"Hello Alan. Or is it Kevin?" After discovering Ted Cofell was meeting the man who posed as Alan York and contributed to Teri's abduction, Jack neutralizes him and forces him to drive to the compound where Kim and her mother are being held captive. As this occurs, Tony and Nina have to make sure Alberta Green doesn't interfere with the operation, and in downtown L. A. an all too convenient fire makes David Palmer question his associates' ethics.
Following the suspenseful interrogation scene in the previous episode, most shows would find it hard to come up with a worthy replacement. Not 24, which features yet another chilling assessment coming from Jack's mouth, this time aimed at the villainous Richard Burgi: "If anything goes wrong, everything around the car dies - starting with you!". Sutherland, now as comfortable in Bauer's shoes as in his own, gives the line that extra dramatic punch which sets the series apart from the usual B-movie rubbish. Also notable is Haysbert, his role venturing into murkier territories as the script's study of American politics gets to the dirtier aspects.
The real talking point, however, is the long awaited climactic shootout. Exactly who it involves and what happens, I will not tell. What really matters here is, for once, style rather than content, and for a good reason: not since the bank robbery at the center of Michael Mann's Heat has gun-play looked so real. Never before has it been this gripping. A startling achievement, and we're only halfway through the season.
Following the suspenseful interrogation scene in the previous episode, most shows would find it hard to come up with a worthy replacement. Not 24, which features yet another chilling assessment coming from Jack's mouth, this time aimed at the villainous Richard Burgi: "If anything goes wrong, everything around the car dies - starting with you!". Sutherland, now as comfortable in Bauer's shoes as in his own, gives the line that extra dramatic punch which sets the series apart from the usual B-movie rubbish. Also notable is Haysbert, his role venturing into murkier territories as the script's study of American politics gets to the dirtier aspects.
The real talking point, however, is the long awaited climactic shootout. Exactly who it involves and what happens, I will not tell. What really matters here is, for once, style rather than content, and for a good reason: not since the bank robbery at the center of Michael Mann's Heat has gun-play looked so real. Never before has it been this gripping. A startling achievement, and we're only halfway through the season.