US TV
Warning: This article contains spoilers which non-US readers may wish to avoid.
Jack's back.
The clock has started ticking again for the second season of "24", FOX's critically-acclaimed real-time drama series.
Each week on Digital Spy we'll be back-tracking over the latest hour in what looks set to be the second longest day of Jack's life, for those who have missed an episode and want to get up to speed, those viewers in the UK who can't wait until next year, or those who just can't get enough of the series.
Last year the clock started running at midnight, but this time round the day starts at the more civilised hour of 8am, eighteen months down the line.
The episode begins in Seoul, where a man named Jason Park is tortured into revealing that a nuclear bomb, hidden somewhere in Los Angeles, will be set off today.
Meanwhile, David Palmer (now president) is on a fishing trip with son Keith on Lake Oswego. One of his aides alerts him to the news, and he is abruptly whisked away by chopper to the Northwest Regional Operations Complex.
A minute later, and we see Kim for the first time. She now has a job as a Nanny to the Matheson family, looking after nine-year-old Megan. As they sit at the breakfast table, Megan's father Gary gives Kim the eye -- you can guess where that is heading.
Over at CTU, George Mason is now running the show, with Tony his number two (thankfully, Tony's "beard" has now been shaven off, but has been replaced by a full-facial affair from Mason). What with Jamey dead, Nina the mole, and Milo -- umm, where is Milo? -- all out of the way, some new staff have been brought in.
The new programmer is chatterbox Paula Schaeffer ('Roseanne's' Sara Gilbert), who we soon discover is an insecure character, with the potential to become quite endearingly irritating (but at the same time making her an innocent, trusted figure). "You're trying too hard," Tony tells her.
Also new is Michelle Dessler, who but has slotted in to Tony's old "number three" position at the division. Michelle gets little airtime in the first episode, but no doubt will become a more prominent player in the coming weeks (hours).
Dessler informs Mason of a request from Eric Rayburn at the NSA (National Security Agency) -- they want Jack to be brought back in for duty.
Palmer is briefed on the torturing of Jason Park, and the information he surrendered. It transpires that whilst the government were tracking Park down, they noticed him photographed with a suicide bomber named Mamud Rashed Faheen, who had been "killed" in a West Bank bombing (remember Victor Drazen's "death" from season 1?). Park let out that Faheen, a member of a plinter group called the Second Wave, is involved in an attempt to detonate a nuclear bomb in LA... today.
Palmer is told that one Middle Eastern State unofficially supports the Second Wave, and immediately gets on the phone to that country's Prime Minister. Naturally, the PM denies everything and warns Palmer to "be careful" or he'll make a lot of enemies.
Over at the Matheson house, we finally get our first glimpse of Jack, watching Kim play with Megan outside from in his car. Yes, he has a beard too. He approaches Kim, who ushers Megan inside, then hugs Jack. He asks her why she hasn't been returning his calls, and she tells him that every time she sees him she thinks of her mum, Teri. Jack blames himself for Teri's death, but Kim says it wasn't his fault, although she needs more time before she can let him back into her life.
Back with the President, Rayburn attempts to get the Pentagon involved so as they can look to anticipating an attack on the country involved with the Second Wave. Palmer is defiant that he will not take that route, and that he is looking at the situation from a perspective of saving the lives of those who are in danger from the explosion. Experts tell the Pres that 16,000 would die from a detonation, but at worst case scenario, there would be 2 million casualties, with "a global impact."
The shady Reza Naiyeer is introduced as a middle Eastern man who is marrying Marie Warner later in the day. Marie's sister, Kate (who, according to reports, will become a "new love interest" for Jack as the day progresses) is highly suspicious of Reza, but the rest of the Warner family are foolishly trusting.
Mason has been unsuccessful in his attempts to get hold of Jack (who wants nothing to do with the CTU any more) so tells Raynard, who thinks a personal appeal from the President would do the trick.
Returning to his empty house, Jack ignores the answerphone messages from CTU and opens a desk draw. He lingers over a gun dramatically for a few seconds (he couldn't be considering it, could he?), before reaching for a picture of himself, Teri and Kim, all smiling and happy. He has a lie down, hugging the photo as the phone rings again. When he realises it's a call from one of the President's secretaries, he picks up and is patched through to Palmer, who tells him they need his help.
Jack is reluctant, but Palmer, without giving any details of the threat to him, tells him to go to CTU and then make his mind up.
At the Matheson's, Gary's nervous wife Carla has come home to wrap up a present for Gary's assistant. Kim tries to lend a helping hand but Carla says that Gary likes it done in a special way, and tells her to take Megan upstairs to play.
Mason informs the CTU staff of the terrorist threat, telling them that they are now to stay put at the division and not to come into contact with anyone, not even family members. Paula confesses to Tony that she's not cut out for working under stressful conditions, and wants to back out. Tony says that she'll be fine, and was brought in because she's the best at what she does.
A short scene shows us what the bad guys are up to -- a man named Marko watches on as minions build the bomb. He asks a man when it will be ready. "Soon," is the sinister answer.
Jack arrives at CTU. Everyone stops and stares at him as he makes his way up to the conference room with Tony, where Mason and Paula are waiting. He is told of the terrorist attack, and that he has been brought back in to identify the prime suspect.
Jack is out of there faster than you can say "Nina is the mole," but is followed by Tony, who tries to change his mind. Jack says the last time he trusted CTU, Teri was killed. He calls Kim on her mobile and tells her to not ask any questions but get out of LA right away. Feeling pestered, she ignores him and switches her phone off. He calls back and leaves her a message, then leaves a message on the conveniently-living-out-of-town Aunt Carol's answerphone saying that Kim will be coming to stay. In the parking lot, as he is about to leave, he spots a small child and realises what the right thing to do is.
Returning back to the conference room, he tells Mason that he's calling the shots. He wants Kim picked up by CTU immediately and kept under surveillance at all times (he seems to forget that Teri was "under CTU surveillance" when she was killed). Mason agrees, and continues where he left off with the briefing. He tells Jack that a man named Joseph Wald has ties with the Second Wave -- a man whom Jack, undercover, had previously got arrested. Wald is now out of jail but has gone AWOL. Jack tells Mason to bring in Marshall Goren, a key witness against Wald in the trial.
A reluctant Mason calls the FBI who agree to let them have Goren for an hour. Mason isn't sure what Jack has in mind, and Jack isn't letting on.
Back with the Warners, Kate gets a call from Ralph Burton, a private investigator she hired to snoop for info on Reza. He tells her that a background check on his financial history came up with a dealing Reza had with Syed Ali, an international terrorist. He warns her that it could have been legitimate and that Reza knew nothing of Ali's practices. She tells him to find out more.
The President is surprised to find out that he's had a meeting set up for him with the Joint Chiefs of Staff about miltary action. He cancels it and confronts Raynard, who admits to setting it up, in case he had changed his mind. Palmer says he doesn't want his own people going against him. "I would never work against you," Raynard tells him. Hmm. Remember Carl, Mr President?
Goren arrives at the CTU for questioning but gives no information away, as he's already been promised a deal by the FBI. In response, Jack shoots and kills him. Mason goes mad, asking Jack if he's out of his mind. Jack tells him they'll need a hacksaw.
Gary arrives back home to the Matheson house. Sounds of him abusing his wife are heard by Kim and Megan, who are upstairs in the bedroom. Frightened, Kim locks the door as he comes up the stairs. As he tries to get in, Kim wraps a towel around Megan and then lets him in, saying they were in the shower. Gary asks if they could hear anything, and Kim says they couldn't. He tells them Carla had an accident, asking Kim go downstairs to help her out. Kim refuses however, when she sees how afraid Megan is to be left with Gary. He pushes Kim down when she tries to comfort Megan, and threatens to hurt her. Crying, Megan tries to go over to Kim but Gary tries to pull her back, causing Megan to fall and hit her head.
In the closing seconds of the hour, we return to CTU. Standing in front of the mirror is a clean-shaven Jack, ready for the day ahead.
More next week.
Jack's back.
The clock has started ticking again for the second season of "24", FOX's critically-acclaimed real-time drama series.
Each week on Digital Spy we'll be back-tracking over the latest hour in what looks set to be the second longest day of Jack's life, for those who have missed an episode and want to get up to speed, those viewers in the UK who can't wait until next year, or those who just can't get enough of the series.
Last year the clock started running at midnight, but this time round the day starts at the more civilised hour of 8am, eighteen months down the line.
The episode begins in Seoul, where a man named Jason Park is tortured into revealing that a nuclear bomb, hidden somewhere in Los Angeles, will be set off today.
Meanwhile, David Palmer (now president) is on a fishing trip with son Keith on Lake Oswego. One of his aides alerts him to the news, and he is abruptly whisked away by chopper to the Northwest Regional Operations Complex.
A minute later, and we see Kim for the first time. She now has a job as a Nanny to the Matheson family, looking after nine-year-old Megan. As they sit at the breakfast table, Megan's father Gary gives Kim the eye -- you can guess where that is heading.
Over at CTU, George Mason is now running the show, with Tony his number two (thankfully, Tony's "beard" has now been shaven off, but has been replaced by a full-facial affair from Mason). What with Jamey dead, Nina the mole, and Milo -- umm, where is Milo? -- all out of the way, some new staff have been brought in.
The new programmer is chatterbox Paula Schaeffer ('Roseanne's' Sara Gilbert), who we soon discover is an insecure character, with the potential to become quite endearingly irritating (but at the same time making her an innocent, trusted figure). "You're trying too hard," Tony tells her.
Also new is Michelle Dessler, who but has slotted in to Tony's old "number three" position at the division. Michelle gets little airtime in the first episode, but no doubt will become a more prominent player in the coming weeks (hours).
Dessler informs Mason of a request from Eric Rayburn at the NSA (National Security Agency) -- they want Jack to be brought back in for duty.
Palmer is briefed on the torturing of Jason Park, and the information he surrendered. It transpires that whilst the government were tracking Park down, they noticed him photographed with a suicide bomber named Mamud Rashed Faheen, who had been "killed" in a West Bank bombing (remember Victor Drazen's "death" from season 1?). Park let out that Faheen, a member of a plinter group called the Second Wave, is involved in an attempt to detonate a nuclear bomb in LA... today.
Palmer is told that one Middle Eastern State unofficially supports the Second Wave, and immediately gets on the phone to that country's Prime Minister. Naturally, the PM denies everything and warns Palmer to "be careful" or he'll make a lot of enemies.
Over at the Matheson house, we finally get our first glimpse of Jack, watching Kim play with Megan outside from in his car. Yes, he has a beard too. He approaches Kim, who ushers Megan inside, then hugs Jack. He asks her why she hasn't been returning his calls, and she tells him that every time she sees him she thinks of her mum, Teri. Jack blames himself for Teri's death, but Kim says it wasn't his fault, although she needs more time before she can let him back into her life.
Back with the President, Rayburn attempts to get the Pentagon involved so as they can look to anticipating an attack on the country involved with the Second Wave. Palmer is defiant that he will not take that route, and that he is looking at the situation from a perspective of saving the lives of those who are in danger from the explosion. Experts tell the Pres that 16,000 would die from a detonation, but at worst case scenario, there would be 2 million casualties, with "a global impact."
The shady Reza Naiyeer is introduced as a middle Eastern man who is marrying Marie Warner later in the day. Marie's sister, Kate (who, according to reports, will become a "new love interest" for Jack as the day progresses) is highly suspicious of Reza, but the rest of the Warner family are foolishly trusting.
Mason has been unsuccessful in his attempts to get hold of Jack (who wants nothing to do with the CTU any more) so tells Raynard, who thinks a personal appeal from the President would do the trick.
Returning to his empty house, Jack ignores the answerphone messages from CTU and opens a desk draw. He lingers over a gun dramatically for a few seconds (he couldn't be considering it, could he?), before reaching for a picture of himself, Teri and Kim, all smiling and happy. He has a lie down, hugging the photo as the phone rings again. When he realises it's a call from one of the President's secretaries, he picks up and is patched through to Palmer, who tells him they need his help.
Jack is reluctant, but Palmer, without giving any details of the threat to him, tells him to go to CTU and then make his mind up.
At the Matheson's, Gary's nervous wife Carla has come home to wrap up a present for Gary's assistant. Kim tries to lend a helping hand but Carla says that Gary likes it done in a special way, and tells her to take Megan upstairs to play.
Mason informs the CTU staff of the terrorist threat, telling them that they are now to stay put at the division and not to come into contact with anyone, not even family members. Paula confesses to Tony that she's not cut out for working under stressful conditions, and wants to back out. Tony says that she'll be fine, and was brought in because she's the best at what she does.
A short scene shows us what the bad guys are up to -- a man named Marko watches on as minions build the bomb. He asks a man when it will be ready. "Soon," is the sinister answer.
Jack arrives at CTU. Everyone stops and stares at him as he makes his way up to the conference room with Tony, where Mason and Paula are waiting. He is told of the terrorist attack, and that he has been brought back in to identify the prime suspect.
Jack is out of there faster than you can say "Nina is the mole," but is followed by Tony, who tries to change his mind. Jack says the last time he trusted CTU, Teri was killed. He calls Kim on her mobile and tells her to not ask any questions but get out of LA right away. Feeling pestered, she ignores him and switches her phone off. He calls back and leaves her a message, then leaves a message on the conveniently-living-out-of-town Aunt Carol's answerphone saying that Kim will be coming to stay. In the parking lot, as he is about to leave, he spots a small child and realises what the right thing to do is.
Returning back to the conference room, he tells Mason that he's calling the shots. He wants Kim picked up by CTU immediately and kept under surveillance at all times (he seems to forget that Teri was "under CTU surveillance" when she was killed). Mason agrees, and continues where he left off with the briefing. He tells Jack that a man named Joseph Wald has ties with the Second Wave -- a man whom Jack, undercover, had previously got arrested. Wald is now out of jail but has gone AWOL. Jack tells Mason to bring in Marshall Goren, a key witness against Wald in the trial.
A reluctant Mason calls the FBI who agree to let them have Goren for an hour. Mason isn't sure what Jack has in mind, and Jack isn't letting on.
Back with the Warners, Kate gets a call from Ralph Burton, a private investigator she hired to snoop for info on Reza. He tells her that a background check on his financial history came up with a dealing Reza had with Syed Ali, an international terrorist. He warns her that it could have been legitimate and that Reza knew nothing of Ali's practices. She tells him to find out more.
The President is surprised to find out that he's had a meeting set up for him with the Joint Chiefs of Staff about miltary action. He cancels it and confronts Raynard, who admits to setting it up, in case he had changed his mind. Palmer says he doesn't want his own people going against him. "I would never work against you," Raynard tells him. Hmm. Remember Carl, Mr President?
Goren arrives at the CTU for questioning but gives no information away, as he's already been promised a deal by the FBI. In response, Jack shoots and kills him. Mason goes mad, asking Jack if he's out of his mind. Jack tells him they'll need a hacksaw.
Gary arrives back home to the Matheson house. Sounds of him abusing his wife are heard by Kim and Megan, who are upstairs in the bedroom. Frightened, Kim locks the door as he comes up the stairs. As he tries to get in, Kim wraps a towel around Megan and then lets him in, saying they were in the shower. Gary asks if they could hear anything, and Kim says they couldn't. He tells them Carla had an accident, asking Kim go downstairs to help her out. Kim refuses however, when she sees how afraid Megan is to be left with Gary. He pushes Kim down when she tries to comfort Megan, and threatens to hurt her. Crying, Megan tries to go over to Kim but Gary tries to pull her back, causing Megan to fall and hit her head.
In the closing seconds of the hour, we return to CTU. Standing in front of the mirror is a clean-shaven Jack, ready for the day ahead.
More next week.
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