Blow by Blow Review: "24" February 28th, 2005
Our adventure towards Nuclear Armageddon in the US Continues in "24"! Let's get straight to this episodes blow by blow. Special Note: As I finished typing this edition of the Blow by Blow, I ironically experienced a POWER FAILURE! Gone, were the succulent paragraphs that I had penned, enrage was I - a television Jedi with no mojo. I have taken the time to recraft a semblance of my Blow by Blow and hope you enjoy it!
-- Asking Audrey to Leave the Room: While I am certain that his picture is colored in general, Jack certainly understands the benefit of having one's former (current?) loved one in proximity when torture is imminent. Jack could use and SHOULD use the emotional tie to Paul to extract the information - after all - it's on the fate of millions, right?
-- "I Have Nothing to Say to You...": Paul's exclamation of denial to Jack is an instant switch that should turn the torture machine on in my opinion. Paul, if he is innocent has absolutely no reason to be tight-lipped at this point, regardless of the situation with Audrey and Jack.
-- Back Off, Audrey! Finally, Jack become "Jacklike" again and tells Audrey to back off. Something I have noticed in the show recently is that my thoughts trail "just in front" of what's going to happen which I think is a good thing at this point. Does that mean the show is becoming predictable? I don't think so: I think it more lends itself to being a show that is in essence listening to it's audience and towing them in at least some direction that they might anticipate, but then spinning the wheel hard to the right when you least expect it. Exhilarating totally. The next point is a great sample.
-- Let Paul Get the Information From the Computer? You have got to be kidding me: We're going to let the dude that just said that he's got nothing to say to you loose to go play with the computer that might have the only lead to the override on it? What are the chances that Paul would delete it or make the information unusable? The chances that he wastes more time "finding" the right information? Jack has plenty of advanced computer experience that would be at least good enough to get him through Paul's direction to get to the information that they need. Strange...
-- Quirky Captioning: For those of you that don't have the Closed Captioning function activated on your television, you are missing an even more interesting world of dialog and SPELLING in each episode of "24". Recently, they changed the spelling of "Madwan" to "Marwan" as characters other than those of foreign decent began saying the name more often. Strange what you'll see when you also have captions augmenting the viewing of a television episode.
-- Imotep Kicks Egyptian Ass! Once again, my whole-hearted kudos to the casting people in putting Imotep himself, one of my favorite actors, Arnold Vosloo as Marwan, our current villain and master of steely glare. He is able to stride into any room and command attention instantly. He strides like a high priest even out of costume in this episode. A wonderful piece of a continually growing delicious recipe.
-- GQ Imotep = IT Guy? I don't know about you, but I work in an IT department in a company, and no one (even me that is the wearer of a tie often) doesn't look like Marwan does in this episode. Also, a black turtle neck on a hot summer day? True, it makes him look outstanding and more menacing, but - just a large touch out of place that would make him even more noticeable. As I look at the scene, there are three people total wearing black: Jack is one, Marwan is another and the other is one of the workers in the building (a woman). Too bad they didn't have a physical description of the man.
-- BIG BLINKING NUCLEAR ICONS: I am unsure if a device like the override actually exists, but if it does,what are the chances of it having 1&1/4" RED BLINKING NUCLEAR icons on it? Wouldn't the bad dudes attempt to cover these up with something so as to make it less recognizable? I understand them taking the show to a "common denominator" demographic, but come on now.
-- Left Cross! Knee to the Groin! Noisemaker Neckbreaker! No we're not watching the WWE's most recent entry: we're watching Curtis kick some major league ass after "waking up" from having been knocked out last episode. Waiter, I'll have a cup of ItoldYaSo with a side order of gloat!
-- Kudos to the Fight Coordinator: A great many kudos to a great segment of combat that is much more realistic and realistically quick than most in television today. Today's fight in a situation like this would include much more grappling and close quarter combat as shown in this episode than the wild-throwing cowboy punches that we see in so many other shows.
-- Door Closes with a Potential Terrorist and Your Lover Behind It? I am FLABBERGASTED when the door in the hotel closes with Audrey and Paul (LOOSE no less!) behind him so that he can take a phone call! There is nothing to this point that justifies that Jack should believe Paul and I just don't understand that decision in general.
-- Choosy Mothers Choose SDT: Why has the torture for the extraction of nation-saving information on Dina not yet begun? Her deal breaking when her son has reached safety is again one of those things that should be an instant trigger. Where did I put those cool silver headphones and slick futuristic goggles? :)
-- Marwan is an Engineer - Apparently Not the Scotty Kind: The goal of the terrorists, as I have been able to see it, has been to make the government agencies chase their tails long enough to allow the reactors to all meltdown. With that being said, indulge me for a moment while I wax imaginatively: The bad guys only need 5 extra minute - MAX! - to meltdown. Ok. I am a terrorist sitting in front of a computer that needs little to no attention to have the override continue to cause the meltdown of nine nuclear reactors around our nation. I know that agents of the US Government are in the building, hunting me. I need 5 minutes until the meltdown of the reactors. Why don't I:
1. Close the door to the box that is now showing at least 5 large 1&1/4" diameter RED BLINKING NUCLEAR ICONS.
2. Ensure that the program that the override is utilizing will reach is appropriate conclusion.
3. Open Excel and open up some innocuous business-related spreadsheet that is readily available in my "My Documents" folder.
4. Unplug the keyboard from the system.
5. Unplug the mouse from the system.
6. Walk to another unoccupied terminal.
7. Open up a Google window and search for "Map for Nuclear Reactors in the US" and open the first page that is ironically located at the International Nuclear Safety Commission Website.
8. Stare at the map while looking over my shoulders every few seconds.
9. Look maniacal.
These short yet effective items would have been the way that Scotty, were he a bad guy, would have followed to ensure that the mission would have been a success.
-- Don't Call Me Daughter: While it's true that this was the title of a successful song in the mid 90's it is also indicative of the fate of daughters in general in the "24" realm. I say it's time to not only eliminate all cell phones inside of CTU, but also time to ensure that no one's daughter is on the CTU grounds. The attention that Erin is having to pay to her daughter just might be what tips the scales of chance into the terrorists favor and it cannot be afforded.
-- Let Your Cell Phone Ring Three Time's and You'll Be Home! Two hours ago we learned that cell phones can be traced after three rings. Surely Curtis' phone would have this feature as well. Why not let it ring and then find out where the phone is? Worst case scenario is that if Curtis is dead, at least you'll have found out where the phone was - it may even be on one of the bad guys moving his body. In any case, that it's not being answered is not a lost cause.
-- It's Always Been a Matter of Trust: I am still amazed at the corporation that Tony is getting as being installed as the Interim Director of CTU. I have to believe that they'll have someone in parcel that will take over that post in the very near future or -- Tony will be a bad guy or he will die. :)
-- Proximity, Meet Weapon, Weapon, Meet Proximity: Not sure why I have only just noticed this in the last four or so episodes, but the distance of armed people standing next to bad people is becoming bothersome. I think I'm going to find someone that knows more about close-quarters armed combat and see what they say about that.
-- Dr. Imcompetent to CTU HQ - Dr. Imcompetent to CTU HQ: Besides a cute and insincere rhyme, this has also become something noteworthy in the last three or so episodes: With the level of activity in CTU, I have to believe that the Dr. and his staff either understand that or have been advised that there are some serious problems going on upstairs and that Erin clearly has more important things to worry about other than her daughter not getting along with the medical staff at CTU. How about some sedatives for our friendly neighborhood offspring, at least until - oh say - the NUCLEAR REACTORS ARE DISARMED?
-- No Back Up? This is the bane of television existence, and while I understand that there is some expediency involved here, the lack of support and back up is super strange. The saving grace? A throaty-pace, the question of what's happening next, and the desire to see wrong things righted. MMmm, gotta' LOVE this show!
-- White (and Unprepared) Castle: What is the story with Castle and his lack of helmet and associated gear? I believe he may be suffering from an affliction called "Eomer's (Eh-oh-mare-z) Disease" This is the associated disorder that falls into the family of actors that wear helmets while doing their good deeds. Perhaps the actor or the director wanted to ensure that people knew "who" Castle was and hence, unclad him from the claustrophobic world of Kevlar.
-- Direction and Misdirection: A Study in Creative Direction: My compliments to the people that introduced us to the office space in this episode. As the camera pulls back from Marwan as he enters the room and blends in to the flashing of people in office space, we as an audience finally understand the monumental task of trying to find someone in the mix that is "office space" when you have little to no physical description.
-- (Music swells) "He's Playing Solitaire!" It's funny - the "solitaire" scenario is very much along the lines of what I was thinking with the Scotty comment above. Imagine the time that could have been spent trying to subdue him and then reconnect an unplugged keyboard, mouse, open programs etc. The solitaire move was a nice touch. I still have to wonder why they didn't take him to the ground and verify that he WASN'T Marwan. What if he had been him?
-- First Real "24" Disappointment: I have to admit my first real disappointment in the show with the "few second fix" that Edgar the Wonderboy pulls off in this segment. Connecting remotely, to a completely unfamiliar and surely secured network via the Internet, breaking down the function and understanding of the software that drives the override, being familiar with what will happen if he does X to the override, knowing what to do if something goes wrong - all in a few seconds of almost complete unfamiliarity is disturbing. While brevity and expediency are the true friends of great story telling, I think they missed the mark here.
-- Override Being Secured: Where the Hell is Erin Going? We've just eliminated/gained control of the threat to meltdown nine nuclear reactors in our nation. We have apparently chased the engineer terrorist away from the terminal and our one on-site operative is in pursuit. How about securing the override that can cause the complete downfall of our nation? What would it take to have Marwan or an unknown, white accomplice sit down at the station and initiate another roll with the override? While we're talking about securing the override and the situation? Where the hell is Erin going? To latch back to an ever-present STAR TREK theme, "the needs of the many, outweigh the needs of a few - or the one." Certainly her daughter has fallen in a tragic and soon-to-be-lawsuit-filled environment, but get it together. There are lives to be saved.
As we complete this edition of the Blow by Blow for "24", we hear the digital pulses of numbers that tick like the hands of time against our temples. Another "24" is right around the corner.
-- Asking Audrey to Leave the Room: While I am certain that his picture is colored in general, Jack certainly understands the benefit of having one's former (current?) loved one in proximity when torture is imminent. Jack could use and SHOULD use the emotional tie to Paul to extract the information - after all - it's on the fate of millions, right?
-- "I Have Nothing to Say to You...": Paul's exclamation of denial to Jack is an instant switch that should turn the torture machine on in my opinion. Paul, if he is innocent has absolutely no reason to be tight-lipped at this point, regardless of the situation with Audrey and Jack.
-- Back Off, Audrey! Finally, Jack become "Jacklike" again and tells Audrey to back off. Something I have noticed in the show recently is that my thoughts trail "just in front" of what's going to happen which I think is a good thing at this point. Does that mean the show is becoming predictable? I don't think so: I think it more lends itself to being a show that is in essence listening to it's audience and towing them in at least some direction that they might anticipate, but then spinning the wheel hard to the right when you least expect it. Exhilarating totally. The next point is a great sample.
-- Let Paul Get the Information From the Computer? You have got to be kidding me: We're going to let the dude that just said that he's got nothing to say to you loose to go play with the computer that might have the only lead to the override on it? What are the chances that Paul would delete it or make the information unusable? The chances that he wastes more time "finding" the right information? Jack has plenty of advanced computer experience that would be at least good enough to get him through Paul's direction to get to the information that they need. Strange...
-- Quirky Captioning: For those of you that don't have the Closed Captioning function activated on your television, you are missing an even more interesting world of dialog and SPELLING in each episode of "24". Recently, they changed the spelling of "Madwan" to "Marwan" as characters other than those of foreign decent began saying the name more often. Strange what you'll see when you also have captions augmenting the viewing of a television episode.
-- Imotep Kicks Egyptian Ass! Once again, my whole-hearted kudos to the casting people in putting Imotep himself, one of my favorite actors, Arnold Vosloo as Marwan, our current villain and master of steely glare. He is able to stride into any room and command attention instantly. He strides like a high priest even out of costume in this episode. A wonderful piece of a continually growing delicious recipe.
-- GQ Imotep = IT Guy? I don't know about you, but I work in an IT department in a company, and no one (even me that is the wearer of a tie often) doesn't look like Marwan does in this episode. Also, a black turtle neck on a hot summer day? True, it makes him look outstanding and more menacing, but - just a large touch out of place that would make him even more noticeable. As I look at the scene, there are three people total wearing black: Jack is one, Marwan is another and the other is one of the workers in the building (a woman). Too bad they didn't have a physical description of the man.
-- BIG BLINKING NUCLEAR ICONS: I am unsure if a device like the override actually exists, but if it does,what are the chances of it having 1&1/4" RED BLINKING NUCLEAR icons on it? Wouldn't the bad dudes attempt to cover these up with something so as to make it less recognizable? I understand them taking the show to a "common denominator" demographic, but come on now.
-- Left Cross! Knee to the Groin! Noisemaker Neckbreaker! No we're not watching the WWE's most recent entry: we're watching Curtis kick some major league ass after "waking up" from having been knocked out last episode. Waiter, I'll have a cup of ItoldYaSo with a side order of gloat!
-- Kudos to the Fight Coordinator: A great many kudos to a great segment of combat that is much more realistic and realistically quick than most in television today. Today's fight in a situation like this would include much more grappling and close quarter combat as shown in this episode than the wild-throwing cowboy punches that we see in so many other shows.
-- Door Closes with a Potential Terrorist and Your Lover Behind It? I am FLABBERGASTED when the door in the hotel closes with Audrey and Paul (LOOSE no less!) behind him so that he can take a phone call! There is nothing to this point that justifies that Jack should believe Paul and I just don't understand that decision in general.
-- Choosy Mothers Choose SDT: Why has the torture for the extraction of nation-saving information on Dina not yet begun? Her deal breaking when her son has reached safety is again one of those things that should be an instant trigger. Where did I put those cool silver headphones and slick futuristic goggles? :)
-- Marwan is an Engineer - Apparently Not the Scotty Kind: The goal of the terrorists, as I have been able to see it, has been to make the government agencies chase their tails long enough to allow the reactors to all meltdown. With that being said, indulge me for a moment while I wax imaginatively: The bad guys only need 5 extra minute - MAX! - to meltdown. Ok. I am a terrorist sitting in front of a computer that needs little to no attention to have the override continue to cause the meltdown of nine nuclear reactors around our nation. I know that agents of the US Government are in the building, hunting me. I need 5 minutes until the meltdown of the reactors. Why don't I:
1. Close the door to the box that is now showing at least 5 large 1&1/4" diameter RED BLINKING NUCLEAR ICONS.
2. Ensure that the program that the override is utilizing will reach is appropriate conclusion.
3. Open Excel and open up some innocuous business-related spreadsheet that is readily available in my "My Documents" folder.
4. Unplug the keyboard from the system.
5. Unplug the mouse from the system.
6. Walk to another unoccupied terminal.
7. Open up a Google window and search for "Map for Nuclear Reactors in the US" and open the first page that is ironically located at the International Nuclear Safety Commission Website.
8. Stare at the map while looking over my shoulders every few seconds.
9. Look maniacal.
These short yet effective items would have been the way that Scotty, were he a bad guy, would have followed to ensure that the mission would have been a success.
-- Don't Call Me Daughter: While it's true that this was the title of a successful song in the mid 90's it is also indicative of the fate of daughters in general in the "24" realm. I say it's time to not only eliminate all cell phones inside of CTU, but also time to ensure that no one's daughter is on the CTU grounds. The attention that Erin is having to pay to her daughter just might be what tips the scales of chance into the terrorists favor and it cannot be afforded.
-- Let Your Cell Phone Ring Three Time's and You'll Be Home! Two hours ago we learned that cell phones can be traced after three rings. Surely Curtis' phone would have this feature as well. Why not let it ring and then find out where the phone is? Worst case scenario is that if Curtis is dead, at least you'll have found out where the phone was - it may even be on one of the bad guys moving his body. In any case, that it's not being answered is not a lost cause.
-- It's Always Been a Matter of Trust: I am still amazed at the corporation that Tony is getting as being installed as the Interim Director of CTU. I have to believe that they'll have someone in parcel that will take over that post in the very near future or -- Tony will be a bad guy or he will die. :)
-- Proximity, Meet Weapon, Weapon, Meet Proximity: Not sure why I have only just noticed this in the last four or so episodes, but the distance of armed people standing next to bad people is becoming bothersome. I think I'm going to find someone that knows more about close-quarters armed combat and see what they say about that.
-- Dr. Imcompetent to CTU HQ - Dr. Imcompetent to CTU HQ: Besides a cute and insincere rhyme, this has also become something noteworthy in the last three or so episodes: With the level of activity in CTU, I have to believe that the Dr. and his staff either understand that or have been advised that there are some serious problems going on upstairs and that Erin clearly has more important things to worry about other than her daughter not getting along with the medical staff at CTU. How about some sedatives for our friendly neighborhood offspring, at least until - oh say - the NUCLEAR REACTORS ARE DISARMED?
-- No Back Up? This is the bane of television existence, and while I understand that there is some expediency involved here, the lack of support and back up is super strange. The saving grace? A throaty-pace, the question of what's happening next, and the desire to see wrong things righted. MMmm, gotta' LOVE this show!
-- White (and Unprepared) Castle: What is the story with Castle and his lack of helmet and associated gear? I believe he may be suffering from an affliction called "Eomer's (Eh-oh-mare-z) Disease" This is the associated disorder that falls into the family of actors that wear helmets while doing their good deeds. Perhaps the actor or the director wanted to ensure that people knew "who" Castle was and hence, unclad him from the claustrophobic world of Kevlar.
-- Direction and Misdirection: A Study in Creative Direction: My compliments to the people that introduced us to the office space in this episode. As the camera pulls back from Marwan as he enters the room and blends in to the flashing of people in office space, we as an audience finally understand the monumental task of trying to find someone in the mix that is "office space" when you have little to no physical description.
-- (Music swells) "He's Playing Solitaire!" It's funny - the "solitaire" scenario is very much along the lines of what I was thinking with the Scotty comment above. Imagine the time that could have been spent trying to subdue him and then reconnect an unplugged keyboard, mouse, open programs etc. The solitaire move was a nice touch. I still have to wonder why they didn't take him to the ground and verify that he WASN'T Marwan. What if he had been him?
-- First Real "24" Disappointment: I have to admit my first real disappointment in the show with the "few second fix" that Edgar the Wonderboy pulls off in this segment. Connecting remotely, to a completely unfamiliar and surely secured network via the Internet, breaking down the function and understanding of the software that drives the override, being familiar with what will happen if he does X to the override, knowing what to do if something goes wrong - all in a few seconds of almost complete unfamiliarity is disturbing. While brevity and expediency are the true friends of great story telling, I think they missed the mark here.
-- Override Being Secured: Where the Hell is Erin Going? We've just eliminated/gained control of the threat to meltdown nine nuclear reactors in our nation. We have apparently chased the engineer terrorist away from the terminal and our one on-site operative is in pursuit. How about securing the override that can cause the complete downfall of our nation? What would it take to have Marwan or an unknown, white accomplice sit down at the station and initiate another roll with the override? While we're talking about securing the override and the situation? Where the hell is Erin going? To latch back to an ever-present STAR TREK theme, "the needs of the many, outweigh the needs of a few - or the one." Certainly her daughter has fallen in a tragic and soon-to-be-lawsuit-filled environment, but get it together. There are lives to be saved.
As we complete this edition of the Blow by Blow for "24", we hear the digital pulses of numbers that tick like the hands of time against our temples. Another "24" is right around the corner.
posted by Mike Wilkerson - 2GuysTalking at 11:44 PM
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