It's been a long day (AKA 24 - Yay!)
Apr. 18th, 2006 09:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shipperxYou know, 24 is shaping up to be my favorite show of the season. Yeah, yeah, plot holes. I know. So what. This season has been a blast.
Comments on last night's episode (and show overall):
First off, Aaron better show up next week. I want him to be assigned as the very personal body guard of the WIDOW of the President of the United States. That's right. I think I want President Logan dead. (Honestly, is there much other choice? Heller was right in what he said last night. Public scandal after a day like 24's U.S. has had could cause irreparable harm to the country. The President needs to die. But I'll come back to that in a moment).
Second, one of the things I really love this season of 24 are the numbers of strong women on the show. As much as the show revolves around a very male star, there are plenty of feisty, rootable women. From "she'll kick your ass" Chloe, who is dependable, independent, and smarter than everyone around her, to the frazzled but valiant First Lady Martha Logan (who is in a shit load of trouble). Poor woman has had one damn hard day (and it's only going to get worse). First, her husband tries to lock her away in a mental institution, then she throws herself into the limo of the Russian President hoping that her presence would prevent the Russian President and Russian First Lady from being killed, then she's blown up and shot at, causing her to realize that her husband stood by and did nothing to stop the assassination attempt, and now she's very, very suspicious that her husband isn't just the uberweenie-of-all-weenies, he's out and out evil! And you've got to love her because as wigged out as she is, as close to totally losing it as she is, when she's suspicious she investigates (which brings me back to Secret Service Agent Aaron who had damn well better be okay. It was such a horrible sign when she arrived at their rendezvous in the stables only to find his cell phone (I figure Aaron has to show up in some capacity next week, because the trailer has the President saying Martha knows the truth. Aaron has to survive long enough to tell Martha what's actually going on. But I hope like hell it's not a deathbed confession. I want Martha and Aaron on the run as an over- 50 supercouple! (Okay, it's possible that Cheney-alike Mike could be the one to tell her. Mike sure as hell also set himself up as a target when he all but called the President a liar to his face. But, back to that in a minute too). Jean Smart deserves a lot of credit for her portrayal of Martha Logan. She's shown a lot of range, from woman on the edge of her sanity, doubting her sanity, to moral center of the White House, to smart and suspicious lady who isn't buying everything which is going on (and knows better than to reveal that she notices that something stinks in Not!CampDavid). Smart has done an excellent job of creating a warm character the audience worries about. (For that matter, the guy playing President Logan has kicked ass. It was easy to buy him as incompetent dumb-ass who was weak but not evil, and now I totally buy him as out and out evil guy who became evil, not by design, but because of a toxic combination of insecurity and ambition).
Speaking of strong women, they've really worked overtime to redeem Audrey from the limp-spined mess she was last season. This season she's a rootable romantic foil for Jack. Which was reinforced when she had her artery slashed (Yikes!) and she stood calmly (as possible) and told Jack not to give up the evidence against the President. *sniffle* Reminded me of Tony and Michelle when Tony was willing to turn traitor to save Michelle, but Michelle couldn't turn traitor to save Tony... and Tony understood... and they loved each other... and now they're dead. *sniffle* They killed Tony! (and Michelle!) I still haven't recovered from that. Nope. Not at all. I liked those two, which is why Robocop also has to die. He killed Tony, damnit!
Also, I suspect that what's-her-name who is head of Homeland Security will prove to be an ally in the end. She has been smart enough to catch on that something is every not right with what's going on. I like the fact that, as testosterone driven as the show is, the women generally are smart and steely themselves.
As far as plot, where Audrey's dad is concerned I both understood and was frustrated by him. First off, he shouldn't have left Jack and Audrey at the airport. He KNEW that the two were being followed. That was the reason for all of Audrey's and Jack's secrecy in meeting him. Second, he should have made a copy of the tape! Duh! You always make copies! Those were two totally out of character mistakes. Heller isn't supposed to be dumb. Now, yeah, it was also stupid to think he could confront the President about his treason, and President Logan simply step down. But, I contend that mistake is in character. Heller is the Secretary of Defense. You don't reach that position without having a hell of a lot of self confidence and weilding a great deal of power. I can see how having that kind of 'A' personality and that kind of authority would (wrongly) lead him to believe that he could face down the treasonous President and win. Hubris doomed him, but I buy the hubris (though not the stupidity to leave Jack and Audrey and his team where they could be easily found, nor the stupidty not to make a damn copy of the tape!. Still, 24 is a chase thriller, so I can understand their wanting to keep a single football in the air for them to chase. It just that in this case, there really should be a copy.)
Also, I contend that Heller wasn't wrong in what he told Jack. It's struck me for a while now that 24's United States should be a paranoid mess! Let's remember that the only reason Logan is President in the first place was because last year the President, his son, and Air Force One all went down in flames in a terrorist attack. Now, follow that up with ex-President Palmer having been assassinated, followed immediately by an assassination attempt on the Russian President, the Russian First Lady, and the American First Lady. Add in terrorists taking over a terminal of LAX, a nerve gas explosion at a public shopping mall, the declaration of martial law... and then the Americans wake up the next morning to discover that the U.S. President was behind it all?! Could the U.S. handle the political turmoil that would reault? And how do you deal with a TREASONOUS President? One who was complicit in the attempted assassination of the Russian President? While I understand Heller's desire to handle it quietly and demand Logan's resignation, I contend that plot wise, Logan is going to have to die. Yeah, that too would contribute to the political instability of the country, but better a dead President than a treasonous one who tried to assassinate the Russian one.
All of which is also why I think we'll be seeing the Vice President be increasingly by the book. We'll see him upholding the letter of the law so that we can root for him to be placed in President Logan's place. I suspect, protecting the Vice President will be of greater importance as the season goes on.
As for Mike Cheney-alike, I both do and don't trust him. I think his motives will be good, but, like Heller, I think his concern for protecting the PRESIDENCY (as opposed to the President himself) could prove problematic. That said, in order to pull off the political transition that they'll need to pull off, they'll probably need both Heller and Mike as insiders with power because the driving force of the rest of the season has to be bringing down President Logan (who will increasinly unravel and thus become increasingly dangerous. Hmm... Maybe Martha gets to institutionalize her husband in the end. That would have some poetic justice, if they don't go "the President must die" route. They could claim nervous breakdown over stress... then secretly lock him up with the criminally insane).
Well, anyway, the rest of the season will consist of removing the President and killing Robocop... because Robocop must die (and unlike the trailers, I don't think Audrey will kill him next week. Too soon. Though goodness knows it will be good to see her hold a gun on him -- though what about that slashed artery?! I suppose she has Slayer healing powers. It's not as though 24 has the spare time to send her to the ICU for the rest of the season. Tourniquet up that wound and keep going, Audrey.)
Anyway, even if Robocop flips in the end and helps to bring down the pres (because I think that he too is more concerned about the Presidency than the President himself), he still has to die because, did I mention, THE BASTARD KILLED TONY!!!
Anyway, looking forward to next week. When I really hope that Martha and Aaron will both be okay. (And hope that Curtis resurfaces as well. Curtis, where have you been? We're running low on good guys!)
Comments on last night's episode (and show overall):
First off, Aaron better show up next week. I want him to be assigned as the very personal body guard of the WIDOW of the President of the United States. That's right. I think I want President Logan dead. (Honestly, is there much other choice? Heller was right in what he said last night. Public scandal after a day like 24's U.S. has had could cause irreparable harm to the country. The President needs to die. But I'll come back to that in a moment).
Second, one of the things I really love this season of 24 are the numbers of strong women on the show. As much as the show revolves around a very male star, there are plenty of feisty, rootable women. From "she'll kick your ass" Chloe, who is dependable, independent, and smarter than everyone around her, to the frazzled but valiant First Lady Martha Logan (who is in a shit load of trouble). Poor woman has had one damn hard day (and it's only going to get worse). First, her husband tries to lock her away in a mental institution, then she throws herself into the limo of the Russian President hoping that her presence would prevent the Russian President and Russian First Lady from being killed, then she's blown up and shot at, causing her to realize that her husband stood by and did nothing to stop the assassination attempt, and now she's very, very suspicious that her husband isn't just the uberweenie-of-all-weenies, he's out and out evil! And you've got to love her because as wigged out as she is, as close to totally losing it as she is, when she's suspicious she investigates (which brings me back to Secret Service Agent Aaron who had damn well better be okay. It was such a horrible sign when she arrived at their rendezvous in the stables only to find his cell phone (I figure Aaron has to show up in some capacity next week, because the trailer has the President saying Martha knows the truth. Aaron has to survive long enough to tell Martha what's actually going on. But I hope like hell it's not a deathbed confession. I want Martha and Aaron on the run as an over- 50 supercouple! (Okay, it's possible that Cheney-alike Mike could be the one to tell her. Mike sure as hell also set himself up as a target when he all but called the President a liar to his face. But, back to that in a minute too). Jean Smart deserves a lot of credit for her portrayal of Martha Logan. She's shown a lot of range, from woman on the edge of her sanity, doubting her sanity, to moral center of the White House, to smart and suspicious lady who isn't buying everything which is going on (and knows better than to reveal that she notices that something stinks in Not!CampDavid). Smart has done an excellent job of creating a warm character the audience worries about. (For that matter, the guy playing President Logan has kicked ass. It was easy to buy him as incompetent dumb-ass who was weak but not evil, and now I totally buy him as out and out evil guy who became evil, not by design, but because of a toxic combination of insecurity and ambition).
Speaking of strong women, they've really worked overtime to redeem Audrey from the limp-spined mess she was last season. This season she's a rootable romantic foil for Jack. Which was reinforced when she had her artery slashed (Yikes!) and she stood calmly (as possible) and told Jack not to give up the evidence against the President. *sniffle* Reminded me of Tony and Michelle when Tony was willing to turn traitor to save Michelle, but Michelle couldn't turn traitor to save Tony... and Tony understood... and they loved each other... and now they're dead. *sniffle* They killed Tony! (and Michelle!) I still haven't recovered from that. Nope. Not at all. I liked those two, which is why Robocop also has to die. He killed Tony, damnit!
Also, I suspect that what's-her-name who is head of Homeland Security will prove to be an ally in the end. She has been smart enough to catch on that something is every not right with what's going on. I like the fact that, as testosterone driven as the show is, the women generally are smart and steely themselves.
As far as plot, where Audrey's dad is concerned I both understood and was frustrated by him. First off, he shouldn't have left Jack and Audrey at the airport. He KNEW that the two were being followed. That was the reason for all of Audrey's and Jack's secrecy in meeting him. Second, he should have made a copy of the tape! Duh! You always make copies! Those were two totally out of character mistakes. Heller isn't supposed to be dumb. Now, yeah, it was also stupid to think he could confront the President about his treason, and President Logan simply step down. But, I contend that mistake is in character. Heller is the Secretary of Defense. You don't reach that position without having a hell of a lot of self confidence and weilding a great deal of power. I can see how having that kind of 'A' personality and that kind of authority would (wrongly) lead him to believe that he could face down the treasonous President and win. Hubris doomed him, but I buy the hubris (though not the stupidity to leave Jack and Audrey and his team where they could be easily found, nor the stupidty not to make a damn copy of the tape!. Still, 24 is a chase thriller, so I can understand their wanting to keep a single football in the air for them to chase. It just that in this case, there really should be a copy.)
Also, I contend that Heller wasn't wrong in what he told Jack. It's struck me for a while now that 24's United States should be a paranoid mess! Let's remember that the only reason Logan is President in the first place was because last year the President, his son, and Air Force One all went down in flames in a terrorist attack. Now, follow that up with ex-President Palmer having been assassinated, followed immediately by an assassination attempt on the Russian President, the Russian First Lady, and the American First Lady. Add in terrorists taking over a terminal of LAX, a nerve gas explosion at a public shopping mall, the declaration of martial law... and then the Americans wake up the next morning to discover that the U.S. President was behind it all?! Could the U.S. handle the political turmoil that would reault? And how do you deal with a TREASONOUS President? One who was complicit in the attempted assassination of the Russian President? While I understand Heller's desire to handle it quietly and demand Logan's resignation, I contend that plot wise, Logan is going to have to die. Yeah, that too would contribute to the political instability of the country, but better a dead President than a treasonous one who tried to assassinate the Russian one.
All of which is also why I think we'll be seeing the Vice President be increasingly by the book. We'll see him upholding the letter of the law so that we can root for him to be placed in President Logan's place. I suspect, protecting the Vice President will be of greater importance as the season goes on.
As for Mike Cheney-alike, I both do and don't trust him. I think his motives will be good, but, like Heller, I think his concern for protecting the PRESIDENCY (as opposed to the President himself) could prove problematic. That said, in order to pull off the political transition that they'll need to pull off, they'll probably need both Heller and Mike as insiders with power because the driving force of the rest of the season has to be bringing down President Logan (who will increasinly unravel and thus become increasingly dangerous. Hmm... Maybe Martha gets to institutionalize her husband in the end. That would have some poetic justice, if they don't go "the President must die" route. They could claim nervous breakdown over stress... then secretly lock him up with the criminally insane).
Well, anyway, the rest of the season will consist of removing the President and killing Robocop... because Robocop must die (and unlike the trailers, I don't think Audrey will kill him next week. Too soon. Though goodness knows it will be good to see her hold a gun on him -- though what about that slashed artery?! I suppose she has Slayer healing powers. It's not as though 24 has the spare time to send her to the ICU for the rest of the season. Tourniquet up that wound and keep going, Audrey.)
Anyway, even if Robocop flips in the end and helps to bring down the pres (because I think that he too is more concerned about the Presidency than the President himself), he still has to die because, did I mention, THE BASTARD KILLED TONY!!!
Anyway, looking forward to next week. When I really hope that Martha and Aaron will both be okay. (And hope that Curtis resurfaces as well. Curtis, where have you been? We're running low on good guys!)
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no subject
Date: 2006-04-18 03:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-04-19 03:30 am (UTC)At this point, I tend to think Dead President would be easiest, but we could end up with "he's had a nervous breakdown" and Martha secretly has him put in a looney-bin.
no subject
Date: 2006-04-18 09:47 pm (UTC)I'm not counting on Aaron being alive, but then I'm not counting on anyone other than Jack making it through this season.
no subject
Date: 2006-04-18 09:54 pm (UTC)