24: Season 4, Episode 15: Day 4: 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM Review

Day 4: 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Original Airdate: March 28, 2005

Writers: Joel Surnow & Michael Loceff

Director: Bryan Spicer

When I saw this episode, I thought it was one of the weakest installments. I didn’t hate this episode as much on second viewing, but it is still highly flawed. They’re in the slump started a few weeks ago, but it looks like next week will be improved, especially with the announcement that they will replay next week’s episode twice after the initial airing.

It’s unlikely even 24’s lapses in time that they would be able to find the van with Dina’s body within minutes of it happening considering the terrorists had three minutes to abandon it.

Audrey has little to do this week, which isn’t different from her role in the last few hours. Now she can react to Jack’s kidnapping. I hope that Paul gets out of surgery soon so she can have more to do or else maybe she should not appear in an episode as Heller did this week.

Jack’s speech is appropriately corny, but not exaggerated. Luckily they spared us the theatrics and patriotic music during this scene. It also shows the difference between Jack and President Keeler. Keeler doubts the public resolve if another attack happens since he’s contemplating declaring martial law. Marwan believes people will remember seeing Heller captured on American soil, but Jack believes they’ll remember that they stopped 130 of the plants from melting down. Marwan also forgets that Jack almost single handedly rescued Heller before his execution, even if the web cast kidnapping allowed the override to work.

CTU hypothesizes two reasons for why Marwan would want to exchange Jack for Behrooz; because he has a personal connection or Behrooz has valuable information. What they don’t consider is that this trade is a distraction. They are in the middle of a crisis and they devote an hour to this deal. Meanwhile Anderson can, unimpeded, murder and impersonate a mechanic, convince the boss the plane is OK and be cleared for take off, with a half hour wait to fly.

Behrooz was characterized as a decent kid caught in unfortunate circumstances. When Curtis tortured him, we can’t sympathize with CTU because we know he isn’t cold blooded as his parents were. In addition, since Behrooz is a distraction, it doesn’t help us identify with CTU’s brutality this time. Most of 24’s torture scenes can be defended by saying that to show how vital the threat is, the agents have to go far to prevent it. Since this isn’t going to yield helpful information, it’s unnecessary.

One major problem at CTU is the personal politics. Edgar was likable until Chloe returned. Now he has gotten clingy with his tasks if bringing her back was meant to be a personal remark on his work. The terrorists are far more efficient than CTU is. There’s no pettiness. CTU needs to stop worrying about power plays and focus on the threat. Luckily, Jack is far more concerned with getting the job done than how he is paid or whether he remains in the power for the sake of having it.

Bill Buchanan, the new CTU division head, is a wasted character. They could’ve used the opportunity to solve some of the personal problems. Through the years, prior division/district heads have served some purpose, but since most of them are dead (Walsh, Mason and Chappelle), they should’ve done a better job establishing who he is, unless he was meant to be a background character.

This episode fails with the contrived CD story. CTU’s never distributed information between co-workers through discs. They may analyze confiscated hard drives or pursue renegade chips, but it’s more convenient and space efficient to send the data through the company system. The CD exists to keep CTU from the missing family report long enough for Anderson to get airborne. Had they acted on Meg’s tip, they could’ve been ready a half hour before Anderson left. During the episode, Edgar almost takes it out when Tony interrupts him as if this was the disruption before two characters kiss on countless TV shows and movies.

When Tony and Audrey are talking about Jack, he reveals a lot about their personal relationship. Jack is the last friend Tony has following the ordeal last season. They always have been the closest thing to a best friend to each other. Few people can understand and live with the sacrifices and schedule of a government agent. This works alongside Michelle talking to Tony earlier in the episode about saving Jack and Audrey, even though this probably would’ve fit better in “Day 4: 7-8 PM”.

Jack and Behrooz’s swap reminds us of Jane Saunders and Michelle’s from season three, only without as many pyrotechnics. Something was going to stop the sniper from killing Jack since he wasn’t as expendable as the previews indicated. Why is it that no one aside from Jack thought it would be a good idea to be more aggressive in pursuing Marwan other than giving them Behrooz with only two tracers on him that were found quickly? Had Jack not done some electrical work, they would be lost.

I hope that they explore Behrooz’s feelings following learning of his mother’s death. Through this, he could bring down part of Marwan’s operation out of revenge. While Dina was evil and believed in murdering Americans for her cause, she was his mother, and she was willing to put her cause aside if that meant sparing her son.

Unfortunately, we have another episode where little happens. Jack spends most of the episode lying in a van or chained, but he did take a moment to prove he could still kick ass with his hands tied. Anderson’s in the air and by short circuiting some of the phone lines, Jack tipped off CTU to where Marwan is. That is enough indication to believe next week will be the start of something stellar. I hope CTU can compose themselves for it.

Score: 4/10