Episode 8x07 Discussion

[JustABill]

Enjoy!

[Cee]

K, what's more shocking? That I enjoyed the Jenny/Kevin storyline or that Renee stabbed Jack? Wait.. what!?

I know the Jenny/Kevin storyline is ridiculous. I mean seriously, isn't there something or someone, that monitors what all of the CTU workers are doing at their stations? But when you stop thinking about how ridiculous it is, that Dana/Jenny helps these guys to steal money, it was really fun. I was really laughing my ass off about how stupid Kevin and his buddy are. And when the guy pointed the gun at Kevin, I thought it was a real gun. So, that was a nice twist. I was entertained by that stoyline this time. Just why on earth didn't they leave when Dana/Jenny told them to, goddammit! They knew a patrol would be coming and they still waited 20 minutes, until they realized 'Oh crap, maybe we should get the hell outta here.' Ridiculous but entertaining.

So, Vladimir Laitanan calls every person in his phone book, but alas, no one knows about the rods.. or so it seems.
I was shocked when Renee took the knife and stabbed Vlad to death, but what shocked me the most, was when she turned around and stabbed Jack. Honestly, who saw that coming? Not me for sure. What I don't understand, is why she stabbed Jack. Did she think he was one of Vlad's men? Or was she just so full of rage, that she didn't know what she was doing? Anyway, it was a real WTF moment. Oh, and Jack's got great healing powers. He was more worried about Renee, than about this wound.

Ethan wasn't in this episode and I'm still wondering about those pills he took at the beginning of the season.
And President Hassan seems to be getting a bit paranoid, huh? He's all alone now. His wife left him, his brother betrayed him... I can see why he's so paranoid, after all he was almost killed. By the way, where is Farhad? Still enjoying the ladies? O.o

[Michelleh]

Well, Renee and Jack are definitely providing the entertainment this season so far!
I kinda read something on Twitter about the knife-stabbing, so I deliberately missed that (really hate blood stuff, I know, weird), but it was kinda awesome! And Renee totally nailed it. I'm very glad she and Jack didn't kiss though.

I kinda have to agree with Cee. The Dana/Kevin storyline was entertaining me. By now, I've learned not to think about how ridiculous it is and how they will get caught anyway, and therefore their storyline become more fun. It was totally obvious that Kevin2 wanted more, and I also thought it was a real gun. The whole thing with the cop was funny in its predictability: I can't believe those dudes were actually thát stupid!

Hassan is going nuts like Renee. Hope something interesting will happen soon, though. Maybe his wife will come back?

Still not too impressed by this season. I didn't really like last episode, and this one was okay at best. Maybe because Tony isn't in it, or maybe because too much stuff is predictable. Jack's disappearance makes me wish for Tony, he would know how to find him! ... probably won't happen though...

[Cee]

Let's compare 7x07 with 8x07.

7x07:
- Deepsky sneaks into Dubaku's hideout
- Shootout between Deepsky and Dubaku's guys
- Jack & Tony shake hands

8x07:
- Kevin & his buddy steal money with Dana/Jenny's help
- Renee stabs Laitanan to death and then stabs Jack
- Jack actually drinks something in this episode

Hmmm..
Yes, season 7 was really ~that~ awesome! I miss Tony.

[johanley]

Another Season 8 episode, another reinforcement that Jack and Renee are single handedly salvaging the this year. All of this stuff was consistently interesting, culminating in what I'm sure are the most stab heavy 45 seconds of prime time TV ever. But Dana/Kevin is reaching new heights of idiocy, and Cherry and Anil's scenes still desperately need a shot in the arm.

Hopefully things are a little more all around interesting when OESaR time rolls around, I do so hate being a broken record.

[Kasia]

Another Season 8 episode, another reinforcement that Jack and Renee are single handedly salvaging the this year.

Truthfully, I didn't like the way they handled Renee in this episode or the resolution to her undercover op with Vlad. I mean, I knew that Renee killing Vlad was inevitably coming, they've been setting it up since Renee's return in episode 4. I knew that eventually he was going to get his just desserts at her hand, after what he put her through in both the backstory they established between them, the way he coerced her into his bed and the way he was smacking her around right before she stuck him.

But Renee going all PTSD and stabbing Jack? Sure, Werching acted it well, and I didn't see it coming either, but come on. All the build up of the last few episodes and the character development establishing this new edgy, dark and badass Renee who is willing to sacrifice her own soul, even her own life, for the sake of this mission culminates in a psychotic break, followed by her saying "Jack, you were right, I couldn't handle it" between sobs? This is the woman who cut off a guy's thumb without blinking two hours ago.

Don't get me wrong, it was still psychically satisfying to watch her stab Vlad two dozen times -- but how many times do we have to watch a woman kill the guy who hurt her iduring a psychotic break on this show? Renee can join the ranks of Elizabeth Nash, Teresa Ortega, that Russian sex slave from Season 5, Martha Logan, etc. It would have been a stronger choice to have Renee kill Vlad in cold blood because she felt he deserved to die for all he's done, including brutalizing her, and then have her wrestle with the consequences of that decision if they really wanted to sell the character progression they've been shilling. The whole thing left a bitter taste in my mouth. Then again, the lack of Tony has left a bitter taste in my mouth from the outset, so I'm probably not the most objective opinion here.

Now ... how is Bauer going to convince his superiors to keep Renee on the case after this, as we know she'll be in the show for the duration. Whatever it is, it better be good. Somehow, though, I don't think it will be good enough to convince me it's not laughable after her little stab-fest.

Kudos to those of you who are enjoying the Dana/Kevin storyline. I'm enjoying the viewing experience there too, but not in the way the writers are intending I don't think, unless they are intending pure comedy. The whole thing is idiocy from beginning to end, and I am laughing out loud, often, at how ridiculous it is. Even the dumbest criminal in the world isn't going to risk $120K in cash to root through some boxes of old water pistols. These two have just shot into the top 5 of the "Top 24 Biggest Imbeciles of 24" list if I ever get around to revising it. I particularly enjoyed the shot of them driving drunk in the final split screen before the preclock. That's just the cherry on top of the sundae. The idiocy of this storyline is an insult to viewers' intelligence after the calibre of writing we've come to expect from this show.

I have to say, though, it was absolutely badass when Jack pulled the knife Renee stabbed him with out of his torso and immediately chucked it into a bad guy's throat. Once again, if I ever get around to revising the "Top 24 Badass Jack Bauer Moments of 24" list, that will certainly assume a slot. Classic Bauer.

[skycloud86]

Another Season 8 episode, another reinforcement that Jack and Renee are single handedly salvaging the this year. All of this stuff was consistently interesting, culminating in what I'm sure are the most stab heavy 45 seconds of prime time TV ever. But Dana/Kevin is reaching new heights of idiocy, and Cherry and Anil's scenes still desperately need a shot in the arm.

Hopefully things are a little more all around interesting when OESaR time rolls around, I do so hate being a broken record.

What's OESaR?

[Kasia]

What's OESaR?

Official Episode Summary and Review.

[Avery]

So it turns out I'm around after all! I've caught up on 24, just haven't had a whole lot to say about it. I'd pretty much echo Kasia's whole post about this episode - when Renee was starting to lose it I kept thinking "Please don't let this be another Elizabeth Nash moment". It worked out much better than it did with Martha in season 6, mainly because of the added shock factor of her stabbing Jack, but on the whole I wasn't thrilled that she's deteriorated so far. I appreciated the scene she shared with Jack - someone I know said that you know your life is fucked when you're turning to Jack Bauer for emotional support, and isn't that so true? Anyway, I believe the deterioration - again mostly due to Wersching - but I don't like it very much.

So much for Hassan being the kickass character he was in the first few episodes. Blah. I don't even want to talk about Dana's storyline, and I'm pissed at the waste of Cherry Jones and Bob Gunton.

What else is going on? Not much, I don't think. I'll miss Vladimir, he was an awesome bad guy and CKR is always wonderful as the creepy stalker guy.