24: Live Another Day - 2pm-3pm - Review: "Hostage Crisis"

It’s episodes like this one that remind me just why I love 24. It never ceases to amaze me what the writers can pull off when Jack spends an entire episode in one location. The unique style of the show makes it possible to do this – and boy, do the writers do it well.

Jack’s mission to prevent a terrorist drone strike led him to hold three people hostage inside the US Embassy. Wait, Jack took hostages? Isn’t he meant to be the good guy? Of course, with Jack there’s always more to the story. He was never going to harm them, he only wanted to make the marines think that he would.

I loved this move from Jack. While being a fugitive allows him to be able to do this kind of illegal thing, he never crosses the line. Taking hostages with no intention of harming them is the correct side of the line; harming them would be crossing it. That’s yet another reason why I love 24 – Jack is not afraid to do what is necessary to save lives, and I agree with that kind of mentality.

Kate continues to be set up as the new Jack Bauer. She is intelligent, and like Jack, does whatever it takes to do what she thinks is the right thing. Disobeying the marines and her boss is the right move in her opinion, because she believed Jack. I think Jack has, on some level, realised this, and it’s the reason he listened to what she said. That and the fact that she said she believes him.

I said in my premiere review that I sort of liked Mark for telling the truth. Well, he told a version of the truth here and I hated him for it. Yes, Jack went on a killing spree, butchered people and came very close to killing the Russian President. But what about when he stopped terrorists from releasing nerve gas and killing 200,000 people? Or when he was minutes away from suicide in an effort to prevent a nuclear bomb from destroying Los Angeles? Or any of the many other times that he prevented terrorist attacks?

No one is remembering these acts. What he did four years ago is unforgivable, and I’m not disputing that he needs to face the consequences for those actions. But at least give him a chance. Even when he went on that killing spree, he was stopping people who would otherwise be deemed terrorists. Jack always tries to neutralise a threat. Always.

I expected Heller to know that. He knows the good that Jack has done. He and Audrey have been on the receiving end of the good he has done on multiple occasions. And yet he can’t give Jack a chance, all because of Mark pushing him against Jack. He really needs to open his eyes to the bigger picture, or else a lot of people are going to die.

We’ve had some ruthless villains on this show before, but none like Margot. Cutting off her own daughter’s finger to convince her son-in-law to do something for her? Chilling. It’s already easy to tell that Margot isn’t going to be easily stopped.

Decrypting the CTU files:

• "To be honest with you Jack, I never thought I'd have to hear your voice again. I liked it that way."
• I can’t wait for the reunion between Jack and Audrey.
• Adrian is a very miserable person. Is one other facial expression too much to ask for?
• So Kate and Jordan potentially have a thing going on. Who didn’t see that coming(?) Also, yet another reference to Kate’s husband. Come on show, this is getting boring now. I know he was a traitor. I know Kate didn’t spot it. There is no need to keep pointing it out.
• “I barely grazed them, sir.” “How do you know that?” “Because I pulled the trigger.” Typical Jack.

The fifth episode airs tonight on FOX, and it looks to be a great one. What were your thoughts on this episode?

Bradley Adams

15 year old in England. Love Hawaii Five-0, NCIS, NCIS LA, Person of Interest, Elementary, Criminal Minds, Nikita and Arrow, and the new The Blacklist, Hostages and The Tomorrow People. I am reviewing Person of Interest and The Tomorrow People for Spoiler TV. I run an Arrow blog, ArrowFansUK. Aside from TV, a keen cricketer.