Episode Report Card M. Giant: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Undercover Brothers
By M. Giant | Season 7 | Episode 4 | Aired on 01.12.2009
Emerson's hanging out in his crappy, dusty, unfinished basement for some reason when a bald henchman named Morgan comes downstairs to say he might have some freelance replacements for Tony lined up. Right on cue, Emerson's cell phone rings, and he's surprised to hear that it's Tony. Instead of asking why Tony's blowing his one phone call on Emerson, he asks where he is. Oh, he already heard that Tony escaped, so that's why. "I also heard it was Jack Bauer who broke you out," Emerson adds. His source at the Bureau has been busy. But Emerson's confused, since he also knows Kiefer helped nab Tony in the first place. "He didn't have a choice. He's on board now," Tony says, as though that should clear everything up. Tony explains about the criminal charges pending against Kiefer. "I told him that if he helped with the mission, we could get him out of the country." He insists that they can use Kiefer for their upcoming gig, whatever it might be. Emerson has his doubts, saying that Morgan has new men coming in. "Morgan's a thug!" Tony complains. "He can't run point on something this important. Let me do it like we planned, Bauer can take Tanner's place, and we're good to go." Of course they didn't exactly plan it, because Tony didn't know anything about the job before he got arrested. Emerson goes along with it, though, and directs Tony to an address on Chesterfield. "Did he buy it?" Kiefer asks when Tony hangs up. "We'll see," says Tony, filling everyone with confidence. It's 11:11:55.
11:16:23. In the White House residence, Henry is writing a note at his desk, with the president puttering around in the adjoining room. Hearing a soft knock at the door that opens to the hall, Henry gets up to partially close the door to Taylor's room before answering it. It's Agent Getsch, whom Henry summoned to give him a ride somewhere. Getsch asks where, so he can put it on the manifest. "As before, I'd like you to keep this off the manifest," Henry says. "And no driver this time, just you." "Thought we were through with all the subterfuge, Mr. Taylor," Getsch says, like a disappointed teacher. He makes Henry explain about how Sam called him, when he was ready to let the whole thing drop. Finally, by promising to make this the last time, appealing to Getsch's sense of loyalty, and calling him by his first name (Brian), Henry gets Getsch to agree. Just in time, too, as Taylor comes out, asking for his help putting on a bracelet. Apparently she got it from her father, the day she won back his Senate seat. She tells Taylor that Matobo wants to meet with her, probably to ask why the invasion hasn't been authorized yet. So that's why she took time out from the multiple crises of the day, to come back and put on a bracelet for a meeting with someone she already met with earlier today? For the first time in my adult life, I'm having doubts about female POTUSes. Taylor says she doesn't know what to do, and he says something both completely supportive and thoroughly unhelpful: "The right call is whatever you decide it is." Well, that certainly takes the pressure off.