4 Times This Episode Disappointed And One Time It Didn't

1) They recovered the list. They actually recovered the list. I mean, it makes sense that Chloe would have learned from past disasters but, seriously? They RECOVERED the LIST? The CRITICAL and VITAL data that completely UNRAVELS THE CONSPIRACY??? In EPISODE TEN???

2) The entire time Bill was walking through the White House briefing president Taylor (with all those guards in the background) I kept expecting disaster to strike. There was just a tension there that seemed like it ought to lend itself to gunfire or explosions. Instead, we have the same information repeated a THIRD time.

3) Sean was a conspirator. He got Erika to join him. Sean convinces Erika to help him stop their identities being revealed via catastrophic computer damage. Sean kills Erika and shoots himself to avoid suspicion. Sean almost makes it into the clear but he is caught. YAWN. I felt like I'd already seen that sequence a MILLION times.

4) There hasn't been this much touchy-feely crap in 24 since Season One. Madam President is sad. Madam President and daughter are sad and share a moment before descending into angst and fury. Rosa makes Renee cry. Renee tries to make Jack angry and instead ends up crying on him. Tony puts a hand on Jack's shoulder and says, "I need your help."

BUT,

The foreshadowing throughout this entire episode was SO excellent. It kept up until the final SECONDS, and it wasn't until then I was able to see the light of day and appreciate just how crafty those 24 writers still are. Oh my goodness. (SPOILER ALERT:* Juma is going to attack the White House.)

All things considered, I have one thing to say: CAN SOMEONE PLEASE BLOW SOMETHING UP ALREADY?!

*not an ACTUAL, VERIFIED spoiler, but I will eat my hat if I'm wrong