yellowstone's Journal: 24 Season 2

There is, of course, a lot I could write about regarding the second season. But I'm going to stick (I think) to just one topic, and the keystone of the whole plot. That is the Secret Evil Cabal Within Our Own Government (SECWOOG) vs. Heroically Restrained President Allstate.

Probably the most obvious problem is that President Allstate is too Heroically Restrained. Even early in the season, he is looking for a way to dodge a military response, apparently unaware that even attempting to detonate a nuclear bomb on American soil is still an act of war.

Then, after the bomb has gone off, he's still dragging his feet. The President simply cannot make military decisions based on the doubts of one field agent, even if it is Jack Bauer. And when he calls off the attack based on the initial reports of unverified evidence?

I know I'm supposed to be rooting for the President at this point; instead I'm thinking this is really not a guy I'd want as Commander in Chief of the armed forces. Senator Allstate was one of the few intelligent characters in season 1; it's really a disappointment they had to make him into a dope for season 2 to work.

Of course, there's plenty of problems on the other side of the issue. They're seriously going to go to war based on a single piece of uncorroborated evidence? Yikes.

And you can add a double "yikes" for the fact that they know the head of NSA is compromised. Any sort of SIGINT has to be viewed with at least some suspicion at that point.

And why on Earth do they need to launch their response less than 12 hours after the nuke went off (besides, of course, the fact that the structure of the show requires it)?

Ah, well. It was still fun to watch, and as usual, the best parts are when Jack Bauer is on-screen...