The first thing I have to do is adjust my travel plans.
On Wednesday, I head to Los Angeles for the Television Critics Association sessions, a 10-day flurry of interviews. I had planned to go by plane, as usual; then I saw an advance copy of this season's first four hours of "24" (Jan. 11-12 on Fox). Now I think I'll switch to a train. Or a bus. Or maybe I'll just walk there.
The episode has Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard) leading a batch of terrorists who sieze control of passenger-flight patterns, threatening to create collisions. Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) finds this hard to believe, because Tony is:
a) A good guy; and
b) A dead guy.
Hey, things happen sometimes, especially on "24." Jack has been dead a time or two, himself.
I'll at least make a note not to watch "24" before any future trips. I can tell you this, though: Despite occasional gaps -- HUGE ones -- in believability and logic , these first four hours are terrific.
No, the show doesn't fit a world in which dead guys stay dead, good guys stay good, it's impossible to escape an FBI fortress and a loud-blue van would be instantly identified on the streets of Washington, D.C.
For "24," we have to be less rigid about our thinking. Then settle back for a thrill ride. There are surprises, twists and crises, all of them crafted with great skill. We're hugely glad to see Tony back, along with two other "24" regulars who show up in the second hour. We're also glad to see a show with guts, passion and kinetic energy. Scares and all, this is a terrific show.
This comment does not relate directly to 24; but rather to Mr. Favre and the annual dance related to his pending retirement. It has now been clear over the past few years that, in crucial games, Favre will always throw more interceptions than touchdowns. In my opinion, this is due to a rare case of stage fright.
Stage fright? But Favre is the longest serving non-kicker in the game! A man with three MVPs and a Super Bowl ring! Yes, but at the same time he seems to suffer from BFLMS (Brett Favre Legacy Management Syndrome) in which he enters games concerned mainly with burnishing the Brett Favre Legacy, rather than slowing down and making the best play.
New York Jets - take a page from the Packers playbook and get a new quarterback. Perhaps Chad Pennington might be available?