'24' Day 7: S07E03/4 - 10:00-12:00

Many shows kick off with an exhilarating season premiere only to wind down immediately afterwards. Fortunately, the third and fourth hours of 24's Day Seven not only sustain the adrenalin-fuelled momentum, but actually improve on it.

The fluctuating relations between Tony and Jack provide the bulk of the drama, with Carlos Bernard and Kiefer Sutherland delivering scintillating performances. In particular, Tony's cruel taunts towards Jack about his dead wife ramp up the tension and fire between the pair, only for the real truth to quickly and satisfyingly emerge. Tony's genuine dalliance with the dark side is a surprise, but it's given a plausible motivation due to the character's past suffering while serving the government.

Before long, the pair are back together and reunited with a renegade, seriously downsized version of CTU with Bill and Chloe. As with the explanation for Tony's renaissance, the unauthorised and undercover mission to infiltrate the terrorists doesn't bear closer inspection. Fortunately, there's barely time to draw breath let alone ponder plot holes.

For the fast pace and action scenes, particularly Jack's smashing car park exit, are brilliantly crafted. Occasional flashes of humour are reminiscent of the best moments from the Die Hard franchise and contribute towards a greater crowdpleasing ethos than previous 24 seasons. For example, Jack precedes his car getaway with a "this is gonna hurt" quip of amusing understatement, while Chloe endearingly comments "you looked good, though" to Jack when the subject of the inquest comes up. Also, there's certainly a bit of fun to be had from witnessing Jack render the stern Agent Walker unconscious, as the next time she sees him will be a treat.

24's Day Seven has packed so many twists and turns into its first four hours without it feeling too plot heavy, a miraculous feat in itself. It's compulsive, highly enjoyable viewing and long may it continue on this form.

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