24 Season 8

[Guest]

So the hype begins

http://www.fox.com/fod/play.php?sh=twentyfour

Answers a couple of the questions from last year.

Jack Lived (part of the 'No Shit, Sherlock' category)

Kim Lived.

Judging from the age of his granddaughter, looks like a year or two might have passed since the end of Season 7.

[idoctribefan]

Jack is back!!! Good (not great) start to the season earlier this evening.

I'm glad that Zack Morris (Kim's husband) and Screech were each able to get minor roles in this season. Too bad that Screech had to be the first checkmark on the Bauer Kill Count.

Early nominee for the most sleep-inducing storyline of the season: Freddie Prinze's blond girlfriend's stalker with information about her past.

[peeker643]

Didn't drag me in like it has in the past.

Just ....blah. I don't care if they kill Hassan and disrupt the peace talks because the whole idea of such a thing is ridiculous and I don't care about the characters. Hassan is blah, US President is awful....

Maybe I'm just immune to the scripted beginnings of these things where Jack reluctantly and unwillingly gets dragged back in. I didn't even jump when the ax went into the chest on the stairwell.

It took less than two episodes but I'm already okay if they kill off Chloe and Kim this season if they just do it soon. Although Chloe's puppy dog face as Kim gave Jack permission to stay in NYC was about as high on the unintentional comedy scale as you can get.

Two hours in and I'll give it tonight to see if I get sucked back in. Otherwise I'll be reading something or watching college hoops.

Head of CTU is a rigid fool? Check
Apparently anyone can get into CTU and get access to the armory? Check
Apparently some tweaker/trailer chick can fool CTU into a high level job despite what appears to be a bad past? Check

Too many cliches for my taste thus far. Maybe they were just getting them all out of the way

[pup]

Didn't drag me in like it has in the past.

Just ....blah. I don't care if they kill Hassan and disrupt the peace talks because the whole idea of such a thing is ridiculous and I don't care about the characters. Hassan is blah, US President is awful....

Maybe I'm just immune to the scripted beginnings of these things where Jack reluctantly and unwillingly gets dragged back in. I didn't even jump when the ax went into the chest on the stairwell.

It took less than two episodes but I'm already okay if they kill off Chloe and Kim this season if they just do it soon. Although Chloe's puppy dog face as Kim gave Jack permission to stay in NYC was about as high on the unintentional comedy scale as you can get.

Two hours in and I'll give it tonight to see if I get sucked back in. Otherwise I'll be reading something or watching college hoops.

Head of CTU is a rigid fool? Check
Apparently anyone can get into CTU and get access to the armory? Check
Apparently some tweaker/trailer chick can fool CTU into a high level job despite what appears to be a bad past? Check

Too many cliches for my taste thus far. Maybe they were just getting them all out of the way

Agree with all of this.

Yet, pencil me in for 22 more hours, regardless.

[Guest]

But it is giving me some good fodder for some seriously snarky recaps

It's just such a pain though when it comes to these two hour episodes.

[justmebd]

I found that after the first hour, I just didn't care about anybody on the show and the writers were trying too hard to fit "24" cliches on to the screen.

*Sigh* I'll give it another chance tonight, but this may be one of those years where I just check in on it periodically.

[peeker643]

Well, I figure I'll watch for as long as Renee is hacking off hands and has that vacant look in her eyes.

[Guest]

Well, I figure I'll watch for as long as Renee is hacking off hands and has that vacant look in her eyes.

Yeah...that was just effin awesome.

And this would be the second Russian with his forearm hacked off (Boris the Blade in Season 6).

OK...after a meh first two hours, we are seeing some potential here.

[peeker643]

Well, I figure I'll watch for as long as Renee is hacking off hands and has that vacant look in her eyes.

Yeah...that was just effin awesome.

And this would be the second Russian with his forearm hacked off (Boris the Blade in Season 6).

OK...after a meh first two hours, we are seeing some potential here.

The seasons and limbs all blend together for me. Along with all the CTU moles (they need to look at whomever is in charge of recruiting, HR and hiring in that joint) and incompetent Directors, high level White House traitors and number of chairs Jack has been beaten in and escaped from.

I'm still week to week. I want to watch. But the first two hours shoulda been more emphatic.

[davemanddd]

dontcha just love how jack gets out of chair beating and doesn't have a mark left on him??? instead of a "chuck norris facts" website, they should have a "jack bauer facts" website - the 3 leading causes of death are 1. heart disease 2. cancer 3. jack bauer

[DarNoor]

So the hype begins



Kim Lived.

.

She's still on the show? She's the main reason i stopped watching. She is the most annoying character in the history of tv. Geez, just kill her already.

[davemanddd]

So the hype begins



Kim Lived.

.

She's still on the show? She's the main reason i stopped watching. She is the most annoying character in the history of tv. Geez, just kill her already.

simply a cameo role, not really a major player. to not watch the awesomeness of jack bauer because of one single bit part character would be just plain stupid.

[davemanddd]

looking forward to mitch's review!!!

[jb]

Didn't drag me in like it has in the past.

Just ....blah. I don't care if they kill Hassan and disrupt the peace talks because the whole idea of such a thing is ridiculous and I don't care about the characters. Hassan is blah, US President is awful....

Maybe I'm just immune to the scripted beginnings of these things where Jack reluctantly and unwillingly gets dragged back in. I didn't even jump when the ax went into the chest on the stairwell.

It took less than two episodes but I'm already okay if they kill off Chloe and Kim this season if they just do it soon. Although Chloe's puppy dog face as Kim gave Jack permission to stay in NYC was about as high on the unintentional comedy scale as you can get.

Two hours in and I'll give it tonight to see if I get sucked back in. Otherwise I'll be reading something or watching college hoops.

Head of CTU is a rigid fool? Check
Apparently anyone can get into CTU and get access to the armory? Check
Apparently some tweaker/trailer chick can fool CTU into a high level job despite what appears to be a bad past? Check

Too many cliches for my taste thus far. Maybe they were just getting them all out of the way

Agree with all of this.

Yet, pencil me in for 22 more hours, regardless.

This.

[swerb]

Mitch's recap of the first two hours posting at 7 PM. The recap of the second two hours posts tomorrow night around the same time.

[Orenthal]

Mostly agree with Peek. HR needs some help at CTU, maybe a government bailout, need more man power to background check. Also I just cannot get into Renee Walker. Sure she has a nice rack, but that face screams praying mantis, and now she out Jack's Jack.

The whole I will keep my distance from her since she did not want to speak lasted all of what seemed one scene. The whole I have to go with her was just weird... I am sick of seeing these women in "over the top" positions of manliness. Gimmie a break...

[peeker643]

Mostly agree with Peek. HR needs some help at CTU, maybe a government bailout, need more man power to background check. Also I just cannot get into Renee Walker. Sure she has a nice rack, but that face screams praying mantis, and now she out Jack's Jack.

The whole I will keep my distance from her since she did not want to speak lasted all of what seemed one scene. The whole I have to go with her was just weird... I am sick of seeing these women in "over the top" positions of manliness. Gimmie a break...

When I see Renee I see green eyes and a low cut top. I didn't even notice if she had a nose and mouth this season much less remembering her talking.

[swerb]

Mostly agree with Peek. HR needs some help at CTU, maybe a government bailout, need more man power to background check. Also I just cannot get into Renee Walker. Sure she has a nice rack, but that face screams praying mantis, and now she out Jack's Jack.

The whole I will keep my distance from her since she did not want to speak lasted all of what seemed one scene. The whole I have to go with her was just weird... I am sick of seeing these women in "over the top" positions of manliness. Gimmie a break...

When I see Renee I see green eyes and a low cut top. I didn't even notice if she had a nose and mouth this season much less remembering her talking.

Big fan of Renee's. Agree on the white noise when she's talking. Eyes, cleavage, lopping off that rooskie's hand. That's all I retained.

Mitch's column fills in the blanks for me. Takes a lot of the pressure off of having to actually concentrate on the plot.

[missyks]

HR needs some help at CTU, maybe a government bailout, need more man power to background check.

I think Wal-mart has more thorough background checks.

I'm liking Kevin much more now with his new nickname of KevinBob. That's one story I hope is over soon. It's dragging the show down.

I'm loving Cole and Renee this season. I wonder how many hours before Cole discovers his fiance has a past, calls off the engagement and throws her to the curb. I'll put my money on hour 24.

[Orenthal]

Mostly agree with Peek. HR needs some help at CTU, maybe a government bailout, need more man power to background check. Also I just cannot get into Renee Walker. Sure she has a nice rack, but that face screams praying mantis, and now she out Jack's Jack.

The whole I will keep my distance from her since she did not want to speak lasted all of what seemed one scene. The whole I have to go with her was just weird... I am sick of seeing these women in "over the top" positions of manliness. Gimmie a break...

When I see Renee I see green eyes and a low cut top. I didn't even notice if she had a nose and mouth this season much less remembering her talking.

Don't get me wrong compared to some of the other women with man haircuts and flat chests its great. Grey eyes, and a lack of acting skills is okay with me in most situations. I'll take a wait and lear approach...

Probably mostly due to me being 100% male chauvinist... When she out Jack's Jack, and how the F is their a woman prez. Sorry we already know in real life and 24 that a black man has a better chance...

[BroncoFan]

First a tribute to Mitch for great write ups. Anyone who can work Sprocket into this and "it's tme to dance" has just produced literary genius. Can you work in "touch my monkey" next week?

1. If I ever could have taken a beating like Jack and walked around with no after affects and leave my attacker with busted ribs I would have been a lot more ballsy in my life.
2. Future plot prediction: Dana Starbuck and Chloe will become BFF. Chloe will find out about scum ex-boyfriend and tip off Jack or Cole somehow. Either way Hillbilly takes a beatdown and crawls away looking like hamburger meat due to his lacking Jacks recouperative powers. Or somehow he gets caught up in some sort of crossfire and is killed for a "no big loss to the show."
3. Dana isn't going anywhere. If Garacrapalo can make it through a whole season Dana sure as heck can. Otherwise there is no god.
4. Is it just me or did Chloe look like she shed 20 pounds between hour 4 and hour 7? Plus they dolled her up after seeing how plain she was next to Dana "I challenge Renee's Rack" Starbuck.
5. I don't care if Hastings did apologize to Chloe, he is still an idiot scumbag. The only reason he did it is because he doesn't want to get his kneecaps shot by Jack should Jack find out he was mean to Chloe.
6. Miles lost his job?? Who cares....CTU is nothing without Chloe.
7. The whole Dana Starbuck background check FAIL thing. Is it any wonder CTU is continually effed up?
8. I cheered when I saw Renee and her marvelous bosom return. The look I got from my wife however caused my junk to shrivel. Note to self- Keep inner thoughts private. Very very private.
9. Jack and Renee were two seconds from dropping to the conference room floor and curing 7 months of lust but that whole Russian thing sort of got in the way. Jack has been walking funny ever since.
10. Someone kill the president. Fast.

I guess my final thought is what a great show to write for. You know that as a writer you can write anything, no matter how implausible, and the wilder it is the more the audience forgives you because implausibility is now a character of the show. If normal rules of space and time applied to this show no one would watch it. Just genius. I'm in for another 20 hours. Oh and please, find a way to get Renee into something tighter and lower cut. After all on 24 you can do anything.

[motherscratcher]

Finished the first 4 hours last night. Caught up. Not great but with more potential than last season.

I agree with the posters here on most stuff.

1. Put me squarely in the Renee is smoking group.
2. I have no hope for the story line involving poor man's Amy Smart and her hillbilly ex.
3. Cherry Jones = worst TV pres ever. And she's aged about 28 years since Signs.
4. I STILL can't stand a lot of the dialog. Example - When the new young Chief of Staff keeps calling the CTU guy to berate him for not knowing everything right now is ridiculous. Do these people really make these kind of calls? Jesus, they're bigger reactionaries than the Malibu Police Chief.

Pencil me in for the season, no matter how bad it gets.

BTW - Anybody ever seen Chloe on other stuff and as a guest on talk shows? She's weird as hell and pretty damn funny.

[davemanddd]

me thinks renee has a death wish. she almost bought the farm tonite too, but thankfully the russian took one look at those steely green eyes (not to mention the perfect cleavage) and said "i must have you".

[rebelwithoutaclue]

Is it wrong that I want Dana's boyfriend to just beat her to death just to see the end of the storyline? That scene was so excruciatingly long I half expected Jack to break into the window, snap his neck, and leave all without saying a word.

[pup]

Will the JB Death Count be replaced with something else, since he has become a pussy?

[Guest]

I'm expecting Renee's cleavage to get a credit all of their own in next week's opening scene.

Dana's venture into Redneckville is the dumbest subplot I've seen since Samwise was dealing with a junky sister (?)...but it gives me all kinds of fodder for making fun of the show, which is nice.

I think Jack's desire to protect and cuddle Renee, while somewhat pussifying him for the moment, will lead to some pure berserko killing sprees in the upcoming weeks.

Odds are currently even as to whether Renee is successful on her obvious death wish.

[pup]

I think Jack's desire to protect and cuddle Renee, while somewhat pussifying him for the moment, will lead to some pure berserko killing sprees in the upcoming weeks.

The scene where Jack returns to Jack upon confirming the past rape of Renee, quite possibly while stopping it from happening again does have me all anticipatory.

[motherscratcher]

OK, here's the thing (or one of the things anyway. I'm pretty sure it's a thing, though.)

If you are the bad guy and you're trying to set up a multimillion dollar arms/uranium/dirty bomb/drug deal. When someone shows up unexpectedly they always get patted down and searched. OK, I get that. Makes sense. They occasionally take someone to the brink of death (ala Renee last night) because they "have to be sure." I'll by that too. Whatever.

Why the hell don't any of these guys take a quick look in someone's ears? It would only take a second. Hell, they could even use one of those doctor ear looking thingies with the light. I'm sure if they can get Uranium and guns and whatnot they could score one of those medical devices.

I mean, for pete's sake haven't they ever seen 24? Just look in their ears, man. What's your problem?

[swerb]

Is Vladimir the dude from Californication?

[pup]

Is Vladimir the dude from Californication?

Yes.

But don't check IMDB to make sure. Because then, as I now do, will now when his final episode is.

[Guest]

Is Vladimir the dude from Californication?

Yep...he also played a Russian mobster in RockNRolla.

type casting.

[Orenthal]

He was also the cylon named Leobon on Battlestar Galactica and had a real "getting to know you" interrogation episode with Starbuck, errr Dana Walsh...

So BSG has 2 people on 24 that will probably be dead before the end of the season...

[motherscratcher]

He was also the cylon named Leobon on Battlestar Galactica and had a real "getting to know you" interrogation episode with Starbuck, errr Dana Walsh...

So BSG has 2 people on 24 that will probably be dead before the end of the season...

I don't know. I think that Starbuck, errr Amy Smart, errr Dana Walsh is going to make it.

[Orenthal]

Probably since the show always kills off the people I find interseting, keeping those that are involved in the lamest part of the storyline...

[boob]

CTU can find the aliases of any arms dealer, assassin, and drug lord, but can't crack the code on their head of data analysis. But still love the show

[pup]

I know I said i was in for all 24, but I am really considering not watching and just reading Mitch's recaps.

[Huge0126]

Why does KevinBob remind me of Craig James? Eerily similar.

[pup]

Saw a glimpse of Old Jack last night. The phone conversation where he put that Russian in his place was perfect Jack.

[motherscratcher]

Saw a glimpse of Old Jack last night. The phone conversation where he put that Russian in his place was perfect Jack.

That was a great scene.

Lots of good spy stuff this episode. I thought it was a great decision by Renee, a few hours after going undercover with the Russian mob, getting thrown in the trunk, brought to the brink of assasination, dealing with the dame crazy russian who raped her (allegedly) a few years prior...yeah, might as well hop in the shower since I have a few minutes. That made total sense. On the other hand, I've never wished more that this show was on Showtime than that scene.

Anyone else think that the Kevinbob plan is foolproof? Cameras and keycards everywhere. There's no chance of getting caught. Nobody will ever figure out where that $120K went.

I never thought that I would ever see a less convincing President on my TV screen than Bill Pullman (I never saw that Gena Davis show) but Cherry Jones's character is historically bad.

that is all

[peeker643]

I continue to watch.

I continue to be underwhelmed overall.

I continue to get increasingly more angry when any segment deals with the president and the peace talks.

I continue to be stunned at how little thought was put into the Dana storyline.

Underwhelmed is bordering on disappointed.

And i personally thought Renee looked like a soaked, anorexic cat after emerging from the shower.

[Guest]

I continue to watch.

I continue to be underwhelmed overall.

I continue to get increasingly more angry when any segment deals with the president and the peace talks.

I continue to be stunned at how little thought was put into the Dana storyline.

Underwhelmed is bordering on disappointed.

And i personally thought Renee looked like a soaked, anorexic cat after emerging from the shower.

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

(OTOH, I have no choice but to attack the general blah-ness of this season on the next recap. There is still hope, but the only thing currently interesting to watch is Jack...and Chloe laying verbal wood to some asshole's head).

[davemanddd]

is it just me or did jack look like peter "ralphie" billingsley in "a christmas story" when he put those glasses on to play the part of the german buyer??? hee-hee!!!

[Guest]

is it just me or did jack look like peter "ralphie" billingsley in "a christmas story" when he put those glasses on to play the part of the german buyer???

This is why I don't post the recaps until Wednesday, even though it's already 90% written.

Gives me a chance to steal some good lines from emails and forum posts

(OK...I do TRY to give credit when I "borrow" phrases from here).

[davemanddd]

is it just me or did jack look like peter "ralphie" billingsley in "a christmas story" when he put those glasses on to play the part of the german buyer???

This is why I don't post the recaps until Wednesday, even though it's already 90% written.

Gives me a chance to steal some good lines from emails and forum posts

(OK...I do TRY to give credit when I "borrow" phrases from here).

go for it. thanx!!!

[Orenthal]

Peek agree on Renee she just looked sick...

This season of blah will provide some good payoffs when some of these characters that I cannot tolerate are killed off with passion...

[BroncoFan]

Ok so while we wait for the next episode and since Lost has started as well, if you are stuck on an island somwhere who's the babe you want with you, Renee or Kate (Evagelene Lilly) from Lost. I'm thinking Kate on this one even though she did shack up with a hobbit for a while.

Might I add, there is no conceivably wrong answer here.....

[pup]

The No Look Tracheotomy was what I have been looking for out of Jack all season. He did have to return to Soft Jack for a spell, but it looks like with some shock treatment coming up in the coming weeks we are in for a solid finish to the Death Count.

And that first stab by Renee...that was square in the eye, correct? How does that go about a woman scorn?

[peeker643]

The No Look Tracheotomy was what I have been looking for out of Jack all season. He did have to return to Soft Jack for a spell, but it looks like with some shock treatment coming up in the coming weeks we are in for a solid finish to the Death Count.

And that first stab by Renee...that was square in the eye, correct? How does that go about a woman scorn?

Still trying my patience and testing my loyalty. 30 seconds of fun every other week fucking blows.

Worst year ever thus far.

[motherscratcher]

A few things:

1. Is there anyone who didn't know that Kevinbob and Jethro would not be leaving immediately after the score? As soon as I heard "20 minutes until the next shift" it was a forgone conclusion.

2. The prez had one of the greatest moments yet when she spilled the nuclear beans to that british dude. Why in God's name would she be talking to him about that? Without consulting anyone as to whether or not it was advisable to tell some low level dude that we might be going nuclear shortly. She's like a middle schooler telling the boy her friend likes that she's ready to go to second base. Christ, I thought she was going to put her finger to her lips and say "Shhhh...it's a secret. Promise you won't tell."

3. Freddie Prinze Jr is successful on this show because he's barely on this show. His 2 minutes of screen time this week was in the car. If you haven't deleted it yet go back and watch him listening to Jack and Chloe discuss goings on. His eyes darting to and fro. That's the "FPJ is thinking" face. I loved it. I've never seen a dude act harder at looking like he's thinking before.

[Guest]

The No Look Tracheotomy was what I have been looking for out of Jack all season. He did have to return to Soft Jack for a spell, but it looks like with some shock treatment coming up in the coming weeks we are in for a solid finish to the Death Count.

And that first stab by Renee...that was square in the eye, correct? How does that go about a woman scorn?

That comment's going to find it's way into the recap...no doubt. Beats what I have already written.

Yep...left eyeball for Renee. And a bit of a "squish" sound effect, too.

I'm a little more generous than Peeker. This episode was 40 minutes pure pain...KevinBob, President Taylor, Achmed Hassan (my new name...I KEEEEEL YOU!)....10 minutes great scenes with Jack and Renee. 10 minutes commercials.