The Cool Channel DVD Review: 24 Season Four

Posted by J.D. Dunn on 01.13.2006

And that's just how John Kerry would want it!

"24" Season Four
Created by: Joel Surnow, Robert Cochran
Starring: Kiefer Sutherland, Kim Raver, Alberta Watson, Lana Parrilla, Mary Lynn Rajskub, William Devane

You should know the drill by now. Jack Bauer, sort of a cross between Nick Fury and Jack Ryan, works for the Counter Terrorist Unit in Los Angeles. Each episode takes place in real time, and the events of a single season make up one complete day.

The basic formula for the first three seasons saw the first 4-6 episodes following a certain thread only to have some big event spin things off in a different direction for the next 8-12 episodes before yet another event changes the season's direction for the home stretch. It works quite well in that it's almost the exact same formula as a feature film screenplay. In essence, each season is one big 24-hour (or 18 hour, if you're technical) film.

Season Four begins two years after the events of Season Three. Jack is now a liaison with the Secretary of Defense. CTU is being run by Erin Driscoll (Alberta Watson) with a new group of agents — Chloe O'Brian (Rajskub) being the lone holdover. John Keeler is now the President of the United States.


Episode 4.01 — "7am - 8am"
W: Joel Surnow, Michael Loceff
D: Jon Cassar
Original Airdate: January 9, 2005

Synopsis: CTU gets a tip on known terrorist Thomas Sherek (Faran Tahir) trying to escape the city after an attack on a train. He's aided by the Araz family — Navi, Dina, and their son Behrooz. This coincides with a hacker attack trying to corrupt the internet (even more than Goatse did), but Director Driscoll doesn't think it's a high enough priority to investigate. Tell that to Andrew Paige ("Witness'" Lukas Haas), whose knowledge of the net attack makes him a target of assassins. Meanwhile, Jack Bauer is busy trying to put together a new (normal) life for himself after CTU, including a relationship with the daughter of the Secretary of Defense (Devane) for whom he works as a liaison. A routine budget meeting at CTU pulls Jack back in to help capture Sherek, but that's just the tip of the iceberg, and Jack knows it. Of course, this knowledge comes moments too late, as Jack realizes the real target is Secretary of Defense Heller!

Interesting Casting Choice: Geoff Pierson, the dad from "Unhappily Ever After" (the one with Bob Goldthwaite as the talking bunny and Nikki Cox's breasts playing the daughter) as the President of the United States.

Special Features: Episode Commentary by Joel Surnow and Mary Lynn Rajskub. Deleted Scenes and Alternate Takes.

Analysis: The series hasn't lost a step even though the bloated cast was overhauled after Season Three. Each new season brings with it a new Jack Bauer struggling with life outside of CTU, whether it be as a grizzled widower, a heroin addict, or respectable citizen in this case. Add to this, the obstacle of Jack being blockaded by politics, and you have a tense opener. A-


Episode 4.02 — "8am - 9am"
W: Howard Gordon
D: Jon Cassar
Original Airdate: January 9, 2005

Synopsis: With Secretary of Defense Heller and his daughter kidnapped and Jack detained for torturing Sherek, CTU hits a roadblock. Chloe O'Brian thinks Andrew might be able to help, but he's on the run. Unfortunately, when he calls Chloe for help, his call is monitored by the assassins, and he leads them right to him. Jack blackmails Director Driscoll to reinstate him by, of all things, accusing her of breaking protocol. Yes, Jack Bauer said this. CTU's Director of Field Operations, Ronnie Lobell (Shawn Doyle), objects to Jack's involvement, leading to a confrontation between the two at just the wrong time. Meanwhile, Behrooz Araz's plan to drop off a briefcase to the terrorists is complicated by his clingy girlfriend Debbie (Leighton Meester). We also find the reason for the internet hijacking — to webcast a trial of Secretary Heller for war crimes!

Analysis: Too much of the irritating supporting cast brings this episode down quite a bit from the opener. You just want to smack Richard Heller and Debbie Pendleton's heads together. Thankfully, the episode picks up in the final segment as Jack takes off after Andrew and his kidnapper. B-


Episode 4.03 — "9am - 10am"
W: Evan Katz
D: Brad Turner
Original Airdate: January 10, 2005

Synopsis: With Ronnie Lobell dead from a gunshot wound, Jack takes off after Andrew and his kidnapper. Of course, Director Driscoll wants Jack brought in for disobeying orders, so Jack's only source of help is Chloe O'Brian. Driscoll also brings in consultant Marianne Taylor ("Talk Soup's" Aisha Tyler) to help out above her ex-lover and resident CTU agent Curtis' objections. Curtis is busy interrogating Secretary Heller's son Richard because he believes he's hiding pertinent information. On the other side of things, Behrooz enlists his mother's help to spare Debbie from his father's wrath, but that proves to be a mistake.

Analysis: Things pick up quite a bit as Jack is forced into one of those moral quandaries that "24" excels in — does Jack save Andrew and risk Heller's life, or does he pursue the kidnapper? The first three seasons would have had Jack make the tough choice and face the consequences, but for some reason the writers go soft here and let him succeed in both. Sort of ruins the effect of putting him in that position in the first place. B+


Episode 4.04 — "10am - 11am"
W: Stephen Kronish
D: Brad Turner
Original Airdate: January 10, 2005

Synopsis: Jack stages a gas station robbery to keep the hostile, Kalil (Anil Kumar), from returning to the compound where Secretary Heller is being held. Unfortunately, the police get involved and muck things up. The delay buys Secretary Heller time to engineer his own unsuccessful escape. Chloe enlists the help of flaky Edgar Stiles (Louis Lombardi) as an end run around Driscoll. Behrooz, meanwhile, is given an ultimatum by his mother about Debbie. But Behrooz finds that the point is moot anyway.

Introduces: Maya Driscoll (Angela Goethals), Director Driscoll's schizophrenic daughter.

Analysis: Another one of those "just get there!" episodes where the audience has been set up on a path to know what's going to happen, but then we have to wait the entire episode while we get there. Also, this is another one of those episodes that raises the question, "Why is Jack Bauer's method of dealing with things always the most extreme scenario possible?" B-


Episode 4.05 — "11am to 12pm"
W: Peter M. Lenkov
D: John Cassar
Original Airdate: January 17, 2005

Synopsis: In a rare moment of clarity, Director Driscoll releases Jack from police custody and puts him in charge of ground operations. She also offers to let Chloe resign rather than face jail. With one hour away from the trial, Jack takes off after Kalil. Kalil, who's not exactly an idiot, realizes something is up when he doesn't get detained for driving a stolen vehicle. Realizing that he can't take the chance of leading CTU to the compound, Kalil makes the ultimate sacrifice. At CTU, Marianne blackmails Edgar into getting Level 3 clearance. The Arazes deal with the disposal of Debbie's body (and, in Behrooz's case, his conscience). At their wits end, Audrey and Secretary Heller try to gas themselves so that he can't be put on trial. The President and his advisors have much the same idea, only they want to use a laser-guided missile.

Best Line/Moment: Chloe, of all people, calls Edgar a "geek."

Analysis: With Driscoll pulling her head out of her ass, things pick up considerably. Behrooz finally decides to side with his family…for now. The President has to make a very Palmerian decision of killing the Secretary to keep him from humiliating the country. Plus, we have a new mystery man who's recognized by Audrey. B+


Episode 4.06 — "12pm - 1pm"
W: Matt Michnovetz
D: Jon Cassar
Original Airdate: January 24, 2005

Synopsis: Jack arrives on the scene of the "trial" and infiltrates the compound as the trial starts. Unfortunately, the clock is ticking because the President has order the compound destroyed by air strike in seven minutes. This is Jack, though, so that's plenty of time. Jack and the Marines successfully save the Hellers, but the mystery man is missing from the casualties. As you could probably guess, the trial was just the first step in a larger plan. Driscoll and Curtis figure out that the train bombing was a cover for stealing the briefcase that was found in the compound. When they find out what the item in the briefcase was used for - overriding nuclear power plant security systems causing 104 simultaneous meltdowns - it makes it obvious that the Secretary's kidnapping was merely a diversionary ploy. Meanwhile, the Arazes call in an expert to help dispose of Debbie's body…and Behrooz's as well.

Introduces: Paul Raines (James Frain) as Audrey's ex-husband.

Interesting Note: The Fox News Channel makes a rare appearance on Fox TV, years after suing it's own parent company for "The Simpsons" parody. Strangely, the terrorist attack is not blamed on the Democrats.

Special Features: Episode Commentary by Joseph Hodges and Jon Cassar.

Analysis: "Family vs. Duty" is the theme for the final episode of the opening arc. The Arazes send their little lamb Behrooz off to slaughter in order to appease their superiors. Heller authorizes the use of torture to get information out of his son. Parallelism is a beautiful thing. The "big twist" that spins the season in a new direction is a doozy, but the final minor twist of turning Marianne is trite and makes CTU look like one of the most penetrable organizations in our government. Minor quibble, though, because all "twist" episodes in this series are outstanding. A


Episode 4.07 — "1pm - 2pm"
W: Joel Surnow, Michael Loceff
D: Ken Girotti
Original Airdate: January 31, 2005

Synopsis: Jack and Audrey take off for the private security agency that has tapes of the function where Audrey thinks she saw the mystery man. The terrorists are ready for them thanks to Marianne's betrayal. Fortunately, Jack gets a little help from an old friend — Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard)! Speaking of betrayal, Navi vows to kill Behrooz to tie up that final loose end, but Behrooz's mother can't bring herself to let him die. Edgar Stiles figures a way out around the override code and manages to deactivate the reactors before meltdown.

Best Line/Moment: Edgar grows a pair in a time of crisis.

Introduces: Habib Marwan (Arnold Vosloo) as the lead terrorist.

Brings Back: Disgraced former CTU agent Tony Almeida.

Special Features: Deleted Scenes and Alternate Takes.

Analysis: If "Family vs. Duty" summed up the last episode, "betrayal" certainly sums up this one. Jack and Audrey are double-crossed on their way to the security agency. Marianne lies about a computer reboot to slow CTU down. Navi even tries to have his own son killed. Unfortunately, a little too much time is spent with Maya Driscoll and Paul Raines. Both are clearly there just to cause trouble later on, but neither is interesting enough to tread water until that happens. Raines, in particular, is so much of a one-note character he's difficult to tolerate (at least in his early episodes). B


Episode 4.08 — "2pm - 3pm"
W: Stephen Kronish, Peter M. Lenkov
D: Ken Girotti
Original Airdate: February 7, 2005

Synopsis: With six nuclear reactors still active and heading for a meltdown, the only hope is to find the device and override the process. Jack knows that CTU has been compromised, though, so he asks Tony for help. Sadly, Tony's life has gone downhill since he was fired from CTU. Secretary Heller sets a trap for the mole, but Marianne is too smart for that and sets up Sarah Gavin (Parilla) instead. Edgar, of all people, outwits her, though. During Marianne's attempted escape, she's knocked unconscious. Behrooz's attempts to get his mother medical help are sabotaged when the doctor realizes she was shot. Meanwhile, the mystery man, whom Audrey identified as Henry Powell (Robertson Dean) — a powerful defense contractor — tries to leave town, but Jack and Tony catch up with him at the last moment. But as they're taking him into custody, a sniper bullet takes him out!

Special Features: Episode Commentary by Stephen Kronish and Peter Lenkov.
Analysis: It's nice to have Tony back, even if he has turned into Emo Tony. The subplot involving Marianne's capture takes up most of the episode, which is a good thing because that kind of tense, spy game intrigue is what the show is best at. A-


Episode 4.09 — "3pm - 4pm"
W: Howard Gordon, Evan Katz
D: Brad Turner
Original Airdate: February 14, 2005

Synopsis: Edgar uses Henry Powell's cell phone to track down Behrooz and Dina to the hotel room where they're hiding out. Tony and Jack intercept her at the hotel, but Behrooz has already gone to get her pain medication. When he arrives at the hospital, his well-meaning uncle calls Navi to let him know where he is. Dina offers to help them find the device if Behrooz receives a full pardon. Unfortunately, Navi is already there. When Jack and Tony arrive moments later with a S.W.A.T. team, it turns into a race against time to try to keep Navi from escaping with Behrooz. Meanwhile, the San Gabriel reactor has melted down.

Best Line/Moment: "If my mother were rich or a politician, they'd find a way to save her." (Edgar Stiles, in a pre-Katrina moment)

Special Features: Episode Commentary by Evan Katz and Shannen Doherty (yes, that Shannen Doherty who is a big fan of the series).

Analysis: Tense episode benefits from most of the early threads being tied together as we head into the midpoint. Finally, Behrooz and Dina have been found by CTU, and the situation with Navi is about to come to a head. As with other seasons, once the lead heel is deal with, the season moves on to an even bigger fish. A-


Episode 4.10 — "4pm to 5pm"
W: Stephen Kronish, Peter M. Lenkov
D: Brad Turner
Original Airdate: February 21, 2005

Synopsis: With Navi and Behrooz locked in the hospital basement and Dina refusing to help without her son, Jack and Tony take steps to rescue Behrooz, but they can't bring Navi in alive.. Marianne makes a deal to name names in exchange for her life, but involves taking Curtis to Henry Powell's office where both of them are ambushed. When Sarah returns to the floor after being mistakenly tortured, she finds that Audrey's husband is the owner of the building where the terrorist attacks were planned. Audrey offers to meet Paul at his hotel room to "talk things over," putting her life in danger until Jack barges in and takes him into custody. Jack reinstates Tony Almeida and puts him in charge of interrogating Behrooz and Dina.

Historic Moment: Behrooz kills his father.

Special Features: Episode Commentary with Nestor Serrano and Stephen Kronish.

Analysis: Things get a little odd (read: convenient) as the conspiracy to destroy the country becomes primarily a Western one. The involvement of the British Paul Raines and Marianne's company makes this more than just some Muslim Jihad. Some would say this is for PC reasons, but given the complexity of the plot it just makes sense that someone from the U.S. would have to be involved. Jack, thankfully, gets to smack Paul around a bit, which is probably why Paul was made to be as irksome as he was earlier. B-


Episode 4.11 — "5pm to 6pm"
W: Joel Surnow, Michael Loceff
D: Jon Cassar
Original Airdate: February 28, 2005

Synopsis: Jack sets out interrogating Paul over Audrey's calls for leniency. Paul's manhood eventually dissolves, and he agrees to help Jack find a link between Galaxy and the terrorists. It leads to a man named Harris Barnes, the nom de guerre of Habib Marwan. Marwan takes steps to melt down the five remaining reactors by the end of the hour. Curtis uses the old "play dead" trick to make his escape, but he's trapped in one of Marwan's buildings. Dina Araz agrees to name names to Tony Almeida, but she holds back, prompting Tony to threaten to rescind the President's pardon. Jack and Curtis meet up at the IDS Systems building where Marwan is holed up attempting to trigger the meltdowns. Unfortunately, they have no description of him, so it becomes a game of finding a needle in a haystack. When Marwan tries to escape, he leaves the override behind, enabling Edgar Stiles to override it from CTU. Back at CTU, Maya has a meltdown of her own and slits her wrists.

Special Features: Deleted Scenes and Alternate Takes.

Analysis: The second major arc of the season comes to a close with the resolution of the meltdown storyline as well as Maya's suicide. Interestingly enough, they haven't set up many threads to carry them through the rest of the season outside of Marwan's escape and Erin Driscoll's personal problems. Still, for a resolution episode, this works well with the hunt for Marwan being a tense high point. B


Episode 4.12 — "6pm - 7pm"
W: Howard Gordon, Evan Katz
D: Jon Cassar
Original Airdate: March 7, 2005

Synopsis: Marwan escapes under the guise of a CTU agent leading to a citywide manhunt. When Marwan's past is traced to McClennan-Forster, the very company that produced the override device, Paul Raines offers to help Jack hack into their computer system. Driscoll offers to stay in her role despite Maya's suicide, but Secretary Heller relieves her of duty and replaces her with Tony above Curtis' objections. But it doesn't last long until Tony is replaced -- by his ex-wife! With Marwan at large, CTU thinks the danger is not yet over, especially since it's likely Marwan recruited more sleeper cells. Marwan sets in motion yet a third stage of the plan and offers to sacrifice his own freedom for the cause. McClennan-Forster takes steps to cover their tracks rather than destroy the company with bad publicity. Unfortunately, their steps cause a citywide blackout and disrupt electromagnetic impulses, causing a CTU chopper to go down.

Brings Back: Michelle Dessler (Reiko Aylesworth), Tony's ex-wife and a former CTU agent.

Special Features: Deleted Scenes and Alternate Takes.

Analysis: Although the multiple terrorist plots are starting to verge on absurdity, and McClennan-Forster's efforts seem way over the top, even for a company trying to save themselves, the pacing of this episode is so taut that it's easily forgivable. Jack and Paul get themselves into a bit of a mess with a race against time and McClennan-Forsters' security staff after them. Plus, a new twist has been added with the reintroduction of Michelle Dessler, Tony's ex-wife, to oversee CTU. A-


Episode 4.13 — "7pm - 8pm"
W: Anne Cofell
D: Rodney Charters
Original Airdate: March 14, 2005

Synopsis: McClennan-Forster's security staff gives Paul a beating in order to find out where he hid the printout, but crackshot Jack makes the save. Their backup plan is to bring in a group of mercenaries to find Jack and Paul and kill them. Amid looting and rioting from the blackout, Jack and Paul hole up in a sporting goods store run by a pair of Arab brothers who vow to help our heroes start a firefight that will lead CTU to the store. Meanwhile, Michelle gives Tony a menial task because she doesn't trust him and fires Sarah for trying to blackmail her way into a raise. After an intense firefight that leads CTU to the store, Paul Raines takes a bullet to save Jack.

Best Line/Moment: Jack icepicks a guy in the back of the skull.

Special Features: Deleted Scenes and Alternate Takes.

Analysis: The first episode of the season to be written by a woman, and it shows with some nice, low-key moments between Michelle and Audrey, Audrey and Tony, and later Tony and Michelle. Sometimes you actually need those "talk about your feelings" moments to cleanse the pallet. B+


Episode 4.14 — "8pm - 9pm"
W: Howard Gordon, Evan Katz
D: Tim Iacofano
Original Airdate: March 21, 2005

Synopsis: With threats of a third attack looming, President Keeler takes steps to initiate martial law to quell any civil unrest. While Paul clings to life in surgery, CTU turns up a name from the list he took from McClennan-Forster. Jack recruits Dina Araz to go undercover with the group to get him close to a man named Joseph Fayed (Adam Alexi-Malle). The plan, however, is already underway as a terrorist freelancer named Nicole (the very sexy Dagmara Dominczyk) takes an Air Force pilot hostage so that he can sneak a ringer onto his Air Force base. Marwan is one step ahead of CTU, though, and sees through Jack and Dina's plan. He has Dina executed and drags Jack off into the night.

Special Features: Episode Commentary by Tom Iacofano and Shohreh Aghdashloo. Deleted Scenes and Alternate Takes.

Analysis: A rare misfire in which you can see virtually everything coming a mile away. This is a series that prides itself on twists and keeping one step ahead of the audience, but this episode is filled with trite clichés and ends with yet another "Jack in peril" moment. C


Episode 4.15 — "9pm - 10pm"
W: Joel Surnow, Michael Loceff
D: Bryan Spicer
Original Airdate: March 28, 2005

Synopsis: CTU goes to work trying to track down Jack and Marwan. Marwan wants to create a smokescreen to mask important information by offering to trade Jack for Behrooz. The terrorist ringer (Ned Vaughn) steals a stealth bomber! Chloe comes back and spazzes out on Edgar and Audrey. When interrogation of Behrooz yields nothing important, CTU agrees to make the trade against their better judgment. The trade is made, but Marwan is still ahead of CTU, deactivating the tracking devices they used to find Behrooz.

Introduces: Bill Buchanan (James Morrison) who is CTU's liaison with Division.

Special Features: Episode Commentary by Bryan Spicer and Roger Cross. Deleted Scenes and Alternate Takes.

Analysis: I know I'm quite soothed having Chloe O'Brian and Edgar Stiles protecting me from terrorism. Their bickering is irritating and distracting from an episode that can't quite make up for it in other areas. Although it's a step up from "8pm - 9pm," the last two episodes have hit a bit of a speed bump. The trade McGuffin is clever on Marwan's part, but spending two episodes on setting it up wasn't. Also, it seems way too easy to hijack a bomber. C+



Episode 4.16 — "10pm - 11pm"
W: Howard Gordon, Evan Katz (from a story by Robert Cochran)
D: Bryan Spicer
Original Airdate: April 4, 2005

Synopsis: Thanks to a little trickery by Jack, CTU can now locate the warehouse that Marwan is operating from. As they prepare an all-out assault on the warehouse, Marwan tries to locate some of Navi's files. Marwan escapes the assault and destroys his hard drives. Jack learns that something will happen within the hour, and he also retrieves some pictures of associates that leads them to the ringer, a disgraced pilot named Mitch Anderson. By then, of course, Anderson is already in the air. Paul Raines survives his surgery but is paralyzed from the waist down. Audrey starts to have feelings for him once again and cools to Jack after watching Jack torture him earlier in the day. By sheer luck, Nicole is able to impersonate an FBI agent and recruit Jack and another agent into helping her find the files. When Nicole gives herself away, Jack kills her and accesses the files. Analysis of the files indicates that Mitch Anderson has stolen the stealth bomber in order to shoot down Air Force One!

Special Features: Episode Commentary by Bryan Spicer and Arnold Vosloo. Deleted Scenes and Alternate Takes.

Analysis: Now this is more like it. I could have done without the drama of Tony and Michelle arguing over Michelle's love life, but the rest works out fine and provides an excellent cliffhanger at the end of the show. B+


Episode 4.17 — "11pm - 12am"
W: Duppy Demetrius
D: Jon Cassar
Original Airdate: April 11, 2005

Synopsis: With Air Force One in a nosedive, CTU mobilizes to meet the crash site. The "nuclear football" (a briefcase containing the codes and locations of our nuclear devices) was part of the debris and fell somewhere in the desert. It falls into the hands of a pair of innocent campers (T.J. Thyne and Claudette Mink) who call the police. Unfortunately, Marwan is tracking the football, putting the campers in danger. They retreat inside a power plant in hopes that Jack Bauer will get there in time to save them. Jack gets there, but Marwan and his group already have the football. CTU air support takes out the Jeep that's carrying the football, but Marwan still has the activation codes and locations of the nuclear warheads. In news that almost seems slight by comparison, the 25th Amendment is invoked, swearing in Vice President Logan (Gregory Itzin) as the new president.

Brings Back: Weaselly presidential advisor Mike Novick (Jude Ciccolella).

Analysis: Although the actions of the campers seem pretty stupid (she trades the football for her husband), they really have no idea who they're dealing with, so I can't blame them too much. For an episode that is one big chase scene, it feels like something out of season one, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. B


Episode 4.18 — "12am - 1am"
W: Joel Surnow, Michael Loceff
D: Jon Cassar
Original Airdate: April 18, 2005

Synopsis: Armed with the locations of the nuclear warheads, Marwan sets a plan in motion to hijack one of the Midwestern warheads in while it's in transit. President Logan retreats to the bunker beneath the White House to plan (or cower). CTU gets an important thread as one of the terrorists (Nicholas Guilak) slips up and uses the wrong credit card. The terrorist is killed, but the man who was supposed to get him out of the country, Prado, is taken into custody. Marwan calls in an Amnesty Global civil rights attorney (Evan Handler) to make sure that Prado is not tortured. Jack, of course, figures a way around that.

Special Features: Episode Commentary by Jon Cassar and Sean Callery.

Analysis: Preachy episode that derides the ACLU and Amnesty International for "obstructing justice" on the behalf of guilty clients while conveniently forgetting that they tortured two innocent people earlier in the day. While some might argue that this is merely a plot device, much of the dialogue seems to be taken from administration talking points defending the practices. It doesn't help that the new president is made to look like an ineffectual putz either. C+


Episode 4.19 — "1am - 2am"
W: Howard Gordon, Evan Katz
D: Bryan Spicer
Original Airdate: April 25, 2005

Synopsis: Marwan has the warhead, but it needs at least an hour to be reconfigured. When Prado reveals Marwan's location, Jack heads up an assault team to take out Marwan at a nightclub. President Logan takes umbrage to Jack ignoring his order and torturing Prado anyway. He demands that Jack be arrested right in the middle of the operation to arrest Marwan. Chloe gets a tip when a girlfriend of one of the terrorists, Nabilla (Lina Patel), calls her with a tip that her boyfriend may be involved. When she is sent to investigate, Chloe and Nabilla are trapped by one of the terrorists. Knowing that President Logan isn't qualified to pick out his own socks, let alone run the country, Mike Novick calls in former president David Palmer to help coordinate the warhead recovery process.

Brings Back: Former President David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert)

Best Line/Moment: "Jack Bauer's not the only man who can do the job!" (President Logan — man he is out of touch)

Special Features: Episode Commentary by Paul Gadd and Kenneth Kobett. Deleted Scenes and Alternate Takes. (A Muslim agent, played by Alicia Coppola, is completely cut from the episode. It's an unfortunate, but understandable, excision). Also, an extended version of Chloe telling Jack she killed the terrorist.

Analysis: The season starts to spin out of control with logic gaps, idiotic characterizations, and nonsensical turns. Buchanan sends O'Brian, a non-field agent, to retrieve the laptop and puts her in danger. Why not just have Nabilla bring the laptop to CTU, or have an agent simply pick it up and bring it back to CTU? The only reason to send Chloe is to put her in danger because they have some time to kill, and they want to create tension where it's not really needed. Also, every reintroduction this season (Tony, Michelle, Palmer) has had some sort of silly "suspense" line to make people wonder who they're bringing back: "He's the only one I can trust." "Division is sending her in." "You should listen to him." etc. It's like an episode of "This is Your Life." C-


Episode 4.20 — "2am - 3am"
W: Peter M. Lenkov
D: Bryan Spicer
Original Airdate: May 2, 2005

Synopsis: David Palmer goes to work on reorganizing the effort to find the warhead. Chloe is shaken after killing the terrorist that was threatening her, but she manages to decrypt some of the files on the laptop and send them to CTU. Information on the laptop leads Lee Jong (Peter Chin) who has sought refuge in the Chinese consulate. When Palmer's diplomatic moves have failed, Jack heads into the consulate illegally to retrieve Jong. The operation is a success, but the Chinese consul is killed in the firefight, and it puts the American and Chinese governments at odds. Audrey decides to pick Paul over Jack, but it turns out to be a moot point when Jack forces the CTU surgeons to sacrifice Paul in favor of saving Lee Jong.

Historic Moment: Paul Raines dies.

Analysis: Unlike the previous few episodes, the flaws in this episode (the device Tony uses to track Jack's moves in the consulate doesn't really make sense from a functional level, Tony immediately reveals the covert plan to Buchanan after being told he's the only person can know) are more than forgivable thanks to the moral quandary that makes up the final segment. Now that's good drama! Also, this is one of the few times during the season when I've felt legitimately swerved by a plot twist. They made a point of saying that Paul and Audrey would be cleared for a flight in a few hours, so I assumed it would be building up to Audrey's tearful revelation to Jack that she doesn't want to be with him. A welcome rebound. A-


Episode 4.21 — "3am - 4am"
W: Joel Surnow, Michael Loceff
D: Kevin Hooks
Original Airdate: May 9, 2005

Synopsis: With Audrey blaming Jack for Paul's demise and doctors not entirely sure they can save Jong anyway, Jack's life isn't looking to good. When Marwan is unable to jam CTU's satellite, he decides to move up the detonation. Jack and Palmer conspire to create an alibi for CTU and the US Government. Unfortunately, one of Jack's crew (Buddy Dolan) was briefly unmasked and identified, leading the deputy consul to CTU and a political game of cat-and-mouse. Audrey winds up being Jack's alibi and, against her better judgment, backs him up. However, Edgar accidentally tips the deputy consul that it was Jack. Jong reveals one of Marwan's bases of operation, so Jack and Curtis lock and load. They overrun the warehouse, but the missile is already armed and launched!

Analysis: This episode mostly deals with political intrigue until the final segment in which Marwan is finally captured. For some reason, it reminds me of many "Star Trek: TNG" episodes where Picard is forced to deal with the politics of the neutral zone or Klingon law. President Logan continues to be a drag on the series. He freaks out because Palmer made plans without his consent, which was exactly why he brought him in an hour earlier, but he doesn't have the guts to cut Palmer loose. Logan is so depressingly caricatured that the writers of "Saved by the Bell" are laughing at him. B-


Episode 4.22 — "4am - 5am"
W: Matt Michnovetz, Duppy Demetrius
D: Kevin Hooks
Original Airdate: May 16, 2005

Synopsis: Jack goes to work trying to get Marwan to talk, but Marwan is rescued by a group of his terrorist buddies. CTU tracks Marwan's cellphone back to Richard Heller, implicating him in the plot. Jack wants to interrogate him, but Audrey offers to do it instead. Richard reveals that he met a guy and his girlfriend at a bar and went back to his apartment to have sex (with the guy) and that's when the girl must have made the call. I think we've all used that one before. CTU goes to work on the info and identifies the girl as Mandy, the assassin from Season One (although they don't know it). President Logan calls in the Cabinet and congressional leadership to the bunker. This causes tension because Speaker of the House Don Ashton (Denis Arndt) is ambitious and wants to exploit the situation. Palmer even has to get them out of that situation. Jack and Tony go to the apartment to bring Mandy in, but she gets the drop on Tony and kidnaps him.

Brings Back: Mandy ("The L-Word's" Mia Kirshner), the hired gun from season one.

Special Features: Episode Commentary by Matt Michnovetz and Duppy Demetrius. Deleted Scenes and Alternate Takes (trust me when I say you have to see Mandy's outtake).

Analysis: I was wondering when they were going to resurrect that Richard Heller thread. I just never thought it would lead to Mandy, the bisexual assassin. I certainly don't object to having the hypnotic Kirshner back (I don't watch "The L-Word," but if I did, she would be my main reason). The main reason for the episode, though, is to clear out some emotional baggage (garbage?) that has been piling up. Michelle agrees to leave her cushy job for Tony, and Jack sorts things out with Audrey. B+


Episode 4.23 — "5am - 6am"
W: Sam Montgomery
D: Jon Cassar
Original Airdate: May 23, 2005

Synopsis: With Mandy holding Tony hostage in an unused apartment, Jack, CTU, and the police go to work trying to find them. Mandy calls Michelle and threatens to kill Tony unless she helps her escape. This puts Michelle in the same position that Tony was in during Season Three. Michelle makes a different decision, however, and tells Buchanan and Jack about the call. Mandy finds out that Michelle double-crossed her, but she creates a smokescreen to make everyone think she's dead. Clever, but not clever enough to fool Jack. Jack tracks Tony and Mandy to the basement and takes Mandy into custody. Meanwhile, the Chinese consul takes Agent Hooks into custody and threatens to send him to Siberia, so he reveals that Jack was behind the cover plot.

Best Line/Moment: Tony's "trail of bread crumbs."

Flubs: That appears to be Mitch Anderson (Ned Vaughn), the treasonous pilot, filling out a cabinet meeting.

Special Features: Deleted Scenes and Alternate Takes. We see Mandy putting her plan in motion. It was deleted because they realized it put the audience ahead of Jack and Michelle, but it didn't really matter in the end because I don't think anyone really bought that it was Tony and Mandy in the exploding car. It's still a good cut, though, because it leaves Mandy as a more mysterious figure.

Analysis: A stellar performance by Aylesworth highlights this episode. She really gets put through the ringer. Kirshner is also excellent, especially when she goes from ditzy neighbor to cold-blooded killer in a heartbeat. B+


Episode 4.24 — "6am - 7am"
W: Robert Cochran, Howard Gordon
D: Jon Cassar
Original Airdate: May 23, 2005

Synopsis: Jack offers Mandy immunity if she'll give up Marwan. However, the Secret Service finds out that Mandy was part of the conspiracy to kill President Palmer. Palmer sacrifices revenge in order to get Marwan. Jack storms Marwan's launching pad, but Habib is able to martyr himself before Jack can get anything out of him. A device in Marwan's helicopter gives CTU the flight path of the missile — directly toward Los Angeles. Air Force jets are scrambled, and the missile is shot down. Things aren't over for Jack, though. The Chinese demand that he be turned over for trial. Of course, if he were to, say, be killed during transport, it would render the question moot. Or even if Tony, Michelle and Chloe make it look like he's dead…

Special Features: Episode commentary by Bob Cochran & Scott Powell. Deleted Scenes and Alternate Takes. Edgar and Chloe bond a bit after a long day.

Analysis: Once the flight path is identified, the ending is fairly mundane considering the build. That's not exactly unheard of for this series, as many "24th hours" are used to tie up loose ends and set up the next season. In this case, Jack goes from Nick Fury to David Banner in the course of an hour, walking off into the sunrise and a new life. B+

And that's it for the actual season four content.

Extras:

In addition to the extra scenes and commentaries for the individual episodes, there is also a seventh disc of extras included.

Season 5 Prequel: Without spoiling too much, I can tell you that it takes place one year later. Jack is living in Chicago when someone hacks into Chloe's hard drive and suspects Jack is alive.

Fox Movie Channel Presents: Making a Scene: A behind-the-scenes look at the stunts sequence involved in the car chase that will open Season Five.

Breaking Ground: Building the New CTU: What goes into the design of CTU? Well, this little featurette will take you inside the redesign of the set.

Blood on the Tracks: Jon Cassar gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the train derailment that opens Season Four.

Lock and Load: A behind-the-scenes look at the weaponry and technical expertise that went into filming the Secretary Heller rescue mission.

Extended and Deleted Scenes: Basically all the stuff that was on the individual episodes, but with commentary by Jon Cassar.

• A Director's Cut Prequel shot specifically for the DVD. We see Jack getting fired by Driscoll after the events of Season Three and his R-Rated reaction — "I can find my own fuckin' job, Erin." Also, we see Marwan sneaking over the border and Jack introducing Audrey Raines to some of his other techniques. CUE THE PORNO MUSIC! The producers, rightly, decided not to show Jack as such a sexual being.
  
  
• 7am-8am — Ronnie roughs up suspect before joining conference room meeting.
  
• 1pm-2pm — Curtis checks up on Marianne and they butt heads.
  
• 1pm-2pm — Marianne complains to Driscoll about Sarah.
  
• 1pm-2pm — Marianne gets information from Sarah that she tries to pass off to Powell.
  
• 1pm-2pm — Behrooz moves to the driver's seat and tells Dina they need to get help.
  
• 4pm-5pm — Jack and Tony talk to the building's landlord and discover that it is owned by Galaxy Financial. Robert Catrini plays the landlord.
  
• 4pm-5pm — Sarah updates Heller about the power plant casualties. Heller: "I will not allowe them to be forgotten."
  
• 4pm-5pm — Jack argues with Secretary Heller about reinstating Tony.
  
• 4pm-5pm — Secretary Heller tells Driscoll to reinstate Tony even though she disagrees.
  
• 4pm-5pm — Original version of killing Marianne and taking Curtis prisoner.
  
• 4pm-5pm — Curtis gets questioned and tortured.
  
• 5pm-6pm — Driscoll gives Heller an update of power plant meltdowns.
  
• 6pm-7pm — McLennan-Forster meeting about override device.
  
• 6pm-7pm — Heller gives Audrey something to do and notices Tony and Curtis arguing.
  
• 6pm-7pm — Marwan tells his wife and son goodbye. Bahar Boomekh plays Marwan's wife. Joshua Pelegrin plays Marwan's son.
  
• 7pm-8pm — Jack finds Alam. Adoni Maropis plays Alam.
  
• 7pm-8pm — Jack works on Alam's wound. Jack talks to Alam about McLennan-Forster. Adoni Maropis plays Alam.
  
• 7pm-8pm — Paul thanks Jack for saving his life.
  
• 7pm-8pm — Mini gunfight. Spectre calls Conlin for backup. Jack explains to Paul the plan of action.
  
• 7pm-8pm — After the gunfight, Alam decides to stay and defend the store. Adoni Maropis plays Alam. Kevin Sizemore plays the medic.
  
• 7pm-8pm — Original Version. Jack calls Audrey to tell her Paul has been shot.
  
• 8pm-9pm — Audrey gets Paul's wedding ring.
  
• 9pm-10pm — Chloe tells Buchanan they should let Behrooz know that Dina is dead.
  
• 10pm-11pm — Curtis talks to Chloe about finding Behrooz.
  
• 10pm-11pm — Curtis saves Behrooz. Navid Nagahban plays the terrorist.
  
• 10pm-11pm — Chloe complains to Michelle about working under Edgar.
  
• 1am-2am — Azara gets a lead from Nabila. Alicia Coppola plays the Muslim Agent.
  
• 1am-2am — Edgar blows off Azara's lead. Alicia Coppola plays the Muslim agent.
  
• 1am-2am — Azara and Chloe bring the lead to Michelle and Tony. Edgar apologizes to Azara. Alicia Coppola plays the Muslim agent.
  
• 1am-2am — Original Ending. Chloe tells Jack that she killed someone.
  
• 4am-5am — Mandy's love scenes.
  
• 5am-6am — Mandy goes through Tony's wallet and talks about Michelle.
  
• 5am-6am — Mandy grabs her neighbors and makes the guy put on Tony's clothes.
  
• 5am-6am — Jack updates Buchanan from the apartment complex.
  
• 5am-6am — Mandy tells the neighbors that they are posing as her and Tony. She sends them out.
  
• 5am-6am — Chloe tells Michelle to calm down.
  
• 6am-7am — Jack check on Tony. Tony thanks Jack.
  
• 6am-7am — Chloe and Edgar see Behrooz and have a moment.
  
• 6am-7am — Jack thanks Tony and Michelle.
  

24: Conspiracy A series of 24 one-minute episodes shot specifically for mobile phone users about CTU: Washington. It looks like a softcore porno parody.

The Longest Day Music Video: A techno music video splicing "24" footage and raves.

Inside Look: A preview of the "24"-ish feature film "The Sentinel" starring Douglas, Keifer, and Eva Longoria.

24: The Game trailer: A game that, thankfully, explains the events between Seasons Two and Three.

And there are your considerable extras.

The 411:  What starts off as a fine season, on par with any other the series has done, starts hitting speed bumps after Logan is sworn in as the new President. Having a President make bad, and even disruptive, decisions is one thing, but to portray him with a borderline personality disorder (and what is it with this show and personality disorders - Chloe, Edgar, Maya, Logan). Not only that, but this season portrays the U.S. as absurdly vulnerable. The Secretary of Defense is kidnapped. Nuclear plants are hijacked. Air Force One is shot down. And one of our own nuclear missiles is fired at us. All in one day. Unlike other seasons, which generally move fast enough to cover their plot holes, this season's problems are so blatant that they can't be hidden by a breakneck pace. Still, like Hitchcock, even bad "24" is still better than most competition. It's just unfortunate more care wasn't taken with the last half of the season.

Final Score:  7.5   [ Good ]