24

Hoo boy. 24 does TV right!

This episode begins where last week's shocking episode ended when Jack actually failed epically at a task. I've come to expect a certain level of success from our hero, especially when he's asked to do something directly by the President, so I wasn't expecting Hassan to be killed. But killed he was and along with him all hope of a Middle East Peace Accord. Or is it?

Seems Madame President has a trick up her sleeve. She wants Hassan's widow to be the new leader of whatever made up country she's from, have her sign the Accord and everyone's happy, right? Wrong! Seems there was another party at the negotiating table which was a shock to me since they had not even been hinted at until last week. The Russian ambassador must also sign off on the treaty for it to have any real power but he doesn't want to. He says it's because he won't recognize Hassan's widow as the legitimate leader of Islamistan (whatever) but we know the real reason.

The real reason? He's Russian. If you are a Russian on 24 you are automatically a bad guy and sure enough we learn those evil Russians were behind the plot to kill Hassan. They planned everything and the plan worked to perfection with Hassan dead and all the assassins killed by Bauer's team except for one. Not a problem, just need to slip a Russian guy in to the building where the CTU team is and poison the last guy with a little poison to the neck and Voila! The perfect plot to destabilize the MidEast reaches fruition with the Americans none the wiser. Almost.

You know what they say about the best laid planes, right? This one is no exception as the Russian assassin tasked with killing the last Muslim assassin that survived the CTU assault is seen by probably the only person in Washington who could recognize him. Who is that person? Why none other than Renee Walker. She doesn't put it together at first, after all it looks like that last Muslim will survive and she's got other things on her mind, namely Jack's sweet lovin'.

Jack and Renee hightail it to his apartment for a little afternoon delight and we finally get the answer to the question, how long does Jack make love to his women. Answer? About two acts. Pretty respectable and not a Viagra (or condom) in sight. After they finish making the beast with two backs, Jack gets up for some water (gotta stay hydrated) and while he's away his phone rings. Renee yells at Jack that it's Chloe and Jack tells her not to answer it. I'm sure I don't need to remind any of you if you do not EXPLICITLY OBEY Jack EVERYTIME he tells you to do something, you die. That's the rule. But poor Renee, not knowing she is sealing her own fate, answers the phone.

Chloe tells Renee that she has been put in charge of CTU (Yeah Chloe! You go girl!) and the last terrorist has just died from poisoning. Renee puts two and two together, remembers the Russian she saw at the CTU attack site and tells Chloe to get her files assembled so she can ID the guy. The she runs into the other room to tell Jack and that's when it happens. If you'll recall a few episodes ago I predicted that because Jack was developing feelings for Renee, she would surely get kidnapped, tortured, raped, and beheaded. Well I was wrong. She gets taken out by a high powered sniper rifle from the next building. I am neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet. Despite Jack's heroic effort to save her, Renee is lost to us forever and gets the highest honor any fallen 24 character can receive, the silent final countdown. RIP Renee Walker.

In other news, in order to get the Russians back to the bargaining table, Madame President has to take a desperate measure and we are introduced to a familiar face, President Logan! All of President Taylor's hopes for salvaging the Peace process is in the hands of a man so evil he assassinated an ex-President and was stabbed in the neck by his own wife. I'm betting this doesn't end well but we'll see.