24 6.16: "Day 6: 9PM - 10PM"

Written by Robert Cochran and Evan Katz
Directed by Brad Turner

In which President Palmer struggles to maintain control of the government when Daniels questions his competency, while Jack tries to use Gredenko to capture Fayed…

Status Report

This episode marks the end of the middle third of the season. Surprisingly, the season is two-thirds completed, which does not seem possible. Could so little have happened since the explosive season premiere? Sadly, that’s exactly the case; the season arc has been adrift and unfocused for quite some time, and while there’s time to turn things around (like the writers accomplished in a very similar situation in the third season), the question is: can this plot get a much-needed jump start?

In a familiar turn of events, much like elements of the final arc of the second season, President Palmer faces the possibility of a coup by Vice President Daniels. One of the primary plot threads of the episode, therefore, is the meeting with the Cabinet to determine Palmer’s ability to discharge the duties of his office. Enjoyment of the episode is hinged greatly on one’s enjoyment of such a political situation.

Perhaps recognizing that the central argument is somewhat weak, especially the idea that diplomacy is a sign of weakness and incapacity, the writers keep it moving right along. The justification for turning it into a legal tangle is predicated on a series of technicalities, keeping up the tension (and conspiratorial machinations) throughout the hour. For all the transparency, the plot thread still works well enough, keeping the outcome up in the air as long as possible.

However, this does justify Sandra’s presence at this place and time; her legal background makes her the perfect advocate for her brother’s side of the case. Daniels’ silly objections are backed by illegal action, which continues to suggest that Daniels was complicit in the assassination attempt. This gives Maddox the chance to show his patriotism once again, which is a nice touch. (Keeping the original recording on his person, however, was not a smart move.)

Back at CTU, the romantic subplot between Milo and Nadia continues to be a weak element. Doyle continues to be something of a Robert Patrick clone, but despite the harsh nature of his tactics, they make a certain amount of sense. He uses the resources at hand to deal with a situation as quietly as possible. His decision to let Milo off the hook, as well as his comment about his personal moral journey, suggests that the producers are considering a more substantial role for Doyle in the future. (One might even wonder if Doyle is being positioned as a possible replacement for Jack!)

For his part, Jack is forced into accepting Gredenko’s terms by the situation between Palmer and Daniels. Jack’s always been caught in the middle of political strife when things get hectic, and this season certainly applies. Oddly, Jack’s situation with Gredenko is off-screen for nearly half the episode. This simply adds to the feeling that the writers are intentionally keeping Jack in the background as much as possible.

It takes a while, but things finally get moving with 15 minutes left in the episode. Gredenko’s meeting with Fayed goes about as well as one would expect, and CTU displays a rather distressing lack of intelligence. They should have realized something was wrong as soon as the audio went out and the tracker was stationary. However, things got a lot more interesting once Gredenko cut off his own arm and turned on Fayed in the bar. It took a relatively familiar plot element and gave it a good twist.

The end of the episode marks the end of the complication phase of the arc and the beginning of the season’s resolution. As such, it needed to end on a shocking twist. That said, Palmer’s decision to launch the nuclear strike on the Middle East that he was risking his life to prevent is a bit of a head-scratcher. His justification to Tom makes very little sense, and one can only imagine that he’s either playing a gambit or acting out of an imbalance based on his tenuous state. Whatever the case, it’s still not the strong and confident statement needed to start the final leg of the season arc on the right foot.

Final Analysis

Overall, this episode marks the end of the complication phase and the beginning of the resolution to the season arc, though the transition is hardly noteworthy. While this installment has many of the familiar “24” elements, it still doesn’t gel, and the ending makes very little sense. The writers seem to be developing the plot by rote, and the result is a less-than-convincing mess.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 6/10

(Season Average: 6.9)