24: Season 4, Episode 7: Day 4: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Review

Day 4: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Original Airdate: January 31, 2005
Writers: Joel Surnow & Michael Loceff
Director: Ken Girotti

This episode served to expand upon the complications from last episode. We learn more about what is at stake from those on both sides, as the new threat becomes fully mobile. There are a few faults, like story lines that are important only to the writers, but it is forgiven because of some great tense moments and an old friend returning.

Jack tries to access the video surveillance from Felsted Security, the company that provided security for the dinner where Audrey met the man from the compound. Jack wants to go there alone, but Audrey insists on accompanying him because she just found out about the override. Heller is apprehensive about it. Considering where they were only an hour earlier, he has reason. Also, when a team prepares to go on location collecting evidence on 24, the bad guys tend to find them and bodies drop.

Curtis debriefs CTU about what they could be facing with this override. Millions could die within days (although I was expecting a higher number considering the power plants that are near major cities). Their casualty list doesn't include those who will die later because of cancer, birth defects and other forms of radiation poisoning. That number would certainly be much larger. Essentially, they would deliver what a hundred nuclear bombs would, and it is going to start within three hours.

Paul confronts Jack about his suspicions, but Jack doesn't respond. Heller talks to his former son in law. Audrey isn't interested anymore and can make her own decisions. They haven't been together in nine months anyway, so he should let it go. While that is true, Paul is clearly there to complicate Jack and Audrey's relationship. So far, it is running fine, as they share another nice moment, holding hands in the car. On the ride, Audrey decides that she will finalize her divorce. Paul later calls to apologize for his behavior. His love has gotten the best of his judgement.

Marianne sneaks in an inquiry to Jack and Audrey's location without making it seem like she's prying. Now that we know her secret, past instances like squeezing Edgar a few hours earlier about what they were doing become much more dubious. Sarah spots her in the typical dark area of CTU, but Marianne lies and says that she's rebooting a system. After some quick research, she informs Powell, the man Audrey recognized, about Jack's location. Powell then instructs her to divert suspicion since Jack and Audrey will be killed to protect their secrets and their deaths would alert CTU to a rat.

It still begs the question why Marianne is doing this. She is an ambitious woman who prides herself on impressing superiors and advancing her career, but they must've been aware of what Marwan's plans were. Why annihilate millions of people, crippling the US, to get money unless they were devoted to the cause like Marwan and his associates? The money wouldn't be worthwhile if you can't spend it. This again goes with a problem I had with the oil men in season two.

At the Araz house, Navi and Dina discuss the override and the aftermath of the contract on Behrooz's life. Dina doesn't have the intention of waiting until after the day is over to mourn the loss of their son. When Navi leaves the room, Behrooz calls his mother to tell her what had just happened, including the fact that Navi was behind it. She agrees to get him, but Navi has overheard the conversation. To show further what a brute he can be, he grabs her tightly and screams that the mission goes before Behrooz and he will not ruin what they've planned. By now, we know that Navi is the only Araz completely devoted to their cause, but Navi believes that Dina is too. The loyalty test is to get him as planned, but Navi would be following.

If Chloe's absence did anything, it was give the writers a chance to develop other characters, primarily Edgar. He discovers an unclaimed section of code that CTU can use to prevent the plants from melting down. To figure out what he can do, he asks Sarah to avoid the server Marianne told her she was rebooting. Marianne covers her original lie with a lie that she was making a personal call. This is a bandage for now until the siege at Felsted.

The code can be harnessed by CTU. However, if a mistake is made, it would serve as a catalyst to accelerate the meltdowns. This is a lot of pressure. Edgar hasn't been developed as anything like Jack regarding his confidence. When faced with the massive mission that could save millions of lives or facilitate their deaths, Edgar isn't as confident. He's acting like many ordinary people would. Sarah and Curtis agree he should talk to Driscoll and Heller about it, a feat that only makes him more nervous, especially since Heller can be intimidating. However, during this meeting he realizes that this risk is worth taking and that he will be able to do it.

At this point, it is wise to show another layer of how deep this threat goes since we don't have many leads left. Marwan calls asking about Behrooz. Navi lies, saying Tariq killed him. Although Dina will never forgive him for what he made them to their son, Navi remains unwavering from his objectives: the mission and cleaning his mess.

Despite the hours of sensory deprivation, Richard did not reveal any useful information. He's allowed to leave, but first he exchanges some hurtful words towards his father. They should have given more emphasis on Heller's apology, as if the torture was nothing more than a little mistake. The apology does add fuel to Richard's distrust in what his father believes since his worst fears and suspicions were confirmed. Even though the subject of torturing an innocent person should've been delved into, it's clear that Richard and Heller's issues won't be solved within a day.

Dina, alone while Navi and some thugs watch nearby, drives toward Behrooz. At first, she goes along with her husband's plan, but her love for her son overrules this. She demands that Behrooz run away and get on a nearby train. Before he can get far, Navi shoots at Dina's car, hitting her left arm. Behrooz can't leave his mother to die, so he takes the wheel and thanks to some strategic traffic, escapes his father.

Defeated, Navi finds Marwan and asks for his help. Marwan serves like a Middle Eastern version of The Godfather in this scene. Since Dina was shot, she'll likely be taken to a hospital, so he asks Marwan to access police scans and hospital frequencies. He agrees to help Navi track down Dina and Behrooz, but more for keeping them silent, reminding him that he will be held responsible for it. I wish we saw more of this Marwan since it yielded more for his character than most of his action this season.

Unfortunately, we have another sojourn into the Maya story line. I know this is meant to show a more human side to the stern head of CTU, but I'd rather see them focus on the override and apply her humanity there. The doctors accidentally give Maya a drug she's allergic to, and Driscoll is helplessly watching her daughter as CTU staff tries to help her. Sarah tells her Heller wants to talk, but she snaps at her. I understand her feelings, but she needs to forget them because of what is at risk.

Jack and Audrey arrive at Felsted, which is surprisingly empty for the middle of the day. A few red shirts detail security as they review the footage. Things are fine until Jack notices that the guards are not at their posts or answering his pages. The security footage cuts to the agents lying dead by the entrance. Two men barge into the surveillance room, firing at Jack and Audrey and hitting the techie who was helping them. Jack kills both men and tries to help the wounded techie while getting the necessary information off the server onto a portable memory stick. He has no choice but to leave the man to get out of the building.

They find a safe spot and Jack pulls out his cell phone. Since CTU were the only people who knew where he was, someone had to have leaked this information. To get out alive, he would need the only person he could trust. Now word had leaked about the return of former regular Carlos Bernard as Tony Almeida. However, the wait for his comeback in this episode was exciting. When Tony killed the men, I cheered. This is clearly a good indicator of an appropriate return.

One problem people had with returning characters in prior seasons was that the reasons for their return boiled down to fan demand, which isn't necessarily a good thing to do. This time it makes sense to bring Tony back to save Jack and Audrey from the thugs. CTU can't be trusted, but Tony can since he is no longer CTU. They have known each other for years and are probably the closest thing to a friend they can have considering their line of work.

Edgar has considerable success with the code, saving eighty-four reactors. He continues to manage his way through the code, but runs out of time. Luckily, he shuts down eleven of the remaining reactors. It may be a cheesy feel good moment, but Edgar deserved it, and as we know 24, they wouldn't be out of the crisis only seven episodes into the season. Six are not responding to Edgar's work. The override device still needs to be found or else they will be dealing with a nuclear holocaust.

This is getting very interesting. Unlike other arcs, they seemed prepared to avoid a lackluster follow up once the kidnapping bubble burst. Maya is still annoying, so caring about her doesn't work. Tony's return and the anticipation leading to it is great and more than redeems the episode's shortcomings.

Score: 9/10