Following the thread of the previous show, Episode 18 keeps analyzing trust, or rather the lack of trust that emerges between the series' main characters.
Jack, who seemed to have enough problems already, must deal with the stabbing of Alexis Drazen by Elizabeth Nash, an event that might compromise everything the good people have been fighting for: the assassin was supposed to make a pay-off at 5.20 p.m., so now Jack has to pose as Alexis for the sake of the operation. Teri, still suffering from amnesia, asks Dr. Harslow, an alleged friend of the family, to take her home, unaware of the presence of hit men outside the house. Kim, seeking comfort in Rick's house, finds herself in new trouble as visitors show up with no good intentions. As for Palmer, he tests his wife's loyalty for the last time before deciding whether he should disclose the Ferragamo incident to the public.
A lot of stuff happens in this episode. Fortunately, the writers are able to keep everything together, ensuring all scenes succeed in keeping the viewer alert (minus the pointless Teri storyline, which is thankfully featured less prominently than before). The suspense is kept high as usual, most notably in an unpredictably tense sequence, the tension deriving from the fact no villain is actually present: the problem is Teddy Hanlin (Kirk Baltz, aka the ear-less cop from Reservoir Dogs), whose friends were turned in by Jack for taking bribes, decides to scare Bauer while they're waiting for Alexis' contact to arrive, providing five minutes of thrills by merely talking. Most movies wish they got anywhere near that quality level.
