24: Season 1, Episode 8: 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM Review
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Original Airdate: January 15, 2002
Writer: Joel Surnow & Michael Loceff
Director: Stephen Hopkins
Few writers would be able to keep the suspense and intensity of an assassination attempt going for the entire 24-hour arc without some payoff. 24 had some trouble during its first season, and if they lead the viewers along for the entire season, it would've certainly ensured cancellation. Luckily, they had built in this payoff. Throughout the first season, they emphasized the importance of this breakfast. It clearly lived up to its hype. Both the Palmer storyline and Jack's reach a major head and the result is extremely tense and suspenseful, a great example of 24.
The first moments establish the main action of the episode. Nina groggily searches for anything that can get her back to CTU so she can inform them about what she just experienced. Meanwhile, polls have opened in California. Politicians, journalists and labor leaders are preparing to get a glimpse of the senator. Unbeknownst to everyone, one of those people is assassin Jonathan, who informs Gaines he's on schedule. He manages to get in without a problem.
Palmer stands outside on his hotel balcony, obviously prepping himself to make what will be one of the most important speeches of his. Sherry steps out and asks if he's ready to go. He tells her that he is going to come forward about Keith before the press can. Neither she nor Keith is happy about this. Keith sees this as a political move. He doesn't believe that the public will see it as an accident. Palmer is more sure that Keith can't walk away from something as extreme as this, but that doesn't stop Keith from storming out.
Gaines, still controlling Jack, instructs him to get a briefcase from one of his associates. When Gaines refuses to tell him what is in it, Jack stops obeying for a moment. Gaines quickly reasserts himself by putting Teri, recently arrived to the compound, on the line. I really liked the shot from Teri's point of view, showing the lights peaking through the black cloth while we hear her whimper in fear. It's an effective way to show her emotional state at the beginning of the episode. Teri only says a few words, but it's enough to convince Jack to stay on track.
After Gaines orders Jack to the power station, he sends Jamey a message. On her way to read it, she bumps into Milo, grumpy over not given any meaningful work. It's funny now how much of a cult figure Milo has become when he wasn't that likable on first glance (although his sudden disappearance had a lot to do with that). In these early appearances, he is cranky. Never to the point that Chloe would reach in later seasons, but still noticeable.
In the bathroom, Jamey pretends she's checking her hair. When the other woman leaves, she heads to a stall to receive Gaines' message. Gaines asks if Milo knows the keycard is fake and if it's going to be a problem. When she tells him it won't be a problem. He informs her that Nina is dead and she should make up a story to explain her absence. Now this probably is the most off thing about this episode. Jamey didn't need to know about Nina's death. Although Gaines doesn't know Nina is still alive, when it turned out she was lying, she would be outed as the mole. We see that it has affected her as her hand slightly shakes as she puts the stylus back into the PDA.
Despite their plans, Gaines never intended on harming Teri and Kim before Palmer was killed. When Teri asks to see her daughter, he politely agrees (although his thugs still drag her and Kim into the barnyard of doom.) Their ordeal isn't over, but being together certainly eases their minds. Kim tells Teri about her ordeal and learns that her friend has died. This is where we see Teri's maternal side. It's still tough, yet Teri provides a source of support for Kim.
Aside from all the good drama it later provided, keeping Nina alive gave us a venue to tell CTU what Jack was doing. She manages to find a farmhouse with a working phone, where she calls Jamey, to no answer and then Tony, who does. Nina tells him about her situation. She doesn't say how she got to East Hollywood, and the bizarre request not to let anyone know she's alive frustrates Tony to the point where he threatens to bring it to Chappelle. Then he hears Jamey mention that Nina told her that she would be out all day. Nina puts it together and realizes that Jamey is the mole Jack warned him about earlier.
Meanwhile, Pierce grills Jack at the security check in. Pierce requests that Jack open the briefcase Gaines' thug gave him twenty minutes earlier. We don't know what is in it, but it has something to do with the assassination attempt. Jack doesn't know what to expect either, but has to comply. These moments feel much longer until it is revealed that they only find the laptop, while we remain in the dark about the sniper rifle underneath.
With that obstacle passed, Jack runs into a member of Palmer's press team, an old high school friend of Jack's. Gaines quickly tells him to separate. He obeys, but Jack is still working on his plan to prevent the assassination. As Jack walks around, he and Palmer catch each other's eye for a moment. This moment where the two heroes of the piece meet is well done. One of my favorite things about 24 is the interactions between these two characters and this moment is a good starting point.
Teri lets Kim nap briefly when Rick stops by with some breakfast for them. There's immediate tension as Teri knows that he kidnapped Kim, but before he can tell her that he was too much of a coward to do anything, Eli comes in to get him. As they leave, he makes a remark about how Rick shouldn't make friends since they won't be around for long. Teri gets the meaning behind that Gaines' promise was a lie and starts to think of a way to protect Kim when from knowing too much.
We see despite his situation, Jack is still determined to protect Palmer while making it appear to be casual. He runs into his old friend again, and tries to warn her about the situation. Gaines is obviously smart enough to know what's going on, and sends Jack into one of the medical room away from the action.
Nina returns to CTU, where Tony sneaks her into a "dark" room, where she updates him about the current situation. Tony urges that secret service be alerted. For the first time, Nina has to make a decision against Jack. Despite her belief that Jack wouldn't do anything to hurt Palmer (which she is mostly correct about), their assignment has been to protect Palmer first.
At the medical station, Jonathan arrives and pulls up the laptop, revealing the gun parts Jack has to assemble. This is to make sure Jack's prints are all over the weapon. Jonathan doesn't care much about if people will believe Jack did it. As he walks out, Jack pulls his gun, but even he must've known it would be pointless. If Jonathan dies, then Teri and Kim die.
Tony and Nina hatch their plan to root out Jamey without arousing suspicion from Gaines. Tony tells Milo that the real card was found. Whether that was true, it puts the pressure on Jamey. As she goes to the women's room to inform Gaines about this development, Tony sneaks in when the camera loops turns away from them. This is a major turning point for Tony's character. Before that, we've seen him as someone who constantly clashed with Jack and Nina's loyalty toward him. Now we see a commanding other side to him.
Following CTU's assessment, Pierce tries to convince Palmer to leave the plant before anything can happen. However, Palmer needs to come forward about Keith, so he agrees to cut some of the mingling, but keep his speech. It wouldn't be any fun if Palmer wasn't directly in harm's way, would it? And as Palmer is introduced, Jack frantically tries to find something in the medical station he could use. He can't and time is running short. How can he save Palmer and protect his family?
Meanwhile, Tony takes Jamey to the room where Nina is located. This obviously freaks out the uncovered rat. At first, her feigned innocence doesn't hold against Nina and Teri's threats of treason charges. While she gives some information, she remains quiet about Gaines until she is given agency council. Jamey could be a valuable tool, but will they be able to do something in time?
It's showtime. Both Palmer and Jack's stories culminate in this moment. Jack is ordered to walk to Jonathan's location, where he'll be handed the gun after Palmer is shot. Jack doesn't believe this demand, but Gaines reminds him of what is at stake. Before he can get there, a secret service agent stops him. A few hundred feet away, Palmer is delivering his speech to an enthusiastic crowd and decides to tell them. But before that can happen, Jack reaches for the agent's gun, creating pandemonium as agents tackle Jack and Palmer is whisked out.
Gaines, feeling that Jack deliberately sabotaged the mission, orders Eli to kill Teri and Kim immediately. As things become crazier at the power plant, Teri and Kim are dragged out to shallow graves, confirming that Gaines was going to kill them regardless of how Jack acted. It is a tense few moments, but Jamey pulls out enough to save them. Calling Gaines, she convinces him that Jack was picked up for breaking protocol. It's enough to give Gaines incentive to give his family a last second reprieve. Now Jack is in custody and we're left wondering what can happen next.
Once you catch you're breath, you're dying to find out what happens next. This is what happens when 24 is at its best. For the entire hour, the tension doesn't ease. It almost made me uneasy (but that could've been what I had for dinner the first time I saw this). And those final minutes are a doozy.
Writer: Joel Surnow & Michael Loceff
Director: Stephen Hopkins
Few writers would be able to keep the suspense and intensity of an assassination attempt going for the entire 24-hour arc without some payoff. 24 had some trouble during its first season, and if they lead the viewers along for the entire season, it would've certainly ensured cancellation. Luckily, they had built in this payoff. Throughout the first season, they emphasized the importance of this breakfast. It clearly lived up to its hype. Both the Palmer storyline and Jack's reach a major head and the result is extremely tense and suspenseful, a great example of 24.
The first moments establish the main action of the episode. Nina groggily searches for anything that can get her back to CTU so she can inform them about what she just experienced. Meanwhile, polls have opened in California. Politicians, journalists and labor leaders are preparing to get a glimpse of the senator. Unbeknownst to everyone, one of those people is assassin Jonathan, who informs Gaines he's on schedule. He manages to get in without a problem.
Palmer stands outside on his hotel balcony, obviously prepping himself to make what will be one of the most important speeches of his. Sherry steps out and asks if he's ready to go. He tells her that he is going to come forward about Keith before the press can. Neither she nor Keith is happy about this. Keith sees this as a political move. He doesn't believe that the public will see it as an accident. Palmer is more sure that Keith can't walk away from something as extreme as this, but that doesn't stop Keith from storming out.
Gaines, still controlling Jack, instructs him to get a briefcase from one of his associates. When Gaines refuses to tell him what is in it, Jack stops obeying for a moment. Gaines quickly reasserts himself by putting Teri, recently arrived to the compound, on the line. I really liked the shot from Teri's point of view, showing the lights peaking through the black cloth while we hear her whimper in fear. It's an effective way to show her emotional state at the beginning of the episode. Teri only says a few words, but it's enough to convince Jack to stay on track.
After Gaines orders Jack to the power station, he sends Jamey a message. On her way to read it, she bumps into Milo, grumpy over not given any meaningful work. It's funny now how much of a cult figure Milo has become when he wasn't that likable on first glance (although his sudden disappearance had a lot to do with that). In these early appearances, he is cranky. Never to the point that Chloe would reach in later seasons, but still noticeable.
In the bathroom, Jamey pretends she's checking her hair. When the other woman leaves, she heads to a stall to receive Gaines' message. Gaines asks if Milo knows the keycard is fake and if it's going to be a problem. When she tells him it won't be a problem. He informs her that Nina is dead and she should make up a story to explain her absence. Now this probably is the most off thing about this episode. Jamey didn't need to know about Nina's death. Although Gaines doesn't know Nina is still alive, when it turned out she was lying, she would be outed as the mole. We see that it has affected her as her hand slightly shakes as she puts the stylus back into the PDA.
Despite their plans, Gaines never intended on harming Teri and Kim before Palmer was killed. When Teri asks to see her daughter, he politely agrees (although his thugs still drag her and Kim into the barnyard of doom.) Their ordeal isn't over, but being together certainly eases their minds. Kim tells Teri about her ordeal and learns that her friend has died. This is where we see Teri's maternal side. It's still tough, yet Teri provides a source of support for Kim.
Aside from all the good drama it later provided, keeping Nina alive gave us a venue to tell CTU what Jack was doing. She manages to find a farmhouse with a working phone, where she calls Jamey, to no answer and then Tony, who does. Nina tells him about her situation. She doesn't say how she got to East Hollywood, and the bizarre request not to let anyone know she's alive frustrates Tony to the point where he threatens to bring it to Chappelle. Then he hears Jamey mention that Nina told her that she would be out all day. Nina puts it together and realizes that Jamey is the mole Jack warned him about earlier.
Meanwhile, Pierce grills Jack at the security check in. Pierce requests that Jack open the briefcase Gaines' thug gave him twenty minutes earlier. We don't know what is in it, but it has something to do with the assassination attempt. Jack doesn't know what to expect either, but has to comply. These moments feel much longer until it is revealed that they only find the laptop, while we remain in the dark about the sniper rifle underneath.
With that obstacle passed, Jack runs into a member of Palmer's press team, an old high school friend of Jack's. Gaines quickly tells him to separate. He obeys, but Jack is still working on his plan to prevent the assassination. As Jack walks around, he and Palmer catch each other's eye for a moment. This moment where the two heroes of the piece meet is well done. One of my favorite things about 24 is the interactions between these two characters and this moment is a good starting point.
Teri lets Kim nap briefly when Rick stops by with some breakfast for them. There's immediate tension as Teri knows that he kidnapped Kim, but before he can tell her that he was too much of a coward to do anything, Eli comes in to get him. As they leave, he makes a remark about how Rick shouldn't make friends since they won't be around for long. Teri gets the meaning behind that Gaines' promise was a lie and starts to think of a way to protect Kim when from knowing too much.
We see despite his situation, Jack is still determined to protect Palmer while making it appear to be casual. He runs into his old friend again, and tries to warn her about the situation. Gaines is obviously smart enough to know what's going on, and sends Jack into one of the medical room away from the action.
Nina returns to CTU, where Tony sneaks her into a "dark" room, where she updates him about the current situation. Tony urges that secret service be alerted. For the first time, Nina has to make a decision against Jack. Despite her belief that Jack wouldn't do anything to hurt Palmer (which she is mostly correct about), their assignment has been to protect Palmer first.
At the medical station, Jonathan arrives and pulls up the laptop, revealing the gun parts Jack has to assemble. This is to make sure Jack's prints are all over the weapon. Jonathan doesn't care much about if people will believe Jack did it. As he walks out, Jack pulls his gun, but even he must've known it would be pointless. If Jonathan dies, then Teri and Kim die.
Tony and Nina hatch their plan to root out Jamey without arousing suspicion from Gaines. Tony tells Milo that the real card was found. Whether that was true, it puts the pressure on Jamey. As she goes to the women's room to inform Gaines about this development, Tony sneaks in when the camera loops turns away from them. This is a major turning point for Tony's character. Before that, we've seen him as someone who constantly clashed with Jack and Nina's loyalty toward him. Now we see a commanding other side to him.
Following CTU's assessment, Pierce tries to convince Palmer to leave the plant before anything can happen. However, Palmer needs to come forward about Keith, so he agrees to cut some of the mingling, but keep his speech. It wouldn't be any fun if Palmer wasn't directly in harm's way, would it? And as Palmer is introduced, Jack frantically tries to find something in the medical station he could use. He can't and time is running short. How can he save Palmer and protect his family?
Meanwhile, Tony takes Jamey to the room where Nina is located. This obviously freaks out the uncovered rat. At first, her feigned innocence doesn't hold against Nina and Teri's threats of treason charges. While she gives some information, she remains quiet about Gaines until she is given agency council. Jamey could be a valuable tool, but will they be able to do something in time?
It's showtime. Both Palmer and Jack's stories culminate in this moment. Jack is ordered to walk to Jonathan's location, where he'll be handed the gun after Palmer is shot. Jack doesn't believe this demand, but Gaines reminds him of what is at stake. Before he can get there, a secret service agent stops him. A few hundred feet away, Palmer is delivering his speech to an enthusiastic crowd and decides to tell them. But before that can happen, Jack reaches for the agent's gun, creating pandemonium as agents tackle Jack and Palmer is whisked out.
Gaines, feeling that Jack deliberately sabotaged the mission, orders Eli to kill Teri and Kim immediately. As things become crazier at the power plant, Teri and Kim are dragged out to shallow graves, confirming that Gaines was going to kill them regardless of how Jack acted. It is a tense few moments, but Jamey pulls out enough to save them. Calling Gaines, she convinces him that Jack was picked up for breaking protocol. It's enough to give Gaines incentive to give his family a last second reprieve. Now Jack is in custody and we're left wondering what can happen next.
Once you catch you're breath, you're dying to find out what happens next. This is what happens when 24 is at its best. For the entire hour, the tension doesn't ease. It almost made me uneasy (but that could've been what I had for dinner the first time I saw this). And those final minutes are a doozy.
Score: 10/10
posted by Matt @ 2:56 AM
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