The Blu-Ray Dissection: 24 - Season 7
Posted by Chad Webb on 07.02.2009
The Series
This will be an interesting review for those of you who have been loyal to the series since its inception. I say that because I had not watched one episode of 24 prior to reviewing this season. To make matters weirder, I own 4 of the 7 seasons (not counting this one) on DVD, but had not yet started them. The reason? I'm always watching movies. But I had been getting closer to diving into the show, and season 7 pushed me to finally doing so. Of course I understood the basic plot, and knew of Jack Bauer, but maybe my perspective will lend some intriguing thoughts.
Most people described the show to me as starting off brilliant, and gradually declining. When I heard that Trey Parker and Matt Stone of South Park were avid fans, I knew I had to give it a chance sooner or later. I would describe the series as being the TV equivalent to Air Force One. This does not take place solely on a plane, but the style is similar, the acting is similar, and the focus is similar. I loved that film, so it should be no shock that I immediately grew addicted to 24.
The performances are fairly consistent. I won’t go over everyone, but I will address some notables. Kiefer Sutherland inhabits the character of Jack Bauer better than the average actor would on TV. There is a reason he made our top 100 characters list awhile back. Every facet, from the stride of his walk down to the expression on his face, convinces us that he has been Jack Bauer all his life. That is the mark of a remarkable actor. Annie Wersching is up and down as FBI Agent Renee Walker. When she tries to act tough, she can be a bit annoying, but Wersching is good at showing emotion. Drama is her thing, not action. Jeffrey Nordling is an underutilized and underrated actor that I first noticed in The Mighty Ducks 3, but don’t hold that against him. Bob Gunton is famous as the warden from Shawshank, but he is magnificent here as Chief of Staff Ethan Kanin. Janeane Garafalo hands in what could her least irritating performance ever. She actually fits in quite well as an FBI computer analyst. The series regulars are all obvious. They understand the roles inside and out.
24 is a great show, but make no mistake, it is not meant to be realistic. It does require a suspension of disbelief, and there is nothing wrong with that. Sometimes, like any show, they go overboard, but for the most part, the men and women behind 24 stay true to the roots of any governmental/terrorist thriller storyline. How season 7 ranks in comparison to the others, I cannot say, but it does not strike me as being one of the worst of the lot. Aside from the obsession with cliffhangers, 24 possesses few glaring flaws that extend over the whole show. It has a lot to say about how we deal with and treat terrorism, which I feel more people should pay attention to.
The Episodes
DISC 1
Day 7: 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM - Taking place after the events in Redemption, Jack Bauer sits before a grand jury facing questions on all of CTU's mistakes. As Senator Blaine Mayer (Kurtwood Smith) tries to embarrass Jack, he is subpoenaed by the FBI. Security expert Michael Latham has been kidnapped, and a terrorist cell is using him to invade the nations' computer infrastructure. Jack is pulled out of court to help out because he knows one of the people responsible. Meanwhile, President Allison Taylor is leaning towards military action in the African area of Sangala. This was an excellent season opener, kicking off a thrilling plot putting Jack in a hunt for an old friend. The President's situation with Sangala and Juma was also very intriguing. I also appreciate the dialogue and debate on how agents treat prisoners, and whether or not they regret it. 8.5/10
Day 7: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM - Tony Almeida, working for the enemy, demonstrates that the CIP device can infiltrate the nation's computer infrastructure by taking control of an air traffic control tower. Also, President Taylor meets with former Prime Minister Matobo regarding U.S. Assistance in Sangala, while First Gentleman Henry Taylor becomes obsessed with investigating his son's death. He questions his former girlfriend Samantha. After the sniper eliminated the one lead in catching Tony, it turns out that a mole within the FBI helps him escape the building across the street even though it is surrounded. Jack and Agent Renee Walker trail him to yacht where Tony is waiting. The one aspect I do not care for in this season is the sub-plot with First Gentleman's son. Nonetheless, I loved the near miss collision, the sweeping of the Columbia building, and the trailing of the sniper. Another solid episode. 8.5/10
Day 7: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM - With Almeida in custody, Jack is the one who questions him, but Tony discreetly gives him a code name that leads to Bill Buchanan. He reveals that Tony is under cover, and the two of them are working with Chloe O'Brian to expose a government conspiracy. Colonel Dubaku, having received the CIP device, demands that the United States government abort the invasion of Sangala. To protect Tony's cover, Jack must break him out of FBI headquarters with help from Chloe and Bill. To do this, he incapacitates Renee and Larry along the way. Two of the sub-plots seem to be connected, which is interesting, and is hopefully handled well in the future. The escape from the FBI building was riveting, as was the conversations between President Taylor and Ethan Kanin. The car crash out of the parking garage was a bit unexpected, but oh well. The fact that no agency is shepherding the conspiracy investigation is fascinating. Aside from the mystery suicide, this was great. 9/10
Day 7: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM - Tony regains cover with Emerson's cel, and brings Jack with him, but it isn't easy. Dubaku orders Emerson to kidnap Prime Minister Matobo when the U.S. has still not withdrawn troops. Henry learns from Samantha that the First Son was killed because he was uncovering the conspiracy. Without Jack and Tony, Renee follows up on the sniper, who is regaining consciousness. She tortures him for information, despite the consequences. He confesses to the plan of kidnapping Matobo, and Renee warns the FBI just as Jack, Tony, and Emerson storm Matobo's house. Matobo gets into a safe room, but in order to get to Dubaku, Jack and Tony must get him out. The fact that the First Son's death is connected too bothered me. It sounds kind of convoluted, but what made this episode ok was the hypocritical actions of Agent Walker, who tortured the sniper. It's interesting how she acts like Jack in order to get back at Jack. One would think that Emerson, a smart guy, who not let Jack into his gang so quickly. Maybe I'm carping, but this was enjoyable. 7.5/10
DISC 2
Day 7: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM - Jack discovers how to flush out the Matobos from the safe room using homemade gas. Agent Walker investigates the situation, but is captured by Emerson's men. He then orders Jack to kill her, but he fakes her death by shooting and grazing her neck. However, Emerson then tells Jack and Tony to bury her. At the FBI, Janis Gold and Larry Moss are unable to make any headway, especially when the Attorney General are investigating the torture of the sniper. Henry learns that Agent Gedge, his Secret Service guardian, is a co-conspirator. Gedge paralyzes him with a drug, and hatches a plot to kill Samantha and Henry before they reveal the truth. The buried alive sequence was gripping and intense, as was the flushing out of the safe room. They hinted at the Gedge twist, and although it was entertaining, it is still a bit ridiculous. I also loved Agent Walker's dialogue to Jack as she thinks he had betrayed her. This episode was more action-packed, and it would really continue with that pace. 8.5/10.0
Day 7: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM - Emerson picks up that Jack and Tony have a double motive, and so he pulls a gun on Jack, which forces Tony to kill Emerson. Tony and Jack then unveil their allegiances to the Matobos. Jack then convinces them to be handed over to Dubaku so that Jack and Tony can then track them to that location. Nichols, one of Dubaku's co-conspirators, arrives and deems Tony a loose end after he retrieves the Matobos. However, Nichols' help is taken care of and he is forced to accept the situation. Dubaku causes a plane collision near the White House which kills approximately 271 people, but President Taylor refuses to withdraw troops from Sangala. Gedge and Agent Vossler lure Samantha to her own apartment, which results in her death at the hands of Gedge. He prepares to kill Henry, but the two struggle and Gedge is killed. The fact that the show does have casualties makes it more believable, more intense, and more suspenseful. The Gedge/Henry storyline seems stretched out a lot more than the rest, which is another reason it is irritating. The main story is still magnificent. 8.5/10
Day 7: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM - Jack, Tony, Bill, Chloe and Renee follow the Matobos to Dubaku, who is attempting to sabotage a chemical plant in Ohio remotely with the CIP device. Jack's team rescues the Matobos, kills all of Dubaku's team, and destroys the CIP device. Michael Latham is killed in the raid, and Dubaku escapes to his apartment. He then orders Agent Vossler to kidnap Henry before any authorities arrive at the scene. Jack and his team are now exposed, and most agree that they must get help from those in the government least likely to be corrupted. They arrange a meeting between President Taylor and the Matobos, but Tony stays behind to follow another lead and avoid being arrested. The raid on Dubaku was simply awesome, but the kidnapping of Henry Taylor took the greatness down a notch. It seems unlikely than no one in the press would have gotten wind of his disappearance. They start a new thread dealing with Jack's team getting help from President Taylor, which should be intriguing. 9.0/10.0
Day 7: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM - Jack, Bill, and Renee arrive at the White House and gain support from President Taylor, but she receives a message from Dubaku threatening to kill her husband Henry if she does not comply with his demands. Jack and Renee discover Vossler is a co-conspirator, and with the help of Larry Moss, they learn of Henry Taylor whereabouts. However, they had to threaten Vossler's family and Jack had to kill Vossler in self-defense. Jack and Renee infiltrate Dubaku's hideout, but Henry is shot in the stomach before everyone is disposed of. The lengths Bauer goes to is mesmerizing, and the ways Renee is changing is also intriguing. They have revealed their secret to many people by this point, and I have to question how the conspirators would not have heard, but oh well. The thrills were plentiful here, and I love how no one is invincible in the show. Even the First Gentleman gets shot! 8.0/10
DISC 3
Day 7: 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM - Henry is sent directly to surgery following his gunshot wound, while Dubaku has convinced Marika to fly away with him. Before she leaves, Jack and Renee confront her and persuade her to help in apprehending Dubaku. At the same time, Dubaku knows he is now a liability, and has threatened to expose the co-conspirators if he is killed. Chloe and Larry are aiding in tracking Dubaku. Agent Sean Hillinger, revealed to be one of the co-conspirators, stalls Jack and Renee’s pursuit by issuing an arrest warrant. Upon President Taylor’s request, Agent Aaron Pierce is sent to retrieve her estranged daughter Olivia. Marika had a bigger involvement here, and she is a sweet character, so we are rooting for her. Jack’s relentlessness becomes more and more of a risk as the episodes unravel. I liked Hillinger as a co-conspirator since he was suspicious from the beginning. The estranged daughter sub-plot seems kind of excessive, but whatever. 8.0/10.0
Day 7: 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Dubaku is aware of Marika’s betrayal, but brings her along anyway after an argument. Larry rescinds the arrest warrant, which allows Jack and Renee to follow Dubaku. Marika causes an accident. She dies, but Dubaku lives and is able to tell Jack about a file he possesses with all the names. Larry and Chloe begin analyzing the disc, but Sean and his accomplice Erika try to erase it quickly. Sean kills Erika to cover up her involvement, but is discovered when Chloe recovers the files. When President Taylor returns from the hospital, Bill requests that she pardon Jack from the Senate hearings. Afterward, The President and Olivia share a bitter reunion. Tony informs Jack of an imminent threat on the US to be led by General Juma himself. One of the co-conspirators is Senator Mayer’s Chief of Staff, Ryan Burnett. Both are summoned to the White House, and Burnett is told the mission from Juma is on schedule. It was certainly sad to see Marika die, but it made for some riveting exchanges between Jack and Renee. The fact that parts of the threat are getting resolved makes the show continually engaging. I also loved the inclusion of someone close to Senator Mayer, the same man trying to take down Jack. 8.5/10.0
Day 7: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM - President Taylor and Senator Mayer have a heated debate about Jack’s situation, but in the meantime, Jack travels to the White House to extract information from Burnett. Chloe erases his name from the list so Jack can torture him. Janis discovers the deletion however, the Secret Service interrupts the interrogation, and Jack is arrested. Burnett refuses immunity in exchange for intel on the pending terrorist attack. Dubaku is quietly murdered at the hospital, and Renee follows the killer to a warehouse where Juma’s forces lie. She stows away on their boat, and is unable to contact anyone when her cell is damaged. She discovers that the target is the White House, and she flees when she is spotted by one of Juma’s men, Dubaku’s son. It is easier to believe that Jack could survive chases and such rather than Renee. The scenes with her on the boat were a stretch, but suspenseful nonetheless. The torture sequence was fantastic, as was Jack putting the choke hold on Bill. Did we really need Dubaku’s son though? Still, this was fabulous all around. 9.0/10.0
Day 7: 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM - Renee is rescued and informs Larry of the attack while Juma begins his assault via the sewer duct. Jack is released to help guard the President while they attempt to get her to the safe room. Bill is captured with many other hostages, while Jack and the President make it to the safe room. The Secret Service and the Marines close in on Juma’s men, but he bluffs by saying he has the President, forcing them to withdraw. The Vice President refuses to authorize any action until he knows the whereabouts of the President. Juma locates Olivia, and threatens to mutilate her. This prompts the President and Jack to leave the room. The White House action sequence was brilliant in every way. Everything that occurred in this episode was perfect except the sudden inclusion of the Vice-President, portrayed by a very unremarkable actor. Tony Todd is terrific as General Juma. He was one of the mercenaries in The Rock. 9.5/10.0
DISC 4
Day 7: 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM - Everyone is now a hostage, and this leaves little room for a rescue attempt, but Jack informs Bill that he released enough gas in the safe room to knock out Juma’s men. Bill explains that he saw Juma on the phone with a co-conspirator, and then Bill puts himself in the safe room, killing himself in the process of the explosion. In the chaos, Larry orders an assault against the Vice President’s wishes, while Jack and Aaron secure Juma’s forces. Jack kills Juma in a scene that will make you cheer. The President appoints Olivia to an advisory position as an act of reconciliation. Jack tells Larry about the possibility that it is not over, and asks to further question Burnett. He refuses, but then has no choice when Renee gets approval behind his back from Ethan Kanin. Larry suspends Renee for insubordination and accompanies Jack to the hospital. As Jack begins the interrogation, an assassin is sent by Hodges to kill Burnett and get rid of Jack. The camera feed is disabled, Jack is immobilized, and the assassin slits Burnett’s throat. Jack is framed, and the FBI is then on his tail. The intimidation factor for Bauer is excellent in this episode, and many of the previous ones. The death of Bill was certainly upsetting, but the action here was heartpounding to say the least. 10.0/10.0
Day 7: 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM - Jack phones Renee about his frame up. He sends a photograph of the killer to her, and she identifies him as John Quinn, an operative for a private security company called Starkwood. Coincidentally, this company is being investigated by Senator Mayer. Jack travels to Mayer’s residence, and discovers information that the company Starkwood and Juma were connected. Ultimately, Starkwood received an area unmonitored where they could develop a biological weapon. Larry finds out that Renee called Jack, and detains her when she refuses to give his location. In order to discover this, Morris O’Brian, Chloe’s husband, is called to decrypt the address so Chloe gets immunity. Quinn arrives at the house, murders Mayer, and pursues Jack. Jack kills Quinn in a struggle, and discovers the address for the weapon shipment. Larry finds Mayer’s body, and orders his agents to shoot Bauer on site. I’m loving Jon Voight’s contribution to this season, and I could not believe that Mayer was killed. It almost seems impossible for Jack. I do feel that Larry ordering the “shoot to kill” was a bit premature and only mentioned as a cliffhanger. Not every episode needs one. I also appreciated Chloe’s husband getting a neat supporting role. This was solid, but had some issues. 8.0/10.0
Day 7: 10:00 PM - 11:00 PM - Jack and Tony arrive at the shipyard and question a Port Authority Guard, and find out the group is there to collect the weapon. The duo follows the group to the container, and Jack starts a firefight in an effort to save the guard. Jack takes control of the truck and container, but Tony is captured by the operatives. Meanwhile, Larry locates evidence of a third party at Mayer's house, and Renee confesses to him about Jack's Starkwood information. At the White House, Ethan resigns to shoulder the blame for Mayer's death, and it is revealed that Olivia leaked the information to the press. At the same time, the President finds out that Henry is expected to make a full recovery. After Jack tells Larry to send a rescue team, Jack fixes a leak in the bioweapon, and is exposed to it. You have to admire the scene where Jack saves the guard, and it brings to attention the fact that Tony might be worse than Jack in that respect. The bioweapon plot line is interesting, as was the ending of this episode. This was an average episode, nothing special, but it introduces the next main story well. 7.5/10.0
Day 7: 11:00 PM - 12:00 AM - Jack is placed in quarantine due to his exposure. Meanwhile, President Taylor appoints Olivia the provisional Chief of Staff until they hire a replacement. She meets with the Joint Chiefs and determines a direct assault on Starkwood would leave the fewest casualties. Jack's blood work results say he is infected, and he is then taken back to the FBI where he is debriefed by a sympathetic Renee. At Starkwood, Hodges obtains the bioweapon, and tries to extract information from Tony, who says nothing. Seaton, one of Hodges' top men, helps Tony before he is about to be killed. He says he will reveal the location of the weapon if he is given full immunity, which is then given. Larry then sends a team, along with U.S. Navy Seals, to invade the location, but it turns out to be false. Seaton bluffed them to by time for Hodges, which leads to Larry's team being surrounded. The emotion when it is revealed that jack is infected in certainly genuine. And the scene where he talks to Renee, and all of Jack's scars are seen might be one of the best of the season. In that moment, viewers can see how deeply invested Kiefer Sutherland is in the character. I called the Seaton bluff a mile away, and the cliffhanger ending here was "meh", but I still thought the episode was terrific. 9.0/10.0
DISC 5
Day 7: 12:00 AM - 1:00 AM - While surrounded, Larry creates a diversion that allows Tony to sneak off and pursue the bioweapons, while the FBI pulls out. As Jack shows symptoms, he must decide whether or not to involve his daughter Kim in the experimental treatment. Meanwhile, Olivia blackmails a reporter to keep the crisis from going public. Tony receives help from Starkwood chairman, Doug Knowles, who had been assisting Senator Mayer. This prompts President Taylor to order an air strike on the facility. Before long, Knowles is captured and beaten to death by Hodges, who then threatens to launch missiles. This forces the President to abort. This was an entertaining episode, and it has Hodges beating a guy to death with a whiskey bottle, so that rocks. 8.0/10.0
Day 7: 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM - The President has a meeting with Hodges and Seaton, who hand her a booklet declaring that they will launch the pathogen if they are not given a higher role in the nation’s military. As part of a covert operation deniable by the President, Tony destroys the rest of the pathogen, which forces the President to arrest Seaton and Hodges. Jack reunites with his estranged daughter Kim, and together they discuss his condition and the treatment. Larry and his team secure the compound, but an operative named Galvez escapes with a canister. What follows is a chase and fight, which results in Larry being shot. Tony then betrays him by smothering him to death. Larry’s death was shocking, and seeing Elisha Cuthbert is always a nice thing. The meeting with the President and Hodges was a bit of a joke. You cannot tell me that they expected to get away scot free with those stipulations. Anyway, this was still great thrills. 8.0/10.0
Day 7: 2:00 AM - 3:00 AM - Galvez hides inside the FBI perimeter, while Tony shoots himself to mask his involvement. Renee and Jack are told of Larry’s death, and join the hunt. Tony orders Galvez to create a trap that will blow up the FBI agents in a building. Meanwhile, an unknown figure, Cara Bowden, impersonates Hodges' lawyer and pressures him to commit suicide due the failed mission, or his family will be in danger. Galvez poses as an FBI agent and lures the team into the building. Jack realizes via tracking devices that the agent Galvez is impersonating is away from the building; Jack warns Renee, but the building explodes before the team can escape. Walker is unharmed, but a suspicious Jack learns that Tony lied to him regarding his source on the White House raid. With all evidence pointing to Tony's involvement, Jack confronts Tony, but has a seizure, allowing Tony to escape. Hodges consumes the suicide capsule handed him by Cara and is rushed to the hospital. Tony escorts Galvez and the pathogen to an ambulance, which Galvez promptly hijacks. The confrontation between Tony and Jack was fantastic, as was Renee’s reaction to Larry’s death. This new group, involving Will Patton, seems a bit too covert. But they could be interesting. Also, Galvez is an ok character. 8.0/10.0
Day 7: 3:00 AM - 4:00 AM - Jack reveals to Renee that Tony and Galvez were working together. Tony pays Galvez for the canister, but he refuses to deliver it. The two get in a fight and Galvez ends up dead. Tony meets up with Cara Bowden who posed as Hodges' attorney and they set up a video conference with their conspirators. The anonymous conspirators reveal that they had planned to use the bioweapon six months later, at which point the country would be thrown into disarray and the group could assume control of the government. Realizing that Hodges' ill-timed action actually made this plan viable immediately, they decide to use the last canister to launch another attack on the US and frame a Muslim terrorist cell. At the same time, Hodges brokers a deal for witness protection, and Olivia is not happy about it. In return, Hodges tells Jack about the impostor and the shadow conspiracy. President Taylor authorizes the use of decommissioned CTU servers and Chloe is asked by Jack to manage the servers. Meanwhile, Tony, Cara and a team kidnap a Muslim scapegoat for their operation while Jack begins to display signs of dementia. Jack’s condition is really starting to get fascinating, and the reappearance of the CTU computers was very cool. It seems odd to me that this group is so secret. Someone must know the names. Again, the Olivia storyline bothers me. The stuff with the President’s kids is just bad. The Galvez death seemed unnecessary, but this was still a solid episode. 7.5/10.0
DISC 6
Day 7: 4:00 AM - 5:00 AM - Jibraan becomes Tony’s scapegoat, and is coerced into helping with the terrorist attack after they threaten his younger brother Hamid. Chloe is unable to find an address, and Jack and Renee do not get help from an Imam. Meanwhile, Olivia has a change of heart about hiring someone to kill Hodges, but when he is led to a transport car, it blows and he is obliterated. They find his address through a police incident report, and save Jibraan’s brother, but he wounds one of the enemy, the only person that can give them a new lead. Tony had already left, and it is revealed that the attack is on the Washington Metro. They keep the storylines suspenseful because at this point, we have no idea how Jack and Renee will locate Tony, let alone stop him. These new characters seem like they are set up to die, but I could be wrong. If no one discovers Olivia’s actions, I will be very upset. 7.5/10.0
Day 7: 5:00 AM - 6:00 AM - In the race to find Jibraan, Chloe and Janis do some nice hacking that enables Jack and Renee to locate Tony. They ram his van, and capture him. Despite not liking each other, Janis and Chloe also recover Tony's damaged data, and find Jibraan. The canister is intercepted, and Jibraan reunites with his brother. Olivia meets with her contact Martin Collier, who reveals that he forced Hodges' murder through. She tries to cover her tracks, but Agent Pierce calls Ethan Kanin for help in accessing an electronic recording device in her office, with which he plans to uncover her misdealings. Finally, Jack is contacted and threatened by Tony's accomplice, Cara Bowden, who has a pair of operatives covertly shadowing Kim at the airport. Cara informs him that she will have Kim killed unless Jack helps Tony escape. Thank goodness for the return of Bob Gunton, who makes this episode worthwhile. Of course Jack saves the canister with seconds to spare. I am glad that the Olivia storyline seems to be coming to a close. I did enjoy the Muslim characters, in addition to the airport moments with Kim, but it seems silly that Jack would be forced into saving Tony yet again. 7.0/10.0
Day 7: 6:00 AM - 7:00 AM - Jack helps Tony escape, and tells Renee the nature of the escape. Tony is freed from FBI custody, and then Jack is taken hostage. Without the canister, the plan is to back-engineer the pathogen from Jack's body. At the airport, Kim becomes suspicious about the couple she got acquainted with; while receiving her boarding pass, she receives a call from Renee warning her of the threat. Former chief-of-staff Ethan Kanin recovers the audio recording which proves Olivia's involvement in Hodges' death. Olivia attempts to destroy the recording, but Ethan pulls a bait and switch, leaving Olivia with a blank recording. As the FBI closes in on Kim at the airport, the operatives covering her attempt to hold her, but in a chaotic shootout, the woman is killed, and the man runs. Kim follows him, and secures his labtop. This is used to pinpoint Jack and Cara's location. Tony continues to negotiate for a higher role with a major anonymous conspirator as he reveals his plan of launching another attack. Wilson says a face to face meeting with Tony "seems a bit, premature", but reluctantly agrees. Jack manages to escape from the doctors who were working to extract the pathogen from his body. I enjoyed the action with Kim at the airport. Seeing Elisha Cuthbert get down and dirty is fine by me. The audio recording bait and switch was predictable, but made me happy since it means Olivia will be gone soon. The Jack/Tony story is getting a bit odd, but is still engaging enough. 8.0/10.0
Day 7: 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM - Jack attempts to escape, but is recaptured by Tony in a garage. At the White House, Ethan reveals to Olivia her failure to destroy the audio recording. With Agent Pierce behind him, Ethan confronts Olivia and gives her the option of admitting the truth to her mother on her own. Tony reveals that his plan all along was to get revenge on Alan Wilson, the man behind most of the attacks, and Michelle's (Tony's wife) death, and the death of his unborn son. As Wilson arrives and meets Tony and Cara, FBI agents invade the complex. Cara and Wilson flee from the scene, but Tony catches them. He kills Cara, but is prevented from killing Wilson by Jack and Renee. Wilson denies all involvement, which causes Renee to presumably take drastic action. At the White House, Olivia confesses to her mother and father. As President of the United States, President Taylor decides she can't cover up her daughter's mess, despite the fact that Henry disagrees. With Jack's health deteriorating, he turns to Gohar for spiritual advice. Kim arrives and decides she cannot let him die, and agrees to the treatment. Of the 3 storylines, only 1 was really resolved, and that is a problem. This season is obsessed with cliffhangers, and from episode to episode that's fine, but you cannot end a season on 2 cliffhangers, those being the fate of Wilson, and the fate of Jack. This was a good "episode", not a good season finale. I am glad to see Olivia leaving, but how will this affect President Taylor's future? And I'm sorry, but Will Patton is not a convincing bad guy. 6.5/10.0
The Video
The Audio
The Packaging
The Extras
* 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM: Carlos Bernard; director-producer Jon Cassar.
* 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Carlos Bernard; writer-producers Manny Coto and Brannon Braga.
* 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Annie Wersching; Cassar.
* 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Hakeem Kae-Kazim; writer-producer David Fury.
* 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Wersching; Coto; Braga.
* 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM: Tony Todd; director/producer Brad Turner.
* 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM: James Morrison; composer Sean Callery; Turner
* 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM: Bob Gunton; Wersching; writer-producer Juan Carlos Coto.
* 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM: Jeffery Nordling; Bernard; writer-producer Howard Gordon.
* 5:00 AM - 6:00 AM: Mary Lynn Rajskub; Glenn Morshower; writer-producer Evan Katz.
* 6:00 AM - 7:00 AM: Morshower; Fury; writer-producer Alex Gansa.
* 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM: Gordon; Cassar.
All in all they are solid commentaries. They feature both cast and crew members, which is nice. They are not only informative, but entertaining. I would have loved to see Kiefer Sutherland on one or two, but that’s ok. These tracks will provide hours of entertainment after all the episodes have been watched. I couldn’t even begin to scratch the surface on some of the stand out moments of these tracks, but I do advise you to give them a listen.
The Fimucite Festival Presents: The Music of 24 (13:05) - This is footage of an orchestra performing the score combined with a montage of scenes from this season, and previous ones I'm pretty sure. It is nice to put on while you're doing other things around the house.
Hour 19: The Ambush (12:46) - This is an extended behind the scenes featurette on the building explosion in that particular episode. An experienced guy named Stan takes us on a tour of the set, and explains all the props and machinery that are incorporated into the scene. Apparently 81 explosions took place. You have interviews with Director Michael Klick, the Director of Photography, the stunt coordinator, and more. This was interesting, but it would have been great to have mini-extras like this on each disc.
Deleted Scenes (26:00) - All the deleted scenes are included on the last disc, and in truth many of them are just extended scenes, but you will find many moments that fill in the gaps of things that occurred. Case in point, when Sean Hillinger uses Larry's access to move his wife's plane to the front of the line. You also have the missing sequence where Renee tells Kim that her father is sick. This extra has some superb work from Elisha Cuthbert, and a few other worthy deletions. Most of this has been cut for obvious reasons though.
24-7: The Untold Story (15:49) – This is a bonus that covers the writing dilemma’s between season 6 and 7. They recap season 6 briefly, and then discuss all the obstacles they encountered, such as the writer’s strike for instance. This was quite interesting because you get a look at how they came up with certain ideas and why.
The Series: 9.0/10.0
The Episodes: 8.0/10.0
The Video: 8.5/10.0
The Audio: 10.0/10.0
The Packaging: 7.5/10.0
The Extras: 8.5/10.0
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