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#1 2010-03-01 21:50:05

Steveb
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Registered: 2007-03-07
Posts: 319

Episode 8x09 Discussion

Firstly, apologies for not commenting on episode 8, sadly I had a week where real life got in the way and thus was unable to share my thoughts. Overall, I thought it was a decent episode. Some good action stuff and a reasonably palpable cliffhanger.

Therefore, imagine my annoyance this week, when before the opening credits have rolled, Josef the embittered Russian has been killed and the whole Son betrays Father thing that looked so promising evaporated in a puff of MacGuffining. To make matters worse the Principal villain by default Farhad Hassan is then deposed of this role by generic sinister henchman #1 for what appeared to be no good reason. It almost seems like the writers had had an opportunity to see the finished cuts of the previous 8 episodes and decided they didn't like it, and rather than subtly bring the show around to wherever they're bringing it around to, they just removed anyone who wasn't necessary.

The one plus side of this is that there is now a tangible threat to our characters. Ignoring the nigh-on impoosible science involved the radiological attack is an excellent way to go. It's a threat we've kind of seen before and can thus accept. I only ask that this year it isn't allowed to go off, as we've seen a nuclear disaster too many times in the shows history and the only shocking thing to do would be to wipe out the entire main cast and that sort of kills the story.

Speaking of killing, the tick the box exercise in gritty soap opera writing that is the Starbuck and Friends storyline finally resolved itself. Sort of. Of course, now she's got to see if Cole keeps his mouth shut and of course he's guilty of the murder of a civilian of sorts, so it's all going to get messy. I tell you, we never had this shit with Tony and Michelle........

The shows other couple got some interesting story time this week as well. Jack and Renee being a item is something I'm quite happy about. There's a history there, so it doesn't feel shoe-horned and at the moment it's being underplayed well enough not to get irksome. It also serves a purpose in resolving Jack "not wanting to do this anymore." He has to do this now for Renee, or the diabetic one from Con Air and the lame as hell Chief of Staff will get the beauracrats on them. Well, be warned guys, it's a fairly safe bet that Jack's Dad is harder than your Dad!


"The water is unpalatable, to improve the taste we added Whiskey. By diligent effort I learned to like it." Winston Churchill

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#2 2010-03-04 22:14:55

hardy24
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From: London
Registered: 2007-02-28
Posts: 981
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Re: Episode 8x09 Discussion

I thought episode 8 was really strong, and this was obviously a step down.

I'm obviously a bit annoyed that David Anders solid run came to such an abrupt end, literally minutes (story-wise) after we'd seen him play his hand.

I'm not sure it's so much that they didn't like where it was headed, just more that they'd laid the first 8 episodes out, then they started thinking about the next 8 and they don't see where Josef could take them. They could up with a great cliffhanger for him, and it's "where does he go from here?", "hmm, not sure, lets just put the rods in the hands of 'proper terrorists', there easier to write"

Looking back at this episodes, man I should have hated it, the rods change hands twice effectively. They've tried to do "politics", which they never do very well. There's no President Hassan. But some how it was still entertaining, mainly due to cranky 'really don't give a sh*t' Jack who made me laugh on several occasions.

On the plus side, a nice convincing way to get Jack all in, although really did it have to be in the carpark again? we've had him almost get in a car like 3 times. But overall they dealt with that well, at just the right time, and i've gained a bit of respect for Hastings as he managed to ensure we don't have the same scene again in two episodes time.

Jack and Renee is always at the very least watchable. Starbuck and friends played out with some interest, although really Freddie, what was going on with his tone/accent in this episode, it's completely changed from the previous episode, I suppose he was trying to be "serious" but it just sounded like he was playing a different character. And also the chemistry between him and her just isn't there, they looked like they'd just had there first date as they chatted in the the car. But still, entertaining all the same.

Hopefully this is one of the dreaded "link" episodes, and not simply the standard going forward.


put your hands in your pockets looked away : andsmiled.com : blog

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#3 2010-03-06 22:55:41

Steveb
Moderator
Registered: 2007-03-07
Posts: 319

Re: Episode 8x09 Discussion

I did find it slightly odd that there was no political element at all. At least a cursory visit to see Hassan getting more irate. I can only assume that we'll be focussing on that next as -and I've realised that this is my main bugbear with this season- it seems to be one episode, one plotline at the moment. It might be me, but it does seem as if a lot of time is being given to one story each week and then put at the back for awhile until needed. This would be fine were it not completely missing the point of 24. That Real Time concept that we can get quite nostalgic about.

Jack has thankfully become Jack again. The old war horse who wanted out was nice to begin the season, but it was starting to get stale. Now Jack Bauer is back.


"The water is unpalatable, to improve the taste we added Whiskey. By diligent effort I learned to like it." Winston Churchill

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#4 2010-03-07 10:41:49

hardy24
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From: London
Registered: 2007-02-28
Posts: 981
Website

Re: Episode 8x09 Discussion

I agree with you Steve that the mixture of plots and threads and how much attention they get it completely un-24. The magic of 24 was seeing simultaneous threads running, which were all important to create a whole picture, and watching those threads converge at certain completely organic points. If the writers had managed to trim some of the fat (President Taylors updates with Haistings) and rearrange the threads into a more believable real time structure this could have been 9 fantastic episodes.

I accept that threading the eye of the needle like they did for most of day one, and some of day five is difficult, but if they are at a stage where certain minimum requirements pass them by when writing (what point does President Taylor serve at the moment?, none that I can see, which is a big problem for a character regularly listed in the "Previously") then perhaps it is time they gave up the ghost.


put your hands in your pockets looked away : andsmiled.com : blog

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