DAY ONE: 1:00 am to 2:00 am

Moving on to episode two of the first season, 1:00 am to 2:00 am. This episode originally aired on November 13, 2001. This episode obviously was filmed well after the pilot since a lot of people have different hairdos. It's not that noticeable if you don't watch 'em back to back, but there it is. Also, the clock was reworked and now sounds like it has ever since.

The following takes place between 1:00 am and 2:oo am, on the day of the California presidential primary.

One complaint that I have about the first season DVD - no "Previously on 24". That's part of the show to me. Oh well. Also, there are no chapters, so you have to fast forward or rewind. It was obviously just thrown together at the last minute to get out before the second season premiered. There's one deleted scene, an alternate ending to the final episode, and a commentary for that scene. That's it for special features. They stepped it up for season two. Anyway...

When last we left Mandy, she was parachuting into the Mojave desert. That's where we find her now, touching down in an area surrounded by flares. At CTU, which really does look like a shack, a much blonder Jack is leading the investigation of the plane explosion, saying that it originated out of Berlin, which is where they thought the shooter was coming from. Now, I remember Tony saying, only four minutes ago, that it looked like a bomb. Now he seems to be reluctant to accept that it's not an accident. I chalk this continuity error up to the months that must have passed between now and the pilot. But now Tony's confronting Jack about Mason's sudden departure. Nina stands up for Jack and comes up with a pretty good lie about how Mason was upset about the agents Jack put away. In case you haven't noticed, Jack doesn't have a very high tolerance for criticism. Nina's words.

Back to the desert where Mandy sits by the burning remains of her evidence. Naked. Oh, the fanboys were drooling over that. Naked Mandy, they called her. Now someone's coming, sho she quickly buries Martin's ID, and gets dressed. She hops in the jeep, and they drive away. But, hey...someone on a motorcycle! They use a tracker to find Martin's ID, and take it.

Back at CTU, Tony is calling Nina's bluff. She's a very good liar, he says. You don't know the half of it, Tony. Did I mention that there will be spoilers? There will be spoilers.

A helicopter shot of Teri and Alan arriving at the furniture store at 1:07:33. They go inside, and Jack calls. Teri says she'll call him back. Alan found an empty condom wrapper next to the bed where Dan and Janet got better acquainted.

Now to the van, where Janet is stoned and in bad shape. Kim threatens her dad on Rick and Dan, which doesn't have the desired effect. I love this intelligent exchange. Rick: "Just chill, OK?" Kim: "You chill."

And now for something completely different. Walsh steps out of an elevator to meet with a CTU informant named Scott. It's 1:09:43. Scott has a CTU keycard with information on it about Palmer. It can pass undetected from place to place. Scott wants out, but Walsh needs him. Scott says he'll stay for 24 hours. That's almost an entire season! Unfortunately for Scott, he only lasts for about 5 seconds before getting shot. Walsh ducks for cover.

Jack is on the phone with Palmer's security team trying to convince them that this is a credible threat. He gets a call from Walsh, requesting backup. Jack is still the only one Walsh can trust. Jack agrees to meet Walsh on the roof at 2350 Dunlop Plaza (which I think is a made up place), but then a gunshot cuts off the call. It's commercial time, at 1:12:56.

Welcome back. It's 1:17:47. Jack is en route to Dunlop Plaza, and Alan and Teri are still at the furniture store. Teri gets a call from Jack. No news on Kim. Jack can't help.

And there's another helicopter shot, this time of Dan's van driving through the streets of LA. Kim promises to tell Dan and Rick's buddies whatever they want. Janet starts having difficulty breathing and Kim tries to make Dan pull over. It doesn't work.

Palmer is watching coverage of the plane crash, which was flight #221 (there's some trivia for you). Palmer's actually waiting for a call from Carl. Now he's apologizing to Sherry, and she's trying to get information out of him. I like this exchange. Palmer: "Today is going to be the second most important day of my life." Sherry: "And what would the first one be?" Palmer: "I think you know." Sherry: "Well, I still like to hear you say it." Palmer: "All right. The most important day of my life..." Cue romantic music. "...was when I hit the game-winning three against DePaul at the Final Four." They seem so in love and supportive. They're gonna last forever. Did I mention that there will be spoilers? There will be spoilers.

Mandy's jeep arrives at the compound. We meet Ira Gaines, the head honcho of the early part of this season, and one of the top baddest baddies in the show's history. He shows Mandy the money. Ira offers her a job over the summer, which she flatly refuses. He'll get the ID soon.

Meanwhile, Jack arrives at Dunlop Plaza. He calls Nina for assistance getting into the building, because if there's anyone you can trust, it's Nina. Tony, meanwhile, traces the call and finds out what was just said. That guy's suspicious, better keep your eye on him. But there's the first appearance of the Cubs mug. Whoo hoo! Commercial #2 at 1:24:55.

We're back at 1:29:07, as Teri and Alan search for clues, Nina and Tony sit around looking furtively around, and Jack races up the stairs to the roof. That's a pretty tall building, hope he's in good shape. He gets there, and looks for Walsh. Walsh jumps out at him, but neither shoot each other. That's good. Walsh is wounded. There could be up to three shooters, you say? Perfect.

Mandy, who apparently enjoys being naked, is washing up when a man who looks remarkably like the photographer she just blew up walks in. Plastic surgery is a wonderful thing, though he should dye his hair again.

1:31:19, and Tony is looking for Jack, or trying to bully Nina into confessing something. Nina pulls rank on him, and then Tony plays the man card for their relationship outside CTU.

Jack and Walsh are still trying to get out of the building. They reach a good stopping place and try to dress Walsh's wound. Walsh blames himself for Scott's death, and Jack says that he owes Walsh his life. I wonder what that story is. They start to make a break for it when...oh, drat! There's someone in that room! Well, here we go...the first gun battle in 24 history! Let's crawl over some broken glass, and get behind some cover. Look around...there's one! Jack killed him! His first kill on 24! Sent the guy through a window too! There should be one more...there! I can't tell if Jack or Walsh killed him. I'll give it to Jack since we saw the guy get hit after Jack's shots. But, they both fired a lot of bullets. So, that's 2 for Jack. He says he's going to go ID the guy they just shot, and cuts off the guy's thumb. Pretty extreme, there, Jack. At least it wasn't his head. Did I mention that there will be spoilers? There will be spoilers.

1:36:58. The mysterious motorcyclist arrives at Gaines' compound. It's a girl! She give Gaines a photograph of the ID. She wants more money for the ID! Idjit! Gaines is not a patient man, as we'll see. Mandy doesn't look too happy either. Commercial #3, 1:38:38.

So, over the break, we've gotten to 1:42:45. Kim's in the van (she doesn't have a lot to do this episode...that seems familiar), Palmer's at work, Alan and Teri are at the furniture store. Seeing Teri in this shot, it looks like there's someone else there. No, Teri's just standing by a mirror. She found a work schedule, but it's not really useful. She calls CTU to try and get Jack to find the owner's number, but has to get it from Nina.

Back at the Palmer camp, the Palmer kids (Keith and Nicole) return from their rally and pizza run. Keith said that Green Day was there, and played The Time of Your Life. This, I doubt. The song is actually called Good Riddance, and was actually intended to be a nose thumb at their critics. But, maybe. Meanwhile, Palmer gets a call from a guy named Carl. Palmer doesn't want to talk over the phone, which means we'll have to wait another episode to find out what's going on.

Teri and Alan clean up the store, blah blah. It's 1:42:21. Nina got the number. Teri calls, no answer.

Back to the Palmer camp, and Aaron Pierce is in the house! The only person, besides Jack, to appear in every season of 24. Pierce needs to speak to Palmer. Palmer is gone. Pierce reveals that there will be an attempt on Palmer's life. Palmer is currently in the garage, about to hop in an SUV and take off. This strains credulity a bit, but oh well. Commercial #4, 1:48:44.

Final stretch, 1:53:09. Alan comforts Teri, Palmer drives, Jack and Walsh slide out the garage to escape. Wasn't there a possible third shooter? Oh yeah, there he is. Walsh is hit, and becomes the first "major" character (i.e. someone to last more than one episode) to bite it in this show. Walsh gives the keycard to Jack, tells him they can trust Jamey. Really? We can? Okay, but I think Nina's the one we should trust. The card will reveal the dirty agent. Who knows who the third shooter was, but Jack didn't get him this time. Jack races through the streets of LA, fighting the tears, running red lights and not caring. We get a helicopter shot of his tear down the roads. It's 1:54:53.

Jack calls Jamey, who has let her hair down since episode one. Jamey says that Jack can send her the keycard data on his car's mobile scanner. The scanner is just the perfect size too.

1:56:36, and Dan's van arrives at a small airport. Janet's unconscious. Dan wants Kim to call her mom and say that everything's OK. Kim won't do it, so Dan breaks Janet's arm with a crowbar. Kim calls, and tearfully tells her mother that she's fine, she's at a party, she's sorry and that she loves her. That made Mommy suspicious.

Jamey's got a match on the keycard. It's Tony, right? Let's see...it's NINA MYERS! NO WAY! SHE WAS THE ONLY PERSON I THOUGHT I COULD TRUST! SHE BETRAYED ME AND EVERYONE ELSE! JACK, GET BACK TO CTU AND KILL HER ON SIGHT! IT'LL MAKE LIFE EASIER!

Ahem. Sorry. Got carried away. But here's the final split screen, showing Nina in blissful ignorance, Kim terrified, Palmer on the move, Teri and Alan leaving the furniture store, and Jack in shock. And finally, we see our fake photographer blow away an egg.

1:59:57...1:59:58...1:59:59...2:00:00.

I didn't see this episode when it originally aired. In fact, I didn't see it at all until FX ran an all day 24 marathon on Labor Day 2002. Yes, I stayed up to see the episodes. I didn't watch all day, but I did for most of it. I missed episode three as well, so it was good to see the points I missed. In all, this was an enjoyable episode and featured the first of the really tense action sequences the show became known for. So, let's see what happens next time.