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May 02, 2007
'You're Cursed, Jack': '24' Bounces Back
After an amazing first two episodes -- complete with non-stop bus bombings and a nuclear explosion in Southern California -- "24" slid badly this year. Too many favorite characters had been killed off, pious lectures on civil liberties replaced snappy dialogue, and the comic abilities of character Chloe were replaced by boring anxiety. I couldn't believe that Wayne Palmer was president and the whole effort felt mechanical.
But this past Monday, somehow, showed that "24" has some life in it yet. Is Jack Bauer finally meeting his match? Blogs4Bauer has the complete episode rundown, and here are my thoughts.
The double- and triple-crosses suddenly began to get interesting. The scheming vice president, played by Powers Boothe, had the tables turned on him by a staff member/lover, and he promptly threatened to have her (justifiably) declared an enemy combatant. He went from bad guy to almost good guy with moments of bitter realization about his foolish acts.
Acting CTU head Nadia Yassir, showed spine in protecting the comatose Audrey Raines from an evil psychologist.
Best of all, "24" is showing Bauer facing opposition from strong characters who understand him. The unreflective man of action is now unable to argue or kill his way to the results he wants. The episode closed when Audrey's father, former Secretary of Defense James Heller, seeing Jack in his holding cell at CTU. Heller tells Bauer, "You're cursed, Jack. Everything you touch, one way or another, winds up dead."
That line alone, and the circumstances, is enough to redeem the season. Defanged, will Jack confront his demons?
Now if only Chloe could get her sense of penchant for inappropriate comments back.
Van | 05/02/07 at 06:46 AM | Categories: Liberal hawks and friends
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