24: Season 1, Episode 9: 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Review
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Original Airdate: January 22, 2002
Writer: Virgil Williams
Director: Stephen Hopkins
Unlike many shows, 24 can't lose as much momentum as the story rebuilds following a pay off like the end of 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM. 24 has had a mixed history with these transitions, but this is one of the better ones. Because the pace slows down, we're allowed to see more character: Jack's vulnerability being stuck in a really bad situation and unable to help his family; Sherry keeping Keith's story quiet using her trademark manipulation; and Teri's love for Kim, proven in an honorable act of sacrifice.
It all begins with Palmer being led out of the plant following the incident. Meanwhile, Teri and Kim are brought back to the farmhouse of doom. Eli's stares are ominous hints to what he wants from Kim. Third is Jack, being taken to a room inside the plant where the head of security, Frank Simes, questions him about what exactly he was doing at the breakfast. Jack is honest, but he must've known that Simes wouldn't believe it. Although Jack has detailed knowledge about who's involved, Simes still has to follow protocol, leaving Jack in a tough situation he needs to get out of immediately.
In a nice directorial transition, they cut from Jack handcuffed to a chair to Jamey handcuffed in that dark room at CTU. Jamey tells them Gaines' name and that she was asked to tap CTU's surveillance. Since Nina can't be helpful stuck in the room, Jamey cuts this feed. This development only further frustrates Gaines, who was trying to locate the unreachable Jonathan, but Jamey is able to keep him relaxed enough to convince him that nothing is wrong and that she can get him Bauer
Of course, Jack's ability to be useful to Gaines again isn't easy, but he uses his keen observations to do so. While he is being escorted to a long day of interrogation, he sees the workers at the plant working on valves releasing steam. He quickly turns knob after knob, engulfing the room with steam and leaving the agents grasping to get him, unable to shoot out of the possibility of an explosion. He escapes the plant and finds a ride via imperiled waitress and soon to be cult icon Lauren.
Jamey's betrayal leads Tony to ask what her price was. After some impressive guesses, his disgust is heightened when she reveals that it was only $300,000. Those who terrorize and aid those who terrorize on 24 do so for many reasons; ideals, money, but Jamey's is the rare case where she helped them out of desperation. With her husband out of the picture, she's having a hard time keeping a good life for her son.
Jack manages to get the waitress into a construction site office, where he contacts Nina. He's shocked to hear that Jamey is the leak and further scared at what she shared with Gaines. However, he tries desperately to appeal to her. Since he is rogue, Jamey is the best chance they have of finding Gaines. Despite his offer to have this incident forgotten, she remains quiet. Jack knows what he has to do to get her to talk: bring in her son, Kyle.
Lauren, listening in to only Jack's side of the conversation, is obviously confused as to what's going on. Jack lets her know as much as he can say about the last few hours. This doesn't work. Though Jack tries to keep Lauren calm and assure her that he isn't going to hurt her, it doesn't work. She has problems too, which obviously are trivial compared to what Jack has faced so far. He gets her back in line before she can leave with the classic line summing up his day so far.
After this episode, Lauren became a popular character among fans, and we can see in this episode that her interactions with Jack reveal someone we hardly see otherwise. Because of 24's format, we aren't allowed to see more than few minutes of Jack in leisure activities. This break while he is waiting for his car shows us how interacts with ordinary people. In some ways, he can't relate like his inability to identify the bolt cutters later in the episode. Other ways, we see a man able to open up and show a man afraid for his family's safety.
Sherry and Palmer return to the hotel. With the first attempt quelled, they now have to figure out how to deal with Keith's problem since Palmer wasn't able to say it in his speech. Palmer's ready to accept and handle the story, but Sherry sees it as letting them take their son. He doesn't buy this plea, knowing that she should've gotten his help when it happened.
While on the phone, Tony apologizes for his ignorance to what Jack was dealing with, but Jack brushes it off because it was the right thing to do considering the circumstances. Also, Secret Service's intervention gave Jack the opportunity to get Palmer away from Jonathan's range. Though their relationship has been bumpy these first few hours, this conversation is a turning point in Tony and Jack's relationship. Not too long from now Tony will become the closest thing Jack has to a friend.
After their conversation, Jack asks Lauren to pick up a pair of bolt cutters from outside so he can free himself. While the last few episodes showed Jack gradually losing his control over the situation, these moments show him slowly getting it back. However, even at the end of the season he still doesn't fully recover from his helplessness.
As Palmer takes a much-needed drink, Novick informs him about the progress of the investigation and that Jack was taken in, but now missing. We had gotten some hints that this there was more to Palmer and Jack's connection than just Jack's assignment to protect him. While it's no surprise that Jack knows Palmer, Palmer faintly recollects knowing Bauer, or at least his name.
The darkest part of this episode occurs when Eli barges into the barnyard of doom, planning to rape Kim. Knowing what his intentions are, Kim fights him off successfully, until Teri intervenes and offers herself in her daughter's place. While it's tough to see this situation, it helps us understand how much she really loves her daughter. She'd be willing to endure a terrible situation so that her daughter won't have to live with it. Unfortunately, Kim still has to hear the muffled creaks from the next room.
In a dark room, Sherry calls Maureen to persuade her to hold on the story. While not directly saying so, she wants her not to tell the story at all, but that wouldn't fly. Instead, she offers her an exclusive scoop on the assassination attempt and the government's possible involvement. This is where we really see how manipulative and conniving Sherry can be. She's acting more for her self-interest and using incentives to get it.
Back at the barnyard of doom, Teri returns to a scared and upset Kim. Although Teri must feel like crying, she maintains her composure for Kim's sake. If they hope to make it out of there alive, they need to remain calm and hopeful that they will get their lives back. One thing that really helps is that Teri stole Eli's cell phone, which she uses to contact Nina at CTU. Unfortunately, she can't give them any information because the Asian guy comes in.
Keith, absent from the hotel earlier, returns, and appears to be in lighter spirits, largely because the story was kept quiet. Palmer has his lawyers working on the case. It doesn't faze Keith as much as it would've before the breakfast. Novick informs him that Maureen is dropping the story about Keith. Palmer knows that Sherry had something to do about it, but Sherry denies it.
Sometimes we can best share our feelings to strangers. While waiting for Jack's ride to come there, he opens up a little bit about his past. He used to do extensive field work, encountering horrible places and events, but none have scared him as much as this one. In all this time to sit on his feelings, it becomes too much. However, instead of exploding, he falls asleep, but not long enough for Lauren to leave.
Nina and Tony tell Jamey that they're bringing in Kyle to get her to talk. Even now, she still won't budge, despite the affects that this development has caused her. But she knows from working there what happens to relatives of those who testify against criminals. Of course, as the only link who could easily cause Gaines' operation to collapse, she can't give everything away this easily. She asks for a few minutes to think it over, giving her plenty of time to die.
Secret Service arrive at the site, and Jack asks Lauren to get the car for him. Considering the way he's been treating her, she would be hard pressed to believe that he was genuinely not going to hurt her when he got back. She heads to the police, alerting them to Jack's presence. Jack frantically runs to the car, driving off with Secret Service out of the way. He must've seen this coming.
Back at CTU, Milo has gathered enough to know that Jamey is in big trouble, so Nina and Tony decide to check in on her again to see if she's agreed to talk. However, when they open the door, they find Jamey's wrist cut and blood spilling profusely. Then Gaines calls. Jamey's unconscious and Nina and Tony look at the phone, confused as to what to do about it. They can't answer it, but if it isn't answered, he'll catch on to the problem.
Following the last string of episodes wasn't easy, but this episode does a good job. Slowing the action gave us time to see more character and possibly catch new viewers up who tuned in to the first of 12 straight weeks of the show. Though Teri's rape didn't pan out as much as the writers must've expected, it's still good to see Teri's love beyond talk. Lauren provided a good one off character, someone who allowed us to see more of Jack the person, but now things are still in shambles. Their only link is incapacitated and Jack is rogue. It's interesting how it all pans out.
Score: 8/10
It all begins with Palmer being led out of the plant following the incident. Meanwhile, Teri and Kim are brought back to the farmhouse of doom. Eli's stares are ominous hints to what he wants from Kim. Third is Jack, being taken to a room inside the plant where the head of security, Frank Simes, questions him about what exactly he was doing at the breakfast. Jack is honest, but he must've known that Simes wouldn't believe it. Although Jack has detailed knowledge about who's involved, Simes still has to follow protocol, leaving Jack in a tough situation he needs to get out of immediately.
In a nice directorial transition, they cut from Jack handcuffed to a chair to Jamey handcuffed in that dark room at CTU. Jamey tells them Gaines' name and that she was asked to tap CTU's surveillance. Since Nina can't be helpful stuck in the room, Jamey cuts this feed. This development only further frustrates Gaines, who was trying to locate the unreachable Jonathan, but Jamey is able to keep him relaxed enough to convince him that nothing is wrong and that she can get him Bauer
Of course, Jack's ability to be useful to Gaines again isn't easy, but he uses his keen observations to do so. While he is being escorted to a long day of interrogation, he sees the workers at the plant working on valves releasing steam. He quickly turns knob after knob, engulfing the room with steam and leaving the agents grasping to get him, unable to shoot out of the possibility of an explosion. He escapes the plant and finds a ride via imperiled waitress and soon to be cult icon Lauren.
Jamey's betrayal leads Tony to ask what her price was. After some impressive guesses, his disgust is heightened when she reveals that it was only $300,000. Those who terrorize and aid those who terrorize on 24 do so for many reasons; ideals, money, but Jamey's is the rare case where she helped them out of desperation. With her husband out of the picture, she's having a hard time keeping a good life for her son.
Jack manages to get the waitress into a construction site office, where he contacts Nina. He's shocked to hear that Jamey is the leak and further scared at what she shared with Gaines. However, he tries desperately to appeal to her. Since he is rogue, Jamey is the best chance they have of finding Gaines. Despite his offer to have this incident forgotten, she remains quiet. Jack knows what he has to do to get her to talk: bring in her son, Kyle.
Lauren, listening in to only Jack's side of the conversation, is obviously confused as to what's going on. Jack lets her know as much as he can say about the last few hours. This doesn't work. Though Jack tries to keep Lauren calm and assure her that he isn't going to hurt her, it doesn't work. She has problems too, which obviously are trivial compared to what Jack has faced so far. He gets her back in line before she can leave with the classic line summing up his day so far.
After this episode, Lauren became a popular character among fans, and we can see in this episode that her interactions with Jack reveal someone we hardly see otherwise. Because of 24's format, we aren't allowed to see more than few minutes of Jack in leisure activities. This break while he is waiting for his car shows us how interacts with ordinary people. In some ways, he can't relate like his inability to identify the bolt cutters later in the episode. Other ways, we see a man able to open up and show a man afraid for his family's safety.
Sherry and Palmer return to the hotel. With the first attempt quelled, they now have to figure out how to deal with Keith's problem since Palmer wasn't able to say it in his speech. Palmer's ready to accept and handle the story, but Sherry sees it as letting them take their son. He doesn't buy this plea, knowing that she should've gotten his help when it happened.
While on the phone, Tony apologizes for his ignorance to what Jack was dealing with, but Jack brushes it off because it was the right thing to do considering the circumstances. Also, Secret Service's intervention gave Jack the opportunity to get Palmer away from Jonathan's range. Though their relationship has been bumpy these first few hours, this conversation is a turning point in Tony and Jack's relationship. Not too long from now Tony will become the closest thing Jack has to a friend.
After their conversation, Jack asks Lauren to pick up a pair of bolt cutters from outside so he can free himself. While the last few episodes showed Jack gradually losing his control over the situation, these moments show him slowly getting it back. However, even at the end of the season he still doesn't fully recover from his helplessness.
As Palmer takes a much-needed drink, Novick informs him about the progress of the investigation and that Jack was taken in, but now missing. We had gotten some hints that this there was more to Palmer and Jack's connection than just Jack's assignment to protect him. While it's no surprise that Jack knows Palmer, Palmer faintly recollects knowing Bauer, or at least his name.
The darkest part of this episode occurs when Eli barges into the barnyard of doom, planning to rape Kim. Knowing what his intentions are, Kim fights him off successfully, until Teri intervenes and offers herself in her daughter's place. While it's tough to see this situation, it helps us understand how much she really loves her daughter. She'd be willing to endure a terrible situation so that her daughter won't have to live with it. Unfortunately, Kim still has to hear the muffled creaks from the next room.
In a dark room, Sherry calls Maureen to persuade her to hold on the story. While not directly saying so, she wants her not to tell the story at all, but that wouldn't fly. Instead, she offers her an exclusive scoop on the assassination attempt and the government's possible involvement. This is where we really see how manipulative and conniving Sherry can be. She's acting more for her self-interest and using incentives to get it.
Back at the barnyard of doom, Teri returns to a scared and upset Kim. Although Teri must feel like crying, she maintains her composure for Kim's sake. If they hope to make it out of there alive, they need to remain calm and hopeful that they will get their lives back. One thing that really helps is that Teri stole Eli's cell phone, which she uses to contact Nina at CTU. Unfortunately, she can't give them any information because the Asian guy comes in.
Keith, absent from the hotel earlier, returns, and appears to be in lighter spirits, largely because the story was kept quiet. Palmer has his lawyers working on the case. It doesn't faze Keith as much as it would've before the breakfast. Novick informs him that Maureen is dropping the story about Keith. Palmer knows that Sherry had something to do about it, but Sherry denies it.
Sometimes we can best share our feelings to strangers. While waiting for Jack's ride to come there, he opens up a little bit about his past. He used to do extensive field work, encountering horrible places and events, but none have scared him as much as this one. In all this time to sit on his feelings, it becomes too much. However, instead of exploding, he falls asleep, but not long enough for Lauren to leave.
Nina and Tony tell Jamey that they're bringing in Kyle to get her to talk. Even now, she still won't budge, despite the affects that this development has caused her. But she knows from working there what happens to relatives of those who testify against criminals. Of course, as the only link who could easily cause Gaines' operation to collapse, she can't give everything away this easily. She asks for a few minutes to think it over, giving her plenty of time to die.
Secret Service arrive at the site, and Jack asks Lauren to get the car for him. Considering the way he's been treating her, she would be hard pressed to believe that he was genuinely not going to hurt her when he got back. She heads to the police, alerting them to Jack's presence. Jack frantically runs to the car, driving off with Secret Service out of the way. He must've seen this coming.
Back at CTU, Milo has gathered enough to know that Jamey is in big trouble, so Nina and Tony decide to check in on her again to see if she's agreed to talk. However, when they open the door, they find Jamey's wrist cut and blood spilling profusely. Then Gaines calls. Jamey's unconscious and Nina and Tony look at the phone, confused as to what to do about it. They can't answer it, but if it isn't answered, he'll catch on to the problem.
Following the last string of episodes wasn't easy, but this episode does a good job. Slowing the action gave us time to see more character and possibly catch new viewers up who tuned in to the first of 12 straight weeks of the show. Though Teri's rape didn't pan out as much as the writers must've expected, it's still good to see Teri's love beyond talk. Lauren provided a good one off character, someone who allowed us to see more of Jack the person, but now things are still in shambles. Their only link is incapacitated and Jack is rogue. It's interesting how it all pans out.
Score: 8/10
posted by Matt @ 12:58 AM
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