Episode Report Card M. Giant: A | 215 USERS: B YOU GRADE IT A Terrorist Walks into a Bar[ometric Pressure Chamber]
By M. Giant | Season 8 | Episode 10 | Aired on 2010.03.01
A local news anchor is on the TV, smirking incongruously as he reports that "Farhad Hassan [sic]" has been found alive. They have the whole story about Farhad calling CTU and CTU showing up to find him shot but expected to live. How fortunate that the local Fox affiliate is breaking into its late-night infomercials to share this news with CTU. Samir and his men are watching this highly convenient broadcast in the diner when Ali shows up, stunned at what he believes is his own failure. The news even gives the name of the hospital where Farhad is supposedly being sent. And because these terrorists are luckily as stupid as CTU would have had to be to actually publicize that information were this story true, they know they have to go after him. I hate to say it, but this is the weakest part of what's otherwise a very strong episode. In fact I'd be more likely to buy this if CTU decided to publicize the story on Twitter. Ali wants to go after Farhad himself, but Samir informs him, "We're sending Marcos. They won't suspect him. His mother's American. He's in the truck with the rods." The truck that's parked by the curb out front. Is this what Samir meant by "a secure location" last hour?
Outside, at 1:32:25, the bug-eyed little runt playing Marcos paces around the case in the back of the truck. He pulls out his cell phone and dials. "Mom, it's me," he says, as in an apartment somewhere on the other end of the line, Mare Winningham turns on her bedside light. In a weirdly flat voice, he tells her to get out of the city and go to Aunt Shelly's. He can't explain why, or tell her where he is, but she needs to go now. He promises to meet her at Aunt Shelly's to explain everything, and she finally agrees to go. He quickly gets off the phone just as Samir enters, unsuspecting. "Are you ready, my friend?" Samir asks. Marcos is. His mom probably isn't, though.