Episode Report Card M. Giant: A- | 170 USERS: B+ YOU GRADE IT Day 8: 4:00 PM -- 5:00 PM
By M. Giant | Season 8 | Episode 1 | Aired on 2010.01.17
Out in the hall at 4:39:03, Ethan pops a pill from a prescription vial. He makes no attempt to hide it as Rob comes up to apologize for maybe coming on so strong inside the meeting room. Ethan assures him it's all good: "Don't worry, kid. I ain't dead yet," he assures Rob with an avuncular smile. On this show? Is he trying to get himself killed?
Leading Victor down the street, Kiefer calls Spawn on his cell phone and understates, predictably, "Something came up." He says he'll be a little late, and offers to meet her at the airport instead. Spawn's a little worried, but he assures her it's fine. "Teri is so excited that you're coming back with us," she guilt-trips. "Just let me know when you're on your way." If this were anyone other than Spawn, I'd say she's totally onto him, but I think she's just bored. After Kiefer hangs up, he tells Victor they have two blocks to go and leads him into an alley to cut through. Solid plan. Isn't there an underground parking garage they could visit on the way as well?
Chloe finally delivers Victor's file to Hastings in his office, making the excuse that it was in a proprietary database. Hastings says she was still too slow, and exposits that she's been here a month. "Almost a month," Chloe protests, "and I've had to relearn the interface on every major system here. Everything's changed." That's kind of awesome -- the one interesting and believable thing they could to do this character is throw her into a new environment where she isn't Queen Shit of Turd Mountain any more. See how that mouth helps her when she doesn't have the skills to back it up. Hastings gets that she's having trouble adapting, but doesn't blame her intelligence. "Thanks," Chloe spits. Hastings thinks it's more like ambivalence. "I know the only reason you took this job was because your husband was downsized. Am I wrong?" Aw, poor Morris. Chloe unconvincingly says he is, and asks for more time. Hastings agrees. "But I'm all about efficiency, so if your performance doesn't improve, you may want to rethink working here. I trust this has been clarifying." Oh, who talks like that? As if reading my mind, Chloe says before leaving, "If you really wanted to be more efficient, why don't you just say if I don't catch up soon I'm going to be fired?" She leaves him shaking his head, as so many CTU bosses have done before him.