Thursday, January 11, 2007

Unofficial 24 Page "Best Of" Clips #2 -- Jack's Goodbye to Kim

Well, don't you just feel lucky? Two clips in one day. No? What's that, you say? I left you hanging on Wednesday? Yes, well, as is often the case, life sometimes interferes.

Anyway, we're down to the top two clips in the Unofficial 24 Page "Best Of" Clips countdown. This clip is number two and it's the scene in Season Two where Jack is flying the cessna out to the desert with a nuke on board... and he has to call Kim and tell her he isn't coming back from this mission. Take a watch.




Okay, so why did I choose this one? For a couple reasons. For one thing, this is an example of very good acting by Elisha Cuthbert. Not to bash Elisha because we love her around here, especially in her panties, but her acting has generally been so-so. I've not often said she was terrible but nothing she ever did was amazing to me. And the character of Kim was often doing such stupid things, it was hard to take anything seriously.

However, that said, this scene was simply amazing. From Kim's initial happniess at hearing her dad's voice and perhaps thinking everything was now going to be alright to her realization as Jack spells it out for her that he's not coming back. Her innocent, "How are you getting off the plane?" question and the resulting look from Jack -- like he feels sick to have to tell her the truth -- was priceless.

Then Kim begins what we all would do -- freak out. He gasping for air and crying while protesting and almost being angry at him all at the same time -- very well done. If you listen carefully, there's a "daddy" in there instead of her usual "dad." You really feel the father-daughter dynamic here. Then Kim goes into her "I'm so sorry" routine, which is just heartbreaking. I love how Jack almost laughs as he asks her what she could be sorry about. He then absolves her of her guilt and affirms how much he loves her. Just what you should be doing in this situation.

And then, what gets me every time... after Jack attempts to end the discussion and focus on his task at hand, Kim realizes this is the last time she'll be talking to him and manages to tell him, "I'm proud of you... and I love you." I mean, really, how awesome is that? And how awesome is Cuthbert's delivery of these lines? Just the perfect balance of sadness, pride and love. Very well done and I would dare say the best scene Kim Bauer's ever had on this show.

A few minutes later, George Mason pops out from under a blanket or something and takes over, letting Jack escape to safety and once again beat the odds. Of course, Mason may have actually hesitated after overhearing such a touching conversation and not knowing how to approach a crying Jack.

Anyway, that's my take on clip #2. Tomorrow we'll reveal what I believe to be the top scene in the history of 24. I'm curious as to other's opinions, as always, as well as guesses as to what I would place as #1.

4 Comments:

Blogger Phoenician said...

Being the kind of statician that I am, this marks the second time Kim thinks her father was killed. The first time was when she was kidnapped by the Drazens and she hears the explosion over the phone at the Palmer Camp.

The third time will be after Day IV, when Jack fakes his death and she "had to burry him," whomever that was.

No wonder by Day V she's in therapy. I'd be very curious to see what happened to her Post-Day V, when she finds out that she snuffed her father hours before he was shanghaied . . . .

That said, I honestly would have placed this scene perhaps as number #1 . . . the hour itself is my favorite hour of Day II and my second favorite Hour of the entire series.

I love how when their conversation ends, she places the phone - the last trace she thought she'd ever have of her father - near her chest, her heart.

I also love poor Anna driving at this point, probably saying to herself, "Last time I pick up a hitchhiker!"

Finally, this clip, and the hour it was in, was so amazing. It reminded of us (thanks alot to George), on just how suicidal Jack was Post-Day I. It really makes me wonder how much similar/different Jack will be in Day VI.

Great choice for #2, J. Keep up the great work.

9:48 PM  
Blogger Phoenician said...

Oh and J, one question: Did you think we'd still be getting new episodes of 24 by 2007??

Honestly, when I watching this hour, I had heard on the news that 24 had just been Greenlit for Day III and I thought that was an amazing feat in itself! I don't think I could have imagined SIX Days.

9:51 PM  
Blogger Phoenician said...

Oh, I have a feeling that I know just what #1 could be but I don't want to ruin it if I'm right.

So I'll just say this: I think it's in Day V . . . and you don't have to say I'm right or wrong until you post it J!

9:58 PM  
Blogger 2yyiam said...

J thanks for having a read of my own top 5 of a different type! Check out today's top 5 if u get a chance.
Clip#2 is extremely emotional and about the only scene where we got to see the acting talents of Elisha.
As for Clip #1, could it be the death of Ryan Chappelle?

6:42 AM  

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