Episode Report Card M. Giant: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Edgar, Dead! Grr.
By M. Giant | Season 5 | Episode 12 | Aired on 03.05.2006
At 6:25:02, Kiefer, Audrey, and a Redshirt stand in an observation room. And what are they observing? It's Henderson, completely strapped down to a dentist's chair in a diagonal cruciform posture, looking like he's about to get probed by aliens. Remember, we're the good guys. Burke is in there with him, his eye on some kind of monitor. To kill the time, Kiefer asks what Audrey knows about Spawn's date. All Audrey can say is that Barry is registered as a clinical psychologist. "She was his patient?" Kiefer grits in barely controlled fury. Wow, he was just trying to make idle conversation, and now he has new fuel for his rage before he enters an interrogation. Bonus! Burke says over the intercom, "He's ready." Kiefer looks at Henderson's defiant face, and explains what we're about to see: "Whatever he's not telling us is important. He knows what's coming. And he's willing to tolerate an inhuman amount of pain. Open the door," he tells the guard. And then he's in the room with Henderson, leaving Audrey alone to observe some more of the torturing she hates so much. I wonder what vitally important job she's putting off to see this. ["I'm way back on the fact that we're supposed to buy the nimrod from Secret Admirer as a shrink. Dear show: Hmmm…no." -- Sars]
In the interrogation room, there's a long, silent moment between teacher and student, which Kiefer breaks. He says he believes that Henderson is doing what he thinks is best for the country, but it's not up to him. Henderson smiles and says, "Good, Jack. Disarm your subject's resolve by showing empathy and respect for his agenda." Kiefer's not amused. It must be frustrating to have to try and interrogate the guy who taught you all of your techniques. Although I would think that even given Kiefer's past hiatuses from CTU, he would have done a better job than Henderson of keeping up with the newest literature. Henderson says he's really sorry, but he can't tell Kiefer anything. Kiefer backs away as the music gets all eerily Lynchian and tells Burke, "Start it." He rejoins Audrey in the observation room, and they watch in silence as Burke preps a syringe and injects the contents into Henderson's IV tube. Because torture is really nothing if not clean, sterile, and strictly controlled. Henderson's face contorts in agony. Audrey watches like this is something she needs to see for her own good, even though she really doesn't want to. I guess she figures that if she and Kiefer are going to make a go of it, she's going to have to take an interest in the things he loves doing. Kiefer just watches his old boss impassively. And the student becomes the master, he thinks. Bitch. It's 6:27:52.
6:32:03. It's full dark at Not Camp David, and FLOTUS is outside having a smoke. And before you ask: yes, she's changed her clothes again. No sooner has she lit up than Novick scampers up to her. "If this is about Aaron, it doesn't concern you," she preempts. Novick eagerly agrees, and says that's not what he's there to talk about. Somewhat disarmed, she asks what's up. Novick says that Logan needs her. Instead of recognizing how hard that must be for Novick to say, FLOTUS just scoffs at the very thought. I suppose the President did let her get almost-blown-up about a hundred minutes ago, so she's allowed to be a little prickly still. Novick sees her point, but says, "I was with him when he got down on his knees and prayed." FLOTUS seems a little touched that Logan did anything of the sort. Novick leaves out the embarrassing fact that he was kneeling as well; his need for FLOTUS's help is critical, but not desperate. Novick continues laying it on, and we can see that he's getting through to her, even though he's talking to her back. Before she turns to face him, she composes herself and, making a big show of cutting through the crap, asks Novick what he wants from her. Novick sits down next to her and tells her that Vice President Gardner (a name! thank you!) is trying to talk Logan into declaring martial law. For once, Novick and FLOTUS agree on something, namely that that's a really bad idea. He presses home his case: "All I know is that the President is listening to Hal Gardner. And it will only help the country to have him listening to you as well." FLOTUS takes this in. After the morning she had, the draw of being listened to is still powerful.