The taut, riveting Hour 5 of 24 Season tonight was mostly about Renee - her back story, her current situation, her relationship with Vlad, her cover.
First, Vlad is another tough, head man in the Russian mafia, played by Callum Keith Rennie, late of Californication and Battlestar Galactica, in two memorable roles. In 24, Vlad can broker a deal with the Russian arms dealer Bazhaev we met last week (played by Jurgen Prochnow - who for some reason I most remember as Duke Leto Atreides in the 1984 version of Dune). Renee's mission is therefore to get to Vlad, to get to Bazhaev, so CTU can intercept the nukes.
But Vlad's not easily fooled, to say the least. Renee has Jack's live updates in her ear, supplied by Chloe. In a classic 24 scene, Vlad asks Renee a question not in the briefing material. Renee stalls long enough to save her life and let Chloe get Jack->Renee the information. But Vlad's still not completely convinced. He switches cars and eludes Jack. He kills the Russian guy who had his hand chopped off last week by Renee (guy has no luck). Then he questions Renee and tries one more time to break her cover.
Renee convinces him, by indicating she'd just as soon die if he doesn't want the arms deal she's offering. Vlad recognizes that she's not the same woman he knew six years ago - there's something different, colder, in her eyes. But certainly no FBI or any government agent could indicate so truly a willingness to die ... a hardening of the soul ... So Renee succeeds, at least this far, in her cover, because the part of her outlook that's become toughened, calloused, is not a cover at all.
Other elements of the story have Bazhaev's son Josef (David Anders) defying his father and seeking a doctor for his brother, suffering from radiation poisoning, and Katee Sackoff's character going back to her apartment to meet the man from her former life who is blackmailing her. But at this point in Day 8, it's all Renee - with Jack - and that's a pretty good story indeed.
5-min podcast review of 24
See also Season 8 reviews: Hours 1 and 2 ... Hours 3 and 4
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
And see also Season 6 reviews: Hours 1 and 2 ... Hours 3 and 4 ... Hour 5 ... Hour 6 ... Hour 7 ... Hours 8 and 9 ... Hour 10 ... Hour 11 ... Hour 12 ... Hour 13 ... Hour 14 ... Hour 15 ... Hour 16 ... Hour 17 ... Hour 18... Hour 19 ... Hour 20 ... Hour 21 ... Hour 22 ... Hours 23-24
First, Vlad is another tough, head man in the Russian mafia, played by Callum Keith Rennie, late of Californication and Battlestar Galactica, in two memorable roles. In 24, Vlad can broker a deal with the Russian arms dealer Bazhaev we met last week (played by Jurgen Prochnow - who for some reason I most remember as Duke Leto Atreides in the 1984 version of Dune). Renee's mission is therefore to get to Vlad, to get to Bazhaev, so CTU can intercept the nukes.
But Vlad's not easily fooled, to say the least. Renee has Jack's live updates in her ear, supplied by Chloe. In a classic 24 scene, Vlad asks Renee a question not in the briefing material. Renee stalls long enough to save her life and let Chloe get Jack->Renee the information. But Vlad's still not completely convinced. He switches cars and eludes Jack. He kills the Russian guy who had his hand chopped off last week by Renee (guy has no luck). Then he questions Renee and tries one more time to break her cover.
Renee convinces him, by indicating she'd just as soon die if he doesn't want the arms deal she's offering. Vlad recognizes that she's not the same woman he knew six years ago - there's something different, colder, in her eyes. But certainly no FBI or any government agent could indicate so truly a willingness to die ... a hardening of the soul ... So Renee succeeds, at least this far, in her cover, because the part of her outlook that's become toughened, calloused, is not a cover at all.
Other elements of the story have Bazhaev's son Josef (David Anders) defying his father and seeking a doctor for his brother, suffering from radiation poisoning, and Katee Sackoff's character going back to her apartment to meet the man from her former life who is blackmailing her. But at this point in Day 8, it's all Renee - with Jack - and that's a pretty good story indeed.
5-min podcast review of 24
See also Season 8 reviews: Hours 1 and 2 ... Hours 3 and 4
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
And see also Season 6 reviews: Hours 1 and 2 ... Hours 3 and 4 ... Hour 5 ... Hour 6 ... Hour 7 ... Hours 8 and 9 ... Hour 10 ... Hour 11 ... Hour 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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