Episode Report Card M. Giant: C+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT ImHoudini
By M. Giant | Season 4 | Episode 19 | Aired on 04.24.2005
Many viewers are disappointed to see that by the time the cameras reach the CTU locker room, all the big, strapping tactical agents are already fully dressed. But that might have something to do with the fact that after a brief, time-killing-exchange between Kiefer and Curtis, DoDder is standing outside the locker room's glass door glaring in. Kiefer joins DoDder in the hallway. She confronts him about the fact that Prado's being treated in the CTU clinic. Shouldn't she be happier to learn that Kiefer also tortures people that she hasn't had sex with? Kiefer goes right into defensive mode: "What do you expect me to do?" I can't speak for anyone else, but I expect Kiefer to do something clever or creative. By which I don't just mean a clever or creative way to do something obvious. "You know what I did was absolutely necessary." Well, no, it was the only thing you could think of. There's a difference, sometimes. "As least now we know where he is." Yeah, for the fourth time in eight hours. Better luck this time. DoDder says he "can't keep working outside the lines without consequences." Like that one time when he disobeyed orders and rescued her, EARLIER TODAY, right? In any case, that's the wrong thing to say to Kiefer. "Nobody understands the consequences more than I do. Nobody." Yeah, those stretches between seasons when everything catches up to him are a bitch. He's gotta go.
As he and Curtis walk through CTU, the latter notices the Kiefer's a little stressed. "For whatever it's worth," Curtis says, "you did the right thing with Prado." Kiefer glances at his girlfriend still standing at the far end of the hallway with her disapproving gaze, then thanks Curtis and moves on. Don't worry, Kiefer. Curtis is less bony anyway.
Outside the Undal Office, the Veep is fretting in a room full of advisors about how torturing a U.S. citizen is so much worse than torturing a foreign national. Ah, so he's a wuss and a xenophobe. Anyway, PMHC is firmly on the pro side, saying that Prado has info about a stolen nuclear warhead. "You don't know that," says the Veep, and PMHC agrees that they don't, "because you're not letting CTU do what they need to do." I wonder if that logic would look less circular inside the Oval Office. It would serve everyone right if Prado turned out to be just some guy who owned a boat and didn't ask a lot of questions. In which case, congratulations, Kiefer, you just tortured Han Solo. The Veep turns to Bewigged Victor Garber, who's no help. He just wants the Veep to make a decision. An assistant comes in to tell PMHC that Buchanan's on the phone. As he gets up to take the call, PMHC asks the Veep what to say, but the Veep needs more time. Apparently he's hoping that if he spends a few more minutes crawling up his own ass, he'll eventually emerge out the other side. PHMC ducks into the Undal Office to take the call.