Godless Dave

But Kim is getting dumber and dumber. Now I don't even care if they work her subplot into the main story in a clever way. Whatever is coming isn't worth sitting through her boring story. Last night we got to see her nipples. Woo hoo.

Palmer has one of the qualities of a great president - he can make cheesy dialog sound cool. "Your insane plan has backfired!"

Writer@Large

Yup, I was pretty happy with last night's episode. In fact, the last several have been strong. They're letting things happen--catching Sayed Ali, closing in on the bomb, exposing Sherry Palmer--and they've moved into a slightly better plot for the infernally annoying Kim. The season started a little slowly, but with the bombing of CTU it picked up, and the minute Nina appeared the show has been good ever since. And they're only 12 hours into it! I'm honestly not sure how they'll get 12 more hours out of this story.

I must say, the artificial time compression is more obvious this season. I would love to see this show drop the "real-time" format next season, to see what the creators could do without that restraint (but retaining the season-long plotline!).

--W@L

DarkBronzePlant

I thought last night was great, nipples and all!

(or should I say, )

Anyhow, for those who saw last season's 24 (I did not), what are your opinions at this point? I remember a few months ago, people were saying that this season sucked in comparison to last season. Does that opinion still hold?

elwoodblues

Oh, I don't want to see that. The time restraint is the unique hook the show has. It forces the show to be different. It lets you get behind the eyes of the better characters. It's fast and intense, because it has to be. I don't think it'd be a good idea to take that impetus away.

Godless Sodomite

Minus the stupid things they have Kim do every week, this season has been better than the first season right from the start. I watched last year, but found the proceedings only intermittently engaging and surprising. This year I find myself riveted to the television every Tuesday night. With BUFFY followed by 24, Tuesday night is the best night of television all week.

-Jerry

ex-idaho

I thought the opening scene of last years premiere was amazing. The hot chick on the plane plants the bomb, blows the planes door off and then parachutes to the ground. Great opening scene.

This season started off slower but has built to a great pace and really engaging story.

Daggah

I think I've come to the conclusion that 24 is a great show...as long as you don't think too much during the show.

Two examples:

Last week's episode, when Bauer was using the threat of killing Ali's children:

* If they weren't really being killed, #1, why did the president object? #2, why did the family seem so shocked and horrified when the deed was faked? Basically, it looked like it was real, seemed like it was real, and should've been real....until the end with the sudden plot twist. Not realistic, guys!

Second example: the bomb being fake. Everyone (including the terrorists) acted exactly as they would have if the bomb was real. Then, finally, the bomb turns out to be a fake. This may be explained away...what if the 7th renegade spec-op guy stole the bomb and replaced it with a fake?

Sometimes I think this show uses plot twists just to have plot twists. Plot twists are cool...when they're done well.

elwoodblues

I don't think the pres had the whole story. He wasn't exactly getting his info through official CTU channels. What people seemed to know was that Jack, through CTU, had gotten in contact with Sayyed's gov't and had his family at gunpoint, that scene being broadcast back to Ali.

I assumed someone slapped the kid at the right moment, something like that. They had to get a decent reaction out of the mom and sister; the abductors knew that.

elwoodblues

I'm guessing that either the above is true, and the 7th renegade Delta-squad member took the 'live' portion of the bomb, or the woman took it in the truck when they realized they'd been found, and the guy in the plane knew he had a fake remaining section and was buying time for the woman to drive the bomb out while he distracted CTU.

Jimmy Higgins

He didn't know they weren't going to be killed. In fact, it could be possible that Jack knew the President would find out and call. Then he got the call in front of the terrorist and made the threat look even more real. As for 2, they were tied up, and probably couldn't look back, and the fact that they fired a shot would certainly spook them. Not really having to think to hard to understand that.

No they didn't. She told him good luck, I took that as a sign the bomb was no longer on the plane and was in the truck. That he needed good luck to either take off or create a large enough of a diversion that people could get away. How the truck gets out of the airfield is my question. The terrorist on the plane had to play along. And I think we all can be satisfied that the 7th renegade is the guy who drove the truck away. Once again, I'm not really thinking too hard.

I think this is the best show in the history of television, granted, I don't watch the previews and therefore am more surprised at things that happen, its better that way. The plot writing is second to known in this show.

And as for my opinion on this season, I began the season thinking they couldn't match last year. I've felt they've done just as well. 24 ROCKS!