area that Homeland thrives in. Leave Bauer and company where they belong, gone but not forgotten, somewhere in our patriotic past.

The Two Jacks: What Are Lost and 24 Really Telling us?

Now that "24" and "Lost" aka the anchors of my media existence have traveled on to the great television in the sky, I'm left reeling and wondering with their impact on society. Technically these are shows that exist at different ends of the television spectrum. "24" is a nail biting logic free thriller about Captain America aka Jack Bauer saving lives in the course of a day. "Lost" is a mind bending statement about faith, life, death, and everything else in between. They can't have that much in common, right?

Beyond the obvious comparisons that the focal point of both shows is a character named Jack, the real similarity of both shows is a theme of sacrifice. Both Jacks endure a heaping amount of bad shit in order to save the thing they love the most. In the case of Mr. Bauer, what he is protecting would be his country, everything else whether it's his family, friends, or own soul, comes second to the Red White and Blue. Jack Shephard on the either hand sacrifices many of the same things: relationships, sanity, and personal hygiene to save his friends on "The Island", and depending which way you look at it, the world (see the Lost Compasses for that)

But here is where our two Jack's split. 24 ends with our hero, our resident Patriot, bleeding in the streets of New York, betrayed by his country. The last words of the series are "shut it down" and then we scramble the screen and the clock winds down. Jack is alone, after all mental and physical harm he has endured for Lady Liberty, he's left solo, he still has his family, but it's tough to be a Grandpa when goddam Uncle Sam wants to kill you. His sacrifice was pointless. Perhaps 24, once deemed an ultra conservative show, is now telling us that war and counter terrorism leaves both terrorists and the "good guys" like Jack emotional wrecks walking the world with barren souls.

"Lost" on the other hand rewards the sacrifices that Jack with the ultimate prize: peace, love and understanding and a very very happy meet up with his buddies. He's at peace with his father, with his true love (Kate Austen) and with his buddies. His sacrifice was worth it. LOST is telling us that if you sacrifice for your friends, you'll be rewarded in heaven. What a Christian, and depending how you view the political spectrum, "neo-conservative bible belt" point of view.

Yeah I know, like the characters on both Lost and 24 there is a lot of grey area here. No one is completely good or entirely evil. But in the case of these shows, and our beloved Jacks, their only is one happy ending, that is of course until the inevitable  sequel, feature films, and spinoffs.

24 Points About 24: 11:00AM- 12:00PM

THANKS FOR NOTHING DANA

1. I just noticed now that the big map at the United Nations looks like a prop some crafty FOX production assistants stole from the set of "Where In The World Is Carmen San Diego"
2. Necar Zadegan, who plays Dalia Hassan, just painted Cherry Jones into a corner. Necar really bringing it hard on the acting front. And whoah, she was on LOST?
3. I don't know what's worse, getting water boarded or getting water boarded by a dude with a mustache.
4. A fellow CTU agent points out that usually during waterboarding the victim's eyes are covered. Uhh, thanks for the fact point buddy, but hey fellow CTU Agent, how the hell do you know that shit?
5. FPJ says "you're a son of a bitch" and Jack goes "yeah I know!" Very cool line Mr. Bauer, you are one tough son of bitch indeed, god am I going to miss you.
6. Man, I really thought Jack was going to toss that guard off the building to his death below, in fact I'm super disappointed he didn't. When are we getting that skyscraper toss death? Come on now, we're really ruining out of time.
7. Jack got that AREA 51 video game accuracy when it comes to shooting. And just like in AREA 51 Jack conveniently shoots the bad guys as they wildly run around corners.
8. The cutaways shots of the random CTU staff is a multi-ethic pleathora of staffers. You see when you have evil Muslim terrorists, cold war era Russians and Water boarding you gotta have a diverse group of people to appease all the "hippies" in Hollywood

9. I really hope that this IS ABOUT REVENGE and not about truth. 24 is ending. I want an epic finale. How epic? A fellow CTU agent suggests Jack tossing President Taylor off the empire state building. Yeah I'll take that, only if Jack takes down some fighter planes after and then falls to his death.
10. That note that President Taylor received during the press conference basically said "you are screwed."
11. Nice reference that Charles Logan makes to the "Daniels Administration" of the highly forgettable season 6.
12. The aide that the Russian diplomat Mikhail brings in with him, I believe his name is Mikhail Tokshelf, is the shadiest looking politician ever. Granted he's Russian and clearly evil, but still, they let this dude walk around the UN? He'd would get stopped in a second. "Hey excuse mr don't I recognize as from every James Bond flick ever, you played the bad guy's henchman...."

13. President Logan really missed a great opportunity by getting back into politics. He should have joined the legendary Southern Cali bank robbers, "The Ex-Presidents."
14. FPJ, dude, I love ya and you've done a great job this season. But stop clenching your job so much bro. Serioulsy you're going to have an annueryism
15. Chloe needs to stop delegating and start regulating. Doesn't she know that no one at CTU has her technical skills.
16. I love how even though 24 is ending, they still feel the need to sneak in the foxy government aids. I can see the writers now, "no, wait, the guy's assistant is a another dude, can't we find a way to get a smoking hot aide to hand him tablet computers"
17. Dana Walsh's back story delivered in a speech, what are you serious?   The really missed a big chance to talk about her past on the Galactica
18. Man, I hated Dana Walsh all season, and now that she has evolved into full fledged villain, I'm not gonna lie, I really like it.

19. Come on FPJ, you fell for the old exploding box trick. Got Ricky Schroeder back in season 6 and now it gets you.
20. Wouldn't be a 24 episode without some convient product placement for Cisco systems.
21. Since they have full access to the bank's security system you'd think they'd see the blonde girl with the exploding box and the gun popping employees. That's a unforgivable plot vortex.
22. "Do You Know Who I Am?" Says Jack! Hell yeah we do. That's a point all itself.
23.  Dana Walsh is an everyday Nico Bellic, shooting random New Yorkers in the street. By the way, love that they clearly shot these scenes on location.
24.  I'd like to welcome Dana Walsh to the Jack Bauer Vengeance tour 2010. You are the first stop on a train that leads all the way to the top.

24 Points About 24: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

 Chloe, You're Such A Great Girl

1. I love how they've never explained just why exactly Jack knows how to fly helicopters. He's been flying them for seasons now. Perhaps in the much anticipated 24 prequel we will learn where he learned this invaluable information, my guess he learned it from the AIRWOLF (great link).
2. I really wanted Jack to land his helicopter on either the Baxter Building or the Ghostbuster's Tower. Both would have been cool, but instead we settle for a building with a five on it.
3. Thank God Jack has a hip leather jacket and a jack sack otherwise he wouldn't be able to blend in with the other super hip New Yorkers. A fellow CTU agent points out that if he only had a mustache and an Ipd with Animal Collective playing he would have been straight up transparent.
4. Never would have thought I would hear "President Allison Taylor" and "impeachment" in the same sentence, she's been such a beacon of truth, hope, justice, love, peace, equality, gender politics, and woman's fashion for almost two seasons.
5. Here's a little SAT analogy for you

Lost: 24

Ben Linus:Charles Logan

6. The whole justification of torture debate between Logan and President Taylor is well written, thought provoking, and very much rooted in last season's themes

7. Dammmmmmmmmmmnnnnnn the 24 writers missed a golden opportunity by not having the private security firm be named Starkwood

8. Even though she's stabbing Jack in the back, it's thrilling to see Chloe totally in control.

9. Michael Madsen makes a welcome appearance on 24, but I can't help but wonder if his appearance is perhaps linked to some drunken gambling debt between him and Kiefer. "Alright Madsen you son of bitch, if you win this hand, I'll get you a part on season 8" Words Kiefer regrets every day.

10. "I need a com unit, two mp5s, an assault rifle and some other really cool shit," says Jack to Madsen, who's character by the way, is straight out of some direct to DVD schlock bin (another wild link).

11. Who are the 24 writers to make us feel bad for Dana Walsh as she gets hauled away? We hate this girl, she ruined 24, she's the reason its cancelled, she's the reason why Kiefer gets kicked out of strip clubs, well I don't know about that one, but you know what I mean.

12. Is Jack's techy friend looking at the Matrix go by? If that's true, is Jack Neo?

13. "Understand, Bauer is a highly skilled operative" says FPJ to his "men." Let me translate that for you non 24 fans out there "Jack Bauer is a killing machine and you guys are rookies are probably going to bite the dust like Agent Owens"

14. Why Ethan Kanin isn't President is beyond me, he bring the verbal barbs like a high school debate captain on some debataroids.

15. If the American TV landscape is totally dead in 24 years, Jack should return as a high level politician. At one point he should go see Ethan, who has now evolved into the most powerful man in Washington.

16. It cracks me and my fellow CTU agents up that Kayla Hassan gets all cheesy talking about peace agreements and violent people but doesn't mention the terrorist brah/psudo mastermind she was sleeping with earlier in the season.

17. When all else fails, Jack can hide behind trashbags and trucks.

18. That green sack is the JACK SACK on the juice! He's got a whole arsenal in there, can we expect a shootout on the scale of Commando?

19. Seeing Jack go into this sting operation, trusting Chloe,  is some of the most tense stuff that we've gotten all season.

20. Bauer's still got it! That decoy of the guy in the laundry bag, and then he takes Ken Jeong hostage, well played sir.

21. You want to know what happened to Cole's men? They got Bauered? Why has it taken that long for me to come up with that kind of lame verb, is beyond me.

22. I really want to think that all the bullshit with the evil indie rock bros, Dana, and small battle scenes with FPJ lead us to the moment where Jack and FPJ teamed up to fight for what is right, what is just, and what we deserve: a fitting and great finale to a show we care about! I also hope that Jack can protect FPJ from the Killer that knows what he did last summer.

23. Ethan Kanin and Charles Logan really getting after with old man verbal fisticuffs, honestly when is the Bauer and Ethan team up.

24. Damn this is some intense juxtaposition, the water boarding with the torture of Dana Walsh and the press conference It's crazy, I've waited the whole season for Dana Walsh to get what she deserved, but when it comes from someone else's hands that's not Jack, it doesn't feel right at all.

24 Points About 24: 6:00AM - 8:00AM

If Schuester Had Facial These Guys Could Be Related (Kind of)

1. Ahh. the episode opens with a sunrise. You know it's a little bittersweet considering this is the last day.
2. The pictures on the hall in the presidential command center are hilarious. We have photos of fighter jets, a giant screen running casualty figures on loops, and dual portrait of Goose and Maverick.
3. You know I can understand Hassan's reasonings for turning himself in. One life for a thousand, that's a tough thing to deal with. Whoah, getting real existential on us here, 24. Next thing you know we are going to have characters named Locke and Rousseau.
4. A bomb is about to go off in New York City and all of CTU is just sitting around waiting with awwww shucks looks on their faces.
5. I'm disappointed that Chloe is not fuming about the Jack and Renee romance that is the current to this entire season.

6. A fellow CTU agent points out that this 24 episode is especially pigeon heavy. Perhaps the 24 movie will be the long awaited Jack Bauer vs nature storyline. It will feature Jack and Kim taking on birds and cougars.
7. For the first time on 24, there is finally traffic in New York City. Apparently there is more traffic in New York City at 6:15AM then there is at 5PM.
8. President Taylor laying the smack down on Rob Weiss, next thing we get is the people's elbow? Note: The people's elbow is the coolest.
9. Alright all you 24 fans out there? Who do you hate more Agent Dana Walsh or Agent Hippe Janeane Garafalo from last season?
10. Along with a direct line to the President, Jack Bauer can also get into anybody's car in Manhattan and then drive away. Oh the perks of being THE GREATEST SECRET AGENT EVER! Yeah, I'm talking to you Bond and Bourne, stealing Jack's initials, thinking your all tough.
11. Damn Hasaan and Tarin are getting into it during this car ride. "You cared about the cover of TIME MAGAZINE!" Great stuff 24 writers.
12. Say what you want about Dana Walsh,  but the whole fake out with D Walsh going for the network wire kill on Arlo was damn suspenseful. Wow, I guess I'm an Arlo fan, when the hell did that happen?

13. What would Jack do without a nitro boost in his car. What is a nitro boost? Clearly you haven't seen "The Fast and the Furious", " 2 Fast 2 Furious," "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" "Fast and Furious", and the upcoming "Fast Five."
14. Jack Bauer gets cut off by a Honda Hybrid in the parking garage? How can green energy and hippies deter Jack Bauer? Is this some type of political message?
15. Pretty decent stunt with the car flying off the parking garage, but I have to subtract some points from the 24 writers because last season they had a car go flying out of a parking garage too.
16. A fellow CTU agent pointed out the woman who drove Hassan out of the parking structure looked a lot of Lady Gaga. Perhaps she can communicate on her telephone, yeah I'm sorry about that joke.
17. President Taylor knows not to trust some Ruskie who wants information about special operations. Hell Yeah! Wolverines! Wolverines!
18. CTU Director Hastings is up in his office texting away, I guess he's gotta keep those hos in line or check the status of his Shrimp business.
19. FPJ you had the best line of the season with your badass "Who are you? You lying bitch" but you're strange accent made it really hard to understand.
20. Alright alright so Jack got to confront Dana and it was slightly satisfying. But when it comes down to tough talking Jack, the highlight of this season was Jack telling the wanna be suicide bomber: "I'm going to take your Mother to the bomb site and expose her..."
21. Renne was totally aroused by the Jack manhandling Agent Walsh.
22. Hassan and the Samir Mehran (Who kind of looks like the Arab Will Schuester) do not only have competing belief systems, they have competing facial hair. On side evil we have the trimmed goatee, on side good we have the unkempt goatee. What's is going to be?
23. Everytime there is a scene in a hospital I always hope that Dr. House is going to show up for a quick cameo. That being said, while I like the show, I don't want those GLEE kids anywhere near 24.
24. Hassan's death is shocking and meaningful and that's a testament to the acting power of Anil Kapoor. Well done. Silent countdown. Great episode.

24 Points About 24: 4:00 AM - 5:00AM

LAMEST MOLE EVER?

1. I don't know how CTU works, but they sure do have a lot of emergency lighting and also in groovy blue hues. Dare I say it's Jay Z blue in honor of the Empire State?
2. Bad guys in 24 love a couple things: facial hair, accents, and hanging out at docks. Honestly CTU should just monitor the docks at all the major cities. Oh what's that, a whole bunch of evil looking people driving in shady vans at 3AM by a dock, wonder if they're setting up a lemonade stand or trying to kill us.

3. The writers missed a golden opportunity by not magnetizing Kayla Hassan. It would hilarious if she turned into a giant magnet, kind of like Ernest in whatever movie Ernest gets magnetized, I mean they all blend together, except Ernest Saves Christmas, which is the truth.
4. The reason you have four bars and the call is going through is because you don't have SPRINT, which sponsors 24.
5. Any time Bauer gets to handle automatic weapons is a good time, but his accuracy is terrible, gotta use that Sleight Of Hand Pro perk Jack.
6. Only three Casualties after a CTU bomb, whoah they must be relieved, last time CTU got attacked, the body count was terrible (RIP Milo), and the time before that was even worse, so they got out pretty clean.
7. Chloe things Jack Bauer is in trouble, Jack Bauer doesn't get in trouble babe, trouble gets riddled full of bullets when it gets Jack Bauered.
8. FPJ is rocking some type of handheld 1999 video camera for night vision. It would be cooler if he had some of Wing Commander technology.
9. Somewhere in the universe there is a nerd smiling widely because they and only they understand all this technical jargon about trunk lines and servers, routers, cables, ITs, and sprinklers that Chloe O' Brien is talking about.
10. Renee is Jack's apartment sprinkling rose petals on the bed and setting up candles. She's gone domestic! Of course going domestic means grabbing guns out of purses. I mean Renee you are in the house of Bauer, guy probably has a weapon room hidden behind the large family portrait.
11. Bill Prady is from Arkansas, and he's clearly in love with Kevin Wade, which means that he's a gay southerner, which is similar to his character on True Blood. Yes! Next season Jack Bauer takes on the undead.
12. Jack Bauer is so damn soft these days, look I know times are different and mass killing and torture isn't the rage, but please don't make Jack all emotional in combat. Dude has killed over 300 people and now he's getting all sentimental over some SWAT team rookie who didn't follow orders.
13. This is not the first time Chloe has handled a weapon, in fact handling that little pistol is child's play for her. Don't believe me check out the pic on the right, and yes that's post kill.
14. Kayla Hassan will be alright until she realizes that exposure to the EMP has turned her into a giant blue bald man with a preference for walking around naked and being void of emotions (yeah that's the nerdiest 24 point ever).
15. I'm so sad that Hasting didn't have a good answer to the "Where do you find these people" question because that would explain a long history of terrible CTU Human Resource decisions.
16. Chloe is like a brilliant jazz pianist when she's got her hands on those wires.
17. Since when did Hasting value Dana Walsh's opinion, just an hour ago he was disciplining her like she was some hasty school girl now she's a judge of character. Come on Hastings, Chloe deserves more respect, woman is a the Alicia Keyes of hackers.
18. Last season Bauer took out 20 dudes at a dock in D.C, and now it takes him an entire episode to take out of couple of goons on NYC dock, I mean what is going on here?
19. When I saw that CTU code come back online on the screen, I really thought TRINITY was going to start recruiting Chloe in the fight against the machines. Yeah I said it, Chloe is the new Neo.
20. Renee Walker has more kills in this episode than Jack.
21. Seeing Jack Bauer in pain from bullets is confusing and makes me uncomfortable
22. I would like to be the first congratulate on FPJ for maintaining a consistent accent for the duration of an episode, well done FPJ.
23. Dana Walsh is a stone cold killer, but at least Bill Prady attempted to cop a feel before he died.
24. So the mole has been revealed and Dana Walsh joins a legendary pantheon of evil turncoats. Who is in the Pantheon? Of course Nina Meyers sits on the throne of greatest mole of all time, Queen of Mole people if you will. Who else is on the list, I'll let you decide.

About these 24 rumours...

Jack Bauer doesn't get cancelled, his movements just stop getting publicized by some television show for mere mortals. And yeah, today is Chuck's birthday too.

24 Points About 24: 11:00-12:00

Jack's favorite way to kill Russians: Foot Based Neck Snap

1. Oh man, the super bros are "celebrating their score" in Jersey City.  Hopefully "The Situation" will join them for one of the most epic TV crossovers ever.
2. Jenny's boyfriend friend/partner in crime/professional power bros sounds like Kenny Powers.
3. The evil indie rock bro is Southern, I guess this means he's Jim James from My Morning Jacket.
4. I really thought that it would be impossible to top the insanely annoying level of Jeanane Garafolo from last season, but Jenny is just about there.
5. These terrorists or "Russianists" think that punching Jack Bauer is going to bother him? When Jack Bauer takes a punch, to him it feels like a angel whispering on his face.
6. For someone from cold ass Russia, the head Russian honcho has got some  really nice soviet tan going on. See this tan on the left.

7. I never would have thought that the shady boyfriend indie rock bumbling criminal idiots would have more screen time than the President.
8. This guy seems to think he can get answers out of Bauer in hours. Jack Bauer's entire life is a dark kind of deep psychological torture. His wife Teri was killed by his lover Nina, his friend and partner Tony turned into a terrorist, and his best friend in the world is a bumbling awkward computer nerd named Chloe.
9. You wanna talk about real villians, let's talk about the 24 writers, dangling the termination of the lamest storyline in 24 history in front of our faces, and then not doing it. Jenny could have saved us by telling FPJ the truth but then nope, the stupid story line continues, now with Jenny as Rambo
10. The Jack Bauer footkill that was delivered to the electro villain has now taken the place as the best Jack Bauer foot kill since season 5's death of legendary Russian terrorist Bierko.
11. When your head of state father has already shown what he does to people who cross him, why the hell would you spill the beans about your love for someone in his cabinet? The President's daughter need to take a page from the Palmer handbook.
12. All my fellow 24 CTU agents are in agreemenent that the best part of the season so far is President Hassan spiraling out of control with his paranoid delusions.
13. If Bauer had a Sprint cell phone he wouldn't have had to kill that dude for a phone with service.
14. Having Bauer take out the lights reminds me of the scene in Batman Begins where Batman stalks the goons at the docks. WHERE ARE YOU?........"Heyah"
15. The music during this episode is great, give it up for 24 composer Sean Callery.
16. In a very strange homage to Die Hard, our hero goes shoeless (a fellow CTU agent pointed this out while watching) but then also evades gunfire by crawling underneath tables only to bust out at the last minute for an epic takedown. It's a shame that Bauer didn't drop a one liner on us like good ol Bruce Willis.
17. It is highly possible that this could be the season where the villian is not drastically switched at the half way point. So far we are about a quarter of the way through and we've gone through two villians. I like to think the big villain is actually Hassan and we've been witnessing his transform to the big baddie over the course of the season. Give it a couple of episodes and Jack will be kicking the doors down of the UN.
18. I wonder if there are any Government Agents in real life that can get President Obama on the line at any time?
19. Arlo is the shadiest guy in CTU, just sending his drone around New York City spying on chicks making out with their old lovers.

20. Someone on that CTU assault team FPJ rolled out to is going to bite a bullet. It's either the old wide bald headed sage, the silver fox asian dude, or the young rookie that doesn't know how put his vest. My bet is on the rookie.
21. Just like Bauer, when the entire swat team rolls into somewhere, FPJ doesn't bother to take a big rifle, just a small little pistol, get your Call of Duty Modern Warfare armory game up.
22. Gotta admit, the hanging pendant on the stolen rods was a poetic touch.
23. Harping on old jokes is lame, but boy, Farhaad really really looks like the Indian Jason Schwartzman.
24. Now I don't want to speak to soon but so far this season is breaking the "even number season curse*."

* Historically, the odd number seasons of 24 are the best.

24 Points About 24: 6:00-8:00PM

NOW STARRING IN THE NEXT SAW SEQUEL

1. I'm calling it now, this blonde tech girl at CTU with the shady past is the new Jeanine Garafalo, aka the  bane of 24 fans existence last season.
2. Doug Hutchison, the actor who plays the bad guy with the vague misplaced Euro accent, also played a similar character in "Punisher: War Zone," a film where the protagonist doesn't speak for the first 35 minutes.
3. It would have been cooler if Jack had proved his cred to the "basketball players with information" by beating them in a quick game of 21, and not just offering his money and flashing his piece.
4. Why the hell is 24 wasting our time with jean jacket rocking ex boyfriends when he could be watching Jack Bauer destroy terrorist stooges?

5. Freddie Prinze Jr. is holding it down on this show, can't say I'm not surprised, after all good ol FPJ had it on lock down in "Wing Commander"
6. The director of CTU is one of the most interesting characters on the show. He's smart and acts on his convictions, but he's also flawed, which makes him more human. (Note, he's Bubba from Forrest Gump).
7. I love how when you come back from the commercial break they just show the New York City skyline just so we know that this season of 24 TAKES PLACE IN NEW YORK CITY!!
8. What the hell did Omar Hassan do to the Indian Jason Schwatzman during their childhood to make him so mad he'd betray him to die a fiery death by New York City exploding manhole.
9. I'm so surprised that 24 has not thought of the bomb in the manhole cover before, well done, 24 creative kill master minds, you've outdone yourself, and you even had an axe kill yesterday.
10. The other bodyguard in Hassan's entourage is the Indian Nicky Katt, and I'm pretty sure that 23.5% of my readers know who Nicky Katt is.
11. Freddie Prinze Jr grew some monster balls between this season of She's All That and 24. "I'm in the southwest corner of the building pursuing the assassin....he's with me now." Damn boyee, joining that Jack Bauer wanna be club, it's a dangerous spot, let's hope you can survive the season.
12. The Russians are the bad guys, looks like these people have been watching "Red Dawn" too much and logging way too many hours playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 single player.
13. Chloe waits anxiously for Jack to return from the mission. Talk about a girl who is permanently stuck in "friend zone" with the man of her dreams.
14. You want access to exclusive content on the SPRINT network, quickly abandon your current cell phone provider who provides solid coverage, join sprint, who I'm sure has a whack coverage map, and then, and only then can you get 24 content. 
15. Agent Renee Walker has gone full Eastern Promises on us, it's all in her eyes, they speak of wild things.
16. Also looks like Renee Walker been hitting some of that Jack Bauer season 3 heroin.
17. The acting chops of Annie Wersching and Kiefer Sutherland during the scene where the suicide attempts come to the surface are a perfect example of how good the acting and writing CAN be on 24.

18. Jack Bauer going undercover as an arms dealer is like Tom Brady going undercover as a shortstop in the Red Sox training camp, I mean everyone in the world knows who he is, how can that work?
19. Nothing ruins up the food storage at an Russian nightclub like a  gangster dying of radioation poisining like he's George Mason.
20. Renee Walker and Jack Bauer cruising to an undercover operation and bickering in the car like two married lover with a history. "You don't trust me," "No, I do." What comes next, "How do you think Kim is handling marriage?"
21. This crazy ex-boyfriend with the goatee storyline is a waste of time, just like the fake pregnancy on Glee, ahhh, I knew this moment where Glee and 24 meet in my mind would come eventually.
22. It would be hilarious if the ex boyfriend just stayed in the apartment for the entire remaining 20 hours calling sporadically and throwing pictures around. During the finale you cut to the apartment and the dude is just asleep and everything in the apartment is broken.
23. Look, I know I have some female readers, but I gotta say it, former FBI agent current russian undercover junkie Renee Walker is looking sizzling! Damnnnnn!
24.  Dude just got his hand sawed off, yeah, I'm hooked.

Obama's Next Television Move

Now the he is has tackled both Leno and Letterman, President Obama is now rumored to be turning his media machine to scripted television. Here is what he is thinking.

1. Flash Forward- Unbeknownst to the American public, the commander in chief will have a two episode arc starting tonight. In the episode, he will appear as the President who when he blacks out, sees himself as the only chill brah dude potato farmer in Hawaii.

2. Dancing With The Stars- Barrack shows up, unbuttons his tie, looks into Tom Delay's soul and says "Let's do this." He then proceeds to light the dance floor on fire with the flyest dance moves since "Step Up 2 The Streets."

3. Lost- Warning Lost Language Begins Now: In a parallel time line created when Jughead explodes after Juliet detonates, a young president Obama takes Horace's place as the leader of the Dharma initiative.

4. 24- Extremely upset about the season 7 deaths of Special Agent Larry Moss and legendary villian Dubaku, the leader of the free world appears as Bauer's new partner who promises to not get emotional like that fool Curtis Manning and take care of that pesky turn coat Tony Almeida once and for all.

5. Glee- The President is slated to appear as a new member of the Acafellas.

Battle of the JB's: Bourne, Bauer, Bond

I have seen "Year One" and it is not funny. So let me drop a classic question on you.

1. Who's winning in a fight? Jack Bauer, Jason Bourne, or James Bond (The Daniel Craig Bond)

Jason Bourne is the clear victor here, he is a killing machine, witness him choking out that dude in a Morocco bathroom if you have any doubts. But in the end, it all comes down to the emotions. Bourne is emotionless. Jack and James they are torn up over their ex lovers. I mean Jack cried at the end of a season and Bond spent an entire movie chasing down the girl's killer, keep in mind this is after he was betrayed by her!

You also gotta realize that Jack and James kill with firearms, while Bourne does not. This is not because he doesn't know how, it's because a gun in his hand is an cop-out. It's like bringing a pencil with the multiplication tables written on it to the time table test in fourth grade, it's weak sauce, you just don't need it.

24 Points About 24: Hours 23 & 24

1. The graphics on the screen in the crisis room are the most intense power point presentation I've ever seen.
2. The bad guys can afford a blue tooth for themselves, but Jack can't find the money for a blue tooth, he's rocking that wired headless, that could get in the way of his terrorist killing abilities.
3. Evil hippies from Glendale are such goofy bros, always hanging out at the airport making jokes, cutting their heads in car doors. WTF?
4. Apparently the bad guys have the ability to get cell phone service anywhere (even in tunnels), if that is Starkwood secret military technology, lemme get some of that!
5. Haven't seen Jack dual wield pistols since Season 1!
6. "Jack Please, another red head, oh god, she even looks me, Jack if you are working with her, I'm right here, why don't you notice me?" says Olivia as she spies the new red-head chick with Jack.
7. I don't know why Agent Pierce even bothers with that sling for his arm, unless it's a cover for the fact that he is totally fine, and is ready to start.....icing......fools.
8. Eight hours ago the white house was the scene of a gigantic battle with General Juma, and now it looks like nothing happened. Maybe Tim's magic phone has the ability to repair a battle scene.
9. The writers have done a good job of really making Olivia Taylor a villain during these past couple of episodes, but she really turned the bitch meter to full throttle during these first 20 minutes.
10. Kim is definitely from the Bauer bloodline, Kim instantly goes for the pen as an improvised weapon.
11. That Airport security guy thought that hiding behind the Styrofoam cup box would be a good deal, should have hid behind the box of ancient medieval shields.
12. That chip uttered a whimper of truth when it was crushed by Olivia Taylor.
13. Jack takes the needle to the throat, and then the surreal dream sequence begins. Audrey Raines is dancing with Marwan as they attend Jack's wedding where George Mason was the best man.
14. Besides Cougar evasion tactics, Kim Bauer obviously learned a couple of things from her father including how to track a suspect and ignore pain when sticking your hand in a fire.
15. I wish they showed us what other mp3's Ethan on that disc. Little Kings of Leon, a tid of In Flames, maybe some Creedence Clearwater, and finally a remix of Justin Timberlake and Madonna's "4 minutes."
16. In one moment, Jack redeems himself from a season of non-exciting kills. A throat slash, a throat rip, and throat strangulation. Shame he couldn't have continued the carpenter trend he started with the screwdriver and used a hammer.
17. Jack uses a back hoe earlier this season and so Tony has to use a fork-lift. This is a trend of escalation that I can hope culminates next season in Jack as Optimus Prime and Tony as Megatron fight to the death.
18. In terms of epic confrotations between Jack and Tony, this little talk in a garage is epic. Kiefer, I tell you, headbutt or not, christmas tree killer or not, this man can act.
19. Will Patton, I don't know if it's the music, the scenery, the set-up, or what, but he is seemed super evil.
20. I love the use of helicopters in 24. That's it point 21, helicopters in 24, great!
21. THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE! There can be one blond: Kim. One black haired chick: Janeane (pains me to say it). One brown haired girl (Chloe). And one red head: Walker. Everyone else just gets smoked by Tony.
22. "If I can save them, I can save myself." Deep, Jack, deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.
23. "Try to make choices you can live with. " Thanks Jack when is your self help book coming out?
24 (A) Is Jack Bauer going to become a muslim next year? If so, I'm readddddy/
24 (B) Glad that President Taylor stays firm in her beliefs and doesn't waiver. Good to have a strong female on the show that isn't a buxom red head.
24 (C) In closing, the most important line for me was Kim Bauer's "I'm not ready to let you go." And you know what, after a satisfying season that completely made up for last season's debacle, I'm not ready to let Jack go either.
24 (D) HE LIVES! SEE YOU BELOW.

Angels And Demons: A Great Movie (If It Was On The History Channel)

"Angels & Demons" film feels like a phoned in history channel thriller that librarians watch with a cup a chamomile tea when they want to have an exciting break from reading Proust. The thrills aren't really that exciting, there is plenty of talking to calm the nerves, and enough history to help a 10th grader pass his Catholic history test. It's a shame, because the book of which it is based is a gripping page turner.

I knew the movie wasn't going to deliver on the summer OS (ohhhhhhhh shitttttttt moments, see previous posts) when in the beginning four people are kidnapped, one dude is a killed, and one eyeball is removed and all I got was some cheesy Natural History museum special effects on anti-matter. This is a summer movie, I got popcorn covered in butter in my lap, gimme something exciting here!

Like a family bogged down with toddlers in the Rome, the film slowly moves along through Rome and Vatican as T. Hanks solves the mysteries. He needs to take some clues from my main meng Jack Bauer, because while the bad guy says a Cardinal will die every hour and then EVERYONE will die at midnight, T. Hanks still has the time to take showers, change his clothes, and talk about history (all things that matter not to Saint Bauer).

All in all, as someone who read the book, has been lucky enough to have been to the Vatican, "Angels and Demons" doesn't deliver the thriller goods. Thank God the 24 finale is tonight.

24 Points About 24: Hour 21

1. Can't tell if Tony is limping around or just walking with swagger it's weighing him down.
2. There always is the question: What would the bad guys do if the guy who the plan hinges on simply just said no.
3. Jack says he doesn't like "racial profiling," but just 3 seasons ago, he was snack-crackling-poppiling fingers of AMNESTY international lawyer like it was nothing.
4. I feel for Chloe, Jack is her only friend, besides, the probable millions of the friends she has in World of Warcraft, where she is a level 68 night elf.
5. Jack needs to get his ass healthy so he is in fighting shape for the finale. This time last week Jack was suiting up with a full arsenal to go take out his father and about 200 Chinese dudes.
6. The whole situation of "do what I say, and you are going to live through this" is a great flip on the traditional structure of 24. Usually it's Jack and Tony enlisting a civilian to do some wild task to save the day, now it's Tony and his Motley Crue using the same tactics for evil.
7. "Lecture on conscience," line coming from Olivia Taylor, this is a woman that "has relations" with reporters and now she's lecturing her pal Martin about ethics.
8. Is this Martin dude, a hitman, because if so, he is the first gay hitman on "24."
9. This dude in the brown suit with Jonas Hodges has got to be the one of two 52 year old U.S. Marshall ever.
10. "Tibbet, sounds like a dog breed," J. Hodges keep the hysterical lines coming.
11. How does Hodges get ready to leave for Andrews Air Force Base when all he has in his possessions is his integrity, his wallet, and his name, which he forged with blood and sweat, in case you forgot.
12. Mr. Go Har could very well be "Mr. Go Hard" which means he goes hard, 110% every day of the week. He doesn't sleep, he doesn't eat, he just goes hard in all of his endeavors.
13. Putting Jack in a mosque is like putting a 8 year old boy in Candy Shop, he just can't stand still.
14. This scene where Jack confronts the Inman is the peak of years of bad relations with muslims. I like the writers are start taking responsiblity for the show, I mean after all it does directly impact American policy.
15. Why does the Arab American's son look like from he is from Uncle Jedidiah Smith's cow farm in Idaho?
16. You'd think the Farm Boy arab brother would put the pieces together that maybe his brother's shady white friends dressed in all black have something to do with his sudden change toward extremism.
17. Olivia Taylor makes the smart choice and doesn't choose to push the green button, but of course, like JoJo its too little too late
18. Jack has gone from Muslim hater to a man with understanding of Islam. What's next Season eight, Jack Bauer converts, and films a buddy comedy season with zombie Marwan and Behrooooooooz.
19. Remember when the first husband was choke slamming underage secret service agents off balconies and into tables, damn seems like ages ago.
20. Jonas Hodges just got up and walked into the car, what was the point of the wheelchair?
21. I was going to say what's with the emotional Big Fish type music and Hodges holding the photo and finally something blows, at the 48 minute mark, coudln't have come soon enough.
22. "Tim and the Magic Cell Phone." This sounds like a great children's book about a young man in the white house who finds a magic cell phone that transforms his life and shows him and the people around him the value of communication.
23. Agent Walker is running around telling any random dude in LA that Jack is infected, have a little respect for the man, otherwise he might shoot you in the neck again.
24. Weak...episode.

24 Points About 24: Hour 20 (X-Men Edition)

1. If there was any doubt (you know just a tiny bit) that Tony was good, it was erased in the first 30 seconds when he iced those FBI agents like a baker.
2. We all know the real reason Tony went to that hotel room, he had to pick-up those Wolverine tickets for that midnight showing of "Wolverine." In fact, Tony was an X-man, he'd probably be a cooler version of Cyclops.
3. And how fitting that Tony's girl is a redhead, aka Phoenix.
4. You think cause you can get your GTA on in a civilian ambulance, you can take out Tony Almeada, just ask Moss, nobody messes with Tony, he clearly has reflexes from.....beyond.....the.....grave.
5. Tim, aka, the meanest, baddest motha "shut yo mouth" in the Whitehouse once again has got all the answers.
6. "How do I know he's going to talk?" I'm going to attach some electrodes to his nether regions, get my Tchaikovsky on, and start cracking some nuts.
7. Agent Pierce looks to be totally healed from his gunshot wounds.....very.....interesting.....perhaps he is Logan himself.
8. "We don't torture people in this administration," translation, we don't torture people in season 7.
9. Jonas Hodges will be on a hundred acre ranch in Colorado, listening to Phish and wearing Birkenstocks.
10.Why does the communications display of the people setting up this Al Jazerian guy, have a whole bunch of tomatoes, in a circle? What are they evil terrorist farmers?
11. A pal pointed out that Tony definetly took a shower with that dead dude sitting there.
12. Jeanane, every second you exist of 24 erases precious memories of old school 24 characters, and that bothers me.
13. This whole thing about Jonas Hodges talking to himself and the camera and begging for fire-arms is creepy.
14. For a second when Jack was talking to Jonas Hodges in the hospital bed, he reminded me of Dr. House and then Jack said something about the truth, I thought he was going to say something "Lie to Me."
15. There is a electrifying current running through the scene where Bauer interogates Jonas Hodges. Great to see Voight and Kiefer stepping up their actions.
16. Things are getting real on "24" when you see another main character (Chloe) sleeping. I can't handle this sleep garbage. If I wanted to see character's sleeping I would have watched "Chuck."
17. For all you 24 fans out there, I can't take Morris O'Brien seriously ever since I saw him take that power drill to the back last year.
18. Jack can't string this whole shooting up in back rooms along forever. Last time this happened, Jack ended up having a noche loco in Mexico holmes.
19. Chloe's hug count during the episode is three, Jack's kill count is zero. Get your act together writers, I want thugs getting poppped, not hugs from Chloe that can't be stopped.
20. This whole set-up of the innoncent Arabian once again proves chilling. They whole talk of fitting the psych profile, and how perfect he is is very "Arlington Road" esque. And if you don't get that reference, you're lost.
21. Pal points out besides debating torture ethics, another theme running through season is that of powerful redheaded women who stick by their men. Agent Walker loved Moss so dearly and has got a thing for Jack. And Tony's redheaded chick apparently likes evil dudes.
22. Glad to see that 24 may be conservative in it's torture ethics, but luckily 24 shows us gay reporters. How progressive.
23. We've waited the whole season to see Janeane hippie Garafallaololo get a stern talking to, and I'd say it delivered.
24. Two weeks in a row 24 ends with Tony threatening someone with death. Damn, he's really evil now.

24 Points About 24: Hour 18

TONY'S EVIL? SAY WHAT?

1. Jack is the new Chloe, he's stuck at a desk giving instructions to the field.

2. Tony's badass meter skyrocketed into the stratosphere when he revealed he not only rolls out with some great binoculars, but with three sticks of C-4.

3. What's with the President taLking down to our main man Tim? Doesn't she know that he is the coolest man in the White House and the man with the magic cell phone.

4. Great acting by Kiefer and Cherry Jones during the debate about whether to attack. You can see how much of the show still rides on the acting chops of Mr. Sutherland.

5. After all the hours, minutes, and days that Jack has spent with CTU, he still is most comfortable when he's totally off the grid, going rogue.

6. My friend is quick to point out that Tim's so damn cool that even Jonas Hodges is on a first name basis with him.

7. Where exactly is this base in the beltway area? It's totally dark, there is nothing around, no truth on the horizon.

8. I can't help but think how many conversations Eric Prince and his Blackwater boys had in the oval office with Bush that were similar to the Hodges-Jones debate of 2009.

9. "Pick up that document, Madame President" says Jonas Hodges with authority. God knows how many teachers have said that to students. "Pick up that document and read line four.....no Jimmy.....read.....it....out.....loud!

10. That was an epic explosion, I'm impressed, but that's not important, even Janeane was peeping that on the green screen.

11. It's a damn damn shame that the prez didn't smack a terrorist.

12. It wouldn't be 24 if the conspiracy didn't go higher and higher. Next season Jack Bauer is going to the top, the top of the word. Jack Bauer is taking on Zeus. I'd be down for it metaphorically, but I'd be if it a hell of lot cooler if he was fighting Perseus and riding griffins.

13. Personality changes? Does this mean that Jack is going to be a sensitive, peace loving, hippie who hates torture, and gives peace a chance.

14. I like the reveal that Kim has been in D.C the whole time, it works, and adds welcome dramatic weight to the season.

15. Welcome back Kim, glad to see that Elisa, has taken some time from the ice, to come back to the 24.

16. "All the time that we lost," says Kim. Is this a reference to the ticking clock that drives the characters through the narrative. If so, looks like Kim has gone meta on us.

17. I can't handle all this depression on 24. I watch this show for an escape, not to see an American Idol cry on TV.

18. The starwkood badass who pwned the FBI agent shoulda had a silencer. That's bad guy equipment requirement #15, #1 is clearly a fleece vest.

19. The music in this episode is great. Has some nice little jazz piano during the emotional moments with Jack and some great traditional movie sympohoninc music during the final chase.

20. Agent Moss was born to ride in that helicopter, and by the way, what a grizzly headshot on the pilot, poor guy.

21. Terrorists drive FORDS, not the tag line that that FORD needs, but hey they didn't get bailout money, so there marketing has to be working.

22. Tony kills Moss. Tony kills Moss. Tony kills Moss. Holy shit! And of course he doesn't get a silent countdown.

23. Tony is evil, more nuts that cashews, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, chestnuts, combined with all the nuts I can't recall right now because my mind is reeling.

24. One of the best twists ever in 24, straight up, that's all I got.

24 Points About 24: Hour 17

1. Janeane using hipster mac book bro. What you doing besides looking at satellite photos, making TV On The Radio remixes on garage band.

2. The whole WMD "anything here at "awllall alll"" thing reminded me of the whole WMD hoax of the Iraq war, then I realized that I don't like reality in my 24 and quickly re-focused on Jon Voights over acting.
3. Renee Walker, the smart capable FBI agent, until it's all on the line and she needs a man to help her. I'm sure Women's studies professors (how many watch 24, that's a different question) are feeling happy about that.
4. Jack is so damn awesome he makes being quarantined interesting.
5. "Let's move into position", bunch of dudes wearing matching costumes, moving in sync. What is this a musical. Starkwooooooood, we're not gooooood (snap, snap).
6. First time Moss has tasted blood in his life, Bauer on the other hand, he drinks blood, not cause he's a vampire, but just because he's Jack Bauer.
7. Tim shows up again in the President's office. What was he doing before that, considering he's the coolest guy in White House, I'm saying he upstairs playing Poker with Agent Pierce while watching Deliverance.
8. Jack can add lying to the President to his growing resume of "crimes", yeah I know it was health related.
9. This reporter guy talking to Olivia looks a hell of like Cummings from Season 5.
10. Janeane, your little nerd talk is no match for Tony's macho-ness ("I now how it works"), it's times like this where I really miss Chloe.
11.The whole keyguard-countdown, Knoles distracting the guards was vintage 24. A tense situation, a ticking clock, and whole bunch at stake
12. The face that Jack was making was straight up the most afraid I've ever been afriad for Jack in the history of the show. I mean I know he's coming back for Season 8, and I've seen him die (twice) but seriously, that was freaky.
13.The whole Starkwood lab kind of reminds me of the Jurassic Park lab, please, please, let them have velicoraptors eggs around there somewhere. Is that weapon, dinosaurs?
14. I gotta say, I didn't see that Olivia move coming. I figured she'd record the convo, but recording the deed itself, wowsers, what website you uploading that vid too?.
15. YES! Stem cells finally show up on 24. After 6 seasons of the torture debate, we finally get the Stem cell issue.
16. The 24 fan in me does not want to see Kim come back, because she has not had a decent story line since Season 1, but the 22 year old male in me wants to see a babe return to the show. I mean Janeane being on the show kind of cancels out the babe factor of Walker, and Olivia is too evil to be attractive.
17. Tony Almeada, was he a field goal kicker Syracuse University, how else do you explain that kick to the face.
18. Tony has got that a nice sweater, a sweet vest, and a saddle bag. He now has a spin-off show where listens to Arcade Fire on his Ipod, drinks PBR, and competes in the Hipster Olympics in Williamsberg, Brookyln.
19. Jonas Hodges has got to be the most eloquent 24 villian of all time. This dude must have absolutely dominated the debate, public speaking, and speech teams in High School. All the other towns probably hated him "ahhhh, gawd, we're going against J. Hodge, come on."
20.How did Hodges treat Knowles like a son if they are about the same age?
21. Knowles falls and dies, crucified on the planet earth, dying to save us, all of us. Little too intense, hey it's Holy week, relax.
22.White Phosphorous charges, great for BBQing steaks, burgers, and chicken, and shrimp.
23. Once again, Tim, DA coolest guy in the white house, takes a break from crushing beyahs, watching Redskin games, to deliver a message from his super phone.
24. This has gotta be the longest streak without Jack in the field taking names, and frankly it's a testament to the show's writers that they can the hero dying, and the show still is gripping.

24 Points About 24: Hour 16

1. Jack probably has no problem undressing for a gorgeous doctor. What is this, Grey's Anatomy?
2. The reference to the scars is a cute nod to the Season 2 soldering iron torture sequence. If you don't know, in Season 2 Jack was tortured with soldering iron and electricity and then actually "died." Luckily he came alive five minutes later and killed everyone who tortured him with the same devices that killed him.
3. I just want to point out that the terrorists are cruising around D.C. in a flatbed truck with a WMD on the back, and also with a bunch of dudes with guns dressed in black.
4. Great sequence with Tony and Hodges, Carlos Bernard, holds his own against Jon Voight, who's a pretty good actor. If you don't know this you obviously haven't seen "Deliverance"
5. Once again Hodges manages to compare someone to children. In this one case it's Greg, "come on young man."
6. Tim, aka, the coolest dude in the White House, is once again the most knowledgeable bro in the building and the main meng in the House with a cell phone that can call anyone, anywhere. Better than Obama's blackberry? Hell yeah.
7. I'm going to get all Bob Thompson on everybody and say that Agent Moss starts appearing with a bulletproof vest once he turns to Jack's side (a.k.a. the good side). The bulletproof vest symbolizes this trust and his new power.
8. I love Agent Walker, but her acting when she found about Jack was exposed was weak. She looked like she just lost on a date to the prom. "What, you're telling me, Jack's going to the Prom, with....Janeane?"
9. READ THOSE INFORMATION PACKETS!!!! If you can't read listen to my boy Tim, with da magic cell phone, he has a sweet google maps presentation for you. He even has street view.
10. This African American on the White House staff with a deep booming voice and giant ears is a nice nod to Obama, and when I say, nod, I mean violent head nodding.
11. For the first time on 24 just got killed over Redskins tickets. That's Washington for you.
12. "How you doing" asks the Doctor to Jack. "Well I'm doing great and really hoping that this pathogen doesn't kill me, in fact I'm hoping it makes me superhuman so I can go kill all those weakling "Heroes" on NBC."
13. Jack is infected, oh man, one step closer to the rumored zombie season featuring the long awaited dream team of Jack Bauer, Curtis Manning, Ryan Chapelle, George Mason, Edgar Stiles, Michelle Dessler, and wait for it Milo Pressman
14. Greg, we all know you're doing the "right thing," as Tony says, but come on, your're doomed to die before this day is done.
15. That footage recovered from Sangala was some of the most disturbing footage ever on "24"
16. The President's speech against Starkwood continues the theme of comparing the fictional organization to the all to real Blackwater. The part about giving them military contracts, letting them do on missions, it's all real.
17. What is "Webx" and A) Is it related to Spiderman and B) How much is Cisco paying to make sure that we know "Webx" belongs to them.
18. I think the "I earned this" is interesting. It dives deep into Jack's motivations, he feels that he earns combat time." You also get a feeling of the importance of saving people in Jack's life.
19. Great shot at the 48 minute mark of Jack walking alone in the FBI.
20. The Starkwood chemical weapon holding trailer looks a lot like the canister yard that that the canister came from in the first place
21. Why aren't they coming in stealth mode to Starkwood? They're annoucing they're coming in, what is that about. Haven't they played Splinter Cell?
22. All these helicopters flying around has got to cost FOX a pretty penny. Whatever, they practically print money with American Idol, glad they're spending it on Helicopters on 24, instead of more judges on Idol. What a minute, I just revealed I know more about Idol than I should have.
23. Seaton's con on Tony was impressive. He even conned me, see post #11 and post #14.
24. For an episode with no body count, this was one of the best episodes of the season. In the past an episode like this was usually a filler, but with this season they have taken the writing to a whole new level.