'24': Patient Zero

The vast majority of hours on "24" involve Jack doing something productive. This would be one of those instances where he takes a well-deserved break to allow for other characters to shine in their own vastly different ways. Problem is, most everyone seemed to do a lot this hour, except they didn't really do much of anything.

The Spoilers know the difference between a sneeze and a wet fart.

Poor Jack. He saves DC from imminent danger and all he gets in return is an airborne pathogen for his efforts. I would think the naked decontamination shower in the middle of the road would be bad enough, but to know you're carrying a variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob presumably for the rest of your life... harsh. The good news in all this is that he can't spread it, but Moss prevents him from going back into the field for fear the disease will rear its ugly head at exactly the wrong time. By the end of the hour, I was lovingly (yet patronizingly) patting Jack on the head, telling him everything will be okay.

Jonas opened his big bag of crazy by channeling his inner Bud Kilmer, insisting the weapon not only be fixed, but also deployed within the hour. That's a Herculean feat when the thing is functioning perfectly, much less when it's leaking gas faster than Apollo 13. Meanwhile, he enlists Greg to beat Tony to within an inch of his life for info on what the government knows. Problem is the crazy boss routine is starting to wear thin on Greg, who finds his opportunity to plan his exit by taking out the hostile guarding Tony, then offering the location of the weapon in exchange for immunity. It's win-win for everybody!

President Taylor needs a Chief of Staff since Olivia did such the bang-up job disposing of Ethan in short order. Somewhat to her surprise, the Prez offers it to her on an interim basis, which she is more than happy to accept. She even sweet talks Aaron Pierce to un-retire and become head of her Secret Service detail. Yep, her star is on the rise. Back to the crisis at hand: Homeland Security Secretary Tim and Larry Moss both tell the Prez that Jack is a good guy again and that Starkwood has been in cahoots with Sangala for quite some time, what with the manufacturing and testing of WMDs and whatnot. She quickly assembles the Cabinet and Joint Chiefs to consider invading the Starkwood compound and deactivating the weapon... except there's this little thing called the Posse Comitatus Act to deal with first. Naturally, the President is willing to shoot first and ask questions later, so the mission is authorized.

Once the electronic ink is dry on his federal pardon, Greg reveals the location of the weapon. Moss assembles his small army and choppers over to the Starkwood campus. Frankly, bored and subdued Jack simply does not work for me. Yes, he's a spectator because of his "condition," but that doesn't mean he has to play the whipped little puppy here. Jonas orders his team to work twice as hard now that the government is on the way. As if on cue, the helicopters hover just as Tony and Greg gain access. The big, happy group converges on the warehouse in question only to find it vacant. Mr. Seaton played them for fools, a feeling not lost on Moss. Three miles away on the other side of the compound (yes, three miles), Jonas is pleased his plan is coming together. We end with a standoff between the government and Starkwood with the main player engaged in the mother of all pissing matches.

Larry, good luck getting out of there alive. The time is now Midnight.

It's hard for me to remember the last time Jack was such a non-factor in an hour.