Episode Report Card M. Giant: A | 310 USERS: A- YOU GRADE IT Two Can Play at That Game
By M. Giant | Season 7 | Episode 1 | Aired on 2009.01.11
Back at the hideout, a voice calls out to Donnie Pfaster, "Masters!" And as he steps out from the shadows with close-cropped hair, a poor shave, and an expression of bored annoyance that's clearly his version of "evil," Tony asks, "We in their system?" They are. Global Skies/Air flight 117 lifts off from the runway. To CERTAIN DOOM! Except Masters then whips off his headset, since the CIP module Latham made them has quit working. You can tell by the word "MALFUNCTION" in the corner of one of the screens. "I thought Latham said it was good to go," Tony complains. "Well, it's not," says Masters. Piqued, Tony takes the component back to the other room and orders a terrified Latham to fix it. "You're gonna want to move faster than that," he clarifies. "See, 'cause if you can't make this work in the next few minutes, I won't need you any more." Instead of asking why they didn't kidnap him earlier if they were in such an all-fired hurry, Latham gets the message loud and clear: FIX IT! Although he doesn't ask whether Tony's going to keep needing him indefinitely. It's 8:16:55.
And I gotta say, absolute genius move to reveal Tony not only in the first episode, but in the first act. Obviously his return was pretty thoroughly spoiled a long time ago, so getting it out of the way as soon as possible was a great call. Plus I appreciate the show not expecting me to act surprised.
At 8:21:44, we're in the Oval Office, where President Allison Taylor is doing what all 24 presidents do in times of crisis: watching the news. Specifically, it's a "CNB" network report on General Juma, the Sangalan warlord we met in "Redemption." Apparently he's been busy in the last month and a half; he's killed almost 300,000 civilians. So far. It's the "so far" that puts this in Taylor's lap. Her Chief of Staff, Ethan Kanin (not to be confused with writer Ethan Canin, who to my knowledge has never been a senior administration official), mutes the TV and says this is the worst mass murder since Rwanda, but half the newspaper columnists are against U.S. intervention. Taylor predicts that the same pundits will accuse them of moral bankruptcy in six months if they do nothing. Damned if they do, damned if they don't, and fucked with their pants on if they're foolish enough to rely on the U.N. Looking at the TV, which is now showing images of a grinning Juma with a rifle slung over his shoulder, Taylor insists, "General Juma has to be stopped." Ethan says they're only awaiting her order to do so, and the Joint Chiefs are assembling in the Situation Room. Well, okay, it sounds like the decision has been made, then. Suddenly Taylor's husband Henry bursts in unannounced, saying a reporter is doing a CNB piece against moving in. Colm Feore, the actor who plays Henry, has always been a thin man, but some genius costume designer has put him in a suit that's a little too big, as though he's recently lost weight. The possible reasons for this will become apparent soon. Taylor's not happy to hear about the upcoming news report. "As if getting through this day won't be hard enough," she foreshadows. Henry offers to try to talk the reporter down, and she quietly gives him the go-ahead, against Ethan's suggestions. But now the Joint Chiefs are waiting, and Ethan hands her a briefing folder and starts to leave the room. Before going, Taylor clasps hands with her husband and says, "Wish me luck." "Luck," he responds, with admirable verbal economy.