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OMG. SO MUCH GOODNESS IN ONE NIGHT.
Will edit this post and add coherent thoughts when I have calmed down. But for now, GOD I LOVE MONDAY SPY NIGHT NIGHTS.
Oh and spoilers in the comments.
***
Aaaand it's later:
1. I think I think too much like a writer when I watch this show, because I first suspected there was going to be a fake out the moment we got the line from Hodges to Greg about knowing your enemy. My cousin can attest to the fact that I called it then and there, since she was teasing me that I was wrong for most of the episode. But really, that was our first clue something was up, because otherwise, why leave that line in for us to see? It's the gun in the first act going off in the third act rule. Add on the fact that Hodges is too much of an egomanic control freak to let Greg introduce doubt in the other soldiers, I figured out there would be a play of some sort. To their credit, I wasn't sure if Hodges was just using Greg or if Greg was in on it as well, until Greg went and lied to Larry's face. (Which, thanks for that, because we got Angry!Hot!Righteous!Tony, which is the version I like best after Making-Out-In-Dark-Corners-With-Michelle!Tony). And they managed to bench Renee in a way that made sense (at least to the shippers), so Jack won't go in and save the day alone. But yeah, you knew it was solidly a trap when Hodges did nothing at the FBI's first arrival.
2. Jon Voight, I've decided, is basically just rehashing his role in Varsity Blues, wherein he plays this huge megalomaniac coach who is obsessed with leaving a huge legacy at all costs. Now here, we're talking love of country instead of town pride, but the same concepts apply. He's delusional but he's the kind of fanatic that believes that he has aligned his own interests with a higher ideal. So he doesn't have to hide the fact that he's preserving his company, because he truly believes what Starkwood represents is the epitome of what is right for the safety of his country. And because of that, he can speak with enough conviction to convince the men who follow him blindly to trust in him. These are people who lost their faith in something bigger than themselves, and Jonas has given them something to believe in again, twisted their patriotism into his own warped sense of serving a greater ideal. In that sense, he is like Juma, but because he's played by Jon Voight, it's probably just best to see him as Coach Bud Kilmer and you'll have all the explanation of his character motivation that you'll need.
3. Which is why I don't believe that Olivia has anything to do with Starkwood. She's too much obsessed with her own self-interest, from her job to her reputation to her family. It's all about her. I think the panic that we saw on her face had more to do with covering her ass and trying desperately to protect the second chance her mother has given her. The news about Starkwood means that Jack didn't kill Meyer, which means her broadcast reporter is going to be pissed and is going to name her as his source when it turns out to be wrong. And after laying in on pretty thick about the trust she needs in the people around her, finding out that Olivia did lie to her is going to break Allison's heart. It's going to happen, you just know it, and Olivia's screwed (no pun intended for the next week's previews). But that's why her face went all "Oh shit!" I think. If she turns out to be working with Jonas, I'll be VERY surprised.
4. On the bright side, yay to the awesome continuity we got this week! I was pretty certain it was Sunny Macer from S3 as the CDC Lady, but I didn't get confirmation until we heard her name. (Yay for (quarter) Filipino representation, y'all!) Still, awesome cameo, and a nice touch to have someone who must have worked with Jack when he was still feeling and whole. (My fanwank- yo, of course he worked with her. In the aftermath of the S3 finale, with Tony gone and Chase in the hospital with his hand, Jack would have to be the one telling her about the virus in the fridge). And of course, we had not just the scars, but people actually acknowledging them. TWICE! Which of course, leads me to....
The Triangle that Isn't.
HOLY CRAP. What an awesome, awesome episode for the OT3. Breaking it down:
a) Renee/Larry: I loved the scene where he tells her about Jack, because you can see them systematically re-building their relationship, despite the fact that it's all about Jack. In that scene, they're both kicking themselves for not being there to stop it from happening. Both of them are used to back-up, and the fact that Jack is now dying because he had none is eating at both of them. Larry is feeling guilty because he feels like he didn't get there in time. And Renee is just gutted because in addition to the *whatever* she's feeling for him, she's wondering if maybe Jack wouldn't have been exposed if she had told Larry earlier. Because Larry is *the* go-to person for bringing in the big guns and the SWAT and he probably would have if he had just been TOLD.
On top of that, you have Larry who still very clearly loves Renee and she's breaking in front of his eyes and it hurts him that she's hurting. Because all he want to do to hug her and kiss her and comfort her, but he stops himself and lets the moment pass because he knows anything he does won't stop it from hurting.
I loved the way Jeffrey Nordling and Annie Wersching played that scene because there's just so much apology there between the two of them, for all the things that have happened that they could have controlled, everything they couldn't, everything they've done and all the missed connections. It's not just the I'm sorry for not trusting you, there are undercurrents of "I'm sorry I couldn't give you what you want" and "I know, but I'm still here for you however you need me so let's not cut each other out anymore." And finally, we have some resolution. Finally they're back on the same page, being Larry and Renee, the freaking Dream Team of the FBI, best friends and trusted partners.
b) Renee/Jack: I was wondering how they were going to break the news to Renee- whether it would be Larry or Jack. And as it turned out, we got both. Plus we got to see her first reaction to his scars, which was all I wanted out of this episode. So the writers were so good to me this week. Because maaaaaan did they deliver.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I'm not completely sold on a romantic relationship between the two of them. But I do acknowledge the fact that they are amazing on screen together and the characters do care differently for each other than they do for anyone else. Renee was gutted when she found out the news and I think the fact that she stayed as tactical and wouldn't leave Jack alone says a lot when you contrast that with her need to see justice served. And Jack- he's gentle with her- and who wouldn't be when- GOD did you see her FACE when she thought he was okay? All happy and puppy like and then getting CRUSHED? And then he goes and tells her it's okay and apologizes for his scars, when he's the one dying and he's the one with the scars. I'm not sold on the romantic relationship because I think to do that, Jack would have to admit to himself that he needs other people and let himself hope and lean on someone again, which is too early for it to happen today with Renee. But the beginnings of that are there.
c) Larry-Jack: We finally got the completion of our OT3, ladies and gentlemen, because from here on out, it's clear that Larry now trusts Jacks and respects him, even when he has to say no. And when Larry is on your side, he is ON YOUR SIDE. Did you notice how he spoke with Jack in his soft voice that he uses on Renee all the time? And Jack's mirthless chuckle about "finally finding something they agree on" was just so heartbreakingly sad, because DAMN, it took Jack dying for them to finally see past the difference between each other's methods and find that they share the same love of country and life. And that love and respect, that Agape love has always been there, but only now are they recognizing it in each other.
It's funny because the writers have really done something cool in this season by making this a mostly non-romantic triangle. Normally the triangles we see on TV are romantic in nature. On 24, the two best examples, Jack/Tony/Michelle and Jack/Tony/Nina, were mirrors of each other. The onscreen tension between Jack, Nina and Tony in S1 was wrought with jealousy and insecurity and betrayal, born from a badly ended relationship. Eros (romantic) love, and all its complications, drove that triangle. By contrast, the Jack/Tony/Michelle relationship was a counterpoint to that negativity. The inter-relationships were mostly positive and secure and the dynamic between the characters came from the beautiful tension between Tony and Michell's eros and Jack and Tony's philos (family-brotherly) love. Although different, both triangles were interesting to watch unfold in their respective seasons as the action ratched up.
But what's interesting about the Jack/Renee/Larry triangle is that romance is on the periphery. Yes, you have Larry in love with Renee and Renee crushing on Jack but it's all in one direction. All the romantic Eros love is unrealized as of yet. In doing so, they've created an OT3 that is unlike any we've seen with on the show. It's not necessarily devoid of the romantic or friend relationships, but what drives the dynamic primarily is the three individuals' shared love of country and justice and preservation of life. Jack and Larry differ on priorities and where they think the line should be (and make their case to pull Renee in one way or another), but they have the same kind of faith and belief in the goodness of humanity. Their urgency and passion are rooted in the same need to protect the very things that make humanity redeemable. It's pure Agape love-the highest, the ultimate, unconditional love, and love encompassing all humanity and all of life. It's not romantic or familial affection. It's love at its most abstract and you can see it in their convictions and the way they feel about their country and morality and faith and trust.
That's really hard to pull off on TV these days, but the writers have somehow managed to do it. And whether you're Team Larry or Team Jack or want Renee with neither, you gotta admit, the way they've pulled Renee in different directions is more about her soul than it is about who winds up in bed together after today.
If they keep this up, this might be my favorite season yet. It's definitely jumped above S3, and right now it's neck and neck between S1 and S2. And while a lot of what I love about it couldn't happen without S1-S6, there's nary a cougar, amnesia, or mystery baby in sight. If the last 8 eps are as good as this season, this season is definitely going to win.
Will edit this post and add coherent thoughts when I have calmed down. But for now, GOD I LOVE MONDAY SPY NIGHT NIGHTS.
Oh and spoilers in the comments.
***
Aaaand it's later:
1. I think I think too much like a writer when I watch this show, because I first suspected there was going to be a fake out the moment we got the line from Hodges to Greg about knowing your enemy. My cousin can attest to the fact that I called it then and there, since she was teasing me that I was wrong for most of the episode. But really, that was our first clue something was up, because otherwise, why leave that line in for us to see? It's the gun in the first act going off in the third act rule. Add on the fact that Hodges is too much of an egomanic control freak to let Greg introduce doubt in the other soldiers, I figured out there would be a play of some sort. To their credit, I wasn't sure if Hodges was just using Greg or if Greg was in on it as well, until Greg went and lied to Larry's face. (Which, thanks for that, because we got Angry!Hot!Righteous!Tony, which is the version I like best after Making-Out-In-Dark-Corners-With-Michelle!Tony). And they managed to bench Renee in a way that made sense (at least to the shippers), so Jack won't go in and save the day alone. But yeah, you knew it was solidly a trap when Hodges did nothing at the FBI's first arrival.
2. Jon Voight, I've decided, is basically just rehashing his role in Varsity Blues, wherein he plays this huge megalomaniac coach who is obsessed with leaving a huge legacy at all costs. Now here, we're talking love of country instead of town pride, but the same concepts apply. He's delusional but he's the kind of fanatic that believes that he has aligned his own interests with a higher ideal. So he doesn't have to hide the fact that he's preserving his company, because he truly believes what Starkwood represents is the epitome of what is right for the safety of his country. And because of that, he can speak with enough conviction to convince the men who follow him blindly to trust in him. These are people who lost their faith in something bigger than themselves, and Jonas has given them something to believe in again, twisted their patriotism into his own warped sense of serving a greater ideal. In that sense, he is like Juma, but because he's played by Jon Voight, it's probably just best to see him as Coach Bud Kilmer and you'll have all the explanation of his character motivation that you'll need.
3. Which is why I don't believe that Olivia has anything to do with Starkwood. She's too much obsessed with her own self-interest, from her job to her reputation to her family. It's all about her. I think the panic that we saw on her face had more to do with covering her ass and trying desperately to protect the second chance her mother has given her. The news about Starkwood means that Jack didn't kill Meyer, which means her broadcast reporter is going to be pissed and is going to name her as his source when it turns out to be wrong. And after laying in on pretty thick about the trust she needs in the people around her, finding out that Olivia did lie to her is going to break Allison's heart. It's going to happen, you just know it, and Olivia's screwed (no pun intended for the next week's previews). But that's why her face went all "Oh shit!" I think. If she turns out to be working with Jonas, I'll be VERY surprised.
4. On the bright side, yay to the awesome continuity we got this week! I was pretty certain it was Sunny Macer from S3 as the CDC Lady, but I didn't get confirmation until we heard her name. (Yay for (quarter) Filipino representation, y'all!) Still, awesome cameo, and a nice touch to have someone who must have worked with Jack when he was still feeling and whole. (My fanwank- yo, of course he worked with her. In the aftermath of the S3 finale, with Tony gone and Chase in the hospital with his hand, Jack would have to be the one telling her about the virus in the fridge). And of course, we had not just the scars, but people actually acknowledging them. TWICE! Which of course, leads me to....
The Triangle that Isn't.
HOLY CRAP. What an awesome, awesome episode for the OT3. Breaking it down:
a) Renee/Larry: I loved the scene where he tells her about Jack, because you can see them systematically re-building their relationship, despite the fact that it's all about Jack. In that scene, they're both kicking themselves for not being there to stop it from happening. Both of them are used to back-up, and the fact that Jack is now dying because he had none is eating at both of them. Larry is feeling guilty because he feels like he didn't get there in time. And Renee is just gutted because in addition to the *whatever* she's feeling for him, she's wondering if maybe Jack wouldn't have been exposed if she had told Larry earlier. Because Larry is *the* go-to person for bringing in the big guns and the SWAT and he probably would have if he had just been TOLD.
On top of that, you have Larry who still very clearly loves Renee and she's breaking in front of his eyes and it hurts him that she's hurting. Because all he want to do to hug her and kiss her and comfort her, but he stops himself and lets the moment pass because he knows anything he does won't stop it from hurting.
I loved the way Jeffrey Nordling and Annie Wersching played that scene because there's just so much apology there between the two of them, for all the things that have happened that they could have controlled, everything they couldn't, everything they've done and all the missed connections. It's not just the I'm sorry for not trusting you, there are undercurrents of "I'm sorry I couldn't give you what you want" and "I know, but I'm still here for you however you need me so let's not cut each other out anymore." And finally, we have some resolution. Finally they're back on the same page, being Larry and Renee, the freaking Dream Team of the FBI, best friends and trusted partners.
b) Renee/Jack: I was wondering how they were going to break the news to Renee- whether it would be Larry or Jack. And as it turned out, we got both. Plus we got to see her first reaction to his scars, which was all I wanted out of this episode. So the writers were so good to me this week. Because maaaaaan did they deliver.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I'm not completely sold on a romantic relationship between the two of them. But I do acknowledge the fact that they are amazing on screen together and the characters do care differently for each other than they do for anyone else. Renee was gutted when she found out the news and I think the fact that she stayed as tactical and wouldn't leave Jack alone says a lot when you contrast that with her need to see justice served. And Jack- he's gentle with her- and who wouldn't be when- GOD did you see her FACE when she thought he was okay? All happy and puppy like and then getting CRUSHED? And then he goes and tells her it's okay and apologizes for his scars, when he's the one dying and he's the one with the scars. I'm not sold on the romantic relationship because I think to do that, Jack would have to admit to himself that he needs other people and let himself hope and lean on someone again, which is too early for it to happen today with Renee. But the beginnings of that are there.
c) Larry-Jack: We finally got the completion of our OT3, ladies and gentlemen, because from here on out, it's clear that Larry now trusts Jacks and respects him, even when he has to say no. And when Larry is on your side, he is ON YOUR SIDE. Did you notice how he spoke with Jack in his soft voice that he uses on Renee all the time? And Jack's mirthless chuckle about "finally finding something they agree on" was just so heartbreakingly sad, because DAMN, it took Jack dying for them to finally see past the difference between each other's methods and find that they share the same love of country and life. And that love and respect, that Agape love has always been there, but only now are they recognizing it in each other.
It's funny because the writers have really done something cool in this season by making this a mostly non-romantic triangle. Normally the triangles we see on TV are romantic in nature. On 24, the two best examples, Jack/Tony/Michelle and Jack/Tony/Nina, were mirrors of each other. The onscreen tension between Jack, Nina and Tony in S1 was wrought with jealousy and insecurity and betrayal, born from a badly ended relationship. Eros (romantic) love, and all its complications, drove that triangle. By contrast, the Jack/Tony/Michelle relationship was a counterpoint to that negativity. The inter-relationships were mostly positive and secure and the dynamic between the characters came from the beautiful tension between Tony and Michell's eros and Jack and Tony's philos (family-brotherly) love. Although different, both triangles were interesting to watch unfold in their respective seasons as the action ratched up.
But what's interesting about the Jack/Renee/Larry triangle is that romance is on the periphery. Yes, you have Larry in love with Renee and Renee crushing on Jack but it's all in one direction. All the romantic Eros love is unrealized as of yet. In doing so, they've created an OT3 that is unlike any we've seen with on the show. It's not necessarily devoid of the romantic or friend relationships, but what drives the dynamic primarily is the three individuals' shared love of country and justice and preservation of life. Jack and Larry differ on priorities and where they think the line should be (and make their case to pull Renee in one way or another), but they have the same kind of faith and belief in the goodness of humanity. Their urgency and passion are rooted in the same need to protect the very things that make humanity redeemable. It's pure Agape love-the highest, the ultimate, unconditional love, and love encompassing all humanity and all of life. It's not romantic or familial affection. It's love at its most abstract and you can see it in their convictions and the way they feel about their country and morality and faith and trust.
That's really hard to pull off on TV these days, but the writers have somehow managed to do it. And whether you're Team Larry or Team Jack or want Renee with neither, you gotta admit, the way they've pulled Renee in different directions is more about her soul than it is about who winds up in bed together after today.
If they keep this up, this might be my favorite season yet. It's definitely jumped above S3, and right now it's neck and neck between S1 and S2. And while a lot of what I love about it couldn't happen without S1-S6, there's nary a cougar, amnesia, or mystery baby in sight. If the last 8 eps are as good as this season, this season is definitely going to win.
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