Episode Report Card M. Giant: B | 248 USERS: B- YOU GRADE IT Framed in Vain
By M. Giant | Season 7 | Episode 21 | Aired on 2009.05.04
Janis enters Hodges's medical room with a wheelchair and a gray-haired plainclothes officer she introduces as Marshal Sullivan, who will be taking him into witness protection. She leaves the two of them alone, but not before Hodges favors her with a creepy, "Thank you for your hospitality, young lady." Sullivan hands Hodges a slim folder containing his new identity. "Robert Tippet, that's my new name," Hodges says. "Sounds like a dog breed." Aw, things are tough all over. Although now I'm starting to wonder whether witness protection has naming conventions that reflect the different ethical status of their clientele. Say, someone like Hodges, a terrorist/traitor who rolls over on his compatriots, gets named Mervin Q. Dungbeetle, whereas an innocent who informs on the mob with nothing to gain becomes Bono Tripod Godlike III. Sullivan tells him they're going to Colorado, where they'll finish up the biography and new ID, and start counseling. "It helps entrants deal with their new circumstances," Sullivan explains. "Do I impress you as someone who needs therapy to cope with new circumstances?" Hodges asks drily. Not for that, no. Sullivan tells him it's there if he needs it, on the taxpayer's dime. "You think I'm getting off easy, don't you?" Hodges asks him. Sullivan doesn't comment, but Hodges accuses him of giving off attitude, which he takes as license to launch yet another self-pitying stemwinder: "I've lost everything. My company, my family, and most importantly, my name. Do you know how much blood and sweat went into making that name mean something? That name...I don't think it means what he thinks it means. Instead of threatening to give Hodges the name Tampon Hitler, Sullivan says they're off to Andrews AFB in 30 minutes, so get ready. After he leaves the room, Hodges hurls the folder against the wall. Touchy! It's 4:23:26.
At 4:28:22, Kiefer and Walker pull up outside the mosque in a silver FBI SUV. Kiefer's fraying -- blinking and grunting and generally acting like he ate too much Thai food -- but insists to Walker that he's fine. And then he draws and cocks his gun. She asks him what he's doing, since they could be innocent. Kiefer reminds her that Hodges is using sleeper cells. "Al-Zarian might not be knowingly complicit about everything that happened today, but innocent? No." Kiefer's definition of "innocent" certainly is a flexible thing, isn't it? There are a lot more of them when he's defending torturing someone. Walker presses the button outside the steel grate that serves as a security door, and almost immediately a light comes on inside the vestibule and a voice answers, "Yes?" While Kiefer lurks out of camera range, Walker holds her badge up to the lens and tells the imam they're there to ask for his help, "to stop a potential terrorist attack." The man himself opens the door and steps out, not brimming with helpfulness. At least they didn't wake him up, since he's wearing a cardigan and button-down shirt. "I know you," he says to Kiefer. "My name is Jack Bauer," Kiefer responds. Gohar knows him from TV. Dude, those Senate hearings this morning must have had better ratings than an American Idol finale. Walker asks to come in, and Gohar unlocks the gate and admits them, giving Kiefer the hairy eyeball the whole time.