User Reviews

Had the show not been picked up for the entire season, the first day of 24 would have ended with this episode. Luckily, that didn't happen (could you imagine the series being renamed 13?), although that doesn't mean this wouldn't have been a powerful conclusion.

Picking up from the final minutes of the twelfth hour, bullets keep marking the ground as Jack's showdown with Ira Gaines reaches its final stage with a little help from CTU, who have sent a chopper just in case. In another part of the city, on the other hand, David Palmer has a an animated discussion with Carl Webb regarding what looks a lot like the murder of George Ferragamo, Keith's therapist, discovering the situation is more complicated than he had imagined.

Unusually for a thriller series, this episode takes a few minutes to be a bit preachy. Rest assured, though: the message it is trying to send is not tagged on, but plays a vital role in the dramatic construction. "Part of getting a second chance is taking responsibility for the mess you made in the first place." Jack reminds Rick, the boy who kidnapped is daughter and then helped her escape. That phrase doesn't apply to that young man alone: it is certainly an important lesson for Kim, who snuck out of the house and sort of began the whole sorry deal, but most of all it reflects the personality of Bauer himself, who has consistently reminded us of how he is struggling to keep his family together again. It is all in one simple sentence, one that finds its negative counterpart in the words Carl uses to justify his actions: "Every engine leaves waste. It's the physics of the situation.". In the end, it is always about the same thing: power, and how to use it, something that Palmer realizes way too late (his reaction, a mix of anger and true dignity, should have gotten Haysbert an Emmy). Speaking of power, another priceless moment is the look on Michael Massee's face when his character understands it is all over and leaves the show like few villains can, throwing in the remark "They wanted to make it personal" and thus confirming that everyone's initial thoughts about the assassination plot were dead wrong.

Not a bad ending, after all. Thankfully, ratings and reviews were good enough to ensure the remaining eleven shows got to air.

On the day of the California Presidential Primary, between 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM, Teri and Kim do not go to the water tower. When Jack arrives in the spot and does not see them, he leaves Rick to bring them. He kills one terrorist and uses his radio to know the movements of Gaines and his men. Meanwhile Nina and Tony find that the deposits in Erica Vasquez accountant were made in Belgrade. David Palmer decides to talk to Maureen and discovers that she was threatened and had quited the network. Carl tells him that he has planted false evidences to compromise Keith, changing the behavior of David Palmer. Nina tells Alberta Green that a second hitter has just come from Yugoslavia to kill the senator.

In the thirteenth episode of "24", Jack and his family are finally rescued by CTU. The desperate attitude of Gaines shows how dangerous Andre Drazen and his associates are. But the reaction of David Palmer, showing that he wants to be the president to have the power to destroy Carl and his associates is a great twist in the story. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "12:00"

I'm really glad that there is at least an end to the plight of the two women. I don't know if I wanted to see eleven more episodes of them being abused by these sociopaths. It is certainly intense, to say the least. In the scope of things, there is a lot of stupidity on both sides. But Jack finally maneuvered his way into the compound. I'm glad Kim is out of the picture because her bad judgment and impulsiveness was getting more and more dangerous. We also have Palmer having to face some things that rub him the wrong way. If he is elected President, the first thing he should do is throw his wife off a bridge. She is a piece of work. But there is a new beginning. I'm so glad that the hostage situation with Jack's family isn't an issue going forward.