Not only do the outstanding performances given by xander Berkeley(George Mason), Kiefer Sutherland (Jack Bauer) and Elisha Cuthbert (Kim Bauer) live up to previous emotional moments but the script! Within 1 hour of screen time (taken from different episodes) the writer has created an audience- character bond between the dying George Mason who was previously a stubborn emotionless man who was merely a 'gap' character. the moving 'Goodbye' to the daughter was fantastically acted and the perhaps sadder scene on the plane was more subtly written. In his goodbye Mason makes some points which I had been thinking from the beginning of this series- 'Maybe you want to die'. such fantastic acting and smart character development; twenty four's finest hour and probably FOX's too! (why did Berkeley and Sutherland not get recognised for this?)
10 Reviews
Television at it's finest
aledhughes5 February 2008
Warning: Spoilers
24 is generally at it's best when either the bullets are flying or the writers throw in some great twist or cliffhanger. Ironically, this episode, which is the best episode yet, has neither of these elements.
At the beginning of the episode we discover that the bomb cannot be defused and has to be detonated in the desert in a suicide mission. Unsurprisingly, Jack volunteers and refuses to let George Mason go. Ultimately, despite the bomb's detonation during the finale, the acting in this episode makes it special.
The scene where Jack speaks to Kim for the last time (so he thought) is one of the most compelling and emotional scenes I have ever witnessed. The dialogue, as well as the performances from Keifer Sutherland and Elisha Cuthbert, is outstanding.
This episode also has another great scene when George takes over from Jack. The two of them put their differences aside and show compassion for one another. I particularly like Mason's plea to Jack to be a real hero and to put "the pieces back together".
At the beginning of the episode we discover that the bomb cannot be defused and has to be detonated in the desert in a suicide mission. Unsurprisingly, Jack volunteers and refuses to let George Mason go. Ultimately, despite the bomb's detonation during the finale, the acting in this episode makes it special.
The scene where Jack speaks to Kim for the last time (so he thought) is one of the most compelling and emotional scenes I have ever witnessed. The dialogue, as well as the performances from Keifer Sutherland and Elisha Cuthbert, is outstanding.
This episode also has another great scene when George takes over from Jack. The two of them put their differences aside and show compassion for one another. I particularly like Mason's plea to Jack to be a real hero and to put "the pieces back together".
THE best television episode ever.
MistahWhippy26 November 2007
Warning: Spoilers
This episode has to be one of the best television episodes to air. There is no true villain in this episode, and yet I still rate it high. Why? Because this episode relies on toying with your emotions and keeping you in your seat than keeping you on the edge of it. This episode is chock full of special moments where you just want to let it all out. Whenever one of the characters find out about Jack piloting the plane to his doom, their reaction is incredibly realistic and just makes the episode so great. When Jack says his 'final' words to his daughter, it's enough to make anybody just tear up a little bit. The dialogue and Kiefer and Elisha's acting is just great here.
When Jack discovers George Mason on board the plane, you just want to cheer, but you don't because you realise that it's a sad moment as Jack and George share an emotional talk before George takes the controls of the plane. The score for this episode is excellent. Sean Callery does an outstanding job with the music playing throughout this episode, and deserved his award for his work.
After all these years that 24 has been on air, this episode has never left my mind. Not for a second.
When Jack discovers George Mason on board the plane, you just want to cheer, but you don't because you realise that it's a sad moment as Jack and George share an emotional talk before George takes the controls of the plane. The score for this episode is excellent. Sean Callery does an outstanding job with the music playing throughout this episode, and deserved his award for his work.
After all these years that 24 has been on air, this episode has never left my mind. Not for a second.
Best episode of Season 2
MaxBorg8913 June 2008
Warning: Spoilers
When the British film magazine Empire made a list of the 50 best TV shows of all time in 2008, each series was accompanied by a brief description of what the authors of the article considered to be the best episode of that series. 24 was part of the list, and an episode from Season 3 was chosen as the show's finest hour (sorry, couldn't resist). The reason? A recurring character, as often happens in the program, was killed off in a most daring way. For a similar reason, I would have picked the fifteenth episode of Day 2 as the best bit of 24, mostly because the same gimmick (whacking someone we have come to like) is applied with much more care and empathy for the poor guy on this occasion than it was in Day 3.
It's 10.00 p.m., and Jack has finally succeeded in retrieving the bomb. However, there's a catch: the device can't be disarmed, meaning someone has to fly it to a secure location and let it explode. This implies the pilot will die during the operation and Jack, having wished to bite the dust ever since his wife was murdered, volunteers. As he heads out on the suicide mission, George Mason must make a fateful decision, while President Palmer and Kim Bauer both take the news of Jack's imminent demise with heaps of sadness.
Of course, we all knew form the moment he was exposed to plutonium early into Day 2 that George wouldn't make past this season, so Episode 15 is largely a build-up to a tearful, spectacular farewell in the last minutes (not preceded by split-screens for once). Proof of the show's impeccable handling of such material is the fact that despite the predictability of this episode's climax the tension never relents, especially as the final confrontation between Jack and Mason over who should die a hero is preceded by a truly moving phone conversation between Bauer and his daughter. Anyone who still disliked Kim up to this point is likely to change their mind about her after that scene, as will many do regarding George once he departs from the series with more dignity than most action heroes could gather in a lifetime.
Excellent stuff
It's 10.00 p.m., and Jack has finally succeeded in retrieving the bomb. However, there's a catch: the device can't be disarmed, meaning someone has to fly it to a secure location and let it explode. This implies the pilot will die during the operation and Jack, having wished to bite the dust ever since his wife was murdered, volunteers. As he heads out on the suicide mission, George Mason must make a fateful decision, while President Palmer and Kim Bauer both take the news of Jack's imminent demise with heaps of sadness.
Of course, we all knew form the moment he was exposed to plutonium early into Day 2 that George wouldn't make past this season, so Episode 15 is largely a build-up to a tearful, spectacular farewell in the last minutes (not preceded by split-screens for once). Proof of the show's impeccable handling of such material is the fact that despite the predictability of this episode's climax the tension never relents, especially as the final confrontation between Jack and Mason over who should die a hero is preceded by a truly moving phone conversation between Bauer and his daughter. Anyone who still disliked Kim up to this point is likely to change their mind about her after that scene, as will many do regarding George once he departs from the series with more dignity than most action heroes could gather in a lifetime.
Excellent stuff
One of the best episode till now!
SaifOVGU16 May 2020
Oh ho my gosh! What an episode it was! It made me cry several times. I felt so bad for Jack thought he's gonna die and then I felt even more sad for Mason. He made me cry so hard. The conversation between Jack and his daughter Kim, was really so hard for the heart to accept. I couldn't resist my tears dipping down my cheeks. Jack wasn't a fan of Mason and vice versa but it really made me sad. Kim acted superb in this episode. Love this episode a lot. Everyone was superb.
As Intense as Anything I've Ever Seen
Hitchcoc24 November 2018
We have two of filmdom's greatest heroes in this episode. George and Jack are made of stuff we can't imagine. This is the episode where the bomb is discovered but it has been manufactured with a no-fail technology. It is made so that it cannot be diffused so it must be transported to a place where no one can be harmed. This is so admirably paced and so ruthlessly delivered, I can't imagine a more engaging hour...ever. It also gives us the potential for some serious world issues (and domestic problems). Excellent.
BEST TELEVISION EPISODE EVER!!!!!!!
mariahtahmisian9 February 2018
Greatest episode of television, hands down! Everyone, especially Xander Berkeley (George Mason), Kiefer Sutherland (Jack Bauer) and Elisha Cuthbert (Kim Bauer) deserved a ton of awards for this episode alone. This is such an emotional episode that makes me cry every time and cheer all at the same time. LOVE this episode!!!!
24 raises the bar
Mr-Fusion27 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
George Mason was always kind of a prick, but - with the help of a death sentence and a touching interaction with his estranged son - the writers were able to humanize him in a very short time. The same thing will happen to an even bigger jerk next season. It's a neat trick and not all that easy to pull off.
This episode is anything but a light and fluffy affair, with the bomb having to be flown out into the desert. Who volunteers for this suicide mission? You guessed it. This gives a chance for Kiefer Sutherland and Elisha Cuthbert to play one of the show's best scenes; and even though Jack cheats death at the last minute, this is really all about that one scene. And their teary farewell is a unique opportunity to really inject emotion into the show.
It's also a testament to incredible plotting. It's not just Jack and Kim, but Jack also shares an excellent pep talk with George. That flight is a perfect vehicle for sending Mason out in a blaze of glory. You weren't ready to like the guy (even just a few episodes prior), but the hero's sendoff feels well-earned.
Season high-point, to be sure.
10/10
This episode is anything but a light and fluffy affair, with the bomb having to be flown out into the desert. Who volunteers for this suicide mission? You guessed it. This gives a chance for Kiefer Sutherland and Elisha Cuthbert to play one of the show's best scenes; and even though Jack cheats death at the last minute, this is really all about that one scene. And their teary farewell is a unique opportunity to really inject emotion into the show.
It's also a testament to incredible plotting. It's not just Jack and Kim, but Jack also shares an excellent pep talk with George. That flight is a perfect vehicle for sending Mason out in a blaze of glory. You weren't ready to like the guy (even just a few episodes prior), but the hero's sendoff feels well-earned.
Season high-point, to be sure.
10/10
The Most Emotionally Charged Episode of the Entire Series
alerasoul5 October 2020
I've watched seasons 1-8 of 24. Twice. I'm on my third viewing, and I still contend even today that this is *the* most emotional episode that the writers ever devised for the show. There's a reason this episode's rating is tied on with this season's season finale. I'm actually surprised it's not rated higher than the finale. And once you watch it (with context of course), you'll understand why.
Why the f#ck some people are voting this episode with 1?? This is going beyond me!
jigsaw-912 November 2013
This episode is excellent and is probably one of the best that 24 has ever had. But there is a problem. This episode had a weighed mark (9,3 or 9,2 if I don't fail to remember it) but when I made my comeback here, I found myself into the madness and anger when I saw that this one had a SO UNDERRATED AND UNAPPRECIATED MARK OF 8,3!!! WTF??? I understand that some people could not love or like this show. I understand it and all my respect to that people. But when I saw that this thing on every masterful episode of the show (S1 - 12-24, S3 - 18, S4 - 24, S5 - 1-12-24, S6 - 4...) I realized that some group of people or someone with several accounts is making bad and injury to the ratings of this show. I'm not going to believe that episodes that are considered the best of the best and at this time in 2013 were sill being loved to all the viewers are now at so low points even in comparison with other transitional or even weaker ones that have their mark.
Please, a note in a movie or episode or anything could guide people to watch it or not or even to voting it positively or negatively. But, please, don't manipulate people and not to vote 1 just to see a legendary episode fallen.
The only thing you will make is to force people not to trust in web pages like this and to stop having it in consideration to vote a show. And this could be so sad...
Please, a note in a movie or episode or anything could guide people to watch it or not or even to voting it positively or negatively. But, please, don't manipulate people and not to vote 1 just to see a legendary episode fallen.
The only thing you will make is to force people not to trust in web pages like this and to stop having it in consideration to vote a show. And this could be so sad...
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