Nip/Tuck: Season 2, Episode 2: Christian Troy Review

Christian Troy
Original Airdate: June 29, 2005
Writer: Sean Jablonski

Director: Jamie Babbit

This episode may be considered filler, but it is at heart a good exercise on trust. The characters this week all have to risk some security for the greater good. It's hard to take that chance with so much on the line. Some take it, others don't. It really doesn't affect much of the second season, but that's OK.

Although Christian has matured since Wilbur's birth, he is still up for fun. In the opening, a model is pleasuring him. He reciprocates. She breaks his nose accidentally when the pillow she was clutching triggered an allergic reaction. For a man as vain as Christian, having his nose broken bruises his ego badly. Now he needs to place his trust in Sean to fix it. This is a tough thing to do considering Sean's problem with the yips.

The next day at work, Sean assures him that his yips have subsided. They proceed to operate on a man's enormous melanoma. Things run smoothly until Sean's hand twitches mid-cut, nicking an artery. Blood spurts all over Sean's mask as the staff work frantically to stop the bleeding. The patient stabilizes, but Christian is left asking Sean what happened.

In their consultation room, Christian shows reluctance getting his nose fixed. Christian demands that his nose be perfect as he saw it before. Because he doesn't want to risk being another incident, Christian secretly goes to another surgeon. There he meets a guy with a third nipple. Thinking about his own business, he gets him to go to McNamara/Troy for his surgery. Christian stays and talks to the doctor, a sexy woman named Dr. Jordan.

One common complaint from the last few episodes of season one and this season's premiere was the lack of addressing what happened to Matt regarding Cara Fitzgerald. Last time we saw it, Henry was ready to tell Cara everything. Now we see sometime later that things have culminated in tragedy. Henry had raped Cara and implicated him in the hit and run.

Sean does a follow up on the man with the melanoma. He is healing fine, but because of Sean's mistake, the patient will needed to stay an extra day. When he asks why, Sean tells him that it was the result of a bad reaction to the anesthesia. An even worse decision was saying this in front of Liz, who deals with enough of Sean and Christian to begin with. While I can understand his need to lie, he certainly should've been more respectful of Liz's position instead of incriminating her.

Nurse Linda informs Sean that Henry's father is calling for him. Later that night he and Julia confront Matt about the accident. Matt is a rather convincing liar, making sure he mentions the rape first instead of the hit and run. They go along with it, but Sean isn't convinced. He realizes that Matt begging him to operate on her wasn't because of honorable intentions. Matt still denies involvement.

Sean does Triple Nipple's check up before surgery. Trip nip slips the fact that Christian referred him at another doctor's office. Sean's obviously not pleased. Moments later Sean confronts him, and they have a stare down. Sean relents and lets Christian do the surgery. Christian dismisses him. Sean leaves quietly furious.

Meanwhile, Julia visits her mother, recovering from her surgery. She tells her about the problem with Henry. Erica offers her professional opinion: Henry did what he did because he snapped under the pressure that his parents put him under. This summary also applies to Sean, who is constantly aware that his talent keeps his business alive. They are placed in situations where failure isn't an option, and that stress causes people to lose control. Simultaneously, Sean is leaving work after Christian ejected him from the OR. In the parking garage, another car is blocking Sean's. Sean snaps, ramming his car into the other one several times to allow him to leave.

At Dr. Jordan's, Christian undergoes another preliminary check up of his nose. He segues this into hitting on her, asking for a full body mole check. Unfortunately for him, she isn't interested in him sexually. She goes through the check like a professional, but then points out his physical shortcomings. He leaves, making his own criticisms on his way. The trust he thought he could place in Dr. Jordan (no pun intended) wasn't there. All he has left is to get some satisfaction from Gina, but that doesn't work when she doesn't play into his fantasy that he's with Dr. Jordan.

Sean returns home, telling Julia that he needs to talk to his insurance adjuster about his run in with the car. He has a fit, then finally confesses to Julia that he has yips. Julia says he would stay with him even if he wasn't a surgeon, but Sean doesn't trust that enough. He is in the situation Erica described earlier. Doctor's require perfection, but his field requires it more. He doesn't want to fail and that has gone to the extreme.

Matt visits Henry at the jail. Already it has taken a toll on his friend. Henry tries hysterically to convince Matt why it happened. He attacked Cara because he rejected her. His chance for absolution was lost according to him. What he doesn't see or may be reluctant to admit is that this was never the chance for absolution. Their whole relationship was based on a lie. Even if they did get together, would that make things right? The only way to make things right would be confessing and trying to redeem yourself from there. Instead, Henry has become a tragic figure of sorts. We know he won't survive in prison.

Gina's rejection leaves Christian alone, so he tries to fix his nose himself. Although we don't see what happens after he hits the chisel into his nose, the implied gore is enough. He can't do it alone, so he calls Sean for help. The next day he's being prepped for surgery, but Sean is still reluctant to work on his friend's face. Christian realizes this and has Liz stop the anesthesia. He convinces Sean to work on his face under the condition that he be kept awake and help. Of course, this is really over the top, but on Nip/Tuck, this is another interesting way to resolve a plot line.

Henry's father asks Matt to give a statement regarding the hit and run. Sean coaches him beforehand, advising that he be honest and he'll support him regardless. When the taped statement starts, the lawyer of Henry's father asks him about Cara. For a few seconds, Matt sits in silence, then says no. The coldest thing Matt did before this was breaking Vanessa's heart so callously. This incident is worse than anything he has done yet. He has betrayed his friend and left him in a place where he will certainly die for the acts he committed.

While most of this episode may not add up to much in the series' big picture, it's still a good self-contained episode, possibly done so the writers could buy a little more time forming the second season. Julian McMahon carries the episode well as this week's patient, and the rest of the cast continues their excellence.

Score: 7/10

24: Season 1, Episode 3: 2:00 AM - 3:00 AM Review

2:00 AM - 3:00 AM
Original Airdate: November 20, 2001
Writer: Joel Surnow & Michael Loceff
Director: Stephen Hopkins

Although this is a filler episode, it is still good. Unfortunately, not enough is done to capitalize on the momentum from last week. Some things are taken care of, but reset to buy them some time before the culmination. However, it's good that we learned a little more about this conspiracy and Palmer's family secret.

So, Jack's impromptu amputation wasn't just ruthless brutality after all. Jack scans the thumb he cut off last episode to get the thumbprint. This thumbprint is quickly sent over to CTU to identify. Elsewhere, Teri calls Jack to tell him that Kim called. She's worried about the "I love you", but Jack believes she's trying to avoid a major punishment. Alan wants to drive around looking for them, but Jack would prefer that they stay at the store in case they do come back. Teri's afraid that Jack is going to start a fight with Alan, but instead remains calm.

At the compound, Gaines yells at Mandy for getting an amateur involved in the operation. There is no more money to spare and Brigit wants another million dollars. Brigit tries to speak for herself, but Mandy slaps her. Mandy tells Gaines that she'll teach her about the work they do. Later, Brigit uses their relationship to get her to side with her instead of Gaines. They passionately kiss, which ensures Mandy's status with the male audience for the rest of the series, regardless of how much of it she actually is in.

After a few episodes of hints, it is time we got to see some real character development from the Palmer storyline. It starts at the hotel with security attempting to locate him. Desperate to help, Keith takes his keys to look personally. However, Sherry manages to stop him from going. Although this could be easily forgotten, in retrospect this showed the viewer a glimpse of how Sherry can exert her will over people.

Because of the ID problem, Gaines calls Dan to tell him he's running late. We now know that Kim's kidnapping is connected to the Palmer hit, but not much else. Kim tries to console a seriously injured Janet while convincing Dan and Rick to help ease her friend's pain. This is where we finally learn how much of a doormat Rick is, going along with Dan's decision not to take her to a hospital. He does assert himself in a weird way. He gives Janet heroin to calm her down.

Palmer is in a seedier side of LA. The audience knows this from the abundance of graffiti and the flickering neon signs. As he parks his SUV, he sees two kids smashing other cars' windows and headlights for fun. When they approach him, he doesn't submit to their threats and stops one of them from hitting him with a baseball bat. They back away, but still smash Palmer's back window. He remains calm and commanding. Such characterization would've been welcome had it come earlier, especially in the pilot. However, this episode is where Palmer's story really starts.

Jack returns to CTU, but stays low to avoid getting Nina's attention. He calls her and sends her on a menial task that takes her away from her desk and allows him to find Jamey. He gives her the card. Jamey is worried when she finds out that Walsh died because of this card. Jack trusts her to find out if Nina burnt the card on her station. If she did, it would signify her guilt.

After talking to Jamey, Jack gets a call from the person assigned to find the fingerprint. Unfortunately, there is no record of the gunman on file. This revelation further deepens how sinister the conspiracy to kill Palmer really is. Those behind it have taken such care in their operation to have literal "nobodies" do the dirty work. One minor nit pick; the analyst says that Jack sent the fingerprint an hour before, when we know it wasn't even thirty minutes prior. Perhaps this revelation was meant to be the major twist revealed at the end, but considering many of the threads in this hour aren't resolved or are reset to what they were, such a twist wouldn't be good for a lasting impression.

Kim knows that she has to escape from these guys. She gets Janet to go with her since Rick and Dan are smoking weed away from the van. Though she had mixed feelings about her parents following their separation, she has learned a little from Jack. They run for it, using a plane's take off to help buy more time. Their run ends in a seedy alley in North Hollywood, where they stumble on a guy being serviced.

It turns out a male prostitute was servicing him. The customer storms back to his car. The gaunt prostitute, a young man, yells at Kim and Janet for costing him money. Although he's mad, he doesn't give up Kim and Janet. He may seem like a hooker with a heart of gold, but he actually misleads Rick and Dan so he can take some of their things to make up for his lost business. Rogow, the prostitute, is an anomaly of a character. While he's made at Kim and Janet, he still protects them from the boys and later helps them when a pimp tries to hurt them.

In the seedy parking lot, Palmer meets with Carl, his seedy aide. Palmer tells him the situation. A few years ago Palmer's daughter Nicole had been raped. The rapist was believed to have killed himself, but Kingsley claims to have evidence incriminating Palmer's son in the death. Palmer wants this quieted because he believes it's a lie, but doesn't want to resort to dirty politics. Before they can have a long talk, secret service arrive, and Carl ducks out, indicative of his character's questionable reputation.

Jamey confirms that the keycard was burnt on Nina's computer. As Nina gets some coffee, Jack confronts her about it. Although it took a long time for Jack to do this, it results in the now classic line "Who are you working for?" Later he gets Jamey to verify the ID card. Unfortunately, the card was made when Nina and Jack were on vacation. Nina storms out, furious over the accusation. After Walsh, Nina was Jack's most trusted ally at CTU. In retrospect, the two worst candidates at CTU know that Jack knows there's a leak.

Walsh's memorandum is sent out and Tony wants to know how and why it happened. Suddenly a senior member of CTU is dead on a night where Tony has been constantly suspicious of the motives and actions of his co-workers. After reviewing the file, he secretly calls a CTU superior requesting that Jack be replaced. This lone action provides plenty of potential for the rest of the day and how Jack's role in CTU changes because of this day's events. It can't be easily reset.

Gaines confirms the transfer of the extra million dollars, so Brigit agrees to give him the ID. The only condition is that only Gaines, Mandy and herself go find it. Of course, the big mistake she made was not considering the well-trained sniper working for Gaines, who picks her off easily. It rendered her precaution useless. Mandy, in the crosshairs, is asked again if she wants to work on Gaines' summer project. With a tear in her eye, she accepts. Then she disappears, to return unexpectedly later. It would be nice to know why she suddenly left, because having her lover gunned down so ruthlessly after killing an entire plane full of people could've been interesting to see play out. However, it would've been appropriate to include it after 9/11.

With the pimp's phone, Kim calls her mother again to confirm that she was forced to lie to her about her location and that she's in real danger. Teri calls 911, but Kim doesn't, an early example that many of Kim's critics latch onto for instances of her stupidity. Kim and Janet make it only a little bit further before a car hits Janet, the punching bag of the early morning episodes. The boys take a shaken Kim back, leaving Janet in the street. Unfortunately for them, she's still alive.

It's hard to believe now that they had a Kim subplot that was actually dramatic and suspenseful. Having it connected to the main threat helps. However, the rest of the episode feels like filler. All Teri and Alan do this episode is sit in the store waiting for a call. By the end, it feels like whatever complications that began the episode were negated by the end. Some of the character developments do help improve the episode, and the revelation of what's bothering Palmer is necessary.

Score: 7/10

24: Season 1, Episode 2: 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM Review

1:00 AM - 2:00 AM
Original Airdate: November 13, 2001

Writers: Joel Surnow & Michael Loceff
Director: Stephen Hopkins

Following an impressive, ambitious pilot is demanding. However, 24 pulls off an episode that is better than its predecessor. We start to see deeper into the conspiracy and just how dangerous it is having no one to trust. Also they throw in one of the biggest twists that proves that this show won't follow conventional rules.

Mandy touches ground in the desert. There she waits for her escort to get her money. Only this isn't a simple delivery. Before her escort arrives, she places the ID in a homing device and buries it. As soon as she has left, a mysterious person on a motorcycle rides to where Mandy was and finds the ID using a tracking device.

CTU scrambles for information regarding the plane when Tony approaches Jack regarding what had happened to Mason in the last hour. Jack doesn't say anything, but Nina comes to his defense with a quickly concocted lie. Surprised, Jack compliments her on it. Although Jack is new to Nina's deceptive ways, Tony knows a bit more. Although Tony doesn't question the initial decision, he confronts Nina privately about her talent at lying. He wants to know the truth, but Nina doesn't say. This bit helps foreshadow the reveal at the end of this episode.

The episode really starts when Walsh arrives at a mysterious dark office building. He's there to meet an analyst who has vital information. The analyst, Scott Baylor, provides Walsh with a keycard. As he explains, access codes don't take much space on the magnetic strip. The terrorists used this extra space to store information regarding Palmer. This venue is the perfect way to get information out without raising suspicion because they're used so frequently.

Walsh asks that Baylor stay on duty throughout the day, but Baylor wants to get away. The people behind this hit are so scary that Baylor sent his family into hiding when he found the keycard. He reluctantly agrees to help him for the rest of the day, but that deal ends when an unknown gunman shoots him dead. Walsh is wounded, but manages to escape. He informs Jack of what is going on and that he's the only person who can help him because of this leak. Suddenly, Walsh hangs up, and Jack frantically rushes to Walsh's location.

Teri and Alan arrive at the furniture store to find Janet's car and remnants of the party, including a condom wrapper. Of course neither is pleased. Jack calls to get an update, but when he tells Teri he can't be there, she gets cranky. He tries to ease her worries by saying that Kim isn't missing and she knows her limits regarding partying. Ironically, Jack's reasonable idea is the incorrect one.

In the Van of Doom, Kim grows worried and begs Rick and Dan to let them go. Kim's coherent, but Janet is extremely inebriated. Dan drugged her and tells Rick he should've done the same to Kim. Janet starts to choke, but Dan doesn't want to do anything about it. Dan is the misogynist of the two, shoving Kim in the backseat and putting down Rick for trying to give Janet some air. During this, some aggressive music plays in the background, which helps make Dan's indifference even more troubling.

Looking back on the first couple episodes, I wonder what Mandy's story on the show would've been had 9/11 happened. In publicity material for 24, she was featured in pictures with the lead cast, but she would only appear in three episodes this season. Obviously, she was swept aside because they couldn't have a character who blew up a plane more than necessary. But they decided to finish her initial storyline. When she arrives at the compound, Ira Gaines gives her a briefcase filled with money and offers her another job. She doesn't want a part of it, preferring to lay low for a while. Perhaps had she been kept around, we would've learned more about why. It seems like she may have felt guilty about her actions. If that's so, then they probably made a good decision to remove it.

Jack asks Nina for the clearance code for the office building Walsh is in. Since the line isn't secure, Tony is able to hear the whole thing. This action doubles as both a follow up on his suspicions about Nina's lie and a possible way to draw suspicion on him regarding the mole's identity. At this point on the show, we don't know a whole lot about Tony's character aside from not liking Jack and not trusting Nina when they're working together. His suspicions make him the most obvious choice, which obviously means that it isn't him.

On the rooftop, actually the top floor of a parking garage, Jack finds Walsh. They go together to Jack's car. This is a great idea for suspense. They're in a dark, mysterious building with an unknown number of men sent to kill them. As they finish descending the stairwell, Jack makes a tourniquet for Walsh's arm. Walsh blames himself for setting up the meeting wrong and apologizes to Jack for getting him involved. Jack insists that he has no reason to apologize, adding that he owes Walsh his life. Why isn't clear. It feels pointless to throw something like this in when Walsh is killed off at the end. However, his early demise meant that the writers needed to establish Walsh and Jack's relationship quickly. Maybe they thought such a major connection would make Walsh's death resonate more.

They navigate to an office area where they spot one of the gunmen. Working together, they find some desks they can hide in and from there they kill other men. Here's where it gets a little shocking. Jack goes to one of the bodies, checks to see if he's still alive, then brutally lops off the gunman's thumb. At first you may wonder why he would do this, but in the next episode, it's clear why, aside from the hell of it.

Mandy tells Gaines that the ID will be delivered shortly. The biker, a woman named Brigit, arrives at Gaines' compound, but doesn't have the ID. Instead, she hands him a Polaroid. He threatens to kill her, but relents since she is the only person who knows where the ID is located. Unbeknownst to Mandy, Brigit has decided to hold out on the ID for more money. Brigit must've been new to the life of a mercenary and clueless as to when you should negotiate for more money.

At Palmer's hotel room, the Senator plays down the call he received last hour and jokes around with his wife one more time before things become serious. His kids come home from a political rally excited. However, his aide Carl calls him regarding Maureen's call. Palmer leaves to meet him in person, avoiding the secret service agents (first appearance of Agent Pierce) who have been called up to increase security. It's surprising they didn't do this earlier considering when they found out about this threat. But the writers had to get Palmer out somehow.

Teri can't find Jack, so with Nina's reluctant help, she finds the number of the owner of the store. While they clean up the kids' mess, Teri reveals to Alan that she was separated and has been trying to revive her marriage. The frustration Teri has towards Jack is now opening herself up to Alan and their position together certainly leads to some dramatic tension for those who don't know how the rest of the season will play out.

Walsh and Jack manage to get out of the building, but as they climb over the railing, Walsh is shot. Jack tries, but can't get the shooter. In his last action, he gives the keycard to Jack, instructing him to give it to Jamey. As he throws it to Jack, the gunman fires at him again. Jack manages to escape, but is reeling from the murder of his friend. It's shocking that after only two episodes they would kill off someone we expected to be a major player. Michael O'Neill is a recognizable character actor, so we assume he'll be around. Such a bold move was to make this early. Now we know to make no assumptions and that no one is safe.

In an ominous empty parking lot, Dan pulls over and throws out Kim. He tells her to call her mom to make her believe she's OK. Kim defiantly remains quiet. Rick keeps Dan from seriously hurting Kim, saying that Gaines doesn't want her hurt. While Rick may be Dan's friend only because it makes Dan feel better about himself, Rick helps keep the worst of his sadistic side down. Still, Dan whips out a crowbar and breaks Janet's arm to get Kim to call. Trying unsuccessfully to quell her hysteria, she tells her mom that she's at a party and Dan quickly cuts off the conversation. Since Kim said "I love you", a phrase she never uses, Teri's worry appears to be justified.

Still upset, Jack calls Jamey about the keycard. She gets him to send the data via his remote magnetic scanner. From this information, she'll be able to find whose computer was used to burn the information on the card. Surprisingly, it is Nina. It makes Tony's suspicions about her ability to lie much more grounded.

Meanwhile, a naked Mandy meets Jonathan. This scene cements her status as a cult icon among 24 fans. Anyway, Jonathan is a sniper who has had his face altered to resemble Martin Belkin. Assuming the photographer's identity, he will kill Palmer later that day. He spends some time practicing on eggs, a rather explosive way to end the episode.

The story capitalized on the pilot's question. We learned just how bad the mole situation is. Walsh's death is certainly unexpected. This twist eventually led to far too many "Walsh isn't dead and is actually the mole" speculation, but it's a small price to pay for a suspenseful episode. It is one of season one's highlights.

Score: 9/10

24: Season 1, Episode 1: 12:00 AM - 1:00 AM Review

12:00 AM - 1:00 AM

Original Airdate: November 6, 2001
Writers: Robert Cochran & Joel Surnow
Director: Stephen Hopkins

When 24 first went into production, they certainly didn't expect to be more than an exciting action show. However, after 9/11, some questioned the show's content. Would America watch a show that had terrorism play such an integral role in the storylines? Is a show like 24 appropriate? 24 wasn't the only show facing this problem. Alias and The Agency also premiered that fall. The Agency was canceled after this season and Alias preferred a more fantasy based espionage saga. As this first season is concerned, 24 managed to tell their story while avoiding real life parallels. The center of this season is the story of two men who must balance work and family crises. Everyone can relate to that.

One nice touch this show did was that they didn't start the real time thriller in the time zone the action would occur in. A shot of The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur opens the show. This was one of the things changed in the pilot episode after 9/11. I've read that it was originally supposed to start in Italy. It wasn't likely changed because of offending people, but rather to do a tribute. These two towers would obviously remind the audience of the World Trade Center.

The first minutes of a pilot are extremely important to establish who the major characters are and what problems they will be facing. On 24, they decide to introduce the threat first. In Kuala Lumpur, Victor Rovner discovers that terrorists plan to assassinate Senator David Palmer. Rovner is an intelligence agent. He rushes into an empty building, where he has his equipment. Frantically, he calls up the Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU). Rovner transmits the data he found to a data miner in LA. The agent in LA relays this information to Richard Walsh. The characters we see in this scene aren't as important as the information they give the audience.

We meet the target, David Palmer, preparing a speech on the balcony of his hotel room. This room is shown from the perspective of Sherry, David's wife, delivering some coffee for the staff. The tracking shot ends as Palmer critiques the wording of his speech. He's the first black man with a real shot of winning the presidency, but is reluctant to overplay the occasion. Palmer's characterization isn't really started for a few hours, but this helps show that he isn't an arrogant man. As for Sherry's characterization, well, this characterization doesn't mean much in retrospective aside from comparisons to how it changes later.

Our hero, Jack Bauer, plays chess with his daughter Kim. He's just moved back with her and her mother, Jack's wife Teri. Kim has some attitude, referring to Teri with an emphatically nasty "she". He doesn't like this behavior. Jack tells her to respect her mother and sends her to bed. Teri is working on a computer in the kitchen, where Jack eats a rare snack. Kim's rudeness doesn't please Teri, so Jack suggests they both talk to her. Jack playfully hugs Teri on the way to Kim's bedroom. This is where Jack's peace ends. Hope you enjoyed it Jack. Now begins the longest day of your life. Kim has sneaked out of the house.

Nina Myers, Jack's co-worker, interrupts Jack and Teri's discovery. CTU needs him in because Walsh is in LA, which means it is big. It upsets Teri, but Jack tries to assure her that it'll be a quick hour-long meeting. Of course, he doesn't know that this show is called 24 and it's the first episode. Nina hangs up and speaks with Jamey Farrell, who looks fresh off a night of clubbing. Jamey doesn't seem to be as interested in her job as Nina is, as Jamey makes a crack that Nina doesn't have a social life. Nina walks over to Tony Almeida, who can't find any information about why they've been called.

Kim left to meet with her friend Janet. They're meeting with two college guys at a furniture store where one of them works. Janet's dating Dan, the scruffier of the two. Dan's the more aggressive one, whereas Rick soaks in what is happening. Being a supportive friend, Janet makes out with Dan immediately while an awkward Kim introduces herself to Rick, the other guy. He's sitting in the van outside the entrance and there is a bond. They go in and start to party, drinking and dancing on a table.

Jack arrives at CTU, trying to calm Teri on the phone. She suggests that they send Kim to counseling. Unfortunately, he has to cut his call short when he heads into the office. Immediately Jack gets into action, telling his staff to start looking into Palmer and those close to him. Tony calls him on his hunch, but Jack defends it saying that he's the most likely target because of his race and the fact that he is in town.

Walsh arrives and informs CTU that Jack was correct. Before the end of the day, someone will try to kill David Palmer. They don't know who yet, but they're guessing it's an American hate group backing European freelancers. Walsh dismisses everyone except for Jack. Then he drops a bombshell: someone in the agency may be working with the terrorists and Walsh trusts Jack to find the leak. Jack's reluctant only because he himself busted agents for taking bribes. However, Jack will be interacting with multiple agencies and Jack is the only one Walsh trusts. Having a mole adds a lot to the intrigue. Unfortunately, after the first season, they sometimes relied on moles to cover up plot holes, but this season they did it well.

While this happens, a mysterious German man wonders when the plane he's on will land in LA. He calls Palmer's assistant, Patty, who asks if he'll be on schedule. The man, Martin Belkin, is going to be one of the photographers at the breakfast later that day. Mandy, the alluring woman sitting next to him, asks him about Palmer and they flirt. Of course we're lead to believe that the photographer is the assassin, but Mandy's inquisitiveness makes the subsequent twist not mere shock value.

Jack meets George Mason, who updates him about the threat against Palmer. Mason provides information, but when Jack asks for the source, he refuses. He agrees to call Chappelle to cover Jack's end. Jack heads downstairs to a file cabinet, asking Nina to connect him to Mason's call. To confirm Jack's suspicions, Mason's calling an automated voice service. Nina asks what Jack is doing, when he takes one of the tranquilizer guns back to his office.

In this pilot, it's important to show how Jack isn't willing to compromise to accomplish his goals. It's what Jack does the rest of the series. Major lesson learned: don't play Jack for a fool. When Mason tries to pass his lie, Jack shoots him with a tranquilizer dart. Nina's horrified. Jack tells her that he believes that Mason may have taken some money from a drug dealer they busted. He wants to find out so he can blackmail Mason.

Teri is further frustrated when she discovers marijuana in Kim's room. Jack tries to help her, but he can't leave work. She does get help when Janet's father Alan calls looking for his daughter. She agrees to go out with Alan to look for them. Meanwhile, Kim and Rick enjoy some time on the roof of the store. She tells him that her father is dead. Though she said she was glad that he moved back in, she is still harboring feelings from Jack and Teri's temporary split. This rebelliousness certainly was spawned from her parents' problems.

Having Alan on the show intensifies Jack and Teri's problems. Although Jack and Teri decided to give their marriage another shot, it is still shaky. Now Jack is preoccupied with work while their daughter is missing. Unlike Jack, Alan is available to help search for Kim and Janet. Perhaps Teri would've been happier had she settled with someone with a less demanding job. Someone who works or has worked in his profession can only understand Jack's work. That person happens to be Nina. At CTU, we learn that Jack and Nina were together before. Jack and Nina's relationship is one of the biggest parts of the first season and this first episode does a good job planting that to expand later. Now both of the Bauers are with other people in situations of dire urgency.

Back at Palmer's hotel, he takes a break from his preparation to cuddle with his wife. Patty interrupts. Maureen Kingsley, a journalist, is on the phone and wants to speak with David. He takes the call. We don't hear her side of the conversation, but Palmer is outraged at what she says, cutting the conversation short. When Sherry asks what the call was about, he doesn't say, but he rather heads to the balcony for a quiet moment. This little bit of mystery works because it lures in curious people. What would make a calm, lighthearted Palmer turn hostile and quiet so quickly?

Jack asks Nina to have Tony look through the bank accounts. Tony is apprehensive about searching the bank accounts and grills her about if she's still sleeping with Jack. She doesn't say "yes", but she doesn't say "no" either. We learn more about Tony and Jack's relationship, which has been strained since Jack's arrival to CTU in the first act. This hostility stems from his suspicions that Jack is still sleeping with Nina, Tony's girlfriend, and that he busted his own people, as if that makes Jack honorable.

Elsewhere, Jack gets Jamey to hack into Kim's e-mail to find her password. He calls Teri to tell her Kim's password is LIFESUCKS. She accesses Kim's e-mail and finds out about her plans to go to the furniture store with Janet. With Alan, they head out to the store to find them. At the furniture store, Kim and Janet prepare to leave with the boys, but Kim wants to head home. The guys don't want to, and Janet is under chemical influences. They offer to drop her off, and she accepts. However, they don't, and Kim realizes that this is more than a mere wild night out.

As Mason is about to be awoken, Nina addresses Jack about her concern for his behavior. She's been kept out of the loop regarding Mason's meeting and feels that Jack is asking too much for her. We learn a valuable piece of Jack's psychology and what season one and the series would be about through this conversation. Jack doesn't want to compromise, because that will eventually cause him harm. The men Jack busted weren't bad men, but men who looked away just once and it cost them dearly.

Jack wakes Mason and asks for the source again. When Mason doesn't say, Jack mentions the $200,000 he believes Mason has. Mason thinks he's bluffing, but stops him from sending Chappelle the information with the source. It's important this early to show that the authority of CTU, unlike Walsh, resent Jack for brazen stunts like this.

Mandy and Martin have sex in the plane bathroom. She feigns interest in seeing him after they land, but he thinks that this is more of a one time thing. It is, as Mandy sneaks in the back to blow up the plane. This is one of the biggest twists early in the episode and it helped solidify Mandy's cult status. It doesn't feel like a cheat twist because the flirting we saw earlier was what Mandy needed to do to get this guy's trust and place her in a position where she could steal his identity.

The most controversial piece of the episode wouldn't have been had the show aired two months earlier. It was the shot of the 747 exploding. It would've been extremely inappropriate to have a plane exploding on a prime time show at that time. Instead, they cut away to Mandy skydiving while the only visible parts of the explosion are a few small pieces of aircraft and the glow. For the story's sake, they handled it the best way they could since they couldn't override a pivotal piece of this episode and the first arc this far into production.

So it begins, the first episode of still the best season of the show. It managed to avoid the pratfalls of the times, which eventually would be what 24 would draw upon for inspiration. Since it was too soon, they decided to focus more on a personal threat and the dilemma that many can relate to. There's an aura of mystery and promise for what's the come. The show's real time format has been done before, but never to this extent. The show's overall delivery, with innovative use of split screens, stylishly reinforces its concept.

Score: 8/10

24: Season 4, Episode 13: Day 4: 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Review

Day 4: 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Original Airdate: March 14, 2005
Writer: Anne Cofell
Director: Rodney Charters

This is my final season four review. Now it'll be back to season one to review the episodes I've missed, hopefully to catch up by January. As for this last review, this episode isn't much. Thanks in part to an inexperience writer, some things don't work as well as they should and some of the storylines (not necessarily the writer's fault) come off as confusing or contradicting. Characterization is tried and it works in various cases, but the story is flat, resulting in a distracting subplot while Marwan further advances his plan.

Since the EMP fried all but the most basic electronics, CTU is unable to find Jack and Paul. Meanwhile, Conlon and some guards try to beat the information out of Paul. He defiantly remains silent. The guards prop him against a file cabinet and slam one of the drawers on his fingers. Jack kills them after the second slam. One guard is left, using Paul as a hostage. Paul turns his head slightly so Jack can shoot the last guard in the head. He has gotten bolder since he's been working with Jack.

Jack takes the badly beaten Paul to the office where he hid the evidence. Paul insists that he can't go further, but Jack refuses to listen, commending him for his resistance to torture. He certainly isn't just saying that to be nice. Especially for a civilian, Paul did a fantastic job keeping quiet. Though Jack has served to protect innocent people, he has the added pressure to protect the estranged husband of his current girlfriend.

Tony meets with Michelle to give her the clearance codes he received in the last episode. She thanks him by assigning him busy work. When he tells her that it isn't the most useful way to spend his time, she snaps at him, bringing up his alcoholism. If Tony doesn't like her choices, he can resign, which is funny since he doesn't actually work there. Tony relents, and Michelle gives him a mid-level security clearance, further showing that she wants to put him in his place. Audrey tells Michelle that her father doesn't want personal problems interfering with work. He probably should fire most of CTU if that's the case.

Marwan heads to the restaurant we saw him in earlier. He calls Mitch Anderson to check if he is on schedule. Anderson is, and we see that his part of the plan involves an Air Force uniform. If they could've done this in the last episode, it wouldn't have been like Marwan was doing nothing. Perhaps Marwan should've been playing Halo 2 or Grand Theft Auto while occasionally checking up on his cronies. What made the previous villains, the Araz family, noteworthy was the constant conflict of their personal philosophies. All we get from Marwan are updates, which make his plot filler.

CTU spots a helicopter flying right for McLennan-Forester. It's ignoring police and CTU identity requests. Tony says that they are trained mercenaries sent to kill Jack and Paul and recover the evidence. Now, this is too hard to believe. Coming forward about Marwan's involvement in the company (which they could easily plead ignorance to) is bad. However, destroying all the electronics in an eight-mile radius, creating utter bedlam, crippling a sizable part of the city's economy and murdering a federal agent is better? I guess they would've eaten a baby on live TV, but the EMP knocked out the local stations.

Jack and Paul make it to a nearby city street, where people are rioting. They need sanctuary. A sporting goods store can supply that, and the weapons necessary to fight the mercenaries. When they approach the store, the one owner blows a hole through the front door. Jack feigns withdrawal, but quickly runs back and surprises the owners, getting their guns. They are two Arab brothers. Jack explains his situation. He is going to engage the McLennan-Forester team so that they use their radios. The radios, in addition to the firefight, will alert CTU to their position. He can't make the brothers stay because it's going to be very dangerous and security can't be guaranteed.

They want to because they have been targeted for being Arab, and they see this as an opportunity to show they are against that. 24 has received a lot of harsh criticism for its portrayal of Middle Eastern people this season. The "Look, We're Not Racists" Brothers are here to appease those who have complained. Everyone else just thought it was pandering. Being discriminated against certainly wouldn't be out of character, but their little speeches were cheesy enough to warrant patriotic music in the background. I wonder why they never decided to integrate an intelligence agent who was Middle Eastern, like Yusuf Auda in the second season. Also, since many of the primary Middle Eastern characters are dead, it's too late. Those who complained wouldn't be tuning in this late in the season if it offended them.

Audrey talks to Heller about Jack and what she witnessed two and a half hours earlier. She still hasn't fully processed it. Never before had she seen this dark side. While Heller accents that the dark qualities are important for people in this line of work, Audrey questions whether she can still be in love with Jack after seeing this. This becomes an important part of her storyline for the rest of the season.

A few hours after being tortured, Sarah goes to Michelle to see if her deal will be upheld. Michelle isn't up for discussing it now. Sarah threatens to speak to Heller directly about it. Michelle calls security to escort Sarah out of CTU, ending the most pointless lead character storyline ever. Why was Sarah promoted to a regular when her storyline amounted to nothing more than a plot device? It could've been interesting to see them pursue the ramifications of torturing an innocent person, but they seem not to care, which is a little troubling. As she is taken out, she yells, "You'll be sorry for this". A threat like that can't be good to say when being taken out of a government building.

Following Sarah's dismissal, Curtis and Edgar complain that they are overworked. They ask that she allow Tony to help them. She agrees. They're busy looking for Jack and Paul and they have no leads. Michelle wants CTU tactical teams to stand around the blast perimeter, but Tony believes that they should be positioned by the McLennan-Forester building. Aside from our omniscient perspective, it makes sense. They wouldn't have gone far from the building anyway. Tony knows what Jack is about to do. At the sporting goods store, Jack ends the radio silence as Tony predicted by firing and deliberately missing a mercenary.

When the meeting adjourns, Audrey talks to Michelle. She informs her that Tony saved her and Jack's lives, of which Michelle was unaware and Tony still has feelings for her. When she speaks to him about respecting his opinion, he tries to be tough about it so she won't know how much it still hurts. As the season progresses, Michelle and Tony's fractured relationship and Jack and Audrey's fracturing relation play parallel.

As the men prepare outside the store, the "Look, we're not racists" brothers tell Jack a sappy story about their dad wanting to make a good name for himself and if he was still alive he would be with them, not that that does much good for them now. Jack returns to his position alongside Paul, who thanks him for saving his life earlier. He has come a long way since we first saw this stuffy Englishman. He's now become a more interesting character since he started working with Jack. They both have brought out the best in each other, Paul's courage and Jack's humanity towards those he protects.

Audrey's conversation about Jack's desk job further complicates her feelings. Tony can't believe that Jack gave up field work for a more stable, less stressful job. She knows the new Jack well, and feels that he doesn't want to return permanently. Tony disagrees. Jack was born to do this job. He knows how to think like a terrorist better than anyone else can. This knowledge is invaluable to survive through various scenarios. Though he wants to connect, he is still needed in a job that requires detachment. The only other person on this show who may understand Jack is certainly Tony.

Edgar picks up radio frequency from the mercenaries pursuing Jack. Tony was right about Jack. Michelle tries to hide her embarrassment about her wrong decision; Tony tries to hide his urge to say, "I told you so". Because of this mistake, it will be a few minutes before Castle arrives McLennan-Forester and Jack's crew engage in a major firefight. Jack's crew heads to the back of the store, with flashlights to destroy the soldier's night vision capabilities. The infrared the gunfire gives off suddenly stops, and everyone at CTU worries. Luckily, everyone is still alive, but just sneaking around them, blinding the mercenaries and in one extremely memorable moment, stabbing one in the brainstem.

The cavalry arrive and gun down Conlon. The "Look, We're Not Racists" Brothers prepare to have CTU help them clean up the store. Unfortunately, they don't see that Conlon is still alive. Jack hands Castle the evidence. Conlon raises his gun and fires. This is a cliché in far too many horror/action movies where a character is beyond what should kill a normal person, but somehow has enough energy to have one last attempt to get the good guy. It didn't feel like 24. Perhaps first time scriptwriter Cofell thought that this would've passed as a satisfying twist on the show.

Paul sees this and pushes Jack out of the way. He saves Jack's life, but the bullet hits Paul in the chest. Jack tends over him as medical help comes to Paul's aid. Paul says that he owed Jack for what he did earlier in the hour. Jack has to deal with not fulfilling his promise to protect Paul as he is now in critical condition. Although he has proven himself a hero many times, his failures stay with him the most. This certainly complicates Jack and Audrey's relationship and Audrey's reconsideration.

Michelle apologizes to Tony for bringing his drinking into their office. Through this episode Michelle has been less than pleasant compared to how she was the previous two seasons. I don't like it much, but it helps to establish her character's need to be tough to show her authority and hide her feelings she has about Tony. She softens throughout because of Tony, like when he says he's leaving because it is too much to see her in CTU. However, she convinces him to stay because he could be useful decoding the encrypted McLennan-Forester evidence. Of course, it would be too easy to have him leave. Dramatically, we need the tension and Tony's redemption isn't close to done yet. He may want to leave, but part of him doesn't because, like Jack, he is born to be a public servant.

Finally, Marwan calls Anderson, who is in his uniform and ready. Marwan tells him that the President is on a tight schedule. We know that the president is now involved in the attack. In retrospect, it would've been better had they combined the incidents of the next three episodes into 8-9 PM. It's great to have some mystery involved on the show, but stretching it out too long hurts the show. When we find out what, it has been a few hours since we figured out what exactly. If they combined this all in a few hours instead of having CTU take down distracting goons, it would've been better.

Probably the part of the episode that receives the most gripes is the "Look We're Not Racists" Brothers story. It is too forced and late in the storyline to please those who have been offended. They could've made this more effective or subtle, but it didn't quite work. It was unpleasant to see how cranky Michelle became, but as the episode progressed, I liked her more. In many ways this is a pivotal episode, but it's more about the events we see than its delivery.

Score: 6/10

24: Season 4, Episode 12: Day 4: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Review

Day 4: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Original Airdate: March 7, 2005
Writers: Howard Gordon & Evan Katz
Director: Jon Cassar

After some consistently entertaining episodes, 24 slips with this one, and the resulting arc too. The sense of urgency isn't there. CTU is so desperate to find Marwan, but he spends most of the hour not doing anything. What happens next isn't worrying Marwan, but rather he's approaching it at a leisurely pace. If he's not deeply concerned, why should we be? Instead we get the villains from arms dealer McLennan-Forester, who come off more as inconsistent.

Edgar finds some more information about Marwan. He worked for McLennan-Forester, the company that created the override. This information helps clarify how Marwan would know about the override being on the train and how it works. Jack decides to head over, having Curtis take Paul and Audrey back to CTU. However, Paul knows their computer system since he made it for them. He volunteers to go with Jack, who accepts. Now we're in a situation where Jack and Paul have to work together. It's going to be awkward.

Driscoll is devastated following her daughter's death. Sarah finds out and Edgar wonders how Maya would be able to kill herself. This is something they threw in if they needed a storyline later because it is never brought up again. There is no need to add mystery to this. Whether Maya killed herself due to negligence or the CTU staff killed her is never brought up again, which makes this loose thread unnecessary and frustrating.

It also distracts Driscoll from her work. Though she says that she is too valuable for the investigation, she can't focus on locating Marwan. She's quiet when the president calls and she spaces out when Tony asks to relocate agents to finding Marwan's cells. Sarah wants Driscoll out, but Edgar asks to be easy on her considering Maya died ten minutes ago. He's the most suitable character to bring up sympathy, but they don't say why since it's clear to viewer.

They surmise that Marwan has been planning this attack since coming to America. His job at McLennan-Forester was used to recruit others. Jack demands a tight perimeter around the building, but Marwan manages to get out of the building and board a bus rather easily. While on the bus he sees a mother and child and smiles. This feels incomplete without the accompanying scene where he says goodbye to his family. It was cut.

As they head to McLennan-Forester, Jack calls Audrey. She asks that he take care of Paul for her. He agrees, and luckily they don't reiterate a hundred times that Jack just tortured Paul. Paul tells him that he isn't angry, but he doesn't want to let go of Audrey, even though it's clear that she's made her decision. The writers and James Frain (the actor) had to be careful in their portrayal to make this guy just proud and not a possessive, abusive jerk. I think they handled it well. I feel sorry for Paul.

Tony, Heller and Driscoll get together in her office to discuss what Marwan is going to do next. One thing they never discuss is the possibility that Marwan could leave LA. Previously, the terrorists on 24 only had one goal over a day. However, it would be anticlimactic if the big bad left only eleven hours in the episode.

Driscoll faints, prompting Tony and Heller to come to her aid. A medic comes and escorts her to get some food. Her absence prompts Heller to seriously discuss replacing her. Since Tony has the experience (though many nit-pick that he has three years experience, not two), he'd be best to head CTU, even if it is temporarily. Heller agrees, but still insists on contacting District for a permanent replacement. It's a little early to talk about a permanent replacement. Isn't it? Driscoll can't work now, but she may be fine in a few days. They could've said "official" or maybe I'm pushing the syntax too much. Of course, everyone knows who the new replacement will be.

At McLennan-Forester, Mr. McLennan learns about the current situation from another executive. I found this scene interesting considering the differences between the two men. McLennan wants to come forward, but the other man doesn't out of fear that the PR will ruin their company. This situation could be applied to many conversations Sherry and David had regarding cover-ups. McLennan is more honorable, but is a pushover unlike David. He lets the other man and Conlon, head of security "take care of it". In classic tradition, the crime doesn't get you; it's the cover.

Heller finds Driscoll and comforts her. He knows about loss. When his wife died, he ignored his grief until long afterward. He doesn't want her to do the same. She should go home and grieve. He convinces her to leave and hand the power over to Tony. For a sub par storyline, this resolution wasn't bad. However, it does raise the question about the purpose Driscoll's character had. Her character didn't do much aside from serve as a reason to get Jack back in CTU. She may have been tough, but she hardly compares to Mason or Chappelle. It would've been better had they just kept Michelle around and had her be the boss.

Jack grows wary when Conlon tells him that McLennan is busy at a meeting. They lead them to his office, where they watch from another room. Though he can access Marwan's computer and erase the incriminating evidence, Paul's knowledge of the system alarms Conlon. They prepare for drastic measures to prevent Jack and Paul discovering anything incriminating. In their building, they have prepared an EMP bomb; a non-lethal weapon destroys all electronic equipment. Though it will destroy their hardware, they figure it's better than ruining their business.

Curtis isn't happy about Tony getting the job over him, and he has reason. Tony doesn't even work there officially. When Tony tells Edgar that he wants to be his go to guy, Curtis tries to get Edgar to go his way. Tony makes peace by emphasizing the temporary aspect of the position and his stance to get out of there when the crisis is over.

It's funny how they are working so hard to find Marwan, but when we see him, he is idling away in the open. He's waiting for a man, who updates him about their upcoming attack. The men at the Air Force base are ready. Marwan tells him a name of someone who will get him out of the country. When he asks what Marwan will do, Marwan is silent, implying that he doesn't intend on living through it. Unfortunately, the future attack is so specific that the vague hints now aren't enough.

McLennan and his cronies continue worrying as Paul proves his expertise in the software. They decide to prepare the EMP for detonation, planning to blame it on Marwan. Conlon contacts the guard in the EMP room, who initiates the detonation sequence. As it charges, the electricity flickers and phone lines are down. However, the AIM was working fine. Now this just came off as stupid. Tony and Jack message each other about the situation (unfortunately devoid of emoticons and smileys). Jack realizes that McLennan-Forester is on to them, and discovers the EMP. Tony finds where the EMP is in the building.

Paul prints some encrypted evidence, which causes Conlon to rush to the room. Jack runs to the EMP room, hoping that he'll be able to stop it. Conlon comes in and nonchalantly asks what he was printing. Paul says he can check it out himself Paul is craftier than we thought, replacing the hard copy with blank pages and running for the door. He manages to hide in an empty room.

Jack beats up a few guards and makes it to the EMP room. Unfortunately, nothing he does stops the bomb. In a last ditch effort, he tries to stop the door by himself, screaming as if he'll absorb the energy given off by the bomb. Everything goes dark. Jack tries to find the entrance, which Paul has, but Conlon arrives there simultaneously.

CTU receives word of the EMP's detonation and tries to figure out what to do. One of the helicopters crashed, and needs help. Tony talks to Heller about the EMP, at which Tony thanks him for his work. The replacement from division has arrived, and Heller would like Tony to stay to help ease the transition. Can you guess who it is? Can you? It's none other than now straight haired Michelle. No one gasps in surprise.

The first episode in this new arc fails to capitalize on the suspense of the prior episode. What was a promising cliffhanger of Marwan impersonating a CTU agent fizzles in the first act, as Marwan gets away rather easily. Little is accomplished in this episode aside from shifting the deadweight that is Driscoll's character and bringing Michelle back in the fold.

Score: 5/10

24: Season 4, Episode 11: Day 4: 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM Review

Day 4: 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Original Airdate: February 28, 2005
Writer: Joel Surnow & Michael Loceff
Director: Jon Cassar

It is time to conclude another arc on 24. What wasn't resolved this week is resolved in this episode. The override comes to a satisfying conclusion, but some of the stories merely annoy, like Maya. Luckily, it ends in this episode. Aside from that, we have a great hunt for the override that makes up for the shortcomings, and the beginning of Audrey's experience with Jack's dark side.

Jack has secured Paul in a chair. Before waking him, he asks Audrey to leave the room. She has never seen the Jack who will threaten a man with a towel or stage an execution to get information out someone. Jack continues when Audrey refuses. He wakes Paul with a wet sponge and asks why his name was on the lease for a terrorist hideout. When Paul refuses to answer, Jack pulls an electric cord from a lamp and electrocutes him. Audrey watches in horror. Paul says that he may be able to find out the connection on his laptop. Then Jack stares at Audrey in a "I told you so" moment.

At the mysterious Office Building of Doom, Marwan arrives to meltdown the plans manually because CTU has blocked them from doing it automatically. One of his associates, Ali, gives him the credentials needed to access the office where the override is. Marwan works in a cubicle while those around him work unaware. Having terrorists work around unsuspecting civilians has been a long running theme of 24, but this is an extreme example.

Ali tells the thugs downstairs to kill Curtis, sitting limp in a chair. Real life terrorists would probably kill him there, but they pick him up and carry him. Curtis was faking his unconsciousness. Curtis kills his captors in an unexpected turn for his character. Before this, he hasn't been much aside from Driscoll's flunky. After this episode, many fans dubbed Curtis "Black Jack". He does have many of the resourcefulness and survival skills Jack has, plus his surprise attack was Jack's style.

It's an interesting development to see that Forbes is just a thug and not a mastermind. This could be because they decided to make Marwan a recurring role. Originally Marwan was only slated for four guest spots, but the writers liked him enough to keep his character. To accommodate such a change, the storyline was altered to fit. Perhaps had they gone a different route Forbes would've been the one behind the major conspiracy or another step closer. However, the writers may have been wary to repeat what happened in the second season and went a different route. It does leave some things murky. Why would an American agree to help the terrorists?

Paul finds his company's information. It was going under when someone came and bought a majority of the shares. The buyer was Harold Barnes, but this name is an alias that some terrorists use. The current owner of Harold Barnes' identity is Habib Marwan, whose name Marianne gave during questioning.

Tony questions Dina. She pretends that Navi was the only one directly involved in the terrorist activities, but Tony doesn't believe her. Playing the Behrooz card, Tony gets her to divulge a few names. I'm surprised Tony handed her a pen to write them down since she could easily kill herself with it, but she has shown to put her own life over her son's. When asked about Marwan, she lies, saying she only knows he's an engineer.

Sarah still can't find Curtis, who now is sneaking around in the OBOD. Forbes finds Curtis' handiwork and informs Ali. Ali then tells Marwan, who advises that Ali disconnect the phone lines so Curtis can't call CTU. Curtis can't leave the floor because the exits have been secured. This is a great situation for suspense, as Curtis can't hide in many places since the rooms are bare and he can only access one floor.

With no word from Curtis, Jack assumes that he's in trouble. There is no proof that Marwan is at the OBOD, but Jack heads there anyway to investigate. Audrey ponders why Paul was used in the conspiracy. Jack believes that Paul's connection to Heller and Audrey prompted Marwan to buy control of the company. It still doesn't explain how he would know that they would be in Los Angeles this day. This question feels a little random looking back since they didn't make much of an effort to answer it later, although some could argue that an upcoming event explains it.

Obviously, Paul can't believe that he may have helped terrorists kidnap his wife and father-in-law and plan a large scale attack on America. It isn't hard to believe that he lost track of the dozens of companies he does business with, but not as easy to forgive, as Paul becomes racked with guilt. Audrey consoles him, with Jack noticing in the driver's seat. The triangle arc has officially begun.

Since the names Dina gave all connected to Marwan, Tony knows that Dina is not saying everything. Given full license to do whatever he felt appropriate, he gets the surveillance for the interrogation room shut off and ejects everyone else from the other room, including Driscoll. Then Tony accosts Dina, threatening to revoke Behrooz's pardon. The president won't uphold it if the plants meltdown. Knowing Behrooz, he tells her that he will commit suicide within months of his sentence. She confirms that Marwan is the person her cell reported to, but can't say how many other cells exist. She also tells them his location, in the OBOD.

Marwan heads downstairs to speak to Ali regarding Curtis. Forbes calls Ali, whose phone Marwan rips out of his hand. Marwan can't have mistakes now since they are so close to accomplishing their goal. Unfortunately for Forbes, Curtis surprises him, finding out what he knows and knocking him unconscious. Curtis grabs Forbes' cell phone and tells Sarah about what had happened.

Jack is on his way. He stops at a parking garage a block away from the building. Sarah patches Curtis through, who gives Jack some valuable information about the building layout. Their only problem may be a guard, but Curtis will take care of that. Jack heads off, leaving Audrey and Paul safely behind with a group of agents. The final act is already set, even though this is heading into the penultimate one. It will end with Jack confronting Marwan.

Jack arrives at Curtis' floor, finding the guard dead and Curtis nearby. They go upstairs alone while the rest of the team secures the bottom floor. During their walk upstairs, they tie up some loose ends about how the terrorists were able to attack the power plant firewalls. They manage to get inside the office, only to find rows and rows of cubicles and no description of Marwan. It is funny how complicated this hunt suddenly became.

They try to be inconspicuous, but it still looks weird to see Jack prowling a 9 to 5 (or in this case, 9 to at least 6) office. They find a man who looks like he may be Marwan and slowly approach him. This would've worked had the actor looked more like Arnold Vosloo because it would've tricked the audience as well. But the guy clearly isn't. Just before they capture him, they see that he is merely playing solitaire, only a threat to productivity.

Normally this would've tipped Marwan off to what CTU was doing, but it doesn't. He's too focused on the override to have a non-event distract him. Downstairs, Ali sees the CTU team. He calls to warn Marwan and tries to get a shot in before Castle kills him. Abandoning his mission, Marwan gets up and fires his gun at the ceiling, creating a massive panic. Jack and Curtis push and shove their way to him, but can't.

Curtis stops to secure the override. At CTU, Edgar instructs him to type some commands into the computer to let him access it. Once Edgar has control, he types more code, presses enter and we all hold our breath. Each plant's core cools down and Edgar becomes a bigger hero than he was before. I love it when the geeks save the day. I still cheer for Jack, but I can relate more to being like Edgar.

Since this is 24, it can't be an entirely happy ending. Throughout the episode, Maya was aggressive towards the medical help, who were clearly not trained to handle such a situation. It's understandable that CTU has a medical center considering how often people get hurt, but it's no substitute for a hospital. Maya's behavior escalates. At the end of the episode, she slits her wrists and dies. The medical staff doesn't do much aside from gawk at her dead body. Not even an effort to put pressure on her injuries was made. While this is supposed to make us feel sorry for Driscoll, many were just happy that this distracting storyline had ended. It feels like the writers wanted it gone too. The frequency of her storyline in this episode implies that they crammed most of it here to finish it and quiet the critics.

Back at the OBOD, Jack struggles to find Marwan. He sees a dead body lying on a doorway and goes to inspect it. It is an agent and he has been stripped of his vest and helmet. He warns the other agents that Marwan is impersonating one of them, but it is too late for Agent Solarz, who Marwan kills. Marwan makes his first successful escape from CTU clutches.

Unfortunately, little was done to establish what was going to happen next. In episode six, though the kidnapping plot was foiled, they had the override plot waiting to spring up. Many of the payoff episodes mid-season contain some hints about the future. Whether it's Andre Drazen or the chip, these hints are important to keep the show's suspense going when the bubble from one threat bursts. Unfortunately this season, the next threat would be merely a set up for the final threat, which leaves the subsequent episodes lagging.

Nevertheless, this is an extremely compelling episode. Curtis' change from lackey to commanding force is welcomed. As with other culminating episodes, the threat is real and the hunt is more suspenseful since something has to happen in the end. However, not enough effort was made to create the next threat, which results in several less than stellar episodes.

Score: 8/10

24: Season 4, Episode 10: Day 4: 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Review

Day 4: 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Original Airdate: February 21, 2005
Writer: Stephen Kronish & Peter M. Lenkov
Director: Brad Turner

This episode along with the following episode was likely going to be shown as the mid-point two-hour event. But had they not done the two-night four-hour premiere, perhaps this episode would've improved alongside the next episode. Things are culminating. The Araz family and mole storylines wrap up, with mixed results. Suspicion cast on Paul is a bit obvious, but it works to begin disrupting Audrey and Jack's relationship.

Back at the parking garage, Jack tells CTU about the current circumstances, while Navi takes Behrooz into a laundry room. They exchange more hateful words. Behrooz can't stand behind someone who believes in murdering innocent people. Navi believes that Behrooz doesn't stand for anything and that he's weak. Actually, he's the weak one. He supports a cause that allows him to hunt down his family. The only thing keeping him from killing his son is that the plants haven't melted down. He calls Marwan to update him about the current situation. Marwan says that it will take him longer to meltdown the plants since he has to meltdown each plant individually. This assures that Navi will stay there long enough for Jack to find him.

Marianne has regained consciousness. Curtis interrogates her. Although having her car lined for explosives probably told her what was at risk, he wheels in Powell's body to convince further. She tells them that Powell kept a record of names on his computer and only her thumbprint can access them. They have to go downtown to his office where the bad guys will catch them in a trap, as 24 rules dictate.

Jack finds a laundry chute that he can use to rappel into the room. He sees that Behrooz is still alive. Dina calls Navi to distract him. This scene is tense, but could've been tenser if they used the split screen format of 24. Navi yells at Dina, telling him he murdered her brother while Jack sneaks up on him. Unfortunately all we see is Jack with Navi's side of the conversation. If they did it the other way it would've been more complex and exciting.

Of course, the metal device Jack used to rappel down clanks loudly against the chute, prompting Navi to explore the room. Jack waits behind a column, then fights Navi. Navi's gun flies out of his hands and near Behrooz, a set up for Navi's ultimate fate. Jack gets Navi in custody, but Behrooz kills his father before Jack can question him. Normally I'm not an advocate of patricide, but the world got a little bit better when Navi died. Navi wouldn't have been a good witness anyway since he was devoted to his cause. With the situation under control, Jack demands that Dina spill where the override is. She doesn't know. Even when she's ratting out to the feds, she still manipulates them to get what she wants. Jack isn't pleased, but she does know where the men in control of the override have been.

Driscoll doesn't want Curtis to go on site with Marianne, but Heller insists anyway. This was meant to increase the dramatic tension, but it doesn't deliver. They should've used the established characterization and the chemistry Aisha Tyler and Roger Cross have. 24 has done good work having former lovers, one of whom is a traitor, work together to prevent a terrorist attack. They don't make the effort to have Curtis and Marianne's dynamic be half as interesting as Jack and Nina's.

Driscoll finally exhibits some modesty, acting kindly towards a still sluggish Sarah. Although Driscoll offers Sarah the opportunity to go home, Sarah agrees to return to work. Edgar updates her on Marianne's situation. Perhaps Driscoll should've been a bit more apologetic, or 24 should've shown more repercussions of torturing an innocent person.

At the address Dina gave them, Jack and Tony initially only find an empty room. Jack spots an electrical outlet with a cord leading under the floor. They pull up some floorboards to find an underground room. Eerie photos and written plans adorn the walls: pictures of the train, maps and newspaper clippings of Secretary Heller with Jack in the background. He stares at the picture. We know he's angry, but part of his look is more ambiguous. Looking at this episode again I wonder if the terrorists had any other pictures or clippings relating to the threats that occur later in the season or if the writers even though about it.

While checking out the building's credentials, Sarah notices that the building is owned by a company whose CFO is Paul. Audrey has left to assist another DOD branch, but Jack calls her to contact her husband. She does, but he is about to check out of the hotel. Using their marriage as a ploy, she gets him to stay so they can have a serious talk about their relationship.

Jack asks that Tony return to CTU with Behrooz and Dina while he follows another lead. Tony doesn't want to go considering what happened in season three, but Jack convinces him. In the two hours he has been helping, Jack has seen Tony restored to what he was before his arrest. If he goes, he stands a chance to be rehired and claim that redemption.

Less than five hours after almost dying at the hands of terrorists, Heller yells at Driscoll for having Audrey sent to Paul's room. He calls her and pleads to wait for Jack, but Audrey refuses. If she waits, it will convince him to leave. She isn't worried because she doesn't think that Paul would work with terrorists to get revenge for a broken heart.

If only Chloe was around, Tony's homecoming would've been complete. The impact isn't as strong since no one in the office was around during Tony's tenure. We know Chloe would say the most awkward thing and it could've been a nice comic relief moment. Driscoll is nice to Tony, but she still has suspicions. She alerts Sarah to keep an eye on him.

Sarah is concerned about Driscoll's recent toned down behavior. Jack and Tony are a threat to her power (and rightly so considering how useless she has been as a leader) and she needs someone on her side. It comes at a price, as Sarah asks for her arrest removed from her record and a significant pay raise, which Driscoll allows. I still wish more had been done about the aftermath instead of what could be construed as giving the victim hush money.

Curtis and Marianne arrive at Powell's office, which is appropriately understaffed. It is a trap and everyone is murdered except for Curtis, who they keep alive so they can find out what he knows and who he told. Marianne's character becomes a wasted opportunity, reflective of poor planning. When they revealed she was dirty, I was reluctant to roll my eyes in hope that they would deal with it differently from a Nina scenario like they did with Gael. Unfortunately, the producers felt it was better to sweep aside the mole storyline entirely since they likely had no new ideas with this storyline. Mole storylines on 24 almost become an unavoidable necessity due to some oversights in the writing. Curtis' feelings were overlooked too. Although he did have plenty of bad feelings toward her, he just saw her murdered.

Audrey arrives at Paul's room and starts to talk. When she stalls and awkwardly brings him wanting sex into it, he aggressively confronts her about her true intentions. Jack bursts in with his perfect timing and knocks Paul out when he won't give any useful information. This punch is rather symbolic of the change of men in Audrey's life. It's the beginning of Audrey's journey through Jack's dark side.

This episode had some good things, but some bad too. Marianne's death comes off as poor planning. The conspiracy involving her isn't any clearer. Instead, things are further complicated with the introduction of new white terrorists. There is a bit of a brooding feel, like when they find the warehouse the terrorists used to plan the attacks, that would be used in the next episode that concludes the story.

Score: 7/10

24: Season 4, Episode 9: Day 4: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Review

Day 4: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Original Airdate: February 14, 2005
Writer: Howard Gordon & Evan Katz
Director: Brad Turner

Already, the nuclear override storyline is preparing for the payoff. While it helps make for amplified tension, this pace bites 24 later in the nighttime hours. The storyline involving Edgar's mom is subject to debate among fans, but I vote in its favor because it continues to flesh out one of recurring characters. It is sad to know that the Araz family storyline is close to done, but it the arc's end is explosive. Some of the stories could've been better developed, but overall this episode is a solid entry.

Following Marianne's arrest, Curtis and Driscoll prepare to conceal some facts for the official inquiry as to how Marianne was allowed in CTU. Curtis adamantly opposed having her there. Although his reasons were personal they could still face an intense investigation if that became public. For an opening scene, I'm surprised that they didn't do more with this. This scandal could've really helped make the post-override episodes more interesting. Instead, they preferred to wrap up this mole storyline quickly.

Jack is able to salvage a lead. On Powell's cell phone, he finds two numbers Powell recently called. One is Marianne's and the other is unknown. Edgar sets up a triangulation search. It turns out that this other number is Dina's. At a hotel room, Dina's cell phone starts ringing. They ignore it in case it is Navi. The phone rings enough times for them to triangulate the call to their location. One nit pick: why would Powell need to contact Dina? Throughout the day, anyone updating the Araz family called Navi. It may have been more practical for the hospital Behrooz and Dina were at an hour before to alert CTU about their visit and they find the hotel through some inquiries.

Navi's search for Dina leads to her sister Farrah's house. The rest of Dina's family is clueless about their terrorist involvement. Farrah doesn't know where she is. To make matters worse, Navi discovers that she is having an affair with a white man. Despite his feelings, he doesn't kill either of them, but rather stomps out of the room stating his contempt for her behavior. Of course, this is ironic considering he is going to kill his wife and son.

Another member of Dina's family not involved with the terrorists is Naseem. He is a doctor and can help Dina take care of her pain. This is one of the positive Middle Eastern figures of the season. Considering how short his role is, this probably didn't satisfy those criticizing these portrayals. Behrooz decides to ask for helpalone, setting up for the major complication later in the hour when CTU and Navi find each of them in the respective locations.

Jack prepares to head to the hotel, but Tony is apprehensive. He thinks he is done with CTU, but Jack convinces him that this nuclear crisis is too dire to walk away from yet. Tony rather easily comes with him. The actions in the last hour have reinvigorated our down and out hero, and his old self can't win this personality battle.

24 is rather good at showing the terrorists having some degree of success each season. Whether it is Teri's murder, the bomb going off or the virus' release, such actions amplify the consequences so the audience can know what is at stake. Early in this episode, the terrorists achieve another victory. The San Gabriel Power Plant melts down. It's chilling to see Heller talking to the men in the core, disfigured by radiation, as they tell him that they can't leave because they've been exposed.

The meltdown hits CTU personally, as our gawky hero Edgar tries desperately to help his mother, stuck in the area and unable to leave because she has no car and all of her neighbors have evacuated. Some people complained about this storyline for being another melodramatic personal story on 24, however, I liked it. I had gotten to like Edgar a lot as the season progressed. This helped me sympathize with him a little bit more.

With the immediate aftermath of the kidnapping gone, they need to concoct a reason for Audrey and Heller to stick around. Shocking as it sounds, CTU is understaffed, so they stick around to help CTU stay on top of the investigation. Heller's probably easier to keep around because of his function as Secretary of Defense. However, the opposite appears to be true, as Heller didn't have much to do in the latter part of his stint this season.

At the hotel, Jack and Tony meet fellow agent Lee Castle, who reluctantly allows Tony back on the field. Jack assures him that he wants Tony backing him up when they enter. They should've employed character more. Having someone like Tony returning to the field after what he did would certainly cause some questioning of judgment, although we know Jack's to be right. They could've done something substantial with Lee's storyline aside from having him be the background agent this season. After this episode, little else is done with his character.

They infiltrate the hotel room and stop Dina from killing herself. Lee steps on her wound to get her to talk, but Tony tells him to stop because she may go unconscious considering her current state. Meanwhile, Behrooz arrives at the hospital and finds his Uncle Naseem. He inquires about some painkillers, lying about Dina's bad back. This prompts Naseem to call who else, but Navi. Navi convinces Naseem that Behrooz may be into drugs and that he should keep him there. Everything is set for the climax of this episode, as Navi is coming to "get" him.

Jack's unable to find anything on Dina or Navi's criminal records. He will need some type of leverage and he gets it rather quickly. CTU found the phone call Behrooz made two hours earlier after killing Tariq. He finds a reluctant Dina and tells her that he has to power to get the president to pardon Behrooz for everything he's done today. She agrees to do it, but Jack warns her that the offer expires when the next power plant melts down. It's great to see Kiefer and Shorheh together in a scene. Shorheh has been extraordinary this year, and Kiefer has great chemistry with many of the characters on 24. This turned out not to be an exception.

Keeler doesn't want to grant immunity to a terrorist, although we know that Behrooz is a good person who found himself with bad people. Since time is running out, he grants it, but makes sure it is non-binding. She tells him where Behrooz is. Jack gets her to call. Though Behrooz is suspicious, she eases his worries by telling him that she will accompany them to the hospital to get him.

Unfortunately, Edgar's request for assistance getting his mother out of the area is denied. He's forced to have an emotional goodbye to her as she tells him that she will kill herself to avoid a prolonged death. In his grief, he almost walks out of CTU, but Driscoll stops him. She threatens jail time if he doesn't resume working and plays the mother card, asking what she would want him to do. It was manipulative, but it had to be done since Edgar is one of CTU's best workers. Although I would think that maybe Edgar's efforts saving 98 plants from melting down would warrant a special favor, but alas, they're focused on saving the maximum amount of lives. Ironically, the nuclear cloud is blown over those attempting to escape.

Behrooz finds out that Naseem called Navi and panics, running down a corridor. Dina should've told him to stay in a crowded place like Jack said. But where would the drama be there? He runs into his father, who kills Naseem and takes Behrooz into a stairwell. After a Michael Corleone-esque "You broke my heart", Behrooz informs his dad that agents are coming to the hospital and that if he's killed, Dina will tell them everything.

The last few minutes of the episode are suspenseful, as Jack frantically searches the hospital after finding out about the shooting and the hostage situation. Jack finds Navi and Behrooz as they're attempting to drive out of the hospital. They hit Jack, but luckily, Jack has superhuman healing powers and bounces back rather easily. Navi gets out of the car and holds his son at gunpoint, leading him down to the basement.

Dina is getting extremely worried. Knowing what Navi is capable of, she tells Jack that he will merely wait it out until the plants meltdown and then kill Behrooz. If they can't save her son, then she will stop cooperating. She still believes in the mission and would be happy to see the other meltdowns. However, Jack doesn't seem to buy it, as he dismisses it with a semi-sarcastic "You get that?" to CTU.

The inevitable meeting between Dina and Jack is fun to watch. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to explore her psychology with him. The characterization is scattershot. Curtis recently found out that her ex-flame is guilty of treason, Tony's back in the field with other agents; these should've been developed more. However, the Araz's storyline makes this episode, and while I may be criticized for it, Edgar's mom did too.

Score: 8/10

24: Season 4, Episode 8: Day 4: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Review

Day 4: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Original Airdate: February 7, 2005
Writer: Stephen Kronish & Peter M. Lenkov (Teleplay), Matt Michnovetz (Story)
Director: Ken Girotti

This episode focuses on addressing the problems and situations laid out from the last two episodes further. It is essentially Tony's episode, detailing the nadir he has sunken into and his reluctant start on the road to redemption. The action in the episode is a little slow, and could've benefited from more characterization in the non-Tony storylines, but his storyline in this episode makes up for the shortcomings.

Knowing that six reactors are facing meltdown, Keeler decides to order evacuations for the six effected cities. Despite this, there will be no way to evacuate these cities before the first meltdown is expected. Of course, if there was, it would be an easy solution. Finding the override is the only way they can save the most amount of lives. This way, they can deal realistically with the problem, but still deprive CTU of breathing room.

Jack contacts Heller, informing him that CTU has been compromised. He recommends that they issue some bogus information to trick the mole into revealing themselves. Heller tells his assistant to inform Driscoll that Jack is being sent to another CTU location. Then they put a DOD net over CTU security to locate where the leak is. Although he knows Driscoll won't be happy, this is the most effective way of finding the mole.

Tony's return following the events of last season certainly raise questions that need immediate answers. It was easy to forgive that in the last episode because his return was meant to be a quick shock at the end. Now that they are safely away, Tony reveals what has happened to him since he was arrested. Jack and Palmer made good on their deal and got him out of jail, but he still served time. Michelle left him too.

Marwan heads to the override to oversee its deployment directly. Navi tells him that by the end of the day his wife and son will die. Meanwhile, Behrooz and Dina find themselves in a tough situation. Her gunshot wound needs medical attention, but that would alert the authorities and Navi to their location. She requests that he dump her at a hospital then drive away, but Behrooz loves his mother too much to abandon her. Considering what she has been through in the last hour, she is all Behrooz has now.

Marianne calls Powell, who informs her that Jack is still alive. Since he hasn't contacted CTU, he must know about the leak. Therefore, her cover is at risk of being blown. Powell advises Marianne, in the secluded CTU Women's Room of Doom, to stay there regardless. Leaving would only raise suspicion. Just then, Sarah finds her in the bathroom and orders her to get back to work. At this moment, Marianne knows to whom she'll divert suspicion.

Jack, Audrey and Tony arrive at his house. Tony tells them that he can use his computer to identify the person then leave. Showing us how far Tony has fallen makes what he said earlier tangible. He now lives in a crappy house with a literally crappy lawn. His rebound from Michelle, Jenn, looks like what Mia Wallace from Pulp Fiction would look like if she kept her wild lifestyle for another ten years. They fight all the time and she makes him feel worthless. She gets mad that Jack is keeping her there when she has to be at work. Audrey appeals to her enough to keep her there. Tony now has a drinking problem and has been out of work since CTU fired him. Michelle, however, is now working at Division.

Heller's assistant plants the information and Marianne grabs it. However, she covered her tracks. When CTU discovers the leak, the vague dialogue leaves room for the twist to occur. In a great example of office revenge, they arrest Sarah, not Marianne. So remember, always be nice to your co-workers, because you never know who may be committing treason. Edgar, however, doubt that Sarah was the mole because the message Marianne sent was obviously placed and poorly encrypted.

Regardless, Sarah's chained up in the interrogation room and her neck is tasered. Driscoll believes she can break her, but only if she is actually guilty. Sarah doesn't fit the profile of someone who would snitch. Wouldn't such information be considered before putting a taser on someone's neck? Now they have given all of Sarah's information to Marianne. Luckily, Jack knew to have Secret Service pick up Audrey instead of CTU.

While Jack has the picture of the man Audrey saw analyzed, he decides to talk to Tony, zoning out with the soccer game and beer from his beloved Cubs mug. He asks why he didn't call him for help. Tony says he didn't want to be involved with anything that would bring those bad memories back to him. Helping Jack was only to repay the debt he owed Jack for getting him out of prison. We know that this isn't going to last. Tony is mad, but there is still a part of him that wants to help. Tony's story throughout this season is one of redemption.

Dina and Behrooz get to a hospital, insisting that a nail caused the wound and not a bullet. Behrooz watches the doctor leave, telling his mother that they haven't called the police. Believing that they're safe, they start discussing what they will do afterward. However, they hit a snag when the police do come, but the police are slow enough to allow them to escape. While the Araz storyline has been one of the most consistent of this season, this episode feels like filler to keep Dina and Behrooz from meeting CTU until the next hour.

Jack finds out that the man Audrey recognized was Henry Powell, a former employee of McLennan-Forester. He's set to take off via helicopter shortly. Jack sets off alone to stop him, but before he can do it, Tony pulls himself into the fray. He claims that he doesn't want Jack to die within an hour of Tony saving his life, but we know the full reason is that he wants to return, if only to redeem himself for the past.

From what we've seen, CTU could be downsized to Jack, Edgar and Chloe and they probably wouldn't be affected. Believing that Sarah is innocent, he sets his own trap for Marianne. He bumps up her security clearance, but monitors what she's doing from his own system. There he discovers the message Marianne tried to pin on Sarah. Marianne wants to talk to him in private, but Edgar knows that she'll likely kill him if they got alone. With Curtis accompanying him, Edgar tells Driscoll that Marianne is the dirty agent. She is on her way out of the building. Curtis and a few agents chase her. Thankfully, she doesn't drop her keys in the cliched way to give the pursuer time to catch them. Curtis places her under arrest. When an agent unlocks her car to check for evidence, it explodes, sending her falling into another car, knocking her out.

Powell arrives at the helicopter pad. The pilot refuses to fly because he has been given an order to keep it grounded, but Powell coerces him to move. Before they can get airborne, Jack and Tony sneak up on them and place Powell in custody. It's great to see Tony and Jack in the field on much better circumstances than season three. Tony's line "I'm currently unemployed" was classic. Certainly took Powell down a peg to see who brought him down. He tries to make Tony an offer, but they don't listen. Suddenly, a nearby sniper guns down Powell. Jack is without leads again.

It's great to see Tony back. While I don't like seeing him live such a terrible existence, it makes for great drama, and sets up the redemption arc for the season. Some of the main storylines appear to be winding down, as Behrooz and Dina have a filler plot this week. Edgar shines again, scoring one for the geeks by unearthing Marianne's secret. Sarah's torture looks like something they did merely for shock value. Tony's storyline is what makes this episode work, and is a satisfying beginning to his arc.

Score: 7/10

Nip/Tuck: Season 2 Episode 1: Erica Naughton Review

Erica Naughton
Original Airdate: June 22, 2004
Writer: Ryan Murphy
Director: Ryan Murphy

Nip/Tuck exploded in its volatile first season. It proved that the fledgling FX network could compete with the hottest cable networks regarding quality original edgy programming. Since that season had aired, the pop-culture landscape would change dramatically regarding what is indecent. Janet Jackson's stunt at the Super Bowl sent many networks running for cover at the risk of high FCC fines. Fans feared that graphic and vivid shows like Nip/Tuck would go soft. Nip/Tuck would lose either way, so they decided to push the boundaries even further. This season turned out to be even more fearless than its predecessor was, but it still was dramatically defendable.

Last season started with Sean's mid-life crisis. Murphy escalates the drama this season by featuring both leading men having mid-life crisis. Both are about to hit a major age, forty, which triggers many feelings of misspent life and the dread over age. Their careers are a major cause behind it, since they "sell youth for a living". Some blame the plastic surgery industry for worsening people's insecurity about their bodies. Christian and Sean have been able to avoid it until now.

Though Sean's life is good, he is growing insecure about his looks. Checking out his reflection in the toaster oven, Christian surprises him. They talk about Sean's 40th birthday and the difficulty in hiding age. Christian gives him a shot of Botox as a present, but Sean refuses. Sean claims that he would rather age gracefully with help from a healthy lifestyle instead of plastic surgery. It's ironic that he is denying himself what he does for hundreds of people. Christian embraces it, believing that it goes with the job, like a personal trainer staying fit.

Later that night, everyone (except for Grace, who came down with Chuck Cunningham syndrome late last season) greets him for "surprise" birthday party. This confirms what Sean had said, that his life is going along very well. Everyone is smiling, cracking jokes and enjoying themselves. It also serves as a good reminder of how everyone was at the end of last season, which is interesting to watch after seeing what everyone undergoes this season.

During the party, Julia tells Sean that her mother, Erica, will be coming. Erica believes that Julia has excluded her from their family. Sean isn't worried about her. She doesn't bother him, so he'll serve as the intermediary. We also learn that she is an accomplished writer and that Christian had a thing for her, which he quickly skirted away from after he said it.

In the wake of the FCC crackdowns, worrying that Nip/Tuck would go soft had some weight. They proved me wrong. Within minutes of the party, Gina takes Christian aside and tells him to milk her so it won't stain her blouse. She takes off her blouse and Christian remarks about how big they've gotten because of lactation. He doesn't want to do it, but she plays the Wilbur card. If she isn't milked, then the baby could get sick. He literally sucks it up to his chagrin.

Another great music choice, Stevie Wonder's "I Wish" plays, which sums up how Sean is feeling. As he reaches this age milestone, he yearns to get what he had when he was younger. In this case, it is his youthful appearance, but soon he sees that there may be more to aging than he thought. Cutting the cake, Sean notices his hand twitch slightly. No one else sees it, but Sean grows increasingly worried about the toll aging is taking on him. After the party Sean looks at his naked body, noticing some flab and wrinkles. He decides to inject the Botox after all.

The doctors consult Libby Zucker. At first, we don't see for what she in there. She tells them that while celebrating her 34th birthday, she and her close gay friend Chad got extremely drunk and got depressed about failed dreams and age. After saying half heartedly that she should kill herself since the peak is over, she pulled out her gun. It accidentally went off, leaving half her face horribly disfigured. It's clearly not going to be an easy process for her. It'll probably take several surgeries to correct it, but she doesn't care. She's tired of kids crying when they look at her.

Julia's mom arrives and asks for a facelift. Sean and Julia are confused, as she has always been confident about her wrinkles. Unfortunately, Erica knows that sex sells and that she can't use the same jacket cover photo she used when she was forty-one. She is a woman in a man's profession and the only way she can survive is to look the way she did during her prime.

Erica represents everything Julia wishes she was but wasn't. She didn't sacrifice her career for family and is extremely successful. Having her around obnoxiously reinforces this notion to Julia. She is open and frank, describing the photographer's erection when her jacket photo was taken. However, she is flawed, as her husband left her for a younger woman, further worsening this funk over her age.

While they're prepping for Libby's surgery, they discuss the game Libby played before shooting herself. Who has achieved their life goals later in life? Christian remains optimistic that they will. Their business is booming without Bobolit in the picture. He also plans to fully enjoy his playboy lifestyle, aspiring to sleep with "twice as many mamazons" in his forties. Wilbur doesn't stand to interfere. A nanny will help Christian. This is much different from the Christian we saw at the end of the first season, however we will see that one return later in the hour.

Libby's surgery is hard to watch. It is a series of graphic removals and replacements of the bolts to keep her skull together. Also, skin on her arms is sliced off and grafted to her face. Sean also employs micro laser surgery to work on her jaw line. Later, his arm jumps slightly when he yields a scalpel. After surgery in the break room, he looks at his hand in horror.

Sean's concern causes him to visit his neurologist friend. After CAT scans and other tests, the doctor diagnoses Sean with the Yips, a nervous tick that's psychological in origin. It primarily affects those who are in their prime. Sean doesn't inform Christian, but rather self medicates. When Christian finds out, he is furious, but Sean maintains that only he could handle complex microsurgery like the type done on Libby. Sean decides to self-medicate.

Christian's job interview consists of having sex with the applicant while looking over her qualifications. Now that is true multitasking. The only problem comes when she calls him "daddy". While he wants to enjoy his wild lifestyle, it's not as easy to avoid his current responsibility. When Gina finds out, she has the nanny fired and takes Wilbur back to her home. Later, as he's sleeping with the rehired nanny, Wilbur starts crying. To get him to sleep, the nanny dips his pacifier in a cold medicine bottle. Appalled, Christian's paternal nature overrules his need to have fun. Like Gina reprimanded, he can't raise Wilbur if he still acts like a child.

Unlike other experiences, a twenty-five year old woman rejects Christian's advances. Meanwhile, Sean tells Erica that he's diverting her surgery to Christian, not saying why. Christian and Erica meet in private, where she opens about her desire to be desired. Both characters are hurting from being rejected because of their age. Because of that, they sleep together. This is reminiscent of when Sophia Lopez and Liz had sex. On soaps, it's common for people to sleep together out of loneliness to dull the pain that comes from it.

Sean helps Libby remove the bandages, revealing a face that looks better. She's unhappy about the progress so far, and it gets worse when she discovers that her gay friend has a date. He needs a break from the constant stay in hospital rooms. When he leaves, she tells Sean that her gunshot wound wasn't an accident. They had made a suicide pact, but she loved him too much to pull the trigger. Sean asks if she wished she was dead, but she doesn't. She believes that "aging is a privilege." It's an important message of the episode.

During their workout, Erica reveals that she slept with Christian. Julia is disgusted. Then Erica reveals her body to Julia, which only shocks her more. Though she has prevented some aging through exercise, she wants to be desirable throughout her body. Erica mentions that Christian was unable to look at her while they were doing it. Julia construes this as a subconscious way for Christian to have Julia because of their similar appearance. Later that night Sean laughs it off, but Julia can't. When Christian calls for help with Wilbur, she goes over, then scolds him for his action. Then she finds out that he slept with her at Sean and Julia's marriage.

Nip/Tuck's surgeries this season have escalated in their graphic nature. Libby's surgery is shocking, but Erica's is almost as gross. They slice into the top of her head, pealing the forehead skin off to allow them to pull it up. Whoever thought we'd see Vanessa Redgrave this way? After he forehead is stitched up, they proceed to her cheeks, sticking a long needle through the skin and pulling the cheeks up to an unnatural shape with a thread.

Chad finally admits to Libby that he is falling in love with the man he has been seeing. She can't stand to hear this. This is the dark side to the lighthearted straight girl-gay guy relationships we see on TV and in movies. Somehow, she believed that she would be with this man as if it would substitute as a husband. She kills him. This whole scene feels too contrived. How could she get a gun in the office? Also, the "aging is a privilege" attitude doesn't fit as well as the one obsessed with this man.

Later, Christian celebrates his own 40th birthday alone with Wilbur while Sean practices cutting on the cake. Christian hopes that he can be a good father as his birthday wish. Both of these people are dealing with their lives alone. Already their contentment with life is over. But this is only the beginning of another crazy ride the McNamaras and Christian will go through.

Going into a new season, Nip/Tuck had a lot of promise to fulfill. It was great, but it could've been merely a fluke. Thankfully, they didn't have any problem, taking the calm from the end of last season and destroying it with the introduction of Julia's mom, played by Joely Richardson's real life mother Vanessa Redgrave. This is only the beginning of their problems, which means that the best drama is yet to come.

Score: 8/10