"24": Taking a stand...

In yesterday’s “USA Today,” there was a scathing review of “24” by Robert Bianco who said that this season was shaping up to be the show’s worst day ever. His major argument was that we’ve seen so much of this stuff before—especially the Vice-Presidential coup storyline.

So I wonder if he was as surprised as I was when the storyline we’ve all seen before took a turn no one saw coming…

Once again, Jack took a backseat to the action in the White House as Vice President Daniels made his case to the Cabinet to remove the newly awake President Wayne Palmer. Meanwhile, Wayne was getting shots of adrenaline to literally stand up to the VP and reclaim his Presidency. He eventually defeated the VP, but not without some secret help from Tom Lennox, who had decided that Daniels was not what was best for the country.

“TV Guide” had said not to miss the last few minutes and apparently the promos were touting an ending you wouldn’t see coming, so I tried to figure out what was going to happen as Karen and Tom decided to bury the hatchet. Then, Tom received a phone call and dashed out of the room with a desperate “President Palmer!”

I was sure that Wayne had passed out or died, leaving VP Daniels to continue his nuclear strike. But Wayne was very much awake, and ordering the strike to continue himself. Peter MacNicol was brilliant as he conveyed Tom’s horror that the strike he had worked so hard to avert by defeating Daniels was going to happen anyway.

Now, before you all start telling me how stupid and unrealistic that is, let’s take a closer look. How would you feel if you had to stand by and listen to someone tell all of your closest friends and advisers how weak you are? What if you had to listen to months (maybe even years) of people telling you that you’re not as strong as your brother? Wouldn’t you finally say enough is enough and take some kind of action?

Granted, launching a nuclear attack on another country is probably not the best way to take a stand, but for me it’s completely believable. Plus, it’s important to note that it didn’t just come out of nowhere. Wayne had been studying the attack plan for much of the episode and his cryptic comment to Bill at CTU when Bill couldn’t give him a time estimate on breaking Fayed (“That’s exactly what I wanted to know.”) should’ve given us a clue. He knew then what he was going to do…

The best part of this twist is that it shuts up all of those TV critics (including me) who said that Wayne was too much of a wimp. D.B. Woodside, who took so much heat early in the season (again, including from me) was outstanding last night and I can’t wait to see what he does next—especially since we probably will have to say goodbye to Wayne before the season ends…

So what about Jack? Clearly the new no torture policy is in effect as he didn’t even touch Gredenko (BOO HISS!). I really don’t like Gredenko as a villain, so I hope that his final scene last night was indeed his last. But how cool was it that they met on a pier with the amusement park in the background? I know it wasn’t the same one, but tell me you didn’t feel a little “Lost Boys” vibe for the second time this season…

But the thing I can’t get out of my mind is that final preview scene. You know, the one where Jack takes a bullet and lies motionless as Doyle calls out to him? I’d tell you my initial reaction, but I’m afraid it’s unprintable…

Are the writers just toying with us? Yes, but that doesn’t mean I like it.

In fact, I think the new and improved Wayne Palmer should have a little talk with them…