How was 24 going to top last week's two-hour White House siege?  Could the writers possibly build on what was easily the best episode of the season?  Though season 7 of 24 started out a little shaky, after tonight's episode, I can safely say that 24 is back to pre-season 6 levels of badassery.  The first fifteen minutes of tonight's episode, marking the culmination of Juma's mission inside the White House, was as thrilling as anything we've ever seen from 24, an emotional and beatifully constructed action set piece.  Jack Bauer continues to be put through the ringer in every way possible, and as the final moments of the episode segued into the trademark beeping clock, I found myself ready, excited for another Hour of Bauer, a feeling I haven't had since season 5.  What follows is a recap of tonight's events. 

The Vice President watches the news.  The VP is told that Moss still wants the siege on the White House to be authorized.  The VP is a wimp, a soft-boiled liberal, and he refuses to give the OK.  President Lady Madame Allison Taylor and her daughter Olivia get over their differences while crying and huddled on the floor.  Juma takes Allison away. 

Jack Bauer has a plan.  Before they left the safe room, Jack let a natural gas pipe open.  The room will be filled with gas soon enough, and one stray bullet will cause a massive explosion, taking out a number of Juma's men.  Jack will draw their fire by running away. 

Juma has a statement for Taylor to read on camera – it is an apology for the atrocities committed by the US on Sangalan soil.  She asks for Juma to release the hostages, as a show of good faith.  Juma says he'll release one hostage, picks a dude out of the crowd, walks him away and then shoots him in the face.  

Taylor has no choice but to read the statement.  She starts to read the statement, and the VP continues to be a wuss.  Bill Buchanan decides to be the hero – he runs to the gas room, picks up a gun, shoots a dude, then fires a shot into the gas.  The room explodes, killing Bill instantly.  The lights go out.

Meanwhile, Moss sees that there's been an explosion and, on his command, the tactical teams move into the White House.  The VP is pissed. 

Jack is laying on the ground with a machine gun.  He picks off a number of Juma's men with Bauer-esque precision.  Aaron Pierce returns from the dead to keep the president and her daughter safe.  Jack finds a wounded General Juma in one of the rooms.  Juma makes a move for his weapon, and Jack has no choice but to shoot him multiple times in the chest.  Moss and his team secure the area, take the President away to safety.  Jack, after all the ruckus, finds Bill Buchanan's limp body.  Bill is dead, and Jack slumps against the door.  Silent clock takes us into the commercial..

Bad. Ass.

The President and her daughter are protected.  She is informed that they believe the White House is secure.  They want to take the President away from the city, but Taylor will have no part of that – she wants the American people to know that their president is all right.  She wants to talk to the VP herself, and soon.  Aaron Pierce is going to be OK.  Taylor and Olivia have a nice talk.  She wants to know how Henry is doing. 

Renee Walker finds Jack sitting by Bill's body.  She tells Jack that the president is safe.  Bill's last words to Jack were “Find out who Juma is working for.”  Jack tells Renee that it was supposed to be him that sacrificed himself.  “This isn't over yet,” Jack says as he stands up.  Jack tells Moss that Bill told him that he heard Juma speaking on his Sat phone to someone giving real-time intel to Juma from the outside. 

Moss turns back into the prick he's been all season, tells Jack that no, he can't speak to Ryan Burnett, and instead has Jack handcuffed and taken back into custody.  Ethan Kanin returns to the White House, but Walker cuts him off before he reaches the President.  Walker tells him what Bill heard.  Ethan is listening. 

Gil Hodges watches the news.  His underling tells him that Taylor is alive, Juma is dead.  Hodges says “You gotta admire the damn bitch,” in reference to the President.  Hodges is relaxed, telling his underling to have a drink, settle down.  Juma held up his end of the bargain – their weapons (i.e. “the shipment”) will be arriving soon.  He is going to talk to someone about “nailing down some targets.”  Jon Voight makes one heckuva bad guy. 


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