24: RIP CTU

     Wow.  I just completed a three episode mini-marathon of Fox's 24, ending with last night's, and I just have to say, wow.  An essential part of the show has always been the CTU (Counter Terrorist Unit) Los Angeles, until last season.  Prior to last year's episodes, CTU had been disbanded, its practice weres under review by Congress, and the FBI picked up the slack, although in a different way.  I was very happy to see the glossy new CTU New York building in Day Eight's premiere in January, staffed with a whole new crew of agents, and of course, Chloe O'Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub).
     Then last night happened.  An EMP pulse effectively wiped out their entire operation.  Only halfway through Jack's (Kiefer Sutherland) eighth bad day, his support system is kaput.  Yes, he managed to save everyone last year without them, so the tension there is off, despite the startling preview for next week's hour, but that doesn't mean it isn't shocking and sad.  Chloe, Hastings (Mykelti Williamson), Arol (John Boyd), and Dana (Katee Sackhoff) are there!  What do they do now?  It would be nice if Rene (Annie Wersching) could step up and help them out, but I'm not counting on it.
     Well, surely Dana will continue her very annoying, and far too long drawn out plot of covering up her past life as Jenny.  This story, which, at the latest, should have ended two weeks ago when she disposed of the bodies, was made slightly more interesting by the appearance of another great actor on the case, Stephen Root (True Blood, Pushing Daisies, The West Wing).  However, as previously noted, Katee is a great actress, too, and that hasn't been enough to save the plot, so it is doubtful Root, despite his considerable talents, can help.
     24 does do some things right, though.  Besides the dramatic taking out of CTU, the subplot between Kayla (Nazneen Contractor) and Tarin (T.J. Ramini) was done well.  There was real emotion between the two, and I was kept guessing what Tarin would do throughout.  First he was thought to be guilty, then innocent, then guilty, then guilty but having a change of heart, and now, he's fully on the wrong side of things.  How the two of them may further affect the plot is a point of interest, although it seems unlikely that a happy-ever-after is in their future.
     24 still has twelve hours left, and will continue Monday nights at 9pm on Fox.