Season 7“I’m the one who saved lives today Jack, not you!” – Tony Almedia
Chloe and Janis are having trouble backtracing the laptop's signal to find Jack. Meanwhile, Jack tries to take refuge in a taxi garage. He closes the garage door, but Tony fires off some shots before the door closes, puncturing a taxi's gas tank. Tony begins to open the garage door with a fork lift. When he gets in, Jack is igniting a flare, intending to blow himself and Tony up. Tony overpowers him and drags Jack off.
Jack and Tony both have used heavy equipment this season. Jack using the bulldozer against Quinn earlier this season and now Tony uses a forklift to open the garage door.
Comment: Now Ethan’s got Olivia. “But I was hoping I was wrong…” great delivery by Glen Moreshower.
Jack revives to find himself chained to a wall in an industrial space as Tony works intently. Jack begs Tony not to use him to kill innocent people. Tony reveals that everything he's done today, including the attack on Washington Square Station, was done in order to get access to Alan Wilson, the leader of the cabal that planned today's attacks. Wilson was also the man behind former President Charles Logan, who had ordered the hit on David Palmer and Tony's wife Michelle. Jack is disgusted that Tony has killed innocent people for revenge. He says that if Wilson dies, any chance of exposing the rest of the conspiracy dies with him. Tony doesn't plan on killing Wilson. He's going to have Jack do it.Comment: Love this scene between Jack and Tony. We find out Tony’s true motivation for what he’s been doing… personal revenge.
Tony reveals what he's been working on: a belt of C-4 explosives, which he slips under Jack's shirt. Jack yells that Tony is not honoring Michelle's life, but reveling in her death instead. Michelle would despise him for this. Jack spits in Tony's face. Tony duct tapes Jack's mouth shut so that he can't warn Cara, who has arrived.
Wilson arrives with a motorcade. His men meet Tony and Cara in the parking lot and disarm them. Other men are sent to fetch Jack. As Jack is brought outside, an FBI helicopter bearing Agent Walker appears. A shootout begins, and everyone runs for cover. Jack frees himself from his captors and Renee finds him, disarming the detonator. Wilson and Cara run through the warehouse and find Tony. Cara's happy to see him. Yet Tony coldly shoots her point blank, then turns his gun on Wilson, telling him that he's responsible for the death of his wife and his son. Michelle was pregnant when she was killed. Just as he's about to pull the trigger, Tony is shot in the shoulder and drops his gun. Jack and Renee have arrived. Tony doggedly crawls towards his gun, ignoring Jack's entreaty to stop moving. Jack is forced to shoot him in the hand. As Tony is led away and Wilson is cuffed, he screams at Jack that these people think they can take everything away from them, and Jack is just running away. He's now one of them. "You're a coward, Jack," he says.Comment: Jack looks so pitiful handcuffed to the fence & shaking as he waits to be brought to Wilson. I guess it’s the way Kiefer plays Jack, but you hate to see Jack in pain or vulnerable in any way. If it were possible, I would go through that TV screen and try and rescue him.
Alan Wilson is so creepy. Good job by the actor.
Renee happens to know how to disarm the bomb that was strapped to Jack? That was a little weak but I know they had to move the story along.
Say goodbye Cara. That was cold Tony.
What great acting by Carlos Bernard in the scene where he confronts Wilson. Whoa, Michelle was pregnant when she was killed? That came out of nowhere.
Tony lost both his wife and unborn child. Same as what happened to Jack at the end of S1. I think it's interesting that both Jack and Tony both lost a wife and an unborn child and how they ended up dealing with it in different ways.
I really think Carlos deserves a supporting actor Emmy nomination this year. Whether you liked the “Tony turns bad” storyline or not, there’s no denying Carlos did a great job with this character turn.
Renee confronts Wilson and tells him he can avoid the death penalty if he cooperates. Wilson calmly claims he is innocent, and that she won't find a shred of evidence connecting him to any conspiracy. Jack is about to be taken to the hospital, and he and Renee have a moment alone. Jack asks why she didn't kill Wilson for his responsibility in Larry Moss's death. Renee says she doesn't really know what to do. Jack admits that he has been wrestling with this all his life. When he sees fifteen people being taken hostage on a bus, he knows in his head that the law is more important than those fifteen people. Yet he can't live with it. Renee asks if he regrets anything he did today. Jack says no, but he doesn't work for the FBI. He didn't take an oath to uphold the law. Tony managed to justify everything he did. When you cross the line, it always starts with a small step, but you eventually end up running full speed in the wrong direction. The only advice Jack can give is for Renee to make choices she can live with. Jack touches her face gently. Renee doesn't know what to say. "Then don't say anything," he says, as the med tech arrives to take him to the hospital.
Comment: I also loved the scene between Jack and Renee where she asks his advise on what to do about Wilson. I think Jack’s exposition summed up his whole character in one scene. Wonderfully written and acted scene.Olivia confesses her role in Hodges's death to her disbelieving parents. The President is shocked when Henry advocates destroying the recording and covering up the murder. Henry, cruelly, says their family has already paid a steep enough price. He blames their son's death on her job as President, and he pleads with her that they've already lost one child. "Save what's left of our family," Henry asks. President Taylor is called away by Tim Woods to get good news from the FBI. Olivia breaks down crying, and Henry comforts her that they're going to figure this out. Later, in the Oval Office, a conflicted President Taylor sheds a tear as she looks at a photo of her family in happier days.
Comment: Nicely acted scene when Olivia confesses to her family about the Hodges hit. Henry wants the President to destroy the recording. Henry twists the knife by blaming her job for them losing their son, Roger.
As they get ready for Chloe to exit the office, Janis thanks her for all her help today. Chloe says, that considering what she has to work with, Janis does pretty well. Janis says she'll take that as a compliment. Chloe confirms that it was indeed meant as one. They both smile.
Comment: Nice short wrap-up scene between Janis & Chloe.
Jack lays dying at the hospital. Dr. Macer can give him morphine to ease him into a coma to avoid the pain, but Jack says not yet. He has a visitor. It is Gohar, Jibraan's Imam. Jack called for him. Jack says he has made so many mistakes, and he always thought he would have time to correct them. Gohar says he has the time, right now. Jack says he doesn't know what he has done, but Gohar says that they live in complex times. Nothing is black and white. "Let us both forgive ourselves for all the wrongs we have done," the Imam says. Jack thanks him. His breathing gets ragged. "It's time," says Jack.
Comment: This scene between Jack and the Imam has to be one of the most moving scenes I’ve ever seen on 24. First of all it was a surprise that he was the one Jack called. However, if you think about it, it’s not really. Jack was dying so I think he wanted to make peace with his Maker in some way so he remembered Gohar from earlier and called him to talk. I think that made sense. I have been reading some absurd interpretations of this scene that I will address further in my final comments.
“You don’t know what I’ve done.” – The way Kiefer delivers that line is heartbreaking.
Comment: Interesting way President Taylor comes to her family, she kisses them both then proceeds to have Olivia put into Federal custody. President Taylor believes her duty as President and to the Constitution come first. But now she’s lost another child and probably her husband. I felt really bad for President Taylor when she was in the hallway and spoke with Ethan. Wonderful acting by Cherry Jones.
Wilson, in shackles, is brought to a holding room at the FBI. Tim Woods is on his way to transfer him. Renee and Janis are in the observation room. Renee's face hardens, and she tells Janis to leave the room. Janis refuses. Renee pulls out her gun and forces Janis to cuff herself to the furniture. Janis begs her to stop because she is throwing away her career. Larry wouldn't have wanted this. Renee stares at her badge, remembering what Jack said. She then puts her badge down on a table and goes into the holding room. Wilson looks up as the door closes behind her.Comment: Here’s where Renee completes her morphing into Jack. She seems to be willing to do whatever it takes to get Wilson to talk including securing Janis while she interrogates him. Janis brings up Larry to try and get her to stop, but this appears to make Renee more determined. Love the direction here where the door closes and it goes to black. The love the Renee Walker character. She is one of the best new characters 24 has introduced in a long time.
Comment: Love the way Kim looks at Gohar when she arrives at the hospital, like who in the world are you? Kim wants to do the stem cell therapy for Jack. No surprise there; that's how Jack will survive. Love the lighting of the final scene and what Kim says to Jack and Gohar standing the in the background through the window. Beautifully shot scene.
“I’m sorry Daddy, but I’m not ready to let you go.” I think Kim was speaking for the audience as well. None of us are ready to let Jack go yet. On to season 8!
Hard to believe another season of 24 has come and gone. It went by so fast. Maybe because it was so good. A lot of people thought after season 6 '24' had lost it's way and "jumped the shark" but it has truly redeemed itself in season 7. It looks like the writer's strike turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it gave the writer's more time to go back and fine-tune scripts/storylines to make this season one of the best they have ever produced. The year long delay of season 7 was well worth the wait.
A lot has been made on the internet about the scene with Jack and the Imam in the hospital. It has been interesting to read comments on the message boards but I must say in my opinion, some of the commentary has been absurd.
Many have been saying that "Jack was converting to Islam" or "the show has gone PC with this, I'll never watch again"...blah, blah, blah. On the surface it may look that way but if one has a true sense of the history of the Jack Bauer character, this was one of the most brilliant scenes ever on '24'.
Jack believed he was dying, given the brief interaction with Gohar in an earlier episode, it made sense that Jack would want to speak with the only "spiritual man" that he would know of to call at the last minute. What made the scene so brilliant was that he was a Muslim. Given Jack's past history/job, it was ironic that he would want absolution and make peace with himself and his Maker through a Muslim Imam.
I just wanted to give my 2 cents on that given some of the commentary out there about this scene. I think sometimes people read way too much into things; especially a FICTIONAL television show. I just think within the context of this show and understanding the Jack Bauer character, it was a beautifully written and acted scene.
I believe the wrap-up of Tony's story was well-done too. I happened to have liked the turn Tony's character took this season and I was glad they didn't kill him off. I hope he returns in the future. I thought it was very believable that Tony would turn based out of personal revenge. Any other reason would have not made sense.
This season was one of the strongest years for the introduction of great new characters. I thought season 6 was weak in that area, but season 7 sure was a big improvement. There were really good, interesting villians this season in Dubaku and Hodges. The Alan Wilson character was a good villian too, but we did not get to see him nearly enough. Maybe we'll get to see him again in season 8.
I enjoyed all the FBI characters: Sean, Janis, Larry and especially Renee. I really wished they had not killed off Larry Moss however. I understand why for storyline purposes, but he was really a great character. Sad to see him go.
Speaking of sad good-byes, 24 fans lost a beloved character this year in Bill Buchanan. His send-off could not have been better. He truly went out a hero. This character will be greatly missed.
I have enjoyed Season 7 tremendously and I am anxiously awaiting January 17, 2010 for the premiere of Season 8. It can't come soon enough.
Until then I'll be re-watching Season 7 and past seasons on DVD to get through my '24' withdrawal.
Recap: FOX.com/24
Comments are mine: 24FanForever
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