Episode Report Card M. Giant: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Swap Meet
By M. Giant | Season 6 | Episode 19 | Aired on 04.22.2007
Back at CTU, which the electromagnetic interference from the power lines is preventing the tracker's signal from reaching, Morris and Chloe are engaging in some low-grade sniping at one another. "This doesn't have to be personal," says Chloe. "Can we just figure this out?" "It's not personal, and I've figured it out," says Morris, spotting the power lines on his satellite map and realizing that Kiefer must be using them to jam the tracker's signal. He asks Chloe to keep an eye on things while he goes upstairs to brief Buchanan. As soon as he's gone, Milo turns around to kibitz with Chloe: "I can't believe that Jack would give the circuit board to the Chinese." Chloe says that Kiefer would die first. Milo agrees, but wonders if he'd give up Audrey's life, too. Chloe doesn't have an answer for that. Uh, I do. It's kind of how we got here.
Up in Buchanan's office, he and Morris are on the line with Doyle, explaining about the power lines. They still think Doyle is headed in the right direction to catch up with Kiefer -- just eight miles behind, is all. Maybe next time, Doyle will try to steal a faster car.
Back east, Wayne's Press Secretary takes the podium at the White House press briefing room. She tells the assembled reporters and the live TV cameras that Wayne's on his way to Bethesda Naval Hospital, that his prognosis is unknown, and that the Veep will be addressing the country at 9:00 Eastern, right after the season finale ends. And then she signs off without taking any questions. Remember how useless I said she was last hour for letting Wayne's hard drive crash in slow motion on live TV? She makes up for it by being a complete dud in front of the media. Wayne must be screwing her.
The Veep has been watching the broadcast in the Oval Office, along with Tom, Lisa, and a group of non-speaking advisors. At the end, the Veep shuts off the tube and dismisses everyone except Tom. He wants to "clear the air" about Tom's intentions for the recording he has of Lisa and the Veep conspiring to commit perjury. If it were me, I'd want Tom to clear the tape instead of the air, but then I lack the Veep's finesse. Tom gives the Veep a little lecture about his misbehavior. The Veep reminds Tom that the country could use a bit of stability right now. Tom says that he was only trying to protect himself and Wayne, and when the Veep brings up Wayne's blackmail, Tom disavows any involvement. Tom says that he agrees with the Veep on policy: "I simply hate how we got here." But the Veep can still count on Tom's support, as well as his word that he won't be holding the recording over the Veep's head. He's not tall enough, for one thing. They shake on it, and the Veep moves on to his next subject, which is what to do about Karen Hayes. Tom says that Karen's "smart" and "brings balance," so the Veep agrees to keep her around, at least until she casts a vote he doesn't like and he decides to try retroactively firing her again.