On the Issue of Time...

We all know what I haven't been doing! And, as per our agreement, we won't talk about it. And yes, the title of this post is hopelessly ambiguous, and no, I don't really care that it has little to do with what I'll actually be talking about, and... well, this is getting redundant. But okay, maybe I can touch on the things I had hoped to avoid. You know, time is a bitch, and a frustrating one at that. Originally, when I had started this site, I had wanted to post at least once a week, and, as well, I had wanted there to be a heck of a lot more content to gawk at (word choice?). But time got the better of me, and the place on the Internet I had hoped to call home soon turned into a forgotten realm. In fact, an analogy I often like to attribute to other deserted places on the Internet came true here: I saw a tumbleweed fly by.

Of course, I'd like to change that, and more content is on the way, I promise.

But, anyway, let's get on with things, shall we?

I come to you at a tumultuous time, don't I? Oil spills, deficits, war... There's a lot going on these days. So, understandably, it's hard to find things that are right in this world. Have I been able to get past all that and attempt to enjoy what life does offer? Well, no, not completely, but I've been keeping myself busy enough. Admittedly, I've stayed away from the finger-pointing and blame game that so many politicians have deduced themselves to, and, while it pains me to admit that I'm only an observer to it all, I haven't been able to do much more. Anyway, let's take a routine look at the things I have been doing, playing, watching and reading...

PHOTOGRAPHY/PLACES

NEW YORK

You know what? Rather than talk aimlessly about a place you probably already know about, I'm just gonna post a few photos, dammit.

The Fairmont Plaza Hotel is one hellishly expensive place to stay. And no, it wasn't my residence.

The steps at Apple's iconic 5th avenue store. It's rather underwhelming in person.

ENTERTAINMENT

TELEVISION

Yes, 24 is over, having concluded with a bittersweet finale on the 24th of May. Interestingly, while I dreaded it weeks before it aired, by the end of the final countdown I felt satisfied with the conclusion. I wasn't wishing for more, and, for the first time perhaps, I had come to terms with the ending of my favorite show of all time. Now... bring on the movie!

As far as TV goes, I have a ton to keep me busy, even with 24 gone from my screen. When I was in New York, I managed to get my hands on quite a few shows I had been yearning to watch for some time...

Breaking Bad: Ironically, I've heard that nothing bad about this show. The story of a a science teacher turned meth-pusher, Breaking Bad has been called the best show on television by numerous sources and I just can't wait to start watching. How had I missed this one until now?!

ROME: Recommended by my brother, this drama was apparently yet another fine show for HBO, and a pitch-perfect representation of Rome during some troubling times.

LOST: Yes, I should be shot. I've yet to watch this show and, well, I'm gonna get right to it. Please don't hurt me. Of course, I'm expecting good things from one of the most hyped dramas of all time. It'll be a long, fun and head-scratching ride, I'm certain.

GAMING

Not much here, to be honest. Aside from Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and Red Dead Redemption, there's been little time for me to dive into any of the other triple-A titles available. Honestly, though, it's been a stellar year for gaming, and I, along with others, are in the process of doing a write-up for some of 2010's greatest so far for Fandomania. Look for it in the coming week!

Anyway, from what little I've played of them, both Battlefield and Red Dead are impressive titles, though completely different. While one is a fast-paced shooter and the other is an open-world Western, they each have their own selling-points that make them, for the most part, winners. Granted, I've taken issue with a few things in each, especially with Red Dead's startlingly slow pace at the beginning. However, once you get past the boring introduction, things take off from there.

BOOKS

As well, I haven't been doing much reading due to time limitations, and, aside from magazines, the following have been collecting dust, awaiting me to finally pick them up:

Steven Erikson's Gardens of the Moon

W.E.B. Griffin's The Hostage

George Orwell's 1984 (what? It's a classic... that I've never read!)

Rest assured, they'll be finished.

Okay, then! Enough to fill a post. You can judge me aaaaaalll you want, but, even though I take a while, I make sure my blog posts are of some length, right? Wait - I think I'm giving myself a tad bit too much credit. Back to the drawing board, then, eh?

Where am I going with all this?

24 - Day 8: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Review

- FOX

SPOILER ALERT:   Significant plot details follow. 

Renee, you badass, you.

The premiere of 24 is now over, and, unsurprisingly, there’s a whole lot going on. Dana’s got a shady history; uranium is a hot-topic; the Russian mob is relaxed as hell; Renee Walker is a loose cannon and Jack’s caught in the middle of everything. Yes, the eighth season of 24 has finally kicked in.

The unfortunate thing is that not all of these stories are handled well, namely Dana Walsh’s. Unimaginative and unbelievable are probably the only words I can use to describe such a lackluster side story. When the notion of a cloudy past for Dana Walsh came in from far left field in the first night, I actually saw some potential for it, provided the writers explore the many options they had for the story. Consequently, they took the ‘trailer trash’ route and things have already fallen flat. Kevin, an old “friend” of Ms. Walsh, has been released from prison and, naturally, he just wants a place to “crash” for the night. And before you even ask, yes, he lives out of a trailer with a beard and a denim jacket. Yawn. Anyway, Kevin Wade decides that his girlfriend from years past is just dying to talk to him and is still the same person he knew from before he was behind bars. He phones Dana at CTU and learns that she has completely changed; even her name is different. It turns out that Dana Walsh is not who she says she is, and her name is merely an alias she has taken on to mask her former life. Kevin calls her “Jenny” and, indeed, she responds.

But he does not get the loving reaction he was expecting, and, in hour three, Kevin makes his way to CTU to find Jenny or Dana or whatever she’s called.

WAIT A MINUTE!!!! Hold on, hold on, hold on!  Did some generic 'redneck' just find the offices of CTU NY on his own? Isn’t this place some sort of intelligence agency? Really, the CTU of Day 8 looks pretty secure, and most of it even appears to be underground, with only a few entrances poking their heads up from the tarmac. This doesn’t seem likely. At all. Anyway, Dana (Jenny?) even gives Kevin the key to her apartment, allowing an obviously perturbed man free reign of her home. Something here doesn’t add up. Hopefully we can make things a little more coherent in future episodes.

But I digress from the main plot points of the two episodes. Jack is on the move already from the get-go, searching the suburbs for the season’s first villain Davros. Within minutes he has arrived on the scene of the Russian’s handiwork, but, alas too late. The bodies of Davro’s hostages lay lifeless on the kitchen chairs, with bullets in each of their heads. Within minutes of Jack’s arrival, the cops show up at the door, and, it just so happens that one of that of Davros’ victims was an officer himself, effectively labeling Jack as a cop-killer. Enraged, one of the cops starts delivering a beat down to Jack, and his mission is unfortunately delayed, but only for a short time. With effort, Jack is able to take control of the situation, and manages to return to the UN in time to save President Hassan from an untimely death and kill Davros.

It isn’t until the fourth hour that things begin to get really interesting, introducing old though scarred friends.  Last season, we already began to see the metamorphosis of Renee Walker, as she turned from a passive employee of the FBI to a character caught in the gray, unsure of what’s wrong and what’s right. And, while she crossed boundaries from time to time in season seven, she looked her part. Oh, how a day with Jack has changed her.

After examining Davros’ dead body, a number of odd looking symbols are found, along with traces of weapons-grade uranium. Things don’t look good, and, shockingly enough, the only agent with the right knowledge (and body) on the Russian mob is Miss Renee Walker. She doesn’t like to talk much, but she sure is determined.

 Her assignment will bring her back undercover with the Russians, though it has apparently been years since Renee was in that line of work. It’s a rocky and unpredictable undertaking, and Jack isn’t sure if Renee is up to it. He forces himself along with her, and Renee is immediately resentful, claiming that he’s only there to “babysit.” She has not time for nonsense, and will apparently go to whatever lengths she needs to fulfill her duties. She’s had a rough past as is, and her character’s actions speak for themselves, delivering a shocking and gruesome ending to a plot-driven episode.

An unpredictable and battered soul, Renee alone delivers a solid hour, and what may be most interesting is seeing how she grows further. While the premiere of 24’s eighth day was inconsistent at best, a few memorable moments shined. The interactions between Jack and Renee may very well be what this season is remembered for, and, if future episodes play out as unexpectedly as the final few minutes of hour four, we may very well see an excellent season.

RATING FOR 24 -DAY 8: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm (OUT OF 10)