24: 11am-12pm recap

In case you can't guess, there be SPOILERS here.

We began this week with Mrs. Hassan speaking to the American people and publicly thanking President Taylor for all she has done to help her husband. I tried not to gag on this as much as she would if she knew what Taylor was keeping from her about her husband's death. Speaking of questionable things done by President Taylor... while Mrs. Hassan is giving her speech, Dana Walsh is being tortured for information as to where she is keeping the evidence against the Russians - even though she claims she was lying before and there is no evidence. And Jack is still working against the President's orders - only now he has Cole working with him. They do their super stealth thing and attempt to break Dana free from her interrogation. First scene of the night comes here:

Interrogator: You won't take the shot. It's too risky. I'll kill her before -- "
*bang bang, you're dead*

Then there is the beginnings of an epic gunfight scene and the clock starts ticking to signal the quarter hour.

We come back to Chloe finding out that Jack is really not in custody and he has Dana. Meanwhile, Jack tries to convince Dana that if she gives up the files she has on the Russians then he will let her go. She is not buying this, but eventually gives them what they want after Jack shows he is better at forced confessions than our government is. Flip back to the press conference and President Taylor finding out Jack took Dana from the safe house where she was being tortured, I mean, held. (Anyone else see the irony here in torturing someone at a "safe" house?) Taylor and Logan plan to send Logan's aide Jason Pillar into CTU to oversee the manhunt for Bauer.

The clock strikes halftime and returns to the Russians discussing the Dana situation with Logan. This includes conspiring to kill Bauer by pooling their resources - CTU finds him and the Russians take him out. Yes, the Russian and American governments are planning the assassination of an American citizen - you heard it hear first, folks. While this is going on, Jack goes with Cole and Dana to the bank where the evidence apparently is. Next line of the night:

Dana: You're hurting me.
Cole: You'll live.
*walks to bank manager*
Me: What do you mean another commercial?!

OK, I'm fine now. Just had to get over questionable placement of commercial break. I'm better now.

Moving right along... Chloe is being all "in charge" over at CTU and continues tracking down Bauer & Co. Just then, Jason arrives to ruin all hopes of world domination Chloe may have had. Oh wait, sorry, that's Logan that wants to take over the world. Regardless, Jason tells Chloe that he is now in charge of the search while she will remain in charge of the rest of the unit. Words are shared, Chloe is snippy, but in the end Jason stays put. Switch back to the bank and Dana flashing her most charming "I-am-not-a-killer" smile to the bank manager. He scurries off to get what they came for. While they wait, Dana offers to give Cole the "truth" about how she got involved with the Russians. She gives some sob story about being a kid who needed a fresh start and the Russians provided that. We are meant to feel sorry for her but it doesn't really work - for Cole or the audience. Mere seconds later our judgment is proven right, as the safe deposit box is a trap that explodes in Cole's face... literally. It also contains a gun which means Dana is now armed & dangerous. She calls 9-1-1 and tells them about Jack's location in a mock scared voice that makes me want to punch her. They give me another commercial break to compose myself before we move on...

We come back to CTU, and the search is still on. Chloe is obviously not happy about the new change in command, but follows orders like the good little worker bee she has become. They find Jack and with that Operation: Assassinate-the-only-one-who-is-NOT-crazy begins. People who are crazy: the cops who think they are actually going to come out on top in a fight with Jack Bauer. Oh, silly police officers. And once again Jack is running around the streets of New York trying not to get caught while simultaneously going after Dana Walsh. (Having a shoot-out on a crowded street - not your best move, Jack. The move with the jacket to make her use the last of her bullets - much smarter.) Finally, Dana is forced to lay her cards down on the table for Jack to see. Then he shoots her a couple of times and we pretend to be shocked and/or cry over it.

Aaaaaand we're done.

No, really. That was the end. Next week we'll see what Jack does now that he has his evidence (assuming what Dana gave him was the real deal). So make sure to tune in for another exciting episode of 24. Remember, every second counts...