24 Finale SPOILERS! Nina's Back!

[LightPhoenix]

Jack cutting Tony's arm off with the axe surprised me. When it showed a glimpse of the surgical team at the end, it almost looked like they were re-attaching it. Now, I know a couple of people who have gotten fingers re-attached, but is it possible to do that with an arm? Any medical buffs here?

AFAIK, though I'm not a doctor, I'm reasonably sure that they can and do reattach arms and legs... though Chase will probably never have full function of that hand again. Poor Kim.

Jack breaking down and sobbing at the end of the episode was another surprise. I guess the adrenaline finally wore off from the last few hours and the guilt over being forced to kill Chapelle finally got to him.

I saw it as not just guilt over Chappelle, but guilt over everything. First Tony remarked on how Jack gave up his wife, and then Chase wanting to be with Kim, both led to Jack's realization that he's pretty much cut himself off from everyone he loves... as he said in so many words, he's detached. Chase decides that Kim and his baby are more important than the job... a choice that Jack never made and resulted in his wife's death. I think he's realized that there is a cost for that detachment and that it isn't worth it. Add to that Tony's choice of Michelle over the job, and Chapelle's own detachment (as he says before he dies, he never had many friends), his time with the Salazars, both in the brother's loyalty and in Hector's wife's loyalty to her family. The only central theme this season had was that perhaps Jack is wrong, that the job isn't more important, and that there are some lines that you don't cross, not because they're heinous, but because they're terrible.

It's echoed in the Palmer storyline, with him going over that line and realizing what he's done.

I was a little disappointed over the method of Saunder's death, though: Getting shot was too merciful for him. He should have been locked in the hotel to die slowly of the virus.

I got killed by a lackey? That's not supposed to happen! While it was ludicrous that Mrs. Ortega shot him, I think there's a certain justice in that Saunders doesn't get any sort of meaningful death. He's gets capped by some minor person, and that's it, so ends the life of Saunders.

Also, one thing I loved about the last phone call was that Palmer wanted to be friends with Jack, potentially keeping him in the series. Even if he isn't though, it was a great conversation.

 

[Cthulhudrew]

AFAIK, though I'm not a doctor, I'm reasonably sure that they can and do reattach arms and legs... though Chase will probably never have full function of that hand again. Poor Kim.

I was thinking- "He probably won't be able to use that hand quite the same anyway, what with having a bullet hole in the middle of it"- so he's probably gotten used to the idea already.

 

[Truth Seeker]

Losses on 24

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/eo/20040524/en_tv_eo/14174

Sad news...here

 

[Wycen]

To me, this climaxed 45 minutes into the ep with Chase losing his arm. I didn't care about crying, regrets or Presidential waa waas. 24 has gotten pretty close to the shark, if not having already met it when the now widow blows away Saunders. I don't so much care about the fact she did it, in fact I suppose her mental state could certainly allow her to do so. But the thing that gets me is that CTU is the worst place in the world for security. Just 2? episodes ago Tony takes their leverage and walks out of CTU. And they don't lock the place down? Again?

It's doubly sad because Alias ended with a wimper as well. What am I going to watch next year for my spy kick?

 

[Darrin Drader]

But the thing that gets me is that CTU is the worst place in the world for security. Just 2? episodes ago Tony takes their leverage and walks out of CTU. And they don't lock the place down? Again?

You noticed that too huh?

So here's some questions that should be rather obvious:

Why was Gaielle's widow allowed to carry a loaded gun through the CTU offices? I understand that it was in his desk, but isn't there something, I dunno, maybe a protocol that would keep her from carrying a loaded weapon that doesn't even belong to her in the CTU office?

Then there's the fact that Saunders was the key person to stopping this thing and yet they allowed the widow of one of his victims to walk past him. Again, isn't there something, like maybe a protocol they could follow to prevent this?

As for CTU, lets see... Jack's wife was killed there in season 1. I feel that was actually believable under the circumstances. Season 2, the place gets bombed. Hmm... security protocols fail again. Season 3 things really get ridiculous. Kim gets locked in the computer lab by Gaielle. Nina breaks free because no one bothered with making sure she was properly restrained during her apparent suicide attempt, kills several people before being shot to death herself. Tony busts out with their leverage. Saunders is killed. Did I miss anything? For the counter-terrorism unit offices, this place has worse security than... well honestly I can't think of a place that has worse security.

So despite all that, I am excited for next season. Heck, I don't watch a lot of TV anymore, so I'm willing to look past the minor problems this show has and enjoy it while it lasts. It's better that than to not have anything on TV to look forward to.

January... Egads, what a long wait.

 

[Dark Jezter]

24 has gotten pretty close to the shark

Nah, you'll know that 24 has jumped the shark if any of the following happen:

• The new head of CTU is played by Ted McGinley.
• "CTU is going to Hawaii!"
• Alan Alda begins writing the episodes, and suddenly Jack Bauer spends all of his screen time acting maudlin and talking about the horrors of war.
• Chase's sickeningly cute little nephew, Oliver, comes to visit.
• Kim leaves CTU to persue an acting career, and is replaced by Kirstie Alley.

 

[Darrin Drader]

Nah, you'll know that 24 has jumped the shark if any of the following happen:

• The new head of CTU is played by Ted McGinley.
• "CTU is going to Hawaii!"
• Alan Alda begins writing the episodes, and suddenly Jack Bauer spends all of his screen time acting maudlin and talking about the horrors of war.
• Chase's sickeningly cute little nephew, Oliver, comes to visit.
• Kim leaves CTU to persue an acting career, and is replaced by Kirstie Alley.

You missed a few.

• Exit Stage Left: Jack Bower dies and is replaced by Barry Van Dyke
• A Very Special: Jack is visited by his long-lost brother, who turns out to be an evil transvestite spy.
• Hair Care: Jack infiltrates a group of punks by getting a mohawk.
• Live: 24 is not only real-time, but it is also performed live in front of a studio audience.

 

[Silver Moon]

I think the producers of 24 would be insane to let Reiko Aylesworth go.

 

[NeoSamurai]

So here's some questions that should be rather obvious:

Why was Gaielle's widow allowed to carry a loaded gun through the CTU offices? I understand that it was in his desk, but isn't there something, I dunno, maybe a protocol that would keep her from carrying a loaded weapon that doesn't even belong to her in the CTU office?

For one thing, no one knew she picked it up. Remember, the guy that protocol dictated to watch her (after Kim was called away) looked away. It would only be a few moments, but that was enough for Gael's wife to slip the gun in her purse.

Then there's the fact that Saunders was the key person to stopping this thing and yet they allowed the widow of one of his victims to walk past him. Again, isn't there something, like maybe a protocol they could follow to prevent this?

Again, the reason for them to have Gael's wife escorted throughout the building is protocol. Additionally, I think worrying about a infectious contagent was enough justification to allow minor (which it was) breaches of protocol.

As for CTU, lets see... Jack's wife was killed there in season 1. I feel that was actually believable under the circumstances. Season 2, the place gets bombed. Hmm... security protocols fail again.

Not really. Nina played significant roles in both. For the most part, she knew how to take advantage of those protocols even if she didn't have the clearances any more. Nina had some mad manipulation-psychology skillz.

Season 3 things really get ridiculous. Kim gets locked in the computer lab by Gaielle.

Not too ridiculous if you are a CTU insider and know the ins and outs of that room, which Gael knew.

Nina breaks free because no one bothered with making sure she was properly restrained during her apparent suicide attempt, kills several people before being shot to death herself.

More so because everyone underestimated Nina. Even Jack warned them, if I recall correctly.

Tony busts out with their leverage. Saunders is killed. Did I miss anything? For the counter-terrorism unit offices, this place has worse security than...
well honestly I can't think of a place that has worse security.

It's really hard to have a secure place if the prime people have been compromised. Remember, Nina was #2 at CTU for the longest time (Pre-season 1). Tony has been in the top echelons of CTU for approx 5+ years.

In either case, I was kinda disappointed with how this season ended with as much suspense as they put earlier on.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

I'm still wondering why they didn't just stick Chase's arm in the fish tank. Seems like an easy way to stop an airborne virus.

Also, it occurred to me that one possible explanation for Jack's breakdown at the end could be withdrawal symptons from not getting his heroin fix.