What I'm Watching: 24

24: Season 6, Episode 20 "1:00am-2:00am" (F)

Reviews of "24" will be modeled from this point on after the format I introduced next week: I will briefly summarize the preposterous (and hopefully, someday, good) elements of this episode and then launch into a focus on a certain negative (and again, hopefully positive) aspect of the show in general, emphasized by this week's episode.

An important and high-placed character is sleeping with someone who is secretly transmitting information to an evil third party. We have seen that many times before on this show. The complete character transformations of Daniels, Tom, and Karen in relation to each other are unexplained and take place far too quickly. The same thing goes for good old Ricky Schroeder and his opinion of Jack. Secretary Heller's closing tirade against Jack is far too preachy and just unnecessary for the show.

This week's "24" rant: product placement. I understand that shows do need funding and thus place products from companies in their scenes. But does "24" have to be so damn obvious about it? The original "Superman" movie, for instance, clearly advertises for Marlboro with a truck which fills almost the entire screen, but at least its placement is somewhat relevant to the show. Earlier this season on "24," Karen Hayes held up a phone bearing the Sprint logo directly in the center of the frame for nearly ten seconds. That is the definition of not being subtle. I had nearly suppressed the memory from my mind until it was dredged up in my mind in the middle of this episode. When Vice President Daniels is preparing for his video conference with Russian President Subarov, the "Cisco International" logo remains on the screen, for absolutely no purpose, for five seconds. I hoped it was merely a made-up company, as Tarantino uses in his films, but then I scrolled down on the page (I watched it online, presented by FOX). Lo and behold, the company sponsporing this online viewing was in fact Cisco International. That is just inexcusable. "24" is not about romance, and it is certainly not about product placement.