Maybe something came up and you couldn't make it. You'd set the timer on the VCR (a ritual I still have a fondness for) or if you were really desperate you'd throw in a six hour tape and hit record, knowing it would capture your show at some point. Then as soon as you'd get home you'd watch that tape, knowing that everyone would be talking about it tomorrow.
None of that happens anymore. Our shows have become devalued. It's all just too easy. I've got six episodes of 24 stacked up on the DVR now. "eh, I'll watch tomorrow" has become my mantra. You fall behind far enough, and suddenly there's no joy in it at all. I don't know about you, but I rarely think "Oh great, I have six episodes of _____ to watch!" I think "Oh. Great. I have six episodes of _____ to watch."
Anyway, that's my brief and poorly thought out little rant about television viewing habits. But I think it's an interesting discussion to have. I apologize for being so far behind on my 24 recaps, but maybe you're behind on your viewing too. It's the nature of the game now.
Besides, it's not like I'm getting paid for this.
The following takes place between 2am and 3am!
• In the recap of the last episode I really notice Cole's New York accent. It sounds so phony. Watching Lost last week I thought the same thing about the Keamy character. Seems like a New York type accent (of which there are like fifty varieties if we really want to get into accentology) is easy to do but I think that's why everyone thinks they can do it and then can't. Or maybe that's just what Freddie Prinze Jr. sounds like.
• Marcos is trying to set the bomb off manually, and has written the instructions on the wall of the panic room. What a dork.
• If I had blood on my face, it would bug me and I would spend the two seconds it would take to wipe it off.
• Huh, looks like my favorite character Owen and I differ in that regard.
• Owen is huffing and puffing like he just ran up the Washington Monument, and drops a heap of info on Jack, basically explaining that Marcos could still blow himself up.
• Speaking of accents (is that a pun?) Owen sounds totally British all of the sudden. I'd look up the actor but I worry it might spoil his fate. Someone do the work for me. Is he British or Australian or something?
• Chloe finds Marcos' Wikipedia entry and reads it aloud to everyone. In conclusion, he's a terrorist.
• Ah, they find out about his American mother. We'll be seeing more of Mare Whittingham yet.
• Also why am I so familiar with Mare Whittingham when I can't think of a single role I've seen her in?
• Chloe suggests that they shut down Manhattan to prevent the terrorists from reaching a high value target. Hastings counters, "No, letting them move the nuclear material is our best bet for catching them." But, shutting down the city is the best bet for them not blowing up the city. I guess this is why I don't work for CTU.
• Hastings notices something and seems displeased.
• Well well well, look who decided to show up.
• "All we have to do is act natural," says Cole. His idea of "natural" is "Robert DeNiro in Taxi Driver."
• Hastings: "You two have Holy Hell to answer for." His idea of Holy Hell: sternly telling them to get back to work. Oh man watch out for this Hastings guy!
• Chloe is in charge of Dana's department now and the 24 Hero Theme Plays as Dana hands over the CTU iPad.
• The terrorists work on their plot. Sounds like they're going to shut down CTU's radiation sensors. These guys are good. Gotta shut down the city.
• Dana and Chloe talk ports and ethernets and servers and stuff. Dana is being smart-assy to Chloe though she has no right to be!
• Chloe gives Dana a little pep talk. This is nuts. After everything Chloe has done for this country they should all be bowing at her feet!
• Arlo, back to hitting creepily on Dana. Before the season is over I hope Cole gives him a knuckle sandwich.
• Owen is walking around and the terrorists are watching!
• I believe this is yet another example of CTU's utter failure to ever secure a perimeter. There are terrorists looking at you through binoculars right now! Argh!
• Bauer talks to Marcos. You blow up New York, President Taylor is going to destroy your nation.
• Marcos spits out the party line.
• Jack looks like the Wizard of Oz here.
• "Marcos, I can help you. All you need to do is open the door." Oh, also when you open the door, don't blow me up.
• Marcos is going to set off the bomb as we go to commercial. Say something about his mother!
• I can't convey this properly on the blog, but there is the weirdest soap opera music playing right now. It's nightmarish.
• Hassan and Mrs. Hassan, reunited. The Republic of Kamistan's version of Aerosmith has a song called "Love that is no more because it was ruined by affairs and delusional paranoia in an El-e-vay-tah!" That song would be so appropriate right now.
• She calls him out on his suspicion and paranoia. He has lost his way and he knows it.
• Cole goes to pick up Mrs. Marcos. Got there awfully quick.
• Cole tells her about Marcos little vestcapade. That's a hard thing for a mother to hear.
• DON'T WORRY! We're not finished with Dana's personal life or the Fake Leo storyline.• A fella claiming to be from the Arkansas Department of Corrections calls trying to track down Fake Leo. Well the good news is he's played by Stephen Root, one of our finest character actors. And he's playing it completely nutso.
• He said he didn't expect to reach anyone at this hour, but then insists that they meet right now. That doesn't make sense. Dana should have told him to buzz off but instead agrees to meet. WTF DANA! Surely even the lowest ranking member of CTU can pull rank on a probation officer.
• Owen, sweatier than ever, still out of breath, but he's American again.
• Marcos cared enough about his mom to make sure she skipped town in time. That's should be all Jack needs to remedy this situation.
• Marcos goes all emo and flips out.
• Mare W. must be a good actor because I feel so bad for her character right now.
• Chloe notices that the hospital security feed has been tapped into. That's why Chloe needs to be in charge.
• Chloe shuts down the security feed. The terrorists are flying blind, but so is CTU.
• Aha, CTU not being able to watch allows Jack to do some Jack Stuff. Promises to personally escort Mare to the blast site to expose her to radiation to ensure a slow and agonizing death. This is scary stuff.
• You got him Jack. You got Marcos hooked. The terrorists still have binocular vision though. I worry Marcos will be sniped.
• They need bomb techs in to disarm the vest.
• Ever see the Hurt Locker? Now that's a good movie.
• Jack tries to disarm the bomb himself but it activates remotely.
• So, the writers of 24 saw the Hurt Locker too, since they decided to copy this scene straight out of it. Pretty blatant there fellas.
• Marcos gives up Taran, and says to tell his mother he's sorry. Jack shoves him into the panic room and he blows up. Kind of sad actually.
• Jack calls Hassan to tell him Taran is the big bad. Hassan shoots his wife a look that says "I told you so!" but it's a hollow victory really.
• Yes! Mrs. Hassan gets through to the daughter. Quit with the small talk, spit it out. Tell her Taran is the bad guy dammit. Daughter doesn't believe it. Teens are so impudent. Uh oh. Taran overheard. At least she gave up the location.
• Taran wants to split, Daughter tries to stall. Taran knows the score. You don't get to be a Presidential Chief of Security by not being able to spot a liar.
• Jack instructs the NYPD to round up Taran. Kind of a weird, abrupt ending here.
• Good episode! It was Renee light and Stephen Root heavy, and that's a-okay in my book.
