24 6.20: "Day 6: 1AM - 2AM"

Written by Howard Gordon and Evan Katz
Directed by Brad Turner

Status Report

With five episodes left of the season, the critics and fans have largely abandoned hope. Too much has been left dangling in the wind, and even the producers acknowledge the fact that many of the plot elements have been recycled and things have become stale. With all of that said and done, the season still has to close out, and one can only hope that the final episodes will allow the season to end with a sense of dignity.

As the episode begins, Jack is in a precarious position. Acting President Daniels has withdrawn support from Jack, especially in light of Cheng’s escape with the Russian decryption device, and he’s more than a little distracted by Audrey and her status. Of course, Jack is the only one likely to get through to Audrey, and the CTU psychological team is ready to unleash the Spanish Inquisition.

While Jack is still focused on Audrey, Mike Doyle continues to play his usual role as the maverick, acting directly on Jack’s behalf. If the producers have no intention of making Doyle a long-term member of the team, they have a funny way of showing it. Doyle is more than happy to give Jack a chance to prove himself right.

Speaking of Daniels, his conniving lover is revealed as working with someone else, using the over-eager executive to control domestic issues. Played by Michael Shanks (known well to “Stargate” fans), this new player immediately brings to mind Graem’s consortium from the end of the fifth season and their business interests. Unfortunately, this episode seems to suggest that the connection is just with the Russians, which is actually a bit disappointing.

Daniels himself is under the gun, thanks to yet another leak out of CTU and an ultimatum from the Russian president. The upshot is that the pressure is on for Nadia to find Cheng and the device. Rather conveniently, Cheng runs into a problem with the device, forcing him to find technical help. At this point, it’s an obvious delaying tactic, meant to give the writers time to position characters where they need to get by the end of the hour.

For all of Nadia’s lack of personality, her decision regarding Morris and Chloe is the right one, and it’s about time someone smacked down the melodrama in the office. (If only the writers would get the hint; the Morris/Chloe scenes were excruciating.) She’s also holding Jack accountable, which is technically correct but never a good move in an episode of “24”. Inevitably, that hardline attitude will prove devastating, because sound policy is often wrong when it comes to Jack Bauer.

Jack and Audrey have a sweet moment, and the shot of them joining scarred hands is a nice touch. Jack’s defense of Audrey is a bit overdone, and Nadia decides to trust Jack at a rather convenient moment, but all and all, it’s not a bad scene. Bringing Secretary of Defense Heller back for a scene with his daughter was another nice touch, and his demand to Jack is a great way to end the episode.

The final scene brings back one of the overarching themes of “24”: the personal cost of saving the world. Jack has lost nearly everyone over the years, and while she’s not dead, Audrey represents the most recent victim of that trend. Making that choice to sacrifice his own happiness for the sake of others is inherent to Jack’s brand of heroism. If the writers are trying to salvage some sense of that disappointing character arc, then this is probably a part of that process. But given the scattershot nature of the season arc, it’s impossible to tell.

Final Analysis

Overall, this episode is a continuance of the ongoing attempt to give this season a dignified exit. It’s hard to imagine that anything can save the season at this point, and this installment does little to change that impression. Still, there are some scenes that work well, and when things go this far off the rails, it’s a matter of finding the good within the bad.

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

Final Rating: 6/10

(Season Average: 6.7)