24 (finally!)

[OZZIE4DUKE]

It starts in 56 minutes. Tick, tick, tick....

[OZZIE4DUKE]

The first hour was great. Vintage 24, back from when it was 24, if you know what I mean. Can a show "unjump" the shark and return to its roots?

Welcome back, Jack!

[bluebear]

A very good first few hours...

[OZZIE4DUKE]

A very good first few hours...

The fastest two hours in television!

[A-Tex Devil]

Didn't I already see this in Die Hard II?

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Didn't I already see this in Die Hard II?

You're point? It's not original? Well, in DH II people died - don't want to give more spoilers than that since most folks probably watched Wake beat carolina instead of 24 (I watched both concurrently) and will watch 24 on their DVR/Tivo. We don't know what's in store tonight, but it's probably not more of the same - that would be too simple.
There were only one or two blatant violations of the time/space continuum last night - Jack and the agent driving to the office location then the boat. That's not bad for 24

[JasonEvans]

What was the time lapse between the female agent saying, "I can control Jack Bauer" and Jack trying to torture the bad guy by sticking a pen through his eye?!?! Awesome!

I also loved, "The last time I saw Tony Almeda, BANG BANG BANG." Classic 24.

--Jason "I actually did not have too much to complain about-- I liked what did with the planes and think it may open up some interesting twists in Tony's character down the road" Evans

[Clipsfan]

I had recorded it and watched the Wake-UNC game first, so was slightly tired when I finally rolled around to 24, but enjoyed it. Given that the show jumped the shark largely due to copying its own plot lines, it was preferable to see them ripping off someone else. I thought that the 2 hour show a couple months ago was a more blatant rip off of previous concepts, and found this episode more fun because of the energy. The overarching terrorist threat only sets the backdrop, it doesn't define the show to me.

[JasonEvans]

A real quick ratings report on 24--

The competition on Sunday was brutal. You had the Golden Globes on NBC as well as some football spillover on CBS. It was not a normal night. 24 did ok. It got 12.8 million viewers in the 8pm hour but slipped a bit to 12.2 million in the 9p hour. Those numbers are down more than 25% from 24 season debut in 2007 (it skipped all of 2008), but given the competition and the layoff, it was not a disaster. In the key 18-34 younger demographic, it finished a close second to the Globes, which is alright.

Monday was an interesting story. I am not sure if anyone has noticed but The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother have become pretty big ratings hits. They each scored around 11.8 million viewers during the 8pm hour and they are strong in the younger demographic. It was close but 24 beat them to win the 8pm hour with 11.95 million viewers.

At 9pm Two and a Half Men had almost 18 million viewers an beat 24, though 24 won the second half of the 9pm hour against CBS' Worst Week. for the 9pm hour, 24's ratings were actually up from 8pm with 12.7 million viewers, meaning the show had a nice build throughout the night.

Yes, the ratings are down a bit from season 7 of 24, but the word of mouth and reviews are good and I think the show is off to an excellent start this season -- better than it has been in many of the past seasons. Also worth noting that next week it gets House back as its leadin, which will certainly help a great deal. I also bet that the time shifted numbers are strong for 24 as 2-hour "special event" shows like this are more likely to draw DVR viewers in coming days.

Frankly, if it only maintains the numbers from the first 4 hours it will have another very successful season.

--Jason "I have not seen all of the Monday 2-hour episode yet... but fully expect a discussion of it when I am done " Evans

[AtlBluRew]

I saw about 2 out of the 4 initial hours, and I apparently missed something important on one of the plot lines, so please help me. I gather that the President's son was killed or committed suicide and that her husband is seeking the details. It seems to me that the son must have been involved in something shady, and that for some reason the First Husband's hunt for the truth is not welcomed by the White House. Am I off base?

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I saw about 2 out of the 4 initial hours, and I apparently missed something important on one of the plot lines, so please help me. I gather that the President's son was killed or committed suicide and that her husband is seeking the details. It seems to me that the son must have been involved in something shady, and that for some reason the First Husband's hunt for the truth is not welcomed by the White House. Am I off base?

This was shown last season. The story is as the almost first daughter-in-law explained. The son was working for the broker and discovered what was going on - money laundering and/or funding for the bad guys of this season. He was going to spill the beans. They killed him and made it look like suicide. There are bad guy allies in the White House - we don't know who yet, just like we don't know who is the mole in the FBI.

I find it humorous that we have Chloe and Chloe-lite (Janis?) battling each other in a computer hacking war. My money is on Chloe.

[ugadevil]

I saw about 2 out of the 4 initial hours, and I apparently missed something important on one of the plot lines, so please help me. I gather that the President's son was killed or committed suicide and that her husband is seeking the details. It seems to me that the son must have been involved in something shady, and that for some reason the First Husband's hunt for the truth is not welcomed by the White House. Am I off base?

The President's son also seemed to be finding out more information about a cover up in the two hour episode a few weeks back (24 Redemption).

Is there an established timeline between when Jack was brought back from Africa and where they currently are in the show? I thought that colonel from the African rebel group was killed by the landmine back in the Redemption episode. He seems to be in pretty good shape from that little event.

Also, is it just me or are they portraying the President as someone who is very weak and always looking to other people in a state of panic and confusion?

[MulletMan]

The President's son also seemed to be finding out more information about a cover up in the two hour episode a few weeks back (24 Redemption).

Is there an established timeline between when Jack was brought back from Africa and where they currently are in the show? I thought that colonel from the African rebel group was killed by the landmine back in the Redemption episode. He seems to be in pretty good shape from that little event.

Also, is it just me or are they portraying the President as someone who is very weak and always looking to other people in a state of panic and confusion?

Also, in the "Redemption" episode, the son had a friend who was into some deep stuff that he was trying to get help with. All of it will tie together and be sweeeeeet!

The guy from the rebel group who got killed was a different character than General Duku (is that right, or is that the guy from Attack of the Clones?). They breifly mention this character in Redemption, but he was not on screen.

The president is new, and, inevitably, frightened. What I don't like is how she only consults her (I'm assuming) Chief of Staff. Who, incidentally, is clearly being set up as the suspected traitor, but will turn out to be OK... you know, kind of like Dean Keaton in Usual Suspects.

[-bdbd]

I am shocked - SHOCKED I SAY - to learn that they left us in yet another cliff-hanger after that initial (but exciting) four hour orgy of thrills, twists and turns. And I was counting on a tidy resolution at the end..chortle, chortle.

Looking forward to this season after the big layoff... this show and, of course, LOST (they're going baaaaaack!).

-BDBD :-)

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Looking forward to this season after the big layoff... this show and, of course, LOST (they're going baaaaaack!).

Don't say layoff around EarlJam. It might send him over the edge...

[JasonEvans]

It sorta would have been fun to keep Tony a bad guy a little longer, but I love that the old CTU folks are working together. I do think that Tony's admission to prior bad acts may set him up martyr himself later in the season.

My wife is wondering how Bill and Chloe are supporting themselves and paying for their equipment. I want to know how much Motorola or someone is paying for all the Bluetooth product placement

-Jason "liking it so far... a lot" Evans

[A-Tex Devil]

OK. That was a good episode. Well other than the dude's phone with the caller ID "F.B.I."

Definitely some theft from Fincher's Panic Room, but still solid. I think the scenery shift from LA to DC and CTU to FBI helps.

[edensquad]

My wife kept saying (as if to the FBI), "It's the BIG YELLOW VAN!!!! Prob'ly the ONLY one in DC!!!"

[OZZIE4DUKE]

My wife kept saying (as if to the FBI), "It's the BIG YELLOW VAN!!!! Prob'ly the ONLY one in DC!!!"

I had similar thoughts. Pretty easy for the satellites to spot, at least if Chloe were at the computer controls, don't you think? Who'd have thought she would be so much more likable than Janis, the girl who "took her place" function wise.

OK, who is the mole at the FBI? We've been led to believe it is three or four different characters so far. And besides the secret service agent, who's the spy in the White House staff? Jason, your opinion is specifically solicited!

[JasonEvans]

I had similar thoughts. Pretty easy for the satellites to spot, at least if Chloe were at the computer controls, don't you think? Who'd have thought she would be so much more likable than Janis, the girl who "took her place" function wise.

OK, who is the mole at the FBI? We've been led to believe it is three or four different characters so far. And besides the secret service agent, who's the spy in the White House staff? Jason, your opinion is specifically solicited!

FBI agent Renee Walker never got a chance to tell them it was a big yellow van. There was a gun to her head first. As an aside, I can buy it taking the FBI a while to get to Motumbo's residence, but why didn't the FBI alert the local police to at least get SOMEONE on the scene faster than 30 minutes later. I also think they should have trained some spy satellites on the scene so they could watch the yellow van pull away. Chloe would have been all over that!

Who is the mole at FBI? I dunno. I am not sure the producers have even decided yet. Nerdy FBI computer analyst Sean is a candidate. I won't be shocked if his girlfriend who we met last night is the mole. I will be disappointed if it is either Janis (Jeanne Garofolo) or the Special Agent-In-Charge Moss (Jeffrey Nordling).

I think the White House mole is also undecided, though it is clearly being set up to either be Chief of Staff Ethan or the Secy of State. We have not met the Vice-President yet, have we? I could see the 24 writers introducing us to someone powerful like that and making that person the mole inside the White House. 24 seems to love to make the VP a bad guy.

I do like that the thing the First Gentleman is involved in is related to the larger conspiracy surrounding military action in Sangala. That is good plotting and I think it will pay dividends down the road.

So far, one of the best seasons in 24 history.

-Jason "need to check the ratings, but I bet they are holding well" Evans