24 has been playing fast and loose with the real time format for a while now, but this takes the cake. I'll forgive a 30 minute drive through LA traffic cut short every once in a while, and I realize that when the show originally aired, people would go a week between episodes, and not catch these things. But a couple in their late 50's managing to undress, have sex and then get dressed again, in about 40 seconds, which is how much time is supposed to go by between the ending of the former episode and the beginning of this one, is PREPOSTEROUS! Now, jokes and criticisms aside, this season is probably the best of 24, I certainly remember it being the most intense when I saw it the first time. And man did I despise Charles Logan, so much so that I despised Gregory Itzin by extension. Upon subsequent viewings, however, I've come to realize what a masterful actor he is. Of course I've never seen him in anything else, but his portrayal of Charles Logan is just Oscar worthy. This slithering snake in the grass, this pathetic insecure little man, he's supposed to be a monster, but I can't help feeling sorry for him! Sympathy for the devil is a hard thing to pull off, and few actors manage to do it, so hats off. Jean Smart deserves mention too, she has been rock solid as a hot mess from the beginning, and perhaps Charles's most decidedly evil deed is his manipulation of her, and his exploitation of her mental health for his own benefits. I really believed her to be severely ill in the beginning, but as they say, just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they aren't after you. Speaking of Kim Catrall (get it?) the return of another Kim, Kim Bauer, earlier in the season was of course inevitable. However, any season of 24 with her in it, and not completely ruining the credibility of everything, is nothing short of a miracle. I've said before that Elisha Cuthbert is a brilliant actor, because she manages to make me dislike her even more every single time she comes on screen. She's the opposite of Gregory Itzin, in that regard, but equally great. Oh, and Kiefer was pretty good too..
Review of Day 5: 6:00 a.m.-7:00 a.m.
