The fate of America/the world/the human race is in jeopardy

Posted by Maggie January 23rd, 2007 at 10:23am In Battlestar Galactica Heroes Jack Bauer

Here's a tip from your friendly TiFaux editors: Watching Battlestar Galactica, 24, and Heroes in a row without pausing and without commercials may cause anxiety, heart palpitations, and/or mild panic attacks.

With Battlestar Galactica late on Sundays now, and 24 back from its nine-month hiatus, we were faced last night with an unprecedented block of television so apocalyptic and full of shocking revelations I feel like investing in a fallout bunker like President Palmer's. 

I'm a little shaken, a little jittery. They're such different shows — one's in space, one plays in "real time," one's about a bunch of genetic mutants — I guess it never occurred to me how high the stakes are in each of these shows. Where's a little Gilmore Girls to relieve the tension? We didn't even end up having time to watch the return of Studio 60, which might have lessened the emotional toll somewhat. 

(And now for the SPOILERS.) 

Talk about a night for surprises.

24: Jack's brother is the mastermind terrorist from last season! Shock, shock, shocking! So he clearly has a Jack Bauer inferiority complex (who doesn't?), and that's even before we knew his wife had a thing with Jack. Last season the terrorists were trying to prevent terrorism, or something equally crazy, if I remember correctly, so what I see happening is this: Graham Bauer, having lived all his life in Jack's enormous shadow, tried to be a hero in his own misguided way. He's not evil, he's just trying to live up to a ridiculous standard. Or he's evil. To be determined.

Also, I fully expect that when Philip Bauer shows up (James Cromwell), he'll be all "Hello, Boy-o" and then shoot someone in the gut. Because that's the kind of guy he is. 

Heroes: An invisible guy? Cool. The return of Zach? Nice. Isaac's vision of Hiro battling a dinosaur actually being a scene in a museum? Even better. Not cool, not cool at all, not cool even a tiny, little, insignificant bit? NBC's relentless attempts to make catchphrases out of this show. Stop trying to make me care who's on the list. I just don't care. Also, it makes me think of this. I realize that's also an NBC show, but I don't think that's the type of synergy they're going for.

Battlestar Galactica: Finally — Gaius, Caprica, and the rest of humankind together again like it should be. Maybe Gauis will shave! But Kara's a prophet now? Okay, you're going to have to work a little more to sell that one to me. An excellent episode, as always. Who did D'Anna see?

I have to go take a nap in my concrete bunker now.