The moment many people were awaiting has finally come: the very first time that Kiefer Sutherland and Dennis Haysbert share the same frame.
The occasion? Having learned Jack Bauer led an operation in Kosovo and was the sole survivor, David Palmer, who authorized that mission, thinks he is out for revenge and requests to speak to him. Once the two meet, though, things are straightened up right away: Jack had no idea Palmer was involved in Operation Nightfall, and a quick phone call to Robert Ellis (Wade Williams), the man who recruited Jack, confirms their worst fears - Andre and Alexis Drazen, sons of the dead terrorist leader Victor Drazen, know about Nightfall and want to punish those behind it, two years after the event. Things might even be easier than one could imagine, given Alexis is sleeping with a woman from the Senator's staff... Meanwhile, at the CTU safe-house, Teri Bauer learns of her husband's past relationship with Nina, and finds it very difficult to cope with such news.
This is a fundamental episode on so many levels: firstly, the real nature of the threat is finally revealed, bringing a refreshingly personal angle to the drama (the conspirators' hatred is increased by the fact that Bauer inadvertently killed their mother and sister as well); secondly, Leslie Hope, having been little more than a scream queen (though in a good way) until now, gets some real actorial meat to chew on, her painfully sincere conversation with Sarah Clarke being one of the season's most poignant instants; last but not least, the interaction between Sutherland and Haysbert is extraordinary, as both players resort to a bag of emotions, including fear and frustration, to form a solid bond that has proved one of the foundations of later years. In addition, fans of Prison Break ("the new 24" according to some) should take a look at Williams (Brad Belllick on PB) playing a secret agent: he may be on the right side, but he still looks and acts (he is, after all, undercover) like a real scumbag.
The best bit, of course, is when Bauer and Palmer realize they have more in common than meets the eye. "Being a son or a daughter or a father, none of it is easy." says Jack. Boy, is he right.
