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The following takes place following the airing of each new episode of 24 on FOX…

The initial storm of 24’s first four hours are over and the time has come for the writers to flesh out a little bit more of the storyline.  Last night’s 5th hour provided little in the way of action, but did well to set things up for the next flurry of plot twists and turns.

By far the big plot twist involves Jack’s brother and father.  His brother Graem

appeared in last years’ Day 5 as a mystery man and served as a catalyst on the fringes of the plotline as a villain, but escaped full involvement (and prosecution) in President Logan’s escapades.  There’s a backstory here with Graem’s wife (Marilyn) and Jack (who apparently has slept with every semi-attractive woman on the show - thank God Chloe is less than gorgeous or she’d be a notch on his bedpost!).  As last night’s episode closed, I was certain that the AWOL Phillip Bauer was what President Wayne Palmer had exchanged for Jack’s freedon from the Chinese, but that was quickly disspelled by the previews for next week’s episode which aired immediately after the show.

Two other intriguing elements that have been staples of the program since its inception continue to add threads to the show’s fabric.  The first is the attempt to frame some Muslims in a more favorable light.  This can be seen in Sandra Palmer’s boyfriend Walid al-Rezani and Walid’s naivity when it comes to terrorists and his willingness to infiltrate their group as a spy and with the offer of peace from Hamri Al-Assad.  The second thread involves the entanglement of personal relationships in the workplace.  This season we’ve already seen Chloe with Morris (and some weird twist with Milo) and Bill Buchanan with Karen Hayes.  Both of these elements help to add human tension to the already bubbling pot of intrigue.

Next week’s episode is likely to be more plot building with some serious cliffhangers for resolution two weeks from now in the 7th hour.

My couple of things for this week:

There’s a Chinese - Jack Bauer - Graem and Phillip Bauer triangle that will reveal itself in the next few hours. Jack’s brother and father have a business connection with the Chinese, the Chinese released Jack… Did Phillip have something to do with Jack’s release? What is the Bauer’s (Graem and Phillip) stake in this thing? Is this about oil or arms from Southeast Asia?

Didn’t Graem’s son Josh look a lot like Jack? Given Jack’s history with Marilyn… and the fact that Kim Bauer has not been included in the story so far - so much so that in the first hour Jack specifically told Bill not to inform Kim that he was back - isn’t it conceivable that they’ll use Josh as a direct family element? Also the industry scuttlebutt that Elisha Cuthbert who portrays Kim has not yet been contracted by the show’s producers to participate this season makes this all the more likely.

Darren McCarthy (the guy with the British accent) who sold Fayed the technology that makes the suitcase nukes operational is looking for someone to fill the gap left by the death of Numair. Could that gap be filled by Morris? His background is a little suspect. Look for the possiblility of him being coerced to do this or to take the money and run.

That’s all for this week.  Now for your hold-over fix… Push the play button, it takes a few seconds to load.

Thanks to FOX for the behind the scenes footage