Episode Report Card M. Giant: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Duress Code: Casual
By M. Giant | Season 5 | Episode 4 | Aired on 01.15.2006
It's 10:19:02 as Buchanan gets downstairs and tells Chloe to send the plan to McGill. Chloe once again demonstrates her superhuman ability to always cut straight to the wrong thing to say when she responds, "Does that mean he's running point instead of you?" Buchanan mumbles that it doesn't mean anything, and starts to slump off. Audrey catches up to him to tell him that Curtis's time frame is now ten minutes. So he's already shaved off a few. Oddly, Buchanan does not start dancing for joy. Did you know that the actor who plays Buchanan is also a yoga teacher? The only thing that surprises me more than learning that is how easy I find it to picture.
Beresch is still watching the news on his portable TV. There's no indication that Logan's planning on ditching the treaty, but Beresch thinks that's only because the Americans think the rescue will succeed. "Once we kill their men, they'll realize their options have run out," he smirks to a sidekick. He and his minions stride off out of Kiefer and Derek's earshot. Now that the two star hostages are relatively alone, Derek remarks sadly, "The only chance these people had of being rescued is gone because of me." Kiefer says it isn't Derek's fault. Derek insists, "I'm the reason you went along with them. If I wasn't here..." Spot-on analysis, Derek. You may live, for now. But Kiefer assures him, "This is not over." Derek turns to stare wonderingly at Kiefer, his jaw in a flank two position.
Logan is watching the news alone in his Situation Room when Novick comes in to inform him that the rescue op is back on track. Even so, the prez is starting to get defeatist about their chances for success. Novick tries to be encouraging, but, being Novick, he doesn't really feel like spending a lot of time on it. He says it's time for Logan and the Russian president to walk out to the stage together for the treaty-signing. Logan goes outside, where President Suvarov is waiting to walk out with him. Suvarov looks almost as worried as Logan does, which only emphasizes the Russian president's resemblance to a Gahan Wilson cartoon. He says to Logan in his Boris Badenov accent, "Like you, I have staked much of my political future on the success of this treaty. If this rescue attempt fails, it will not only be rendered meaningless; it will become a mockery. And so will we." Way to talk him out of his tree, there, Yuri.
It's 10:22:02 as Walt, who has nothing better to do than spend all his time covering his own ass, knocks on the door to FLOTUS's suite and tells Evelyn that he's there to escort FLOTUS to the signing. So I guess he got rid of Aaron or something. Before FLOTUS comes out, though, Walt wants to grill Evelyn about FLOTUS's trip to the Archive Room during the previous episode. Evelyn starts to plead ignorance of the whole matter, but Walt goes all bad-cop on her and says that if FLOTUS got a hold of anything classified, Evelyn will not only be fired, but prosecuted as well for aiding and abetting a security breach. I'm thinking Evelyn is probably already spending a lot of her downtime on Monster.com as it is. In any case, she tells Walt that FLOTUS claims to have taken a transcript of a phone call between herself and Palmer, and that it's hidden in FLOTUS's blouse. Walt nods grimly, and FLOTUS comes out into the hallway to say she's ready. She and Walt leave Evelyn standing there in the hall, wondering if she should quit as soon as FLOTUS gets back, or before then.