24 8.22: Roller Coaster Brilliantly Off the Grid

With just two hours left in one of the top 5 best shows ever on television - that would be 24, and tonight's episode 8.22 - we have the following, in a breathtaking, deadly violent multi-player chess game, which takes at least two players to new heights and lows -

• President Taylor has sunk to new lows, now running roughshod over the First Amendment - far worse than the FCC in our own reality, more like Nixon's attempt to muzzle the press over the Pentagon Papers (in a move struck down by the Supreme Court).  Taylor's actions haven't gone to the Supreme Court yet - no one knows about them other than Tim, her Chief of Staff, who unhappily carries out her order to seize the evidence that Meridith has, which Jack collected last week or the week before last, which shows the Russians were behind Hassan's assassination.   A bad, sad day indeed for Taylor - all on behalf of that peace treaty, already born in blood.
• Jack has gone to new heights or lows - take your pick, I'd say heights - in kidnapping and brutally questioning Nixonian President Logan, who tells Jack that the Russian ambassador in New York ordered the kill on Renee, and Logan had nothing to do with that.   Jack may or may not believe Logan's denial of knowledge, but - surprisingly - Jack chokes him but let's him live.  Was it because Jason and his team were closing in?   At first, I thought maybe so, but-
• It turns out that Jack planted a device on Logan, which enables Jack to overhear a call that Logan makes to the Russian President, a Putin type, whose plane has just landed in New York.  He's here to sign that misbegotten peace treaty. 

So what will Jack do?   He's already gone much further than ever before, not to stop a terrorist plot, but ostensibly to spotlight a cover-up in the highest places, and most of all, for sheer, understandable revenge over Renee, shot to death just after the two had made love.  On behalf of this, Jack has butchered, beaten, tortured, killed - more bad guys than I can keep track of - and he's choked out a former President.

What will Jack do now?   Kill the Russian President?   That would be consistent with Jack's killing anyone who was responsible for Renee's murder.    Is Allison Taylor also on this list?   She didn't order Renee's killing.   I hope Jack is willing to believe that.  But Taylor has done some pretty Nixon-like, Logan-like anti-American things.

Jack's wounded.  Chloe wants to help him, but the only operative she can send is Cole, who didn't appreciate Jack's killing Dana, and is not about to allow himself to be shot at by Jack.   Jason's still dangerous.   And Taylor can order the FBI or anyone she pleases to take out Jack.

I've been saying for the past few episodes that this 8th and final season of 24 was shaping up as one of the best.   Based on tonight, and what's in store for the two-hour finale next week, I'd say this is certainly among the top 2-3 seasons of 24, and they just don't make shows like 24.


6-min podcast review of 24


See also Season 8 reviews: Hours 1 and 2 ... Hours 3 and 4 ... Hour 5 ... Hour 6 ... Hour 7 ... Hour 8 ... Hour 9 ... Hour 10 ... Hour 11 ... Hour 12 ... Hour 13 ... Hour 14 ... Hours 15-16 ... Hour 17 ... Hour 18 ... Hour 19 ... Hour 20 ... Hour 21

And see also Season 7 reviews: Hours 1 and 2 ... Hours 3 and 4 ... Hour 5 ... Hour 6 ... Hour 7 ... Hour 8 ... Hour 9 ... Hour 10 ... Hours 11-12 ... Hour 13 ... Hour 14 ... Hour 15 ... Hour 16 ... Hour 17 ... Hour 18 ... Hour 19 ... Hour 20 ... Hour 21 ... Hour 22  ... Hours 23-24 

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