Day 3: 8:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
- Episode aired Dec 16, 2003
- TV-14
- 44m
Jack tries to regain the Salazars' trust when they make it to Mexico. President Palmer is angry with Tony over being left out of a secret operation. Chase is captured by Salazar's men.Jack tries to regain the Salazars' trust when they make it to Mexico. President Palmer is angry with Tony over being left out of a secret operation. Chase is captured by Salazar's men.Jack tries to regain the Salazars' trust when they make it to Mexico. President Palmer is angry with Tony over being left out of a secret operation. Chase is captured by Salazar's men.
- Wayne Palmer
- (as DB Woodside)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaKiefer Sutherland and Greg Ellis previously appeared together in the feature film To End All Wars (2001).
- GoofsAbout five minutes in to the episode, they return to the Salazar ranch and the caption says "Las Nieves, New Mexico". It has been stated numerous times the Salazar ranch is in Las Nieves, Northern Mexico. This was fixed in the DVD release.
- Quotes
Ryan Chappelle: So, you're telling me that Bauer's been playing a game with us all this time?
Tony Almeida: It's no "game."
Ryan Chappelle: But his back undercover with the Salazar's? And they trust him?
Tony Almeida: That's what we're counting on, yeah
Ryan Chappelle: I'm your boss, you should've come to me first
Tony Almeida: Look, you'll understand everything once I explained it to the President, after that if you feel I acted inappropriately, you can do what you've got to do
Ryan Chappelle: I will. Count on it
Chloe O'Brian: [while handing him the phone] the President's coming in over the line
Tony Almeida: Mr. President, this Tony Almeida, Director of CTU Los Angeles
President David Palmer: Mr. Almeida
Tony Almeida: Thank you for taking my call
President David Palmer: [Over the speakerphone] you're also on with my Chief of Staff: Wayne Palmer. I was told this was an urgent matter?
Tony Almeida: Yes Sir, it is. It's also fairly complex so I'll keep it as clear and concise as I can
President David Palmer: Go on
Tony Almeida: Sir, everything that's happened today from the infected body at Health Services to Ramon Salazar's prison break has been of an elaborate sting operation
President David Palmer: Sting operation?
Tony Almeida: Yes Sir. Planned and executed by Jack Bauer, agent Gael Ortega and myself
President David Palmer: Elaborate Mr. Almeida
Tony Almeida: Jack Bauer wanted to fill you in on the situation himself Sir
President David Palmer: Jack Bauer is a fugitive from the law
Tony Almeida: If you'll indulge me Sir, there's a video file you need to see. It's on a designated CTU server. You can access the file pass code Delta three, Delta five nine
Jack Bauer: [On a prerecorded video] Mr. President, the fact that you're viewing this now means that I've successfully completed the first phase of secret operation. Contrary to what you've been lead to believe, the Salazar's are not in possession of the Cordilla virus. The idea that they are is a lie I promoted deliberately in an order to achieve a more important goal. Please, Sir, let me explain. About a month ago I learned from a contact that a group of scientists from the Ukraine were trying to sell a weaponized virus on the open market. They were looking for a buyer with cash and creditability. I only managed to get their interest when I suggested the Salazar's as potential buyers. As long as I could get the Salazar's to agree, CTU would seize the virus as the sale took place. Our goal was to remove the virus stockpile from the marketplace because Mr. President, it is without a doubt the most lethal threat we have ever faced but all of this hinged on me convincing the Salazar's that I had switched sides and the only way to gain their trust was to break Ramon Salazar out of prison. Mr. President, I'm sorry for deceiving you but I assure you it was a benign deception and I assume complete responsibility for my actions. Sir, if things went wrong, you would've been exposed personally, legally, and politically and this was the only way I could see to avoid that risk but now it's time for you to know the truth and I'm asking you to allow CTU Director Almeida to coordinate an interdiction with the military so we can take possession of this virus and keep it from our enemies, thank you Mr. President
President Palmer receives a phone call from Tony Almeida after the latter saved Gael from torture by revealing his treason was part of a bigger plan. The plan is revealed to everyone (including the viewer) through a recorded message Jack left behind: the virus threat at the beginning of the season, Kyle Singer and the escape of Ramon Salazar were just the starting points in a more complex operation whose goal consists of Jack infiltrating the Salazar family again. He's doing this because there is a lethal virus that's being sold on the black market by a Ukrainian organization, and by pretending to help the Salazars acquire it he hopes to destroy it before it causes any real damage. First, though, he will have to convince Ramon, who is still aching to blow his head off. Chase being captured by the Salazars' men doesn't really help in that sense.
With the real truth out of the bag, the proper premise of Day 3 is laid out for us to understand and cherish: such narrative cleverness was unexpected even by 24's standards, and it is more than appropriate that the Writer's Guild of America took note of the of the script's intelligence. Most of all, the episode shows Jack going to some really dark places, not just because he went behind Palmer's back (and the latter's reaction is another example of Dennis Haysbert's talent): in the second season he killed a man to keep his cover; this time he's an addict and has to make his adversaries believe he's after money. This day will most definitely take its toll on his health, both mentally and physically.
- MaxBorg89
- Aug 18, 2008