"24": Welcome Back, Guys!

I’ve been looking for a way to sum up last night’s two-hour “24” ever since the final frame last night, but I just couldn’t find the words.

Thank goodness I have my second favorite Canadian, RT, to help me out…

“I think I need a cigarette,” she e-mailed me. “And I don’t even smoke. That is all.”

Yep, I think that sums it up…

Last night’s “24” was some of the most believability stretching two hours of TV I have ever seen. But they were also some of the most intense, dramatic, and just downright good two hours of TV I have seen in a long time.

The only thing that would have made it better was if FOX had just kept its mouth shut about the terrorists’ target. THAT would have been an OMG! Moment for the ages…

Warning: If you have not yet seen last night’s “24,” stop reading now…

If you missed it, General Juma (an EXTREMELY imposing Tony Todd) and his men invaded the White House—that’s right, a full blown army in the White House. Now, let me say at this point that I hope this is a completely unbelievable story, because the thought of an enemy militia running around the White House scares the holy crap out of me.

In fact, I’m actually hoping that the head of the Secret Service was watching last night and ordered some bigger guns…

But before we got to that, we got an hour of setup that sadly was a little anticlimactic since the previews had already given the target away. That’s not to say, however, that it wasn’t worth watching, because it certainly was as Jack did what he does best with EVERYONE standing in his way—even Bill. When Bill told Jack that he couldn’t use coercive techniques like Jack, it was a real heartbreaker—especially since I think there’s a good chance that statement just sealed Bill’s fate.

But how cool was it when Jack tasered the phone after the President interrupted him torturing Burnett? That sense of duty to the President versus what he knows to be right would be important later on in one of the most stunning moments the show has produced, in my opinion…

After Aaron heartbreakingly failed to protect the First Daughter, Olivia, from Juma’s men (He would’ve managed a lot better if she had cooperated a little more.), Juma threatened to cut out her eyes and tongue right in front of her mother, who was watching from the safety of the Lockdown area with Jack. The President ordered Jack to open the door, and he refused. But when the President confronted Jack with whether or not he would allow this to happen to his own daughter, and then gave him another direct order, Jack had no choice but to open the door.

The sight of seeing the door open and Jack emerge with his hands on his head was like a punch to the gut. And then when Juma slapped the President, drawing blood? Well, that really hurt—especially when Mayer jumped Jack’s case for opening the door.

And it’s only going to get worse, kids…

Especially since the season’s big baddie, Jonas Hodges (a fantastic Jon Voight), has finally emerged. Anyone willing to sell out the President –and with the resources to do it—is definitely a force to be reckoned with. But Hodges doesn’t appear to be your traditional mustache-twirling villain. This guy’s got style and substance. I like him already…

Come on, you guys know I’m always into the bad guys…

Confronting the complaints about the show’s use of torture head-on was starting to feel a little repetitive to me, but now it’s starting to feel a little brilliant as the people ready to fry Jack for his actions are all at risk because they didn’t let Jack take those actions in this case. Kurtwood Smith (who is best known for his comedic roles on “That 70s Show” and “Worst Week”) is turning in Emmy caliber work in his thankless role as Senator Mayer. In fact, he’s so good that I’m almost hoping he doesn’t get killed next week…almost…

But someone—or someones—will die next week and I think it’s a given that at least one of the old faithful we care about (i.e. Bill and Aaron) will be one of them. And yes, that is sad. And yes, I will cry—especially since the previews show us Jack crying—but at least he/they will go down swinging.

In fact, last night, I couldn’t help but break out into a chorus of “Blaze of Glory.” It just seemed appropriate…

In my Pick of the Week post, I warned that the White House invasion story would either be the dumbest thing the show ever did or one of the coolest. Thankfully, it fell into that latter category.

However, I would also call it one of the most frightening. But that, quite frankly, is what “24” does best.

Welcome back, guys. Man, have we missed you…

Photo Credit: Kelsey McNeal/FOX