Just when I thought that a season that has seen the death of two popular characters within the first half hour of the first episode, and the death of annoying-but-loveable Edgar Stiles last week, could not possibly go any further, it does.
As the final seconds ticked off the clock at the end of last night’s episode of 24, Jack Bauer held Tony Almeida — who had started out in Season One as someone who didn’t trust Jack Bauer one bit and ended up becoming the one man Jack knew he could depend on — in his arms as he died. From the beginning of the episode, I had a feeling something tragic would happen to Tony, but I didn’t see this one coming. Distraught over the death of his wife, he looked to be on the verge of murdering the one person who could lead CTU to the remaining canisters of nerve gas. In the end, he held a needle in his hand ready to kill Christopher Henderson, but couldn’t let himself do it. In that moment of weakness, Henderson awakens, turns the needle on Tony, and escapes.
The other notable death this week was Lynn McGill — President Logan’s handpicked person to run CTU who ended up losing it, and losing the keycard which allowed a terrorist to get into the building with nerve gas. It was purely an act of self-sacrifice; McGill (and the innocent red-shirt security guard) died so that everyone else in the building could live. So, in the end, Lynn the Hobbitt goes out with some nobility.
Where is the rest of the season going ? As with anything 24, it’s hard to be sure. At the moment, it seems like the Vice-President may become a man not to be trusted but exactly how he plays into this remains to be seen.
As Rick Moran says in his recap of last night’s episode, the one thing Tony’s death makes clear is that nobody is safe.
Update: Last night’s episode is discussed in a article today in The New York Times, which includes an interesting revelation about the original plan for Tony this season:
Tony was supposed to die in the season premiere, along with his wife, Michelle, who blew up in a car, and former President David Palmer, who was shot. Howard Gordon, an executive producer of “24,” said that Mr. Bernard suggested that Tony last longer into the season to try to avenge Michelle’s death. He and the writers agreed it was a good idea, partly because the idea of killing three popular characters in the season opener seemed risky. “It was just so depressing that it felt overwhelming,” Mr. Gordon said.
I’d also add that having Tony die later in the day, while trying to avenge his wife’s murder, adds a heck of a lot more drama to the story.
The Times’ story ends with this quote from Howard Gordon:
This season of “24″ began with Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) returning from the dead after he had to disappear in the finale last May. The actual death of Jack is where Mr. Gordon said he would like the series to end, whenever that may be. “He’s a tragic character, and tragedy ends in death,” he said.
But for now, it is Jack’s companions who are at risk. Mr. Gordon said, “The irony is that he comes back to life, and everyone around him dies.”
The tragic aspects of Jack Bauer have been apparent from the beginning. In the first season, he reconciled with his wife and reunites his family, only to have first his daughter, then his wife kidnapped by terrorists. Even when they are freed, its not over and Jack is betrayed by the woman who seemed to be his closes ally. These themes continued into the following seasons, as Jack balanced saving the world with saving his daughter and eventually became so wrapped up in an undercover mission that he became a heroin addict. And then, at the end of last season, he sacrificed any chance of a normal life for the sake of his country. Now, he’s back and everyone close to him is dying. Can Kim be far behind ?
Update 3/15/06: More on Monday’s episode at Entertainment Weekly’s Popwatch
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