24: Season 5, Episode 20: Day 5: 2:00 AM - 3:00 AM Review

Day 5: 2:00 AM – 3:00 AM
Original Airdate: May 1, 2006
Writers: Michael Loceff and Joel Surnow
Director: Dwight Little

This episode, which coincidently aired the same week as the United 93 film release, deals with our hero hijacking a plane to get that vital piece of evidence implicating Logan in the day’s events. Some may believe that is in poor taste, but considering the scheduling, it's doubtful that 24 was aware of when this episode would air and any 9/11 films scheduled for release around that time. Also, the impact of that coincidental airing has been diminished over time (this review is being written January 2007).

It is certainly a lot to consider as Jack has to hijack a plane to get the terrorists. Often Jack resides on a blurry line, often acting like a criminal to prevent a major terrorist attack from happening or in this case, to bring those to justice. This episode brings Jack dangerously close to the negative extreme. It’s surprising more passengers don’t try to turn the tables on Jack.

Given the way Jack is behaving, screaming "people will die", waving a gun around, messing with the plane’s engine, and demanding to get in the cockpit, it's no wonder that the pilot (played by Jean Smart's real life husband) wouldn't want to let him in. He causes turbulence by playing with the He is behaving like a terrorist to foil the conspirators. Of course, it doesn’t help him that he has no idea who he’s looking for, and any of them could be likely candidates until Chloe tells him otherwise.

It is great that Karen is able to keep at least Chloe functioning in the CTU A-Team. I want to see her wheel in a cart with chicken wings, beer and ice cream to interrogate Bill just because it would make Miles even angrier. He'll certainly be mad when he learns that not only did Chloe sneak out, but operated covertly in a hotel bar! If his head doesn't explode by the end of the season I'm going to be disappointed.

Bill is definitely the best CTU head ever, besides when Jack held the position. He, like many members of the cast this season, have gotten plenty of good moments to shine, in this episode protecting Chloe and telling off the weasel Miles are two great examples. It would’ve only been better if he made himself look more disheveled when the CTU agents came to his house.

The drunken jerk at the bar could've blown out into another lame story, but thankfully that storyline was tasered out before it got there. Jack and Chloe are probably the two worst people you could approach at a bar, especially when they are on the job.

Getting Martha her medication, when we saw her start self medicating last episode, is placing her in a very bad situation. Anyone who can read a pill bottle knows mixing alcohol with medication is dangerous, and she was obviously drunk by the end of the episode. It’s no mystery why: she just found out her husband is involved in the conspiracy that’s responsible for all the bad things that have happened, including the murder of someone she cared about.

It is also the realization that their marriage is over, only functioning to keep up appearances. Logan and Martha draw certain comparisons to Palmer and Sherry from the first three seasons. This time the roles are reversed, and this time Logan’s tragic flaw is his obsession with legacy opposed to Sherry’s lust for power. Also Sherry’s association with Kingsley only came after the Palmer’s divorce and her entrenchment with the conspirators wasn’t nearly as active.

While the comparison has been made in this episode between these two first couples, it is hardly a retread. First, because Palmer is what every American (except a racist ignoramus) would want as a president. Logan is the antithesis, a man who is so tragically obsessed with how he’ll go down in the history books that he’ll help orchestrate a terrorist plot to help boost his image. It’s too bad they overdid Sherry and killed her off in season three, because it’d be really interesting to see what she’d be doing with Logan.

The end development, with Graham demanding Logan shoot down the plane, was foreseeable back when they talked about the hostage situation earlier. Had this been paced quicker, Graham would've suggested the plane be shot down, and the episode would've ended with the plane being shot down or not. Although I don't mind seeing it put into two episodes, it could've easily been thrown into one.

The main plot of this episode is an interesting examination of Jack being pushed the edge for the greater good, whereas the B and C storylines appear to be transitional, as repercussions continue throughout these final episodes.

Score: 8/10