Only Looks Good Through the Bottom of a Bottle?

Last night, watching the latest "24" I just taped

Me: What? Seriously, some guy is actually going to hit on Chloe O'Brien??

Laura: (Upstairs, having already watched the episode earlier) He's really drunk.

Me: Oh, well that would explain it.

Netflix

I've done it – I've activated the two-month trial of Netflix by brother and his girlfriend gave us for Christmas.

First up on the queue: The new "Battlestar Galactica" Miniseries.

Then start the 1st season of "Lost", then the new "King Kong." And it goes on from there with "Casablanca", "Raiders of the Lost Ark", "Good Night and Good Luck", "Bugst Malone", "Cold Mountain" and several others.

Any suggestions? (and no suggestions allowed that contain both the words "Doctor" and "Who" in the titles…)

Coming This Fall on FOX…

Carnival of Bauer – Week 7

Thank you to, erm, Jack Bauer for graciously allowing me to host the Carnival of Bauer this week.

In honor of most wondrous Commander-in-Chief (no, not Jed Bartlett or Matt Santos), this week's laborious list of lithesome links and luscious labels the Carnival of Logan.

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///EYES ONLY
///PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
///RE: INFORMATION YOU REQUESTED

PRESIDENT LOGAN – PER YOUR REQUEST, I HAVE COMPILED A LIST OF WHAT RELEVANT SITES ARE SAYING REGARDING THE RECENT TURN-AROUND IN YOUR ADMINISTRATION. AS YOU CAN SEE THE PUBLIC IS GREATLY CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP AND REVILES YOUR NAME AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY. REGARD FOR MY FORMER STUDENT, JACK BAUER, REMAINS HIGH AND BOTHERSOME. REQUEST INSTRUCTIONS TO PROCEED…

C. HENDERSON

///END TRANSMISSION

Reviews

 

Michael at Big Orange Michael summarizes the hour nicely. The same as he does every week. All hail to the power of the Big Orange.

Karen settles in hard at Her Chair, has a peanut butter and 'nanner sandwich and reviews the episode. Next time Karen, save some sandwich for Jack, 'cause he's hungry.

The aptly named Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler sinks his teeth into a lengthy review. And establishes a whole new set of character nick-names. Will the madness ever cease??

Jeff of Peace Like A River has a detailed review of Week (what, aren't we up to like 35 by now?) I guess it's about 18 or so.

Trench presents 11:00 P.M.-12:00 A.M. posted at TheTrenchcoat Chronicles.

Denis at Provoking the Muse has a brief recap of this week's episode – including commentary on what may be the greatest Chloe line in the history of the show (see above title of my site for reference)Commentary

New World Man opens with a comparison between bookish and nerdy Chloe and Battlestar Galactica's he-woman Starbuck. Um, they're both blond. Next?

Timmay of Timmay's Rants speculates, ruminates and possibly cogitates on what possible grisly fates await PINO (President-in-name-only) Logan.

BAUER IN 2008!! He Will Be Working For YOU!! At least that's my campaign slogan. What's Demonrat's? Find out his version of Jack Bauer's Top 10 Campaign Slogans.

The house has been cleaned at CTU this year, so looks like the Human Resources department's going to be holding a Job Fair! King Tom has a look at next season's possible victims replacements.

Don Surber has some disturbing tie-ins between Major League Baseball and the day's events on 24. Not for the weak-conspiracy-minded.

Hey gang, you knew it was coming. Pantrygirl at Now What? brings us Product placement in the 24-verse. Hack into the mainframe with your Apple, download the results into your Palm Pilot, shoot the bad guys with your Smith & Wesson and escape in your Ford Explorer. Just don't stop at McDonalds, cause that'd be hazardous to your health…

Random Thoughts joins the legions of fans who are becoming very suspicious of Miss Pure White Coat Audrey Raines. Personally, I don't see it. Has anyone Jack ever tortured besides Said Ali ever actually been guilty?

Radioactive Liberty brings us a comparison between Howard Dean, and President Limpwrist. Can you tell which is which? Hmph. Obviously a pinko commie blog… *URK*

BOOM-chicka-BOOM-chicka-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!!! ***twang twang TWANG TWANG*** (sorry, just can't get the "Spy Hunter" music from the last 10 minutes of the episode out of my head. Cake or Death thinks the producers were channeling Charlie's Angels or Starsky and Hutch there at the end. I think he has a point, but to me it sounded more like some future alien traveler found an old episode of "Get Smart" under a rock someplace…Maxwell Smart and 99. *sigh* Now there were some agents.

Francis at Eternity Road….why there's a great helper! Thank you Mr. Helper! You've given the producers ideas for seasons 6-8! What a sweet and special thing to do… Awwwwwww. Now get back on the table and put the IV back in – Burke isn't through with you yet, and Jack's on his way with a hacksaw…

Continuing with that happy-sappy family theme (huh? where?) Roger at Flank Two Position (great name!) enjoys a little quality TV time with his 3-year-old at Midnight in the Bauer of Good and Evil. And we all know what great father-child role models there are on "24"…

I don't quite get the obsession with the daily "24" body count. Hasn't there been enough killing?? Hasn't there been enough death?? What about the children? Hasn't there been enough? Hasn't there?!? Hasn't there!?!?Apparently not, because it seems rather obvious Henderson offed pretty little 8-year-old Amy this week. That's disturbing to me, and I don't know why because I would imagine other kids have died in the course of 24's turbulant 4-3/4 years on the air. Jack saved a little kid from the mall, but 11 people or so died there – probably a kid. Who knows how many kids died in the Infected Hotel of Season 3. Last year's Behrooz is likely pushing up daisies with his Little Debbie… (you see the pattern).But even though they didn't show Henderson offing the little tyke, I think it's safe to say he didn't let her go. C'mon, producers – let's show some mercy to the under-13 bunch, hm?

Think of the children!

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Upcoming Hosts
Justin's Random Thoughts (4/20)
Below the Beltway (4/27)
Right Wing Nation (5/4)
The Templar Times

Previous Carnivals
Announcing the Carnival of Bauer!!!
The Carnival of Bauer!!! – Week 1
The Carnival of Edgar- Week 2
The Carnival of Tony – Week 3
The Carnival of Life – Week 4
The Carnival of the Cougar – Week 5

Make sure to get your entries into next week's Carnival of Bauer!!! by midnight on Wednesday!

Call for Entries

I'm hosting the Carnival of Bauer this Thursday, so all you RTB types and other readers do me a favor and write something up about tonight's episode of "24" – a review, an observation, comedy piece, some sort of pithy, yet reaching character study that vaguely relates to the world at hand – submit it to the Submission Form before Thursday, and see your name, site and link in lights!

And remember, if you can't do this then the terrorists win…

The Jack Bauer Power Hour

Next Thursday I'll be hosting the Carnival of Bauer – check out today's edition:

NOW!! Do you hear me? NOW!!!

(This is for the TV show "24", for the unitiated. Although we know you are a mole…)

Shot Through the Heart

Jack Bauer and Wayne Palmer have now teamed up as action hero partners on "24", moving in to take out the bad guys who have kidnapped the daughter of their only lead!!!.

Before she'll tell them who's behind all of this, she demands Jack and Wayne rescue her little girl, who's behind held by Jack's former mentor Christopher Henderson.

As we all know, Jack's a seasoned military, intelligence and tactical operative. He knows exactly what to do in these situations. However, ex-presidential brother and ex-Chief of Staff Wayne – while being a former Marine – has no real combat experience. Training, yes, but he's apparently never actually killed anyone in a firefight.

But he's all Jack has, so they go in. Infiltrating the nameless factory where Henderson is holding the little girl, Jack takes out the first minion with a sneak-up-strangle-from-behind-two-shots-in-the-back and he's down. They move on and Jack sees movement, taking out a second minion. Wayne's assignment is to remove another baddie from their flank while Jack secures the roof and a sniper that's waiting up there. While Jack climbs, Wayne comes around a corner face-to-face — or rather, face-to-back — with his target.

What's interesting is Wayne appears to freeze – although as the bad guy turns around, Palmer finally fires, killing him. I watched the sequence in confusion, wondering why even a Marine who'd never seen combat might hesitate in this crucial a situation, but then it occured to me…

He didn't want to shoot the guy in the back.

There are lots of people who find shooting someone in the back dishonorable. I would tend to agree, but I'm not sure it's always wise.

Still, I found it interesting that there was a character on a show like 24 who showed that kind of honor.

Those of you who watched, what do you think? Was it honorable? Necessary? Does that kind of fair-play just increase the risk of his getting killed and failing the mission (after all, an 8-yr-old girl's life was at stake, not to mention National Security and discovering who was the traitor in the White House)?

I think it's an important question to ask, especially in light of the Abu Ghraib and Guantanoma scandals (or should I say "scandals" since a lot of the torture allegations were overblown). In fact, the use of torture to extract information from people is a big think in the "24" universe – it's used fairly liberally, with varying success.

At what point do we find he have to sacrifice our honor for the greater good? Wayne could've easily shot the bad guy in the back with no risk to himself, but he stood his ground until the guy turned around and then shot him – at much greater risk of failing. All for the knowledge he was being honorable to the guy. Is it better to be smart than good?

Figuring out who we are as Americans and humans isn't easy, but it's necessary.

Love Is…

…never having to say you're sorry.

Even when you've just tortured your girlfriend.

Top 10 Things That Have Really Gotten Old on 24

10) How people can get from one side of LA to another in like five min— oh, skip it. It’s just not worth it anymore.

9) Chloe’s uncanny ability to call up any information in the world, anywhere, at any time. “Want the ultra-top secret WET list? Gimme one second………Got it! Anything else?” She must have hot keys programmed on her keyboard for every database in US (and global) Intelligence.

That every terrorist attack takes place in LA. What, Kansas City not a tempting enough target for ya? How about Fargo? Dover?

7) The wanton disposal of long-time or major cast members, amazingly at or within five minutes of the top of the hour for all. (Terri, Mason, Chappelle, Sherri, Palmer, Michelle, Edgar, Tony)

6) Female information brokers who only want immunity, signed by the president, vetted by lawyers, notarized in 12 states and delivered to her Hotmail account in Sanskrit before she’ll spill her guts. And then she goes free. (Nina, Mandy, Collette – aka Mandy 2.0)

5) The neverending supply of terror minions that always seems to replenish, no matter what just happened to the last batch.

4) Stupid or evil Vice Presidents and their men.

3) Perimeters that never, ever, ever work. No perimeter has ever been set up by 24 security after a suspect has escaped or a terrorist attack has been committed that has captured anyone. It’s a joke.

2) Someone working on the inside at CTU that turns out to be a bad guy/mole. (Just too, too many to list. Nina was the first and should have been the last)

And the #1 Thing That Has Gotten Really Old on 24…

1) The everpresent new person who has to come in, take over CTU, and “get things on track again.” (Alberta Green. Ryan Chappelle. Tony/Michelle/Buchanan last year. Lynn McGill. And now Karen Hayes)

UDPATE: I wanted to add this great truth. However dumb the subplots get on 24, we must always remember: Jack Bauer does not jump the shark. The shark swims over and asks permission to jump the Jack. Jack will then proceed to throw the shark against the wall, choke the shark, demand to know who it’s working for and proceed to trade it net immunity and a copy of the DRY list for what it knows. Because, as we all know, that shark is their only lead, the perimeters have failed and the superiors at Division have sent the herring to bring him.