What was on TV? Mon, Jan 10, 2005

20 years ago, pretending that the war on terror was a good idea was becoming more arduous and awkward by the day.

8:00 24 on Fox

4x03 & 4x04 "9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m." and "10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m."

Available on Hulu

Four episodes of 24 in two days is a whole lot of 24. There is so much clunky exposition. Oscar nominee Shoreh Agadashloo anchors a storyline about a family straight out of a paranoid right-wing nightmare. The whole thing is kind of stomach-churning, but she is absolutely eating in this crazy mother-from-hell role, and also Leighton Meester is there, I can't look away. Lukas Haas is in peril. Logan Marshall-Green plays the Secretary of Defense's son. He's a caricature of a flighty liberal. The CTU is convinced he's hiding something, so they decide to torture him, except it seems like they might be compassionate, byt PSYCH, no. It's WILD. Jack holds up a grocery store. There's a surprise schizophrenic daughter to make things more chaotic. By the end of the fourth episode, Chloe AND Jack get arrested. This show just doesn't stop, does it? The suspense, the entertainment, the weird side-quests, the moral horror, the paranoia...it never lets up. And I can't look away.

This episode was written by Evan Katz. His first writing credit is the 1990 TV movie Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again.

This episode was directed by Brad Turner. He has directed episodes of The Outer Limits, Stargate, and From.

10:00 American Dreams (recorded)

3x11 "Truth Be Told"

Watch on YouTube

This episode is mostly about Brittany Snow breaking up with Milo Ventimiglia. And a lot of it hinges on you thinking that he was very, very, wrong to burn down an army recruiting office. Which is a problem because I'm on board with arson in this case! Don't get me wrong, Brittany should dump Milo. Last episode he told her that all her friends and family sucked and he was the only one she could rely on. Run, Meg, run! But still, I was not on board with the moral framework of this story.

As is often the case on this show, I'm more interested in the stuff happening on the margins. A track team considers whether to go against their coach and risk their scholarships to protest the shooting of civil rights activist James Meridith, and then considers what form that protest should take. My favorite scene is the last one, in which Meg's brother J.J., freshly returned from Vietnam chats with his friend, whose brother was recently confirmed dead in Vietnam. J.J. confesses that other relatives of slain soldiers protesting makes him question his work as an army recruiter. But his friend assures him that his work is important, and that the war is righteous. He was there and he knows that better than anyone. Of course, J.J.'s war experience only increase his doubts. But what can he do? Tell this man his brother may have died for nothing? Quit his job when he has a new baby at home? He only stays silent. It's very sad and it will stay with me.

This episode was written by Josh Reims. He has written for Chicago Hope, Felicity, and Jane the Virgin.

This episode was directed by Emily Whitesell. She's directed episodes of Once and Again, Dirty Sexy Money, and Monarch: Legacy of the Monsters.

What Else Was On

• The regular football season was over, and so was Monday Night Football. So ABC had to start programming on Mondays again. They created a spin-off of their smash hit Extreme Makeover: Home Edition titled Extreme Makeover: How'd They Do That. That was followed by a new edition of The Bachelorette. The franchise was flagging at this point so ABC moved it from its Wednesday timeslot, opting to give Alias the primo post Lost timeslot instead.
• Sideways won big at the Critics Choice movie awards on the WB. It walked home with Best Picture, both supporting prizes, best ensemble, and best screenplay.

TiVo Status

The first part of Masterpiece Theater's He Knew He Was Right, one episode of Carnivale, and the three-hour Masterpiece Theater miniseries The Lost Prince. 6 hours total.