02.23 | Episode two: 9AM - 10AM
Right, so did anyone else notice Jack Bauer surreptitiously starting his undercover mission by flying into a car park in a helicopter? No, just me, then? Good. Well, I'll let that one slip since he drove a couple of miles in a beat-up Sedan to cover his tracks before hooking up Wald's crew with the severed paedophile head. He should set up a mafia gift shop, or something – 'The Bauer Gift Boutique – When you need to apologise to someone, Say It With A Head'. Nice bowling bag he had the head stashed in, though. Do patriots approve of Louis Vuitton?
Darlene, AKA computer tech wiz Paula, seems a little unsure of herself. Stop being such a wuss, little girl. No idea how she got a job at the country's leading counter terrorist agency – especially since her predecessor was killed in the line of duty by a 'dirty' colleague. Still, she did good, and managed to 'upload files' to a 'server' 'through the firewall' (or something) before Wald's gang got suspicious over Jack’s alter-ego not appearing in the FBI's system.
It took Kim over ten minutes to find a phone booth that was twenty yards down the street. I love the continuity in this show, sometimes. No wonder she lost Megan.
When this is all over, President Palmer should probably send the reporter Ron Wieland a present from Jack's mafia gift shop. Considering his never-before-seen bit part character, and Eric Raeburn’s indifference towards the uninvolved, I don't think Wieland's long for this world. I'd give him until the next episode before Raeburn sends him to sleep with the fishies.
And Jack's car trouble was even worse than Kim's trip to find a telephone. Thing is, it wasn't even the crap Sedan that broke down - he was pretending it was busted. I don't think I would have been convinced by a wannabe terrorist with a posh Louis Vuitton bag and a crap old car. Still, what a tricky trickster, eh? It took him at least ten minutes of staring into the engine before he managed to catch himself a lift by breaking that guy’s ankle. At least he’s not going to have to call a taxi back to CTU, since it turns out that's where they're headed.
All in all, an average outing after last week's cracking opener. This week’s episode ranks on a par with last season's 3:00PM – 4:00PM nonsense of Teri's 'disassociative amnesia'. It can only get better. The best thing is that the myriad of characters are starting to get sorted out – clearly, the main ones to watch out for are Eric Raeburn, George Mason, Paula Shaeffer, Kate Warner and Gary Matheson. No one really gives a shit about Lynne Kresge, Carla Matheson or CTU’s dull Michelle Dessler – because they're just not getting enough action.
I still think Gary and Carla are going to end up at the wedding, if only the bomb doesn't get them first. And if the gang are going to blow up CTU, surely that means that there can't be another mole in the agency this year? I mean, why would the terrorists blow up their own double agent?
