24 Tuesday...

We went with Indian eats from Punjab Dhaba tonight, to accompany this week's day-after 24 screening. In the living room audience tonight were the usual suspects - Rachel, Jill, and Glen - plus Rowan, returned last week from his stay in China. The episode was the usual 24 fare... irresistible digital clock ticking, suspense-building almost-made connections, continued one-upsmanship in the arts of double crossing and inside manning, some blah-de-blah cell convos and too-sober discussions about "feelings" (minutes better spent on gunfights or exploding terrorists, y'ask me), and overpowering music to ensure you knew that something important was happening.

Alas, no First Boob tonight. Unless you count the Prez Logan as the boob (I was refering to Jean Smart's First Lady's favorite hiding place and extortion aid =). Also, I felt this ep was a little short on Chloe. Boo.

After the first two hours of this season I was longshot-hoping that Chloe would be the badass behind the badasses, the abrasive and single-minded spytech majestrix orchestrating things to get Jack Bauer out of hiding, back in her life, and perhaps in her debt, charging things up for a Chloe [hearts] Jack romance. Of course, ex-Prez assassination is a bit far for Chloe to go, but I'm still hopeful that she may still be a low-level badass, circumstantial badass, whom the badass badasses took advantage of...

Of whom the badass badasses took advantage...?

I hafta admit, tho, more and more unlikely with each hour that's followed. O well.

I tried to explain the draw of 24-ness to someone recently. For me, some of the most satisfying bits of 24 are made so by the wiseacre remarks and banter supplied by audience participation.

Rowan asked: How does ANYONE send ANYTHING by FREIGHTER to CENTRAL ASIA?

Every episode on its own is not all that, but there is definitely a sort of rhythm set up within each one, created by the punctuation of relationship and character-building hooha with CTU ops and Jack's "give me someone to torture, anyone!" scenes. The music definitely reinforces this compelling pacing as well. Not exactly subtle, but for the most part effective. If the same musician/s scored a Discovery Channel series on soft fuzzy animals, it might get the same ratings as 24.

In helping to shape the show's moments, sometimes the music seems to change in a very sharp, 180 degree turn sorta way. There was a moment like that tonight that got me thinking that we could be hearing Jack Bauer's iPod playlist. Can you imagine? No wonder every other day feels like the longest day of his life. He should download some happy place music.

In the prelude to 24 tonight, as the gang arrived, and we chose our Punjab foods and awaited delivery (thanks, Jill and Row!), I hit my guests with some season 2 ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (I've got several eps saved on my replay and the whole season on DVD), and CELEBRITY CHARADES, saved on the replay from AMC several months back. Fun stuff. We watched a couple episodes of THE OFFICE again as a chaser. Steve Carell rocks. Until Rowan pointed it out, I'd forgotten that the Indian gal OFFICE worker who smacked Michael Scott during his "Diversity Tomorrow" assembly played Paul Rudd's ex-girlfriend in 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN.

You know how I know you're gay? You're in the storeroom holding another man... oh so tenderly...

Or is it...

...oh so gently...?

Somethin like that. I haven't seen the movie since I caught it in theaters, so I suspect my quoting fidelity. Rowan picked it up on DVD - I'll hafta give the DVD a viewing sometime soonish.

Some random TV world crossing over... Kevin and the Secret Santa oven mitt knitter (can't remember her name) from THE OFFICE have both shown up as minor characters in ARRESTED.

Did I mention this in a previous entry? I noticed that PBS stations are playing episodes of the BBC's THE OFFICE now. If you haven't seen them, check them out! Just as funny, but y'know, in a foreign language. =)

Keep on keepin on~