DAY ONE: 3:00 am to 4:00 am

On to episode four, originally aired November 27, 2001.

The following takes place between 3:00 am and 4:00 am, on the day of the California presidential primary.

They're no longer saying "events take place in real time." I think in future seasons, they only say that for the first episode, but this time, it was for the first three. Also, I don't know when Jack started doing his little spiel about how this was the longest day of his life. I know they started it on the DVD much later than they started it in the show, but I don't know when it started. Anyway, this episode begins with Janet lying in the street, and somebody driving by and calling her stupid. I agree. I mean, tragic accident and all, but drugs are bad, mmkay? She can move, but can't seem to ask for help. And no one seems to care. Welcome to the bad part of town.

Kim is being dragged off by Rick and Dan. You know, for as long as Kim and Janet were running, they sure didn't get very far from the van. Kim tries to convince the boys to go back for Janet, but they won't listen. Not yet...keep yapping, Kim. You'll convince them eventually.

At CTU (3:03:29), Jack tries to apologize for his insensitive behavior. He lets her into his confidences, now that he's sure she's not dirty. So, now there are three in on this little sting operation. Funny how only one of them is actually legit. Did I mention that there will be spoilers? There will be spoilers.

Palmer's home. He calls Carl, telling him to work faster. This is called exposition, and the became quite expert at working it into the first few minutes of every episode. You know, for those of us who missed last week, and for those of us who missed the recap of last week. It makes for some awkward situations, especially when it puts someone on the phone with someone they were technically just with or talking to (I just saw an episode from Day Four in which Jack was on the phone with CTU as the episode ended, and then he called them back as the next episode began...he must've been off the phone with them for a max of five seconds). Anyway, Carl has nothing yet, having only left Palmer twenty minutes ago. Sherry comes in, and starts demanding to know where David was. He doesn't want to talk about it. He laughs off the assassination threat.

Back at CTU, Tony calls Jack as he's walking by. He tells Jack about an empty seat in first class, though the manifest shows that the flight was full. Was that Mandy's seat, or Martin's? Probably Martin's. Wouldn't want anyone suspicious about a dead photographer showing up to photograph a presidential candidate, would you? Jack sets Tony to work on that. Nina and Jamey then show Jack an address they pulled off the keycard...18166 San Fernando Road. It shows no good connection to Palmer. As Jamey checks further, Tony looks suspiciously in their direction. He's dirty, I tell ya! Jack decides to check out the address, but as he's about to head out, the system locks down. Division has arrived, and that means our good buddy George Mason! Give a cheer!

Jack heads for an exit while George spews some beaureaucratic nonsense about lockdowns being standard procedure when agents die. As many agents as have died on this show since, I don't quite believe that. Really, they only lockdown when they want to stop Jack from leaving the building. Never works.

An agent is foolish enough to try to keep Jack from leaving, and proves my point as he writhes in agony. 3:09:10, commercial time.

3:13:13. Jack flees, Kim worries, and Mason is taking over CTU. He addresses the crowd, they will be monitored, continue to work, yada yada yada...this is all Tony's fault. Mason receives the news that Jack got away, starts questioning Nina. I can already see the spark of new relationship budding. Not Mason and Nina, but Xander Berkeley and Sarah Chalke. Married a year after meeting on the set of 24, still married.

3:17:34. Palmer is preoccupied. Agent Pierce comes to warn him about the threat on his life. "I get serious threats every morning with my orange juice." Pierce says that an airline exploded an hour and a half ago. Actually, closer to two and a half hours ago, Aaron. We don't know much, but we know they want you dead today, Senator. Palmer won't call off the breakfast later this morning...nobody'd dare try anthing there anyway.

Keith comes in, the Palmer men chat. David misses the opportunity to have a heart to heart.

3:19:09. The van swerves down the road. I notice a lack of rock music here, it's all Callery. Is the party atmosphere gone, or has the show decided to go with one sound for the soundtrack? Kim's still yapping about going to rescue Janet. Unfortunately, she convinces Dan, who decides they need to make sure Janet is dead, so she can't finger them. Kim freaks out, struggles with Rick who's trying to duct tape her mouth shut, he slaps her. And, let's face it...it's horrible what's happening to her, but haven't we all wanted to do that at some point?

Alan and Teri race through the streets, trying to reach their daughters. And it may be 3:20 in the morning, but the LAPD is still out, ALAN. So, Alan gets out of the car, which is never a smart move. Now the cop is really suspicious. As Teri and Alan try to convince him their daughters really are missing, he starts to comment on the fact that they have different last names, Teri's married, Alan isn't, they're out together in the middle of the night...you know, he's kinda sick. He goes to verify that they really did call 911, and Alan decides to get out of the car AGAIN. And now he's under arrest. And Dan's van drives slowly past to silence Janet...that's the second near miss of the night for this storyline. 3:23:48, more commercials.

3:27:51. Dan's determined, Alan's arrested, Teri's terrified, and Mason's meddling. Hey, that was fun! Mason is about to interrogate Nina, and perhaps this is the moment they fell in love. I can imagine the cameras rolling, Mason asking the hard hitting questions, and then asking, "What are you doing tonight at, say, 7:00?" Anyway, Mason wants to know where Jack is, Nina ain't talkin'. Nina plays the bank account card, Mason plays the affair card. No movement.

Jack, meanwhile, is heading for 18166 San Fernando Road (another fictional location, according to Google Maps). It's 3:29:33. He tries to call Teri, who chooses that moment to get out of the car herself, leaving her phone in the car. Jack leaves a message, then pulls into the location, which conveniently has the number grafittied on the wall. He heads into the building, and finds a guy. The guy bolts, Jack chases (I think we just got Jack's first "DI"!), shots are fired, alerting a passing cop. What's she doing alone in this neighborhood at this time of night? Well, Jack's guy runs past, and she only chooses to stop Jack. After he convinces her he's with the government, they go into a dark building. Teri, meanwhile, see's that she missed Jack's call and calls him back. JACK! Phones on silent when chasing an armed suspect! Holy cow, what bush league cop school did you go to? I notice that Teri has AT&T. That's the first overt product placement I've noticed, and there will be others. The phone gives away their location, more shots are fired, Jack and the cop chase the baddie. The cop gets a call that back up is on the way. Jack doesn't want more cops, because they have to play by the rules.

Mason's still harassing Nina at 3:30:16 (!!!!!! It was 3:29 before Jack arrived at the warehouse! That was five minutes ago! That's the worst time error I've seen on this show!). Nina's been with the agency for seven years. Mason tries to convince her that Jack is holding her back. Mason uses the fresh and original "loose cannon" phrase to describe Jack. Nina stands firm, and refuses to say where Jack is. Good for you, Nina. Stick to those morals and ethics we know you have.

Jack and the cop continue through the warehouse.

Back at the warehouse, Jack and the cop continue to track the bad guy. A lone Hispanic janitor trundles through, startling the officers. They manage to get him out of the way just as the bad guy starts shooting again. Jack fires back, then runs after. The cop yells for the janitor to stay there.

3:36:08. Dan's van drives to Janet's location. She has been lying in the middle of the street all this time. Medical is either really slow, or people are really mean. Kim is whining through her duct tape, and Dan holds a gun ot the window, ready to silence Janet. Fortunately, an ambulance chooses that moment to arrive. 3:37:28, more commercials.

3:40:06. Dan is frustrated, Kim is still whining, Teri is trying to call Jack, Jack is trying to catch the bad guy in this HUGE warehouse, and agents from Division are questioning everyone at CTU. Nina finally gets released by Mason, and she goes to warn Jamey, who has changed out of her party outfit and put up her hair. Has it been like that for a while, and I just didn't notice? Forget it, I ain't going back to look. Stinking DVD.

Jack's still searching, the cop's still with him. They hear the bad guy upstairs, then see him through a broken window. He's heading for the other building.

3:41:56. Carl's got a name for Palmer, George Ferragamo, a name Palmer knows. He hangs up, then goes out to find Sherry, who says he's been spending an awful lot of time behind closed doors, making phone calls. Palmer finally comes clean, telling her what Kingsley had to say about Keith possible murdering Nicole's rapist. He also tells her about Ferragamo, who was Keith's therapist. Palmer's now doubting Keith's innocence.

3:44:41. Alan is still sitting cuffed on the curb. The cop finally gets confirmation of the 911 call, and releases Alan and Teri. "That still doesn't justify you disobeying a police officer." This is a cop with power issues. AT LEAST BUCKLE YOUR SEAT BELT, ALAN!

Back up has arrived at the warehouse in the form of a helicopter, and ground units are on the way. Jack still has to catch the bad guy first to claim jurisdiction. He and the cop split up to try and pin the baddie down. They're out in the open...I thought it was on the roof before, but now I think it's an alley. For one thing, they came downstairs. For another, there are dumpsters. Anyway, the helicopter spots Jack, and the baddie takes another shot at him. Meanwhile, the cop bumps into the janitor again, and gets grabbed by the baddie. 3:46:40, the last commercial break.

3:52:26, the final stretch for this episode. The baddie has the cop, Alan and Teri are trying to find Kim, Jamey's awaiting George's interrogation, and Jack is still looking. The baddie yells at Jack to come and get him. They face off, with the baddie holding a gun to the cop. Jack drops his weapon after telling the officer, in Spanish, to move as soon as he does. Jack drops the gun, there's a shot, and Jack tackles the baddie. However, the cop is dead.

Alan and Teri arrive at the location to see an ambulance leaving the scene. 3:52:51. They are playing it loose with the time in this episode. Didn't they check these things? That last scene was longer than 25 seconds. Anyway, they stop to ask a homeless woman about what happened. The woman says a girl was hit by a car, probably went to St. Mark's, didn't look good. So, that's where Alan and Teri are headed next.

Meanwhile, Dan and Rick are delivering Kim to Gaines. Gaines wants to know where Janet is. Dan says that they killed her, and that no one will discover the body.

At CTU, Jamey is about to get questioned by Mason. We get the sense that she's not as strong as Nina, but fortunately, Mason gets called away when he finds out that Jack has been found. 3:57:46.

At the warehouse, the cop is being hauled off, DOA. Jack looks stricken. Over a police band, we hear a report about a pedestrian hit by a vehicle, which I can only assume is Janet. Jack asks the cop's name, which was Jessie Hampton. Jack needs a few minutes with the suspect, who is now a cop killer. Jack tries to reason with the guy, who insists that Jack spring him so he'll talk. And the suspect knows Jack's name. He also knows that Kim is missing. WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT MY DAUGHTER?!? Split screen...Kim is in trouble, Alan and Teri are racing to the hospital, and Sherry and Palmer are concerned. Jack runs off to his car, and takes off for the police station. Hampton's car is still there, lights flashing, door open as Jack speeds away.

3:59:57...3:59:58...3:59:59...4:00:00.

As I think I've said before, I didn't catch all of this episode when it first aired, but I didn't miss another one all year. I wasn't quite hooked yet, but I was close. Since I hadn't seen the previous episodes, I was not aware that Jack did not yet know his daughter was kidnapped. I also didn't know how Janet came to be lying in the street. And I didn't know that Nina had been a suspect only one hour ago. I did manage to catch up, but a few things would have made more sense had I seen those episodes.