24 season 7 episode 18 review

With the airstrike called off and Tony left ambling about on the military site by himself, he manages to spot the fuelling depot for the miles. He and Jack come up with the good plan of sending him in to set some C4 charges which, when asked, we are told he handily has on him. The President gives indirect permission to go ahead. Even “Larry the Arse” backs them up. This time he’s pissed and wants a little payback (Different story when the shoe’s on the other foot, huh Larry!)

Hodges and his sleazy sidekick make their way over to the White House to have a face to face with the President and make their demands. The President is starting to get quite nervy as staff start to question her (and too right as well!). And Crikey! Hodges got there fast too.  At 9 minutes into the show he’s walking inside the White House. I know this season is set in the future (as there have been year gaps between narrative years, so it’s probably at least 4 or 5 years ahead of us) but the idea that they may have made transport UBER-fast might be stretching things a bit. Hodges states quite clearly that he wants a seat at the table.

Tony manages to knock out one guard, grabs another to take him inside to set his charges. Ooo risky! Be nice to see Tony kick some ass: Providing he doesn’t get distracted and get his ass kicked instead. Woops! Spoke too soon. He of course gets jumped eventually and an alarm is triggered.

Missile Hatches open. Tony can’t of course reach his own bomb trigger as it fell into a grate on the ground.  Maybe if he reaches through the grill with a stick he can set them off. 

BOOM!

Got to hope of course that he has 8 more out of 9 lives left if he’s to survive that explosion! And happily he did.

“Larry the Arse” moves in with his team to help clear the mess.  The Prez has Hodges and his underling arrested, to which he spouts clichés like “my only crime is trying to protect my country” and “You think this ends with me! I’m a very small cog in a big machine!” Oh joy. So what? We got yet another frickin’ villain to look forward too? How many “MR BIGS” can one season have?!

Jack and the Prez have a heart-warming chat. He asks her to help Tony out, as he saved the day. And then enter Kim Bauer, who Renee asked to put in an appearance. So at one point or another they have managed to rope in just about any survivors from the show that appeared in more than one season. Just waiting on Mike Kovic to appear, and maybe Wayne Palmer (assuming he’s out of his coma from season 6). We still got 6 episodes after this one.  Anything is possible.  Kim was only mentioned last week and here she magically is within an hour or so!

This is all I’m saying. By all means move people around and invite players in; but don’t drop their name and then have them appear within an hour!  Mention them earlier in the day to give it all plausible time! And I mean plausible time. Or do they write these shows as they film them. You’d think they’d have all the big plot points covered before commissioning the show.  The girl has barely had time to brush her teeth! And it’s the early hours too!

Logic aside, when coming face to face with Jack’s daughter we get quite a shock!  She’s turned into a Barbie doll!  The hair a very bright straightened shoulder length layered blonde. Pink glossy lips!  Jesus! Someone’s been living in Hollywood too long!

Anyway the inevitable tender moment happens. Apologies made, Jack turns down his daughter’s proposal of help and sends her away, and breaks down into tears.  Reminds me of the climax of season three where a mentally exhausted Jack broke down into tears. It was one of the more bitter sweet endings of the shows tenure. And it’s a nice moment to behold.

Of course with everything looking all rosy, it has to take a twist again.  A loose bad guy takes off with a canister in a backpack, offing a couple of FBI guys in the process. The FBI makes chase in a chopper and the merry-go-round is off again. There are lots of suspicious looks from people and dodgy questions like “I thought Tony Almeida destroyed them all?” and close ups of Tony sitting next to Larry in the chopper chasing the vehicle down. (Anyone else smell an 11th hour twist that might see good ole Tony as the final villain of the piece?) They aren’t being too subtle with the editing and dialogue here.

Then Larry gets taken down. Bleeding to death he tries to warn Tony about the incoming man with the gun. And well wouldn’t you know it. Yup!  He recognises Tony and lowers his gun.  Larry realises what’s what and then Tony covers Larry’s mouth and nose and puts him down for good.

I’m looking forward to next week, purely to see how the hell they are going to explain this game he’s been playing all along?  After all that has happened and all he’s done and others have done, Id love to see how it was “ALL PART OF HIS EVIL PLAN.” I totally get that Almeida could become a villain, but he’s going to have to work hard to explain why and how it all fits in and around the events that has happened today. A lot of what has happened has been down to happenstance. So the show-makers have dug one big logic hole in their plot…or have they?

Not many villains make it out of this show alive… So I guess that means Tony will be killed off for good after all this season.  Once Jack gets his mitts on him! So. Well, a proper twist folks… just a rather confusing on! But confusion is better than boredom.

Read Steven’s review of the previous episode here.