Jack in a Box: Season 6 (in Review)

Spoilers don't start until the "The World is Saved but..." paragraph. So if you don't want to find out anything, you should be fine.

In the beginning: America is reeling from a series of successful terrorist attacks in Baltimore, San Antonio, Los Angeles and several other cities. The one man that can stop the attacks, Jack Bauer is being returned from China, effectively throwing away last season's finale cliffhanger, to the terrorists in exchange for an end to the attacks.

The Threat: On this day, five suitcase nukes, with only one going off. Then "The Component", part of the nukes with Russian weaponry secrets causing a triangle of tensions between the US, China, and Russia.

12-Hour Villians: Abu Fayed and Dmitri Gredeynko, far and away the worst bad guys in 24 history. These guys were beaten at every phase of their plan except for the first nuke launch in hour 4. Both perished, Fayed after a fight scene with Jack that was one of the season's highlights, Gredeynko appropriately fainting into the tide due to loss of blood from an arm severed to avoid CTU detection. Actually the first 18 hours was about these two clowns.

Real Villian(s): Jack's father Phillip and his captor Cheng Zhi, conspire to get "The Component" into Chinese hands in exchange for Jack's nephew Josh abducted in a raid on CTU.

Their Reason: For Cheng it is still revenge for Jack's attack on the Chinese consul in season 4. For Phillip, he says he wants to raise Josh as another son, for one (Jack) abandoned him to serve the military and the other was disposed of as part of Phillip's conspiracy.

Political Angle: In a climate that would befuddle present day political scientists, the country goes from the appeasement policies of President Wayne (David's brother) Palmer towards Muslim-Americans and "Fayed's country" to Vice President Daniels' Neo-Conservative policies of pre-emptive strikes after a failed assassination attempt led by followers of Daniels incapacitates Palmer.

The Mole(s): None, Daniels' assistant/girlfriend's information was being sent to the Russians by her other boyfriend a lobbyist by the name of Mark Bishop but the Mole technique was one of few not repeated from other seasons this season.

The World is Saved but…: The World was going to be saved by an air strike by F-18s on an oil rig where Phillip and Cheng were exchanging "The Component" for Josh. The only issue in doubt was whether young Josh would be lifted before the strike and if Jack would survive. He was and he did. However Jack is forced to finally concede that he must let go of her latest love, Audrey Raines, for her protection and ends the day in a moment of introspection looking along the Pacific Ocean.

Thoughts: Here is my ongoing rank of Seasons:

1. Season 4
2. Season 1
3. Season 3
4. Season 5
5. Season 2
Last and definitely least. Season 6. Everyone from fans, to the writers all the way up to executives at Fox are conceding this. From the storylines and characters solely written to soften criticism from Muslim Advocacy groups angry over the Abu Fayed character to the "cameo appearances" of The Logans, Aaron Pierce, Audrey and James Heller (too many for a show that's supposed to start where each episode left off), to the idiot antagonists whom I was never afraid of would ever be successful, even to the anti-climactic (although well written and acted) ending. This season missed TERRIBLY. The DVD will be the most excruciating Chrismas present decision ever. What won't be an excruciating decision will be in January 2008 when'24' will get a chance to redeem itself. I'll be there. Changes are expected, I'll only forecast a more character driven, less political plot for Day 7.