Karen, Erik and Jack

(Side note: This is only the recap of Sunday’s episodes, but we just got back from dinner and Erik is too tired to watch 24. Complaints against him can be posted in the comments. Part 2 will hopefully be posted tomorrow evening.)

This past Sunday on 24:

Jack’s back! With 100% more mysterious disfigurement!

We open with America going nuts with terrorist attacks every 3.5 minutes (literally). President Palmer’s… BROTHER is now President (side note, we need a funny name for him, because there is only ONE true President Palmer) and gets an offer from some terrorist bald dude: I’ll give you the location of the terrorist responsible for the attacks if you give me Jack Bauer for me to kill. It takes President Palmer’s Brother no time to sacrifice the Awesomest Man Ever, and even less time for the Chinese to fly him out.

Bill Buchanan and Curtis greet Jack (actually, only Bill – was there not enough money in the budget to give Curtis any lines? Did they spend it all on Jack’s beard?) and discover that Jack doesn’t really mind dying today. The bald dude takes Jack and is all GUESS WHAT, I’m the one responsible for the attacks, the other guy is on your side, I got you good, you fucker! So Jack goes all “Lost Boys’ on bald dude’s sidekick and escapes – with maximum bloodshed!

Once free, Jack calls the White House to warn President Palmer’s brother that they made a deal with the ACTUAL terrorist. Only everyone there is a jerkoff and doesn’t believe him. Don’t they feel stupid when Chloe (more on her below) and Bill discover that Jack was totally right! And I’m not trying to start some shit, but the REAL President Palmer would never have doubted Jack. I’m just saying.
While Jack is totally right, he is also somewhat soft. He’s a bit reluctant to do the hard core torture on a suspect (not reluctant to chew on another guy’s jugular, though). So his new friend “Not a terrorist” shows him how it’s done – by stabbing a dude in the knee cap! Jack Bauer, I think you just got served.

In other news, Chloe? Is totally awesome as usual. Even if she and her ex-husband/current bone kinda sorta fucked up and almost blew the mission to trade Jack for “Not a terrorist”. But she’s wearing a cool outfit and her current sex life does not seem to be diminishing her bitch factor, so it’s ok.

Also, Karen Hayes and Bill Buchanan are married and totally have sex that merits at least an Level Orange on the security alert (I don’t know what that means). Regina King is Sister Palmer and a sassy attorney defending the Islamic American Something or Other and just got arrested for having the nerve to stand up to the FBI. There’s some chick at CTU who is too young/pretty/poorly acted to be of any interest to me. And Soulpatch Tony is still dead.

DISCUSS!

DAMMIT people, listen! There are only 44 days left until 24 returns, and JACK BAUER HAS NO TIME!

Since my 24 excitement can not be contained, I’ve decided to lead up to the first Season 6 recap by discussing some of the characters on the show. Some are new, some are old, none are Tony Almeida because he is dead.

Today we start with a new face on 24 this season – Peter MacNichol. Or as Fitz knows him, Dr. Larry Fleinhardt from Numb3rs. Dr. Larry Fleinhardt is temporarily leaving that show to become an astronaut on the International Space Station. Surely there will be a bomb on that space shuttle, and Jack Bauer’s assistance will be required.

On 24, Peter MacNichol plays Thomas Lennox, presidential advisor to the new president (aka Principal Wood). Peter MacNichol’s appearance and first line in the 24 season 6 trailer is in fact the precise moment when I begin to lose my shit.

I’ve been a fan of Peter MacNichol for a very long time. Did you know that he was in Sophie’s Choice? Neither did I, because I never saw that movie. Heard it was sad. But he was outstanding at Dr. Janosz Poha in Ghostbusters 2. I just spent an hour searching for a clip of him in it, and found nothing. INJUSTICE!

He was also in a show called “The Powers That Be”. This show was a 30 minute comedy that aired in 1992. It starred David Hyde Pierce, John Forsyth and Holland Taylor, and was funnier than almost any show on the air. Of course, it was canceled.

Of course everyone knows he was in Ally McBeal, but did you know that he and Lucy Lui were the only actors on that show that didn’t annoy me to tears? Peter MacNichol further endears himself to me with voiceover work credits such as Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, The Batman, Justice League, and The Secret of Nimh 2: Timmy to the Rescue! (He didn’t provide the voice for Timmy).

I have no idea how many episodes of 24 Peter MacNichol will be in, but I can tell you that he appears as a regular in this super sexy/photoshopped image of the season 6 cast:

Doesn’t it look like Jack Bauer is being lit in an entirely different manner than the rest of the photo’s subjects? Does it matter? NO! Because THERE’S NO TIME!

Stay tuned for the next cast member post. I’ll give you a hint – it’s someone from this photo:

The chick who plays Chloe on 24 is NOT dating Rush Limbaugh.

In other news, I have 2 things I wanted to post about but I’m tired and going to bed. But a post about Chloe is better than nothing at all.