“24” Day 7, Hour 13: Ethan Vs. Olivia And One Of Them Is A Snake

Lesson Learned: Special agents – even retired ones – heal really quickly.

My favorite character on 24 has always been Aaron Pierce, a man who manages to exude so much cool competence and genuine warmth that I vote him the agent I’d most like at my side in a crisis – or on a deserted island, for that matter. So I was concerned when he got shot by Juma’s thugs. And didn’t he look like a goner last week as he lay on the floor among the hostages bleeding for at least an hour before Moss found the balls to ignore a vice presidential order (where do the 24 presidents go to pick their Veeps, anyway, sniveling weasels school?) and invade the White House? And yet, Aaron rose to the occasion (and miraculously to his feet) and rushed Pres. Taylor and daughter Olivia to safety. It was amazing, astonishing, and exactly what we’d expect from him.

But before Pierce could accomplish his heroic resurrection, the president and Olivia shared the kind of tearful reunion estranged relatives often share when they think they are about to die. Juma showed Pres. Taylor who was boss of the moment, forcing her to read a prepared statement to the world. Jack noticed that the lockdown room had enough gas in it to detonate if a bullet hit it and, in a suicide move, planned to run into the room and draw fire that way to ensure an explosion that would certainly kill him and a lot of the terrorists. Moss ignored the Veep and launched an FBI attack just as Bill Buchanan told Jack the crisis was not over and that Jack would be needed. Noting he was more expendable, Bill rushed the lockdown room, the gunshots caused an explosion and presumably – because this is 24 and Tony and Jack have already come back from the dead – Bill died.

Jack has just a moment to mourn Bill before he is taken into custody again on orders of Pres. Taylor – I suspect Ryan Burnett’s hospitalization had something to do with that. Jack tells Renee it isn’t over and he needs to scare Burnett into talking. Moss will not allow it, so Renee goes over his head to Ethan, who agrees (but keep Pres. Taylor out of it). Moss is not happy about Renee’s insubordination and tells her to clean out her desk as she is suspended. His response shows why it is not good, even if you are in the FBI, to have a thing going on with your boss. As for Moss, what does he think is going on with Jack and Renee anyway? It’s not as if they have time to check into a hotel.

But creepy arms dealer Jonas Hodges learns what Jack is going to do – and doesn’t it seem like Ethan must have been the one who called him? – and sends someone even creepier than he is to finish off Burnett and frame Jack. A fast-acting nerve drug knocks out Jack and Burnett long enough from the killer to finish Burnett and frame Jack for it. I don’t know what antidote he used to bring Jack back from his stupor so quickly but there must be residuals of it and the drug all over that room. And to add insult to previous insults, Jack escapes and calls Moss while on the run to tell him what little he knows.

But the most chilling scene came at the end when dear sweet Olivia, after being informed she is back on her mother’s staff, coldly turns on Ethan and tells him that the corruption in the White House and the terrorist attack happened on his watch and he should do the decent thing and resign. “I’m surprised you haven’t resigned already,” she adds.

I got a chance to interview Sprague Grayden about her role as Olivia before this season aired. One of the questions I asked was if she played a bad girl or a good girl. Her reply, “I can’t answer that, you are going to get me trouble, here. But I worked on Six Feet Under and I didn’t tell anything about that, either. I know how to keep a secret.” So does Olivia Taylor, and she is going to become an interesting player in the second half of “Day 7.” Fortunately, Jon Voight was a bit more forthcoming on Jonas’ upcoming date with Bauer in the video preceding this post.

Next: Jack gets to torture Sen. Mayer. Yes, I am just being hopeful, but it couldn’t happen to a more worthy guy.