Episode Report Card M. Giant: C+ | 330 USERS: C+ YOU GRADE IT Thrilling Bureaucratic Intrigue!
By M. Giant | Season 5 | Episode 16 | Aired on 2006.04.03
It's 10:16:22, and Kiefer is using a white rag to clean his face while driving. He's always been such a god multitasker. At CTU, Chloe and New Girl Shari are just about to start data-mining Henderson's work records when a whole group of people in suits marches in. Chloe and Shari look up worriedly, like this doesn't happen several times a day. The guy at the front of the group points the blonde woman at his right to Chloe, who tells Shari, "That's Jim Hill from Homeland." In case we missed it, Jim Hill from Homeland introduces himself to some random as "Jim Hill, Homeland Security," and then promptly disappears from the episode. Great to meet you, Jim Hill from Homeland! Take care! The blonde he sicced on Chloe comes over and announces that she's there to take over Chloe's station. Chloe tries not to completely freak out as she asks what's going on, and that's Hayes's cue to come out and make her big announcement. From the mezzanine over the main floor, she tells the room that CTU is being absorbed by DHS, and asks everyone to "cooperate to make this transition as smooth as possible." Of course, if the search for Henderson were really a priority, the transition would be as nonexistent as possible, but there are obviously other agendas at play here. She reminds them that Bierko is on his way to CTU Medical, and that Henderson is still "an open protocol." And that's all she has to say. I would expect pandemonium to erupt on the floor below as fired CTUers try to make off with armloads of office supplies, laptops, and interrogation drugs, but that doesn't happen. Buchanan just turns away, looking disgusted.