I'm Not Sure I Will - Trust Me - Pilot Review

Trust Me - Before and After - Ep. 101 - Series Premiere, All Hell The Victors - Ep. 102
Premieres tonight (Monday, January 26th at 10pm on TNT)

The two Canadian boys Eric McCormack and Tom Cavanagh are back on TV! And together in a show together! Sadly it's on Trust Me, the new TNT show that is like a dumber version of Mad Men and even less funny than the AMC show (wait, you say Mad Men isn't funny? Exactly).

I SOOOOOO wanted to like this show and there are some saving graces (mostly in the words "Tom" and "Cavanagh") but considering the expectations, it feels a bit fraudulent.

The show follows two best friends, Mason (Will & Grace's McCormack), the responsible advertising creative director and family man, and Connor (Ed and Love Monkey's Cavanagh), the impulsive and unpredictable creative director. Things go awry when Mason gets promoted and becomes Connor's direct boss in a modern look at the advertising world.

Watching Cavanagh and McCormack interact can be fun as they seem to really be friends for years now (even though they aren't, though I do remember an old interview where they joked that the NBC party was a Canadian reunion) but their characters seem to much like pegged archetypes they must adhere to and it dampens the natural flow between the two. Eric McCormack's Mason must seem like a straight laced fussbucket and it doesn't help win him over as a likable lead. I've always said McCormack's Will Truman was a great underrated performance often ignored for Sean Hayes and Megan Mullaly's larger-than-life roles, but he's not helping my argument on this new show (and his Grace's Debra Messing is faring a lot better in the silly but entertaining little trifle The Starter Wife).

Luckily we still have Tom Cavanagh whose natural charms are enough to infuse his Connor with the regular likability that propelled his popularity as Ed. Cavanagh manages to milk every comedic moment and mines it all for all its worth in a show that thinks it is funnier than it is.

The problem with the show is that the writing is pretty generic and the characters are weak and irritating. The loud and obnoxious boss (Life On Mars' Jason O'Mara in a guest role) is enjoyable mainly because we know payback is coming (since we know O'Mara has his own show to star in). Sadly, the rest of the audience is filled with dour sourpusses. Monica Potter (Boston Legal) is supremely annoying as a fussy and annoying star copywriter brought into the firm, only to find herself not in the starring role. Geoffrey Arend and Mike Damus round out the office with their childish antics while Griffin Dunne gives the show the little credibility it can muster up. Meanwhile, Sarah Chalke (24's Nina Meyer) is completely underused (so far) as Mason's wife and fascinating at this point mainly for not being Nina Meyer's and instead, being a lovely supportive housewife.

It's not an entirely unenjoyable show, but I'm not sure I want to entrust myself to spending more time with the show. I love watching Tom Cavanagh on any show and he's still enough of a draw here for now, but I would probably just rather see him in Stuckeyville again in Ed redux.

At this point I'm being very positive and optimistic and giving the show **1/2 (out of 5 stars) but it is mainly for the McCormack and Cavanagh alone.

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

More After the Jump...

Traveler - I'll Go Where They're Going

Pilot


ABC FINALLY "previews" Traveler, a show I've been excited about since I first heard about it last year before the Upfronts were announced (which is why I've avoided looking into the pilots this year, for fear of getting attached again to things that will never be seen).

It follows three buddies, Jay, Tyler and Will Traveler as they finish Yale graduate school and embark on a road trip before they start their careers. After being roommates for 2 years, they have the usual guys camaraderie, though there are hints of the usual imbalance in friendships (a nice touch that usually isn't explored in Hollywood). They reach New York and Will suggests a prank at the Drexler Museum (aka The Met), where he will videotape Tyler and Jay rollerblading through the museum in a race to the exit. The boys cause trouble, escape the museum, just as Will calls them and apologizes and the museum blows up.

Jay and Tyler find themselves on TV right away (already a clue), and the feds think it's an act of terrorism with the two as their main suspects. There is no trace of Will, and Tyler thinks it's a set up. Did Will just betray his friends?

Okay. I'm totally hooked. Despite a few flaws in some overdirection in camera angles. It's got me hooked, line and sinker. Add Viola Davis and Steven Culp (Desperate Housewives, Thirteen Days) as the feds, William Sadler (Roswell, Wonderfalls) as Jay's rich father, who knows something must be wrong and worries that it's a bigger conspiracy against them, and Matthew Bomer (Tru Calling) and Logan Marshall Green (The OC, Off-Broadway's Dog Sees God with Ugly Betty's America Ferrera, and the current King Lear with Kevin Kline) as Jay and Tyler, the boys on the run, and you've got a winning cast. Pyro Aaron Stanford (X-Men, Tadpole) plays Will Traveler, who Jay wants to hunt down for an alibi, while Tyler doubts his innocence and according to the feds, doesn't exist.

Now, ABC has only granted this show 8 episodes, and since it's only starting showing the episodes NOW, at the end of May Sweeps (it will continue on Wednesdays at 10pm starting May 30th), there really lies no hope in an extension to this show unless miracle ratings happen, but that might be okay. I'm not sure how long they would be able to sustain this level of (semi-logical) exciting twists and turns (well, 24 has had 6 seasons but again, I said semi-logical) with the whole show basically being a cat and mouse and mouse game, but it seems like a Smith only with protagonists that we might actually like and care about. I like that the boys actually react like how someone would normally react in their situation. Completely freaked and actually scared, with little heroics involved, and only reaction and panic. Maybe this show will arc away a short but satisfying run (think the British versions of The Office, Coupling, or pretty much anything else they do) or as a cable network series. Based on the pilot alone, I will give it 4 STARS though I usually reserve a 3.5 stars for the series as a whole until I see more (because, maybe there was a reason why ABC cut the show down from 13 to 8, or maybe they just got scared by the negative reaction to The Nine, Six Degrees and all the other network new serial shows).

More After the Jump...

Premieres Over the Next Week - Fox Gamut

Okay. 24 Premieres This Sunday and Monday on Fox and Global at 8pm for the first 4 hours of the 6th day of Jack Bauer's life. I'm still not sure if I'm going to watch it or wait till the DVD since I stopped around the 3rd season when it got sucky and never really got back into it. I watched the 4th on DVD but found it was great at first but then loses steam midway through and I totally agree with Avi about the overpraise, yet I get caught up like Dan's sentiments (though I haven't had time to catch up with Season 5). So will I watch? Ugh... what to do what to do... (I know. My life isn't that bad is it if that's my biggest dilemma? I must keep reminding that to myself).

Meanwhile, the American Idol assault begins on Tuesday and Wednesday at 8pm on Fox and CTV but I'm so over the auditions part so will probably skip it until the Top 24 or 12 though I may watch next week since auditions take place in Minneapolis and I have some sort of love affair with that city because it surprised me at how wonderful it was there (and how beautiful the people were... hehe). Granted, I really need to cut this show out after having been disappointed with the past 3 winners out of the last 5 seasons. Seriously, only the 1st season with Dunkleman was GREAT (though not because of Dunkleman, but because of Kelly Clarkson)!

More After the Jump...

The Golden Globe Nominations

Okay, so the one day I can sleep in and come to work late (our office Christmas/Wrap party was last night. Woohoo! I'll be partially and temporarily unemployed in one more day! Cannot WAIT!), they had to announce the Golden Globe nominations and every blogger out there already made their quick comments. Oh sure. Thanks a lot.

So here I am coming in late piping in with my 2 cents (in Canadian dollars). Generally speaking, nothing completely shocking (except Bobby? Seriously?). Middle of the road but nothing I can get too huffy about. Some omissions like United 93, Sandra Oh, Ryan Gosling, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski and Friday Night Lights, but whatever. Some expected omissions like Veronica Mars and the cast, and Battlestar Gallactica, who I think will join Buffy the Vampire Slayer as the always overlooked.

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

BABEL
BOBBY
THE DEPARTED
LITTLE CHILDREN
THE QUEEN

Again, Bobby? Really? I haven't seen it, wanted to, until it got trashed in the reviews. Where is United 93? Everthing else seems fine. Would have liked The History Boys to be up there too.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

PENÉLOPE CRUZ - VOLVER
JUDI DENCH - NOTES ON A SCANDAL
MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL - SHERRYBABY
HELEN MIRREN - THE QUEEN
KATE WINSLET - LITTLE CHILDREN

No real complaints here although at this point, can't we just hand Helen Mirren the Oscar and get on with life again?

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

LEONARDO DICAPRIO - BLOOD DIAMOND
LEONARDO DICAPRIO - THE DEPARTED
PETER O’TOOLE - VENUS
WILL SMITH - THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS
FOREST WHITAKER - THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND

2 for Leo huh? I'm actually not going to complain because I actually do think he's a pretty good actor. Still, just like Helen Mirren, can't we just hand Forest Whitaker the Oscar and get on with life?

BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

BORAT: CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
DREAMGIRLS
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
THANK YOU FOR SMOKING

Three of the movies (Borat, Sunshine, Smoking) I thought were good films but I didn't think they were GREAT films, so this whole category seems a bit underwhelming (but not unexpected) for me. I think I would lean towards Thank You for Smoking, at least until I see Dreamgirls which I know I'll enjoy anyways but I'm not sure it's going to be GREAT either.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

ANNETTE BENING - RUNNING WITH SCISSORS
TONI COLLETTE - LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
BEYONCÉ KNOWLES - DREAMGIRLS
MERYL STREEP - THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
RENEE ZELLWEGER - MISS POTTER

As much as I didn't LOVE Little Miss Sunshine, I did like all the performances including Toni Collette's. Still, I think Meryl MADE the movie for The Devil Wears Prada. You gotta hand it to her, there's a reason why she has the reputation for being the best actress of our time.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

SACHA BARON COHEN - BORAT: CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN
JOHNNY DEPP - PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN’S CHEST
AARON ECKHART - THANK YOU FOR SMOKING
CHIWETEL EJIOFOR - KINKY BOOTS
WILL FERRELL - STRANGER THAN FICTION

As much as I thought Borat was overated, I will give Sacha Baron Cohen and standing O for playing the part continuously. Still, I simply LOVED Aaron Eckhart's performance in Thank You For Smoking. Love Chiwetel Ejiofor usually but he's done better parts.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

CARS
HAPPY FEET
MONSTER HOUSE

Only saw Cars but loved it.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

APOCALYPTO (USA)
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA (USA/JAPAN)
THE LIVES OF OTHERS (GERMANY)
PAN’S LABYRINTH (MEXICO)
VOLVER (SPAIN)

Love how they squeeze in two American films into the Foreign Language Film category. Only saw Pan's and Volver so far and no plans to see Apocalypto, but my heart's for Volver. Not a perfect film but still something to faun over.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

ADRIANA BARRAZA - BABEL
CATE BLANCHETT - NOTES ON A SCANDAL
EMILY BLUNT - THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
JENNIFER HUDSON - DREAMGIRLS
RINKO KIKUCHI - BABEL

Glad to see Blunt, Hudson, and Kikuchi come from nowhere to get nominations.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

BEN AFFLECK - HOLLYWOODLAND
EDDIE MURPHY - DREAMGIRLS
JACK NICHOLSON - THE DEPARTED
BRAD PITT - BABEL
MARK WAHLBERG - THE DEPARTED

I love how this list would seem more expected in the Best Actor category a few years ago. At this point, I think I would lean towards Mark Wahlberg actually as I felt Jack Nicholson was just playing the over-the-top "Jack Nicholson" he usually plays (whereas in About Schmidt, I found he was actually ACTING).

BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE

CLINT EASTWOOD FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
CLINT EASTWOOD LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
STEPHEN FREARS THE QUEEN
ALEJANDRO GONZALEZ IÑÁRRITU BABEL
MARTIN SCORSESE THE DEPARTED

Leo twice I can deal with. Clint twice? Hmm... Not when you omit Paul Greengrass for United 93 or Bill Condon for Dreamgirls (how can it be nominated so much and have no director?).

BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE

GUILLERMO ARRIAGA - BABEL
TODD FIELD & TOM PERROTTA - LITTLE CHILDREN
PATRICK MARBER - NOTES ON A SCANDAL
WILLIAM MONAHAN - THE DEPARTED
PETER MORGAN - THE QUEEN

Note how Bobby wasn't in Screenplay or Director. How DID it get the Best Picture Drama nom? It's not like all the actors in it (apparently half of Hollywood) could even vote for it since this is the Hollywood Foreign Press. Maybe the HFP just hoped that all those stars might just show up instead if Bobby was nominated.

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

24 (FOX)
BIG LOVE (HBO)
GREY’S ANATOMY (ABC)
HEROES (NBC)
LOST (ABC)

Not a bad list. At least nothing offensive is on it (anything on CBS... hmm note: CBS may be the number one network but it pretty much airs lame/boring shows). I can dream that Friday Night Lights or Veronica Mars made the list but I'll remain happy with what they have. I know there's a lot of haters of Lost right now, but I'm not one of them (thank goodness I have an ally in Jace at Televisionary).

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

PATRICIA ARQUETTE - MEDIUM
EDIE FALCO - THE SOPRANOS
EVANGELINE LILLY - LOST
ELLEN POMPEO - GREY’S ANATOMY
KYRA SEDGWICK - THE CLOSER

I'm going to assume Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey's (see below) nominations really represent for the rest of the cast (Chandra Wilson, Sandra Oh, T.R. Knight, etc) since, while they are good actors, are the weakest of Grey's Anatomy's. I'm just not a fan of Patricia Arquette, love Sedgwick but not the show, and Edie Falco is always reliable and the best part of The Sopranos. As for Lilly, I know there are lot of you haters out there but I think she does a great job with Kate, so Televisionary, I'm on your side!

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

PATRICK DEMPSEY GREY’S ANATOMY
MICHAEL C. HALL DEXTER
HUGH LAURIE HOUSE
BILL PAXTON BIG LOVE
KIEFER SUTHERLAND 24

As much as I'm disappointed with House the show lately, Hugh Laurie remains the REASON to watch it, so my love is for him. Haven't seen full episodes of Dexter or Big Love but always been a big fan of Hall and Paxton. Meanwhile, Dempsey is far overated on Grey's Anatomy (I would have even preffered homophobe Isaiah Washington) and ditto with Keifer Sutherland on 24 (gasp, Yes I said it). 24 is a great show but Keifer just lucked out into the central role. He's not BAD on it, but I don't think he's one of the major reasons that make the show so great.

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
ENTOURAGE (HBO)
THE OFFICE (NBC)
UGLY BETTY (ABC)
WEEDS (SHOWTIME)

I think I would have prefered to see Scrubs or How I Met Your Mother instead of Desperate Housewives but I won't stir it up too much for fear of losing the other 4 GREAT shows listed. Almost a perfect list. Again, at least DH doesn't offend me (like if The King of Queens were to get nominated or something).

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –COMEDY OR MUSICAL

MARCIA CROSS - DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
AMERICA FERRERA - UGLY BETTY
FELICITY HUFFMAN - DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS - THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE
MARY-LOUISE PARKER - WEEDS

I wish there were a spot for Tichina Arnold from Everybody Hates Chris or Jenna Fischer from The Office but again, nothing offends me here. Even though DH had a lackluster second season, and better third, Marcia Cross and Felicity Huffman always do great work. America Ferrera IS what makes Ugly Betty from good fun to GREAT television, and Parker and Dreyfus are fantastic in their mother roles.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

ALEC BALDWIN - 30 ROCK
ZACH BRAFF - SCRUBS
STEVE CARRELL - THE OFFICE
JASON LEE - MY NAME IS EARL
TONY SHALHOUB - MONK

Okay. Here is something that OFFENDS me. Monk? Again? Tony Shalhoub is usually great but ENOUGH ALREADY. The show stinks and yes hes quirky and zany but there were far better actors out there this year (John Krasinski in The Office, Kevin Connolly in Entourage, Tyler James Williams or Terry Crews in Everybody Hates Chris)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

EMILY BLUNT - GIDEON’S DAUGHTER
TONI COLLETTE - TSUNAMI, THE AFTERMATH
KATHERINE HEIGL - GREY’S ANATOMY
SARAH PAULSON - STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP
ELIZABETH PERKINS - WEEDS

Ah yes, the weird supporting categories from EVERYTHING and ANTHING on television. I'm shocked Katherine Heigl is recognized as I find she tends to get overlooked with Chandra Wilson and Sandra Oh around even though her performance is just as good. Still, where's Chandra Wilson and Sandra Oh's nominations? Perkins totally deserves it (and I think the win) for Weeds and love Paulson who I think is the best thing about Studio 60 as I've noted in my Best New People list (along with America Ferrera and Masi Oka). Meanwhile, Blunt and Collette have a second nomination (along with Helen Mirren with TWO more and Ejiofor with another one for TV movies or miniseries). That's a lot of double nominations which is great but at the same time, share the wealth people.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

THOMAS HADEN CHURCH - BROKEN TRAIL
JEREMY IRONS - ELIZABETH I
JUSTIN KIRK - WEEDS
MASI OKA - HEROES
JEREMY PIVEN - ENTOURAGE

I can't believe Neil Patrick Harris isn't on the list for Barney in How I Met Your Mother but I'm totally for Kirk, Oka and Piven's noms.

More After the Jump...

[24] The Following Takes Place Between 8:00PM and 9:00PM

Tony is officially dead for any of you die-hard fans who thought there might be the slightest chance he'd survive whatever was in that needle. So sorry for your loss.

Martial Law, disguised as a city-wide "curfew," is imposed by Pres. Wienie dispite Martha's pleas. The force is strong in the Veep. Too bad it's all from the dark side.

Homeland Security has taken over CTU. But they di'int even know what they were gettin' into, nuh-uh. They did not realize that CTU is run by a bunch of renegade agents that do whatever the hell they want, especially Chloe and Jack. I don't like that creepy new HS dude who is the anti-Chloe. He looks constantly constipated. Well, so does Chloe, but she's cool so it's okay.

Jack's tracked down the "information broker" who has just sold Bierko some schematics of his next target. He does so by trading the NSA "wet list" to a German Intelligence agent who is under the covers with, uh, I mean, undercover investigating the beautiful broker. HS freaks out when they find out the deal he's brokered, but this is also the exact moment when HS realizes that Jack is indestructible and you just have to let him do whatever the heck he wants in order to get the job done! G.I. Jack! He's a real American hack! Whatev, you get the point.... But trust in Jack they do, and not only does he manage to get the girl, he has also managed to pre-program the disk that the wet list is on to self-destruct. What is this "Mission:Impossible"???

The only way the bombshell broker (she has fantastic hair!) will reveal her secrets is if she is granted international immunity on all counts (and smart to boot!). It is granted, so she spills the beans. She gave Bierko schematics of a building, but she doesn't know which building b/c the file was encrypted and in her business it's better not to know. Then she tells Jack who sold her the file: Audrey Raines! TICK. TOCK. TICK. TOCK. (This would make some sense considering she's casted in a new pilot greenlit for the fall season which means she won't be back for Day 6 of "24".)

Originally posted by Highbrow

More After the Jump...

[24] The Following Takes Place Between 7:00PM and 8:00PM

Why oh why do they not escape thru those conveniently uncontaminated corridors behind the false walls in CTU?!

Lynn takes one for the team, but considering this is all his fault, it only seems appropriate. Unfortunately, he takes an innocent red guard down with him. But I want to commend the hobbit on being able to hold his breath for as long as he did! I tried to hold me breath along with him but gave up much quicker.

Please oh please tell me that's the last we see of Kim. I see her point, but that doesn't make her any less of a cold-hearted bitch! I loved the interaction between Kim and Chloe though. Even in shock, Chloe could put that little ingrate in her place! And how useless was the ponyboy character? I did like the scene where Jack starts choking him and Chloe's all, okay, stop it, I'll get back to work. I know I always say it's all about ME, but this show is ALL about Chloe!

Pres. Wienie does nothing to improve my opinion of him. The man is on the verge of a nervous breakdown! "I can't take much more of this." He doesn't care if the Veep is trying to horn in on his job. I think he'd actually appreciate it if the Veep just took over the whole operation. Novick is starting to lose his control over the President and not liking it one bit. He had to pick which was the lesser of two evils and has joined forces with the First Crazy.

Bierko's all set-up and ready to kill off the population of Los Angeles, which upon further introspection may not be a bad thing, but his whole plan now rests in the hands of a Russian prostitute??

Homeland Security is coming in and planning to take over CTU. I predict (safely) sparks are going to fly!

Originally posted by Highbrow

More After the Jump...

[24] The Following Takes Place Between 5:00PM and 7:00PM

2 Hour Episode! Well two 1-hour eps back 2 back! Don't worry, I'll try and keep it as brief as possible....(TICK...TOCK...TICK...TOCK...)

-Tony wakes up and wants to know where his wife is. Bill lies to him due to his fragile condition. Don'cha'll think he can tell you're keeping something from him? He was an agent too ya know.
-Do I detect a spark between Martha and Aaron?! Me thinks me doooooo....
-Bierko sets up a fake primary target.
-Jack goes after Henderson at his home. Alone, of course, as always. Jack's invincible so he don't do back-up. Back-up is for robots like Curtis.
-CTU finds a schematic of a building on a dead hostile. In the corner is written 18:00. They work to find out what building this is, and assume it is the terrorist's next target. Now can anyone tell me, were they supposed to find it? Was this misinformation that was planted?? Let me know.
-Tony - a.k.a. Scarface - gets out of bed and accesses a computer to look up his wife's file. DECEASED (ridiculous graphic by the way - it was like a rubber stamp across the monitor!)
-Logan discloses minimal information to the returned Pres. Suvarov, and asks for his help in uncovering the terrorists. Suvarov agrees but knows something else is up. Suvarov begins to look at Logan in the same disdainful way all Americans do.
-Lynn, who's in lock-up, get Bill to let him make a private call to his sister. He asks for his keycard back. She wants to give it to him but her boyfriend says they can sell it for 20Gs. Oh you stupid boy! And girl! And boy!
-Martha gives Logan the cold shoulder. Are you suprised, you wimpy little turd?!
-Edgar finds a matching schematic. The target is identified as Tyler Memorial Hospital. They are given orders to evacuate immediately. Is it just me, or are the actors on this show all hired for their "I'm trying to look suspicious" faces? Check out the head of security at the hospital.
-Jack (finally) arrives at the Henderson home to search his computer for evidence. The devoted wife is home alone.
-Let's get it ON! Martha and Aaron share a moment, until Novick interrupts and warns Aaron off.
-Bierko tells the hostile in the hospital to take one for the team.
-Bierko's identity is uncovered by way of Russian intelligence. Logan is briefed by Bill. Is no one concerned that the leadership at CTU has a higher turnover rate than the GAP?
-Jack tries to convince Mrs. Henderson, thru rather violent tactics, that her husband is a baaaaaaad man, but she remains devoted. Tells Jack he was there for Kim when Jack wasn't. Chloe finds a secret drive on the computer and attempts to hack in.
-Hospital security identifies the hostile. Curtis hunts him down and shoots him dead. Good robot. Curtis finds the canister.
-CTU begins to prepare for an evac of the entire downtown core.
-Henderson comes home before Chole is finished trying to hack into his secret files. Jack proves to the Mrs. that her husband is no good by showing her Henderson's briefcase full of money. Henderson maintains innocence in the old CTU matter and refuses to talk now because he believes he is doing the right thing. Jack's interrogation tactics don't work b/c Henderson taught him everything he knows, so Jack shoots the Mrs. in the leg! But it's not enough. Henderson won't talk. What is with this show and crappy husbands that don't seem to care if their wives die for their cause?
-The counter for the container is found on the dead hostile. They have one minute left to make a move, so Curtis runs it to a sealed containment chamber with 2 secs. to spare!
-Hostile executes junkie boyfriend and then Lynn's sister and walks out with the keycard. Is CTU the primary target?!
TICK...TOCK...TICK...TOCK... We're half way there folks! Hold on to your coffee mugs!
-Hostile reprograms Lynn's keycard in his car.
-Bierko dispatches the remaining of the canisters to the rest of the targets.
-Logan starts freaking out at lack of reliable intelligence. He is briefed on Henderson.
-Kim shows up at CTU with her boyfriend. An aging Ponyboy, and not in a guuud way.
-Jack and Audrey take a time out to have yet another private conversation. This time about Kim. Audrey convinces Jack to let her talk to Kim first in order to prepare her.
-Audrey tells Kim that Jack is alive and the only reason he hid that fact from her was to protect her.
-The VP shows up. He looks like Logan's bullying older brother! Oooh, you instantly see the hostility between Novick and the Veep. Logan's so easy to sway and wants to seem half as strong as the Veep, so Veep's got him all excited about executing Martial Law in Los Angeles without Congressional consent. Uh, ain't that against the law? "That's why we won't call it that." Niiice. Just as Novick had Logan eating out of the palm of his hand, Veep shows up and ruins everything! Veep is all, "haha, in your FACE, Novick! There's a new puppeteer in town!"
-Jack returns to CTU with Henderson. Hands him over to get prepared for interrogation.
-Hostile enters CTU with Lynn's keycard. You'd think there'd be better security CTU. The red uniforms aren't really enough.
-Jack goes to see Kim. It is not a happy reunion. "I'm happy that you're alive. I am. But I can't give you want you want right now."
-Hostile has CTU's floor plans on his PDA and finds the main ventilation system.
-Tony wants Bill to tell him what is going on. Bill says it's confidential, and Tony doesn't work there anymore, but relents and tells him about the nerve gas and that Henderson is involved.
-Jack and Audrey find out that Kim's boyfriend was her therapist. Isn't there a law against that too? Or at least some kind of ethical sanction?
-Novick goes to see Martha and she tells him to cut the BS. He tells her what the Veep wants Logan to do and tells her she's the only one influential enough to stop him.
-Kerry notices someone's in the ventilation room and tells Edgar but he's too busy to deal with it and tells her to deal with it herself. Bad move Edgar! Don't be all Chloe, it's not becoming on you!
-Hostile sets up the canister
-Martha is an expert manipulator! "The country needs you more than I do."
-Kerry is killed by hostile.
-Kim approaches Chloe about Jack trusting her but not his own daughter and Chloe tells her to "cut him some slack." Take notes Edgar! No one does it quite like Chloe!
-Bill tells Lynn his sister's been killed and it looks professional. Lynn finally admits his keycard was stolen. Bill calls Chloe to track the keycard. They see it's bee used and issue an immediate lock-down.
-Henderson is fighting the effects of the truth serum (??) when Bill calls Jack about the breach.
-Hostile takes a red cop hostage.
-Edgar finally checks on Kerry.
-Hostile kills red cop. Jack outsmarts him and kills hostile. He finds the PDA and the canister's counter.
-Bill issues a Code 6 evac.
-Edgar finds a dead Kerry but doesn't notice the canister. It begins to emit the nerve gas.
-Chloe under pressure from everyone to figure out which rooms she can seal. She finds 3. Main cast moves into a meeting room. Henderson is locked up with Tony in the sick bay. Uh Oh!
- Gas starts to kill CTU agents. People in the conference room just watch helplessly.
-Edgar walks in and sees everyone in the sealed room and realizes his fate. Chloe walks to the window. Edgar's last word is "Chloe." Chloe mouths "Edgar." And they watch him die. Chloe's distraught, crying face is the most normal looking I've ever seen her.

Next week: 40% of CTU was taken out. Jack leaves the sealed room to save the day. And one main character is going to have to make the ultimate sacrifice! Here's hoping it's Audrey. Or Kim. I'd be happy with either choice.

Originally Posted by Highbrow

More After the Jump...

[24] The Following Takes Place Between 4:00PM and 5:00PM

Bierko tells his men to set up as there's only 40 mins until the ambush on the Suvarovs.

Novick was smart enough to get the Secret Service to figure out where the likeliest location for an ambush would take place. He gets the call informing him of the First Crazy's location and relays it to Pres. Wienie who begins to freak out, but not really enough considering his wife may be blown to smithereens at any moment. He calls the limo and tries to convince Martha (I didn't actually know her name until this episode) to get out of the car but she refuses. If he can't "control" his own wife, how does he expect to control the country?! "What do I do, Mike?" I wonder if Novick wants her to sleep with Walt's fishes because while he doesn't actually suggest it, he does play devil's advocate. Sneaky bastard!

Lynn's still outta control. He insists every action go thru this screen so he knows what everyone is doing at all times. Audrey gets Edgar to cover for Chloe who's helping Jack and briefing Audrey on the Omerchron development. Audrey calls Jack and we find out that Christopher Henderson used to work for CTU and is the man who recruited Jack. Henderson was fired for selling intelligence and Jack was a part of that investigation. In other words, this impending meeting will not go well.

Pres. Wienie still cannot make up his mind about Martha. Should he sacrifice her for the greater good of the country? If he saves her, he saves the Suvarovs, terrorists find out and release the Centox gas on American. "It's that simple." Wow! What a great husband! He's no Pres. Jed Bartlett, who temporarily stepped down from office so that his feelings for his abducted daughter would not obscure his presidential judgement, I tell ya! Novick points out that Martha's a wild card, and if the President does nothing she may tell the Suvarovs herself. Wily coyote!

Lynn freaks and a techie is fired. So is Edgar, almost, when he tries to stand up for her. Lynn notices Chloe is not at her desk and goes a huntin'. Chloe is in the middle of getting Jack into Omerchron's system as a legit visitor when Lynn finds them. Audrey, stalling for time, shows a side of herself we have not seen before! She is woman, hear her roar! It's the first time I've been able to respect her as a person of authority, instead of see her as the result of nepotism.

Jack's in and with guns up walks into Hendersons office. He gets tasered for his trouble. "Just for the record, I never believed you were dead." Henderson may work for the private sector now, but he hasn't forgotten his training. He pleads ignorance about the gas and insists he's being framed, just like he was at CTU. Jack's not going to take his word for it and insists on getting all the files on the gas and seeing the bunker where it was stored.

Edgar tells Chloe he's picked up NSA chatter about the possible ambush on the Suvarovs motorcade. She tells Lynn but he says he's not going to take some techie's word on it and refuses to act on the matter, "I've been embarrassed enough for one day." Curtis, the robot, steps up and suggests they look into the possible threat and is shot down. New & improved Audrey steps up to the plate and it's strike 3 you're all out! She points out that this could all be related to the gas considering it's the Russian President's motorcade, but Lynn's all "I can't heeeear you." Audrey confronts Robot Curtis and tries to convince him, as the senior officer, to invoke Section 112, name Lynn as mentally unfit to remain in his post and declare mutiny! But is the Robot programmed to take such drastic action? Only "real time" will tell....

Martha's in the limo starting to freak out a little. She's gonna be majorly pissed when she comes out of this unscathed! Pres. Wienie better hope she dies by the end of the hour! President asks for Novick's help AGAIN. "I don't have answers, but..." Always with the "but...". President chooses the terrorists over his wife! "You brought it on yourself." What a super ARSE! You can just see the disgust in Novick's eyes. This is not a President he, nor anyone else, can respect. He wants Novick to pray with him and Novick's like, I don't want God to think anything to do with you on this one!

Lynn marches in with the MPs who look all gestapo in their red uniforms and orders them to arrest Edgar for forging his email to the Secret Service about the possible threat (Audrey's idea), then Chloe, then Curtis, then tells them to escort Audrey out of the building. The Robot's ethics turn out to be stronger than his need to follow the rules and he invokes Sect. 112, orders the MPs to take Lynn to holding and release Bill. It's off to Mordor with you Sam Gamgee! Bill is filled in on the ambush and on Omerchron. He calls the President to "inform" him of the ambush and that they have already contacted the Secret Service. The motorcade turns around right at the point of the ambush and the Russians attack. The Suvarovs, Martha and agent Aaron come out alive. President worries about terrorist retaliation when he should be worried about Martha's retaliation!

Henderson leads Jack into the bunker where the Centox gas was kept. "Nothing gets in or out," which should tell Jack that he should not get in! Henderson pulls up the files on the scientists who worked on the gas and they find out they all died suspiciously. Henderson leaves to make a call, but really locks Jack inside with a bomb. He calls a woman to brief her of the situation, holds a detonator in his hand and exposes himself as the traitor he always was. But Jack finds the bomb, calls Henderson stupid and uses it to blow open the door.

As Novick tries to spin the ambush away from the President's involvement, Bierko calls and tells Wienie that he's going to use the gas on the US. Dun Dun DUNNNNNNN!

Originally Posted by Highbrow

More After the Jump...

[24] The Following Takes Place Between 3:00 and 4:00PM

I cannot believe how much action this show can pack in 5 mins! The head Irissian, Erwich, is killed by the real mastermind Bierko! And they aren’t Irissian, they’re Englissian! Bierko makes it clear that the nerve gas was acquired for the sole purpose of attacking Mother Russia. Erwich is punished for wasting it on a handful of people in an American mall. Bierko wants his people to track down Nathanson, who is the sole surviving double-crosser, and kill him. But Nathanson is one step ahead and is already on the move. TICK. TOCK. TICK. TOCK.

Lynn is on the phone pleading with his junkie sister to return his key card, which, yeah, I thought was a strange place to keep a security pass. Shouldn’t it be on one of those geeky retractable belt clip thingys or on a string around his neck?? But this show relies on “convenience,” so junkie pleads with her junkie boyfriend to give it back but he seems to have other plans. Lynn gets a phone call, thinking it’s his sister, but it’s really Pres. Wienie chewing him out for making him make a decision and then not sticking to said decision, even though it was a bad one. Passing the buck and needing someone to blame, Lynn orders that Jack be brought in and detained for disobeying a direct order. Audrey jumps to Jack’s defense and Lynn finally realizes that she’s been doing that a lot in the last few hours. Me thinks the hobbit is suspicious….

Curtis is reluctant, but he’s no renegade like Jack, so he’s in the process of taking Jack back to CTU like the good robot soldier he is when Audrey gets a call from Nathanson. He wants to be patched thru only to Jack and is using Audrey b/c he knows about their relationship. She doesn’t want to screw up the lead so she puts him thru. Pretending it was a personal call from Audrey, Curtis lets him take the call. Nathanson wants protection and doesn’t trust anyone but Jack to actually keep their word. In exchange he has information that may lead Jack to the gas. They arrange to meet at an abandoned building. On the way to CTU, Jack sucker punches Curtis and then puts him in a sleeper hold, “Don’t fight it.” Easy for you to say! He pulls Curtis out of the car and takes off. Lynn finds out about the escape and officially begins his meltdown. He grills Audrey who claims no knowledge, but he doesn’t believe her and decides to check-up on her actions. Audrey surreptitiously calls Chloe, who is literally 5’ away, and asks her to dump her call log. She does, for Jack’s sake b/c this show could just as well be called “Bauer,” but not before Lynn sees it disappear on his screen.

Bierko calls Pres. Wienie on Walt’s phone. Bierko makes it clear that the gas is meant for Russia alone, however, b/c he’s been stopped from transporting the gas back to Russia he wants the President to give him the visiting Russian President’s cavalcade route. Novick want to know if he’s crazy or cowardly enough to give into those demands, and Wienie answers with a resounding YES!

Lynn forces Bill to tell him about Audrey’s personal relationship with Jack. He tells him that he knows Audrey’s covering for him, but he doesn’t know they are covering up. Meanwhile, Jack is on his way into the building when he sees hostiles storming the building. He warns Nathanson and tells him to meet Jack on the roof. Audrey tells Bill what’s going on, Lynn sees them whispering, and now he’s suspicious of everyone. Meltdown in T minus a shoot-out and 6 commercials….

Nathanson makes it to the roof and just as he’s about to be executed guess who saves his life? But all is not safe, because a helicopter is raining bullets down on them. But a mere heli and machine gun is no match for Jack and a semi-automatic hand pistol. He shoots down the helicopter! Nathanson manages to squeak out, “In my pocket,” before he takes his last breath and Jack finds a chip. The hostiles call Bierko to tell him about Jack’s superpowers. Jack calls Audrey, who’s being monitored by Lynn, so she patches him thru to Chloe. Quiet on the set. Cue “hobbit suspicious face.” Jack sends the information to Chloe and tells her to call him back when she’s decoded the chip. Chloe realizes she needs Audrey’s security level clearance and asks Bill to distract Lynn. He tries to, but Kaboom! Nuclear. Meltdown. Lynn spits out that he can’t do anything to Audrey b/c Daddy’s Secretary of Defense (nana nana nana!) but he can put Bill in the brig! Chloe is too weird for Lynn to deal with, so she’s left free to call Jack back and tell him that the gas is made by Terrodyne – a subsidiary of Omarchron. Jack recognizes the name and asks Chloe to confirm that Christopher Henderson works there. Turns out he’s the VP of R&D and Jack knows him.

The First Crazy finds out what Pres. Wienie wants to do and freaks out. He convinces her it’s the only course of action while Novick rolls his eyes and daydreams about how he’d make such a kick-ass President if he were so damn weird looking. Pres. Wienie and the First Crazy make their goodbyes to the Russian President and his wife. They are the nicest people, making the Americans look absolutely detestable as Wienie gives Novick the nod to give Bierko the route. As a last ditch attempt, the First Crazy decides to ride with the Russians to the airport in their Limo, and sweet luffable Aaron if he weren’t such a cool secret service agent who always looks like he knows what’s really going on even if he doesn’t mean to, gets in after her. They leave word for Wienie who doesn’t even have the guts to stick around and wave the limo off. TICK. TOCK. TICK. TOCK.

Originally Posted by Highbrow

More After the Jump...

The Following Takes Place Between 2:00 and 3:00PM

Last week on 24 the only lead to the location of the terrorists is shot and killed by his young love slave! The phone rings with Erwich on the other end! Wha'cha gonna do, Jack? Wha'cha gonna do when they come for you....

Well, he's the immortal Jack Bauer! So he is going to pick up the phone - all the while with CTU tapped into the call because apparently Chloe (who looks like a recurring character on MADtv that I can't place so if any of you know who I'm talking about please post because it's driving me crazy!) has the hacking skills of Big Brother - and he's going to answer with an indistinguishable grunt. Actually, I'm surprised he didn't look at Curtis and shrug his shoulder. A meeting is set up to make the exchange but Erwich, who ironically sounds quite Irish for a Russian, is sending one of his crew instead of showing up himself. Conveniently, this means Jack can go to the drop-off posed as Rossler (the dead guy)! I hope I'm making this seem as exciting as it was to watch, because this is edge-of-your-seat-action folks! Edge. Of. Your. Seat.

At the exchange Jack/Rossler is forced at gunpoint to go with the Irissians to test the nerve gas at a local shopping mall. What is Jack going to do now? If he stops them, it blows his cover and he may never find Erwich and the rest of the nerve gas. But if he lets them go through with the test, hundreds of innocents will die! My God! I'm glad I'm not Jack Bauer!! The life and death decisions he must make on the fly literally every 5 minutes!! Watching everything on CTU's 70" plasma because BigBro's hacked her way into the mall's video surveillance (whaaaa?!), Lynn, the hobbit, still emasculated from the trouncing he got from his coked up sister's companion and a life-time of teasing about his girl's name, overcomensates by manly ordering Jack to let them test the nerve gas if it means the possibility of getting to the other 19 canisters. Bill disagrees and when Hobbit insists Bill goes over his head to force President Wienie to decide.

Of course he can't and goes as far as to say, "uhhhhm, why don't youuuu decide...," but they explain only the President has the power to issue that warrant of death. So even though Jack only has 5 nanoseconds left to take action, and he puts CTU on hold(!) while he asks Novick to make the decision for him. Pres. Wienie orders Jack to let the terrorists release the canister. Audrey looks up, hands in the air and screams, "Noooooooo!" Well not really, but close enough. She pretends she's upset for all the innocent children that will die in the Mall, but we know it's really because of her LUFF for Jack. Bill gives Jack the code to unlock the canister as the terrorists are asking for it, but Jack Bauer has morals! He gives them the wrong code and they reward him by coldcocking him to the ground and handcuffing him to the leg of a table that does not appear to be bolted to the floor. But it was all for naught because the Irissians have figured out another way to activate the canisters.

Cut to the chase, some of the gas is released into the ventilation system before Jack gets free, kills one of the terrorists and lets the other one get away while shutting down the canister. Finally, CTU calls in Curtis who always just seems to be sitting around waiting to be called in. Hobbit gets a talkin' to by Pres. Wienie - Don't ever put me in a position where I have to make a decision ever again, especially if no one is going to listen to me anyway! Meanwhile, Jack is running around in a gas mask creating mass terror, but still able to save a little girl from dying and even spares the 30 seconds it takes for her to opens her eyes. It doesn't sound like much but when you're acting in real time, that feels like forever!

Alas, they lost the 2nd terrorist! Or have they? BigBro to the rescue! Still wearing the tracking device, he leads the CTU back to the garage but no one is there. Erwich is no fool. As he watches CTU cover the garage, he orders his underling to take one for the team. Before Jack can stop him...BANG! The second suicide in less than 2 hours. Is all lost? Even Jack Bauer is starting to feel a little desperate: "Erwich's gone. The canisters are gone. We've got nothing here. Dammit!"

Oh yeah, and there was also some stuff about Pres. Wienie and the First Crazy. The First Crazy learns a hard lesson about how lies and cover-ups are a good thing. By the way, has anyone else noticed that now she's viewed as "sane" she's not as interesting any more?? Also, isn't there something fishy about her assistant Evelyn? And who else thinks that Novick totally rubbed out Cummings whist yelling, "That's for getting me arrested, Bitch!"

Originally Posted by Highbrow

More After the Jump...