Culture: 24, 3-4pm

Forgot to set up the VCR!

But you can download for $1.99 the latest episode from iTunes!

Anyway, a fast-paced evening.

Milo survived and the Bauer family secret is fully revealed to Jack.

Meanwhile, we find out that the Russian who had the nukes deliberately gave them over to Fayed so they would be used and the Arabs would get the blame.

In the White House Lennox decides to try to unravel the plot against Palmer but gets beaten with a flashlight for his troubles.

On CSPAN's coverage of Heritage Foundation's program, "24 and America's Image in Fighting Terrorism: Fact, Fiction, or Does it Matter?", Gregory Itzin (President Logan) was asked if he would appear in Season Six. He said he would! Well, Logan made his appearance in this episode's cliff-hanger finish.

As far as implausibilities, I do have to wonder how come it is so easy for people to be driving around the streets of Los Angeles after a nuclear blast. You would think the streets would be clogged with people fleeing the city. If the streets are so empty, then that would mean the public is pretty calm! Or the streets are so clear because the LAPD and other law enforcement have set up so many check points that no one is out about town which of course would nab Fayed carting then nukes or Philip Bauer's hit men.

Speaking of people being so calm, Morris is able to go into the local liquor store near CTU HQ and it is open like nothing just happened 15 miles north?! Such a devoted employee of the liquor store!

The other implausibility is at what point did Lennox decide he wasn't going to support the coup?

Certainly, when he walked into the flashlight, he was already against the idea. One would think that between leaving the President's office and going to the basement to meet Reed, he would have informed the Secret Service to be on the lookout for the assassin. Instead, we see him trying to pass off that information by trying to arrange a meeting with the head Secret Service agent on site after talking to Reed. Not too sharp for the guy who supposedly ran Palmer's campaign like Karl Rove!

Favorite snappy dialog:
Jack: Do you know how to use this? (referring to the pistol)
Marilyn: No.
Jack: Point and shoot.

10 hours down and 14 hours to go!

UPDATE: Was watching the first two hours of season 5 on DVD and Chloe put a couple of bullets into a bad guy with a handgun. And if I recall, in season 4, Chloe wielded an M-16 and in Rambo fashion blew away one of the bad guys. Alas, brave but rather poor shot Milo, in this episode, had 3 guys in the open and missed while emptying his handgun at them. We all LOVE Chloe (Mary Lynn Rajskub)!